Short review, quick read. No spoilers for this book!
Ashton’s third instalment to the Blake Eastwood series is here, and I have it on good word that the fourth book is in it’s first draft so there’s more fun to come!
Below the Cocoa is the final book in the first trilogy.
The Plot of Below the Cocoa
Below the Cocoa takes place in a chocolate-themed themepark, with the return of the cult in an underground complex. We remember the cult best from Case One, Superordinary Detective, where their antics cause our heroes a lot of trouble. In Case Three, we see the return of our favourite antagonist, Ms Haller, alongside some new faces.
Speaking of memorable characters, Blake, Tess, and Phil take centre stage for this novella. Case Three builds on the time loop narrative from its predecessor, Death and Ice Cream, sending our characters on a mad traipse through the lair of the enemy as they perfect their skills to finally escape…
…but at what cost?
My Favourite Parts of Below the Cocoa
As an alpha reader for Below the Cocoa, I’ve seen the journey this novella has taken over the last year and I’m very excited to see it out for sale on Ashton’s Amazon page.
My favourite part of this entry to the series has to be the new enemies and their romantic struggles. They make for a fun foil to Blake and Tess’ blossoming relationship. The series has had a funny romantic bend since book one with Aphrodite’s Girdle that demands love towards the wearer, and it is nice to see a new spin on love and romance in book three.
Speaking of Aphrodite’s Girdle, I also enjoyed the presence of a new artifact in this book. There’s a lot of fun to be had with green magic, but I won’t say anymore—you’ll have to read the book to understand further!
Summary
You can purchase Below the Cocoa in paperback form or as an ebook. If you want follow the progress of the series, I recommend you subscribe to Ashton’s newsletter from his website—you can even gain access to an exclusive short story set before the events of Case One!
Here’s to waiting for the arrival of book four!
Beyond The Spine Reviews 