Book Review (and a Giveaway!): Double Dipped by Terry Korth Fischer

DOUBLE DIPPED by Terry Korth Fischer
SERIES: One Scoop or Two
GENRE: Cozy Mystery Novella
PUBLISHER: The Wild Rose Press
RELEASE DATE: June 29, 2022
PAGES: 137

Accepting second best is good for her career, but first-grade teacher, Retta Curt, delays signing up for the disappointment. Given two weeks to reconsider her contract, she retreats to Gram’s cottage on Moon Lake, the last place she felt contentment. But the cottage is derelict; Cousin Julie, distant; childhood beaux, Dean, bitter; and Sweet Picks, the family ice cream stand, in danger of folding. Magruder, a surly newcomer, is buying and then neglecting properties until nothing remains of the idyllic lakeside community she remembers. When vandals target Sweet Picks, Retta’s dreams to recapture her happy childhood collapse, and the return to Moon Lake becomes a decision worse than accepting her teaching contract. Star-crossed, can she save the family business and rediscover happiness, or is Retta destined for a second-best future?

Who can resist a book with ice cream on the cover? And a mystery besides? Not me, which is how I came to be reviewing Double Dipped by Terry Korth Fischer – a cozy mystery quick read perfect for your summer vacation TBR list!

A teacher debating whether to renew her contract for another year impulsively decides to go back to the place where her happiest memories reside while she takes a couple more weeks to decide. That happy place is her Gram’s cottage in Moon Lake, Wisconsin, a place where her cousins and childhood sweetheart still live. However, nothing is as Retta remembers, at least not at first glance. So much has changed … and something other than the lake seems fishy.

Retta is a great character with a love for kids and a determined spirit. Despite the short word count, I felt like we did get to know Retta and childhood sweetheart Dean pretty well … but, that said, I would still love to spend more time in Moon Lake with these characters to unpack even more layers. For instance, Julie and Boone have great potential for further mysteries, too. Even old man Magruder’s dog Herman needs a story or two. I enjoyed getting to know these characters and their community – which despite its decline maybe hasn’t quite yet lost all of the heart that filled Retta’s memories.

Bottom Line: Double Dipped by Terry Korth Fischer is a quick read, light mystery with a couple of unexpected twists and several intriguing characters. The community of Moon Lake has its share of secrets and less-than-reputable characters but who is which may surprise you in the end. A bit of nostalgia, a bit of romance, and a bit of mystery combine to give readers a lovely choice for their own lakeside (or poolside or bedside) reading this summer – or any time of year.

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.)

My Rating: 4 stars / enjoyed it!

KissingBook Level: 3 / may forget to breathe on occasion

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Terry Korth Fischer writes short stories, memoirs, and mysteries. Her debut mystery, Gone Astray, introduced Detective Rory Naysmith, a seasoned city cop relocated to small-town Winterset, Nebraska. The Rory Naysmith Mysteries continued with Gone Before, January 2022. Transplanted from the Midwest, Terry lives in Houston, Texas, with her husband and two guard cats. When not writing, she loves reading, gardening, and basking in sunshine. Yet, her heart often wanders to the country’s heartland, where she spent a memorable—ordinary but charmed—childhood.

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What about you? What makes you want to read Double Dipped by Terry Korth Fischer?