Fudgy Fatality: A Pumpkin Hollow Mystery, book 10 by Kathleen Suzette (good books for high schoolers .txt) 📗

Fudgy Fatality

A Pumpkin Hollow Mystery, book 10

Copyright © 2019 by Kathleen Suzette.  All rights reserved.  This book is a work of fiction.  All names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination, or used fictitiously.  Any resemblance to actual events, locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.  All rights reserved.  No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronically or mechanical, without permission in writing from the author or publisher.

Books by Kathleen Suzette

A Home Economics Mystery Series

Appliqued to Death

A Home Economics Mystery, book 1

A Rainey Daye Cozy Mystery Series

Clam Chowder and a Murder

A Rainey Daye Cozy Mystery, book 1

A Short Stack and a Murder

A Rainey Daye Cozy Mystery, book 2

Cherry Pie and a Murder

A Rainey Daye Cozy Mystery, book 3

Barbecue and a Murder

A Rainey Daye Cozy Mystery, book 4

Birthday Cake and a Murder

A Rainey Daye Cozy Mystery, book 5

Hot Cider and a Murder

A Rainey Daye Cozy Mystery, book 6

Roast Turkey and a Murder

A Rainey Daye Cozy Mystery, book 7

Gingerbread and a Murder

A Rainey Daye Cozy Mystery, book 8

Fish Fry and a Murder

A Rainey Daye Cozy Mystery, book 9

Cupcakes and a Murder

A Rainey Daye Cozy Mystery, book 10

 

 

A Pumpkin Hollow Mystery Series

Candy Coated Murder

A Pumpkin Hollow Mystery, book 1

Murderously Sweet

A Pumpkin Hollow Mystery, book 2

Chocolate Covered Murder

A Pumpkin Hollow Mystery, book 3

Death and Sweets

A Pumpkin Hollow Mystery, book 4

Sugared Demise

A Pumpkin Hollow Mystery, book 5

Confectionately Dead

A Pumpkin Hollow Mystery, book 6

Hard Candy and a Killer

A Pumpkin Hollow Mystery, book 7

Candy Kisses and a Killer

A Pumpkin Hollow Mystery, book 8

Terminal Taffy

A Pumpkin Hollow Mystery, book 9

Fudgy Fatality

A Pumpkin Hollow Mystery, book 10

A Freshly Baked Cozy Mystery Series

Apple Pie A La Murder,

A Freshly Baked Cozy Mystery, Book 1

Trick or Treat and Murder,

A Freshly Baked Cozy Mystery, Book 2

Thankfully Dead

A Freshly Baked Cozy Mystery, Book 3

Candy Cane Killer

A Freshly Baked Cozy Mystery, Book 4

Ice Cold Murder

A Freshly Baked Cozy Mystery, Book 5

Love is Murder

A Freshly Baked Cozy Mystery, Book 6

Strawberry Surprise Killer

A Freshly Baked Cozy Mystery, Book 7

A Gracie Williams Mystery Series

Pushing Up Daisies in Arizona,

A Gracie Williams Mystery, Book 1

Kicked the Bucket in Arizona,

A Gracie Williams Mystery, Book 2

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Author’s Note

Chapter One

“We’ll never survive this.”

I looked up from the cupcake I was frosting. The tiny marzipan pumpkins had taken longer to create than I had planned on and I was itching to move on to candy making. My sister looked flustered, her hair was slipping out of her hairnet, and she held a tray of orange and green bonbons. They were made with a tinted white chocolate coating and filled with candied pineapple, candied cherries, or a mix of candied orange peel and a sweet, syrupy filling.

“What are you talking about? We survived Pumpkin Hollow Days just fine.” I stuck another marzipan pumpkin onto the cupcake I was working on.

She set the pan down and turned to me. “This is the Halloween season. You know how it is around here. We’ll be working twelve hours a day for the next ten weeks.”

I chuckled and finished up the cupcake. “We just might. But that’s a good thing. More business is always good.”

“Hopefully no one will have to work twelve hours a day. I just hired two new employees.”

We turned to look at Mom. “You did?” I asked.

She nodded and continued mixing the ingredients for chocolate fudge in the large saucepan she had on the stove burner. There was a bag of walnut pieces on the counter that she was going to add to the fudge when it was done cooking.

She turned the heat off the saucepan and wiped her hands on her apron. “I hired Stephanie Cupp and Missy Pritchard. I think they’ll make great additions to the team.”

I looked at Christy and nodded. “See? She’s got it handled.”

“Good.” Christy forced herself to smile. “I’ll try not to panic, then.” I understood Christy’s worry. Business had picked up tremendously in the past year and with the Halloween season upon us, we were going to be busy.

Mom chuckled. “We might hire someone else, too. It would be good to have more flexibility in the schedule.”

“I think we should hire at least two more people.” I picked up the tray of cupcakes to take out front. “The internet orders are going to be crazy this season. We’re going to need the help.”

“You’re probably right. We do need the help, and then I won’t have to overwork you girls.” Mom turned back to the fudge mixture in the saucepan and scraped the sides of it with a wooden spoon. She poured the bag of walnuts into the fudge and mixed them in.

“I’m going to put these cupcakes out front and then head over to Amanda’s and get some coffee. Would anyone like one?”

“None for me, thanks,” Mom said, glancing at me.

“A mummy’s curse for me, please. Thanks,” Christy said. “I could use a coffee.”

“You got it.” I headed toward the kitchen door with the cupcakes.

Christy picked up the bonbons and followed me to the front. “I need to put these in the display case, too.”

 “Aren’t you excited about the Halloween season, Christy?” I opened the back