SOFT SERVE SLEIGHING by Lena Gregory

Fiction, Cozy Mystery

4****

Blurb: With most of Eastern Long Island closed down for a blizzard, Danika Delaney and her friends are holed up in her old fashioned malt shop, the Coffee & Cream Café, with ice cream and hot chocolate. However, their plans to wait out the storm in cozy company are interrupted when a popular YouTuber and her two companions show up at the door—they’ve been trapped by the storm, and Dani generously offers to serve them breakfast. But her generosity isn’t rewarded in kind, as the reviewer then tries to extort money from Dani in exchange for a good review! When the storm finally clears, Dani is happy to have seen the last of them. Or so she thought. Dani and her friends decide to go sleigh riding the morning after the storm clears, but instead of a winter wonderland, they find the extorting YouTuber…dead! To make matters worse, Dani suddenly finds herself accused of the woman’s murder. Intent on restoring her reputation, Dani sets out to prove she didn’t do it. This is one storm she’s not sure she can weather…

Thoughts: I really enjoyed this story. This is part of the “All-Day Café” series. The characters are well-done and continue to develop, but I have to say that Eli is my favorite character. Well, him and Uncle Jimmy. Danika and her friends are once again looking into a murder – and it’s a good think Dani has an alibi. The victim is as nasty as they come and it seems that nobody is sorry she’s gone, plus there are a lot of suspects. I will admit that I pretty much knew who the killer was early on, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy the read. Danika’s family is great as are her friends. And Jake – the love interest – isn’t bad either.

Recommended.