A quick read novella to put you in the costume wearing season of Halloween. Main character Hayley Powell is hosting a party at her new restaurant. The party is just as successful as entrees at her restaurant. That is until one of her guests is found dead. Included in the novella is a dessert as easy to make as the book is quick to read: No-Bake Candy Bar Pie
Book 14.5 of the Hayley Powell’s Food and Cocktail Mystery series. This novella picks up right where Death of an Italian Chef left off. Holiday themed novels are perfect novellas. Quick read and no fluff because there must be a setting, murder, investigation, and solution all in about 100 pages.
Death of a Halloween Party Monster by Lee Hollis available on Kindle and in
Halloween Party Murder novel with 3 novellas by Leslie Meier available in Kindle, hardcover, and soft cover.
No-Bake Candy Bar Pie and Candy Corn Martini
from a cozy mystery:
Death of a Halloween Party Monster
by Lee Hollis
Book Outline and Tone:Â
Halloween has grown since I was a kid. There seems to be more house/yard decorations than Christmas these days. With parties and decorating and costume planning, this holiday season is busier than ever. Enter the holiday themed novella with characters you already know and love.
Hayley is hosting a Halloween party at her new restaurant. Just like the restaurant itself, the party is a smashing hit until someone is found dead at the party. Hayley’s brother-in-law and town Sherif, Sergio, decides to keep everyone at the party until the murderer is identified. Since this is a novella, the book runs at a fast but satisfying pace.
Like all of the other Hayley Powell mystery novels, author Lee Hollis has interjected Hayley’s food and cocktails news columns. These columns are extremely entertaining and it is these columns that the recipes can be found. Candy Bar Pie is the perfect dessert to make when there are too many candy bars in the house after Halloween.Â
The Best Quote:Â
“What sounded like a woman’s bloodcurdling scream pierced the air, startling Hayley, who was in the kitchen, lining a garbage bin with a big plastic bag in order to begin the clean-up effort. She raced back out into the dining room to see what was happening…”
Point of View:
The novel is told in third person with the reader knowing Hayley’s thoughts.
The Author: Lee Hollis
This book was written by Lee Hollis. Well sort of… Lee Hollis is the pseudonym for the real authors, a brother and sister team, Rick Copp and Holly Simason. There is more information on Goodreads. Like their protagonist Hayley Powell, Copp and Simason are from Maine. Copp moved to Hollywood and wrote for The Golden Girls, Wings, Teen Titans and a long list of impressive television and movies. Simason is a columnist in Maine and writes a cooking column. Fortunately for us readers, they decided to combine their talents and write the Lee Hollis series, currently being published by Kensington House Publishing Corporation. The Hayley Powell series has a Facebook page. The authors are active on both Twitter and Instagram.Â
What is not to like?:Â
I found this book to be just right on the spooky season scale. Not too scary and not too boring. There are several twists that keep the storyline moving. I have no complaints!
The verdict:Â
Read it and enjoy it and whatever you do, don’t forget to set aside candy bars from Halloween to use for the pie.
Disclaimer: In the name of full transparency, please be aware that this blog post contains affiliate links and any purchases made through such links will result in a small commission for me (at no extra cost for you).
No-Bake Candy Bar Pie
Assemble the Ingredients
This is a quick and simple, no-bake pie recipe that you can customize to your own personal preference with candy bars or loose candy. I love Heath Bars, so I freeze them, then smash them with a rolling pin to put in my pie. But I have a friend who loves Butterfingers, so she uses those instead. I have also used M&Ms, Reese’s, and Snickers for variety. You name it, I have probably used it. Give it a try with your favorite leftover Halloween candy, and I know your kids will thank you!
If you are using mini-Heath bars, 7.5 ounces is 30 mini bars.
Most candy will smash more easily if it is frozen. After freezing, put in a resealable bag and smash with a rolling pin.
In a bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth.
Fold in the whipped topping.
Add in your crushed candy, minus the candy for the topping.
Spoon into the pie crust and smooth over.Â
Sprinkle the reserved candy over the top.
Refrigerate for 2-4 hours. Slice and serve!
Candy Corn Martini
Assemble the Ingredients
Just like the No-Bake Pie, this recipe is also easily modified. The original recipe called for pineapple juice, but I’m allergic, so I used mango nectar and it was perfect! To compliment the tropical fruit, I used rum instead of vodka and as I just mentioned it was perfect!
Combine vodka (or rum), sour mix, and pineapple juice (or mango nectar) in a shaker with ice and shake well.
Strain into a martini glass.
Slowly pour the grenadine in so it settles on the bottom.
Top with whipped cream (optional) and enjoy.
No Bake Candy Bar Pie and Candy Corn Martini
Ingredients
No-Bake Candy Bar Pie
- 1 8oz package cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 8oz container of whipped topping, thawed
- 7.5 oz (5 regular size bars, 30 mini bars) Heath Bars broken in pieces (save some to sprinkle on top of the pie or crunch more candy)
- 1 pre-made chocolate or graham-cracker pie crust
Candy Corn Martini
- 2 oz vodka or rum
- 3 oz sour mix
- 2 oz pineapple juice or mango nectar
- 1 oz Grenadine
- optional Whipped cream for topping
Instructions
No-Bake Candy Bar Pie
- In a bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth.
- Fold in the whipped topping.
- Add in your crushed candy, minus the candy for the topping.
- Sprinkle the reserved candy over the top.
- Refrigerate for 2-4 hours. Slice and serve!
Candy Corn Martini
- Combine vodka, sour mix, and pineapple juice in a shaker with ice and shake well.
- Strain into a martini glass and slowly pour the grenadine in so it settles on the bottom.
- Top with whipped cream and enjoy.
What would I do differently next time?
The Heath bars were great, but just to mix it up, next time I will try broken up Reese’s Peanut Butter cups.
Hayley Powell Food and Cocktail Mysteries always have fantastic recipes below are some of the cocktails that I have tried.
Blueberry Lemonade Cocktail from Death of a Lobster Lover by Lee Hollis.
Sparkling Pear Champagne Cocktail from Death of a Cookbook Author by Lee Hollis
