Magical Fortune Cookie #3
In Jennifer J. Chow’s third installment in the Magical Fortune Cookie series, readers meet Felicity Jin, who works in her family bakery, the Jin Bakery, that serves up a little more than Chinese specialty treats. Their baking is quite literally magical, and the Jin family is able to infuse their goods with magic. Her mother, for example, can infuse her products so that the consumer feels happier. Felicity has a gift of prophecy, and she uses it in specialized fortune cookie messages for customers and friends. Her boyfriend, Kelvin Love, runs the flower shop in town, and the two of them have started to bloom not only in their relationship but also in their investigative teamwork. I would be remiss to not to mention Felicity’s most adorable sidekick, Whiskers, the mystical white rabbit from the stars.
Pixy, California isn’t really known as a tourist destination, but a group of women have decided to have an informal high school reunion in town. They even bought out the entire Pixie Inn, run by retired teacher Mrs. Robson, who is desperate to make the best impression possible on her generous clients. Hiring the Jin Bakery to provide constant delicious treats for her guests, and Kelvin for fresh flowers, seems like the perfect way to make the place more welcoming and relaxing. Unfortunately, all Mrs. Robson’s careful planning could not take into account for the horrible behavior of the leader and financer of the trip, Ashlyn Cook, a woman completely set on running everything about the trip and seeming to lord her status and wealth over her claimed friends. Felicity tries to stay out of the way while she helps Mrs. Robson, but keeps getting roped into returning to the Inn to help out in one form or another, which is how she ends up being present when Ashlyn is found dead in her tub. Suspects abound, and Detective Sun isn’t interested in Felicity’s sleuthing, even if she has already helped close two cases already. Felicity, Kelvin, and Whiskers must work together to figure out who not only hated Ashlyn, but hated her enough to murder her.
For those who have read the first two books, they will enjoy this third installment. New readers won’t have any problem following the plot and enjoying the characters and setting. Tell-Tale Treats has one of the most convoluted murders I’ve read in awhile. However, unlike some other complicated murder methods this one was fun and engaging. It made it difficult to pinpoint who the actual murderer is and keeps readers guessing until the last second. There is a supernatural element with the magic the Jin family uses, and little Whiskers’ very existence, but it is worked into the story in a very natural way that does not confuse or distract from the main plot of the murder mystery. I recommend Tell-Tale Treats for anyone looking for a cozy that offers a relaxing small-town setting, pun filled romance, and a truly puzzling murder with adorable animal sidekicks a-plenty. This is my first time reading a book by Jennifer J. Chow, and I look forward to seeing what other adventures await Felicity in the town of Pixie. – Carla Schantz