"Death by Jelly Beans" By Susie Black: Review/Giveaway

Review by Sarah Erwin

Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win a copy of the book and a link to purchase it.

Death by Jelly Beans is book five in Susie Black’s “Holly Swimsuit Mysteries” and full of murder and laugh-out-loud mayhem.

Mermaid Swimwear President Holly Schlivnik certainly doesn’t enjoy working with Sue Ellen Magee, the swimwear buyer for the Bainbridge Department Store because Sue Ellen is known as the Queen of Mean throughout the industry. Holly, though, is first and foremost a talented business woman and won’t pass up a big job.

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Image Source The Wild Rose Press

One day, Holly finds the department store Easter Bunny slumped over dead amidst the store’s over-the-top Easter display. Sue Ellen Magee is arrested for the crime, and despite not being Sue’s number one fan, Holly doesn’t think the police have the correct culprit. So Holly does what any excellent amateur sleuth does and dives head first into the investigation.

This was such an entertaining read that I finished in record time. I do wish I had read the other titles in the series first because I think I would have felt more connected to the characters from the start. Reading this as a standalone, however, did not diminish my enjoyment of this mystery.

Holly is a terrific character––strong and wise-cracking and full of a never-ending supply of advice passed down from her grandmother. She has the most terrific “therapy” dog, Sigmund Freu, or “Siggie” to his friends. Her friend group, affectionately called the Yentas, are always there for her, ready with a cup of coffee and an encouraging (or discouraging if the situation needs it) word. I also enjoyed the behind the scenes look at the fashion industry, specifically the buying side of it. This career and the associated details gave the cozy mystery a unique feel.

Clever, funny, and a little bit romantic, Death by Jelly Beans is a great read for those looking to escape stress and laugh along when a group of quirky characters find themselves in some sticky situations.

To enter to win an ebook copy of Death by Jelly Beans, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line "jelly beans,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen November 30, 2024. US residents only and you must be 18 or older to enter.  If entering via comment please include your email address so we can contact you. You can read our privacy statement here if you like. 

 Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & mystery short stories in our mystery section in Kings River Life and in our mystery category here on KRL News & Reviews. And join our mystery Facebook group to keep up with everything mystery we post, and have a chance at some extra giveaways. And check out our new mystery podcast which features mystery short stories and first chapters read by local actors! A new episode goes up next week.

You can click here to purchase this book.

Sarah Erwin started her career as a children’s librarian, later becoming a public library director and now she’s a stay at home mom. While her career might have changed, her love of reading has been a constant since 4th grade and she reads over 200 books a year. Read along with her on her blog Sarah Can’t Stop Reading or on Instagram. Sarah lives in St. Louis, MO with her two kids, her husband and a family dog and cat.

Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.