This one is a little political and a little too long for my taste but it's fast reading at least.

Sophie doesn't want to ask her private detective ex-boyfriend Anatoly (who she hasn't seen in months and tries to avoid but that's hard to do since he lives 3 blocks away from her) with her friend/mentor Melanie's husbands death which Sophie "witnessed" since she wants to get involved in another murder once again.

Mr. Katz (her cat), is always a favorite of mine in her books and her sister Leah and her friends Dena and Mary Ann and my favorite, her hairdresser, Marcus, are once again present.

There are some very funny scenes as always and one was when Sophie was at a spa trying to "interview" someone while getting a wax job on her legs and eyebrows. It was sad though at the same time since the person who is doing it lost her brother to suicide which was integral to Sophie's investigation but she had to do it somehow. There are some interesting sub-plots going on here that got my attention and also Dena and Sophie.

It was interesting enough to hold my attention for all those pages but it got a little boring for me with her and Anatoly butting heads and her on and off lust for him. I didn't find him sexy or attractive at all. I've read enough Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum books to know that Ranger and Joe Morelli are sexier! LOL

The ending was a surprise to me as always. Also, there was a tease, for the next book I think. ( )

I'm kind of lukewarm on this one, the first two were more entertaining I think. I still liked it, and will read the next one, but of the three so far, this one isn't my favorite. ( )

Sophie gets an odd request from her friend and mentor, Melanie O’Reilly, and feels compelled to help her out. Melanie, who is married to a man involved in a political campaign, suspects her husband of infidelity. She asks Sophie to try to seduce him to see if he is eager to take the bait, so to speak. Fortunately, Eugene O’Reilly proves to be an honest man, unfortunately, he is shot and killed in a drive-by shooting just minutes after parting ways with Sophie. Feeling sorry for her friend and determined to keep her ex-boyfriend, Anatoly (a private investigator) from getting the case, Sophie decides to play detective again.

Sophie discovers multiple suspects and signs that point to some sort of cover up related to the political campaign Eugene was involved in. Of course, while searching for clues and trying to find the killer, Sophie herself starts getting odd threats and unwittingly attracts the attention of the very man she set out to avoid, Anatoly.

Can Sophie catch the killer without getting killed herself? Will Sophie and Anatoly patch up their relationship, or just annoy each other? Read the book to find out!

This series is my second favorite book series. These cozy mysteries are so much fun, and Obsession, Deceit and Really Dark Chocolate is no exception. Sophie is such a great character; headstrong, opinionated, witty and just genuinely likeable. Her friends are original, interesting, and likeable as well. I love her gay hairstylist, Marcus. He’s got some of the best lines in the book. And Sophie’s friend Dena, who owns a sex toy shop is also unforgettable and a lot of fun. And, of course, I can’t forget about Anatoly, the sexy Russian Jew, who drives Sophie crazy. Obsession, Deceit and Really Dark Chocolate was a really fun read. I laughed out loud sometimes, making my husband look at me like I was crazy. I had trouble putting it down, so it was a fast read. I think I finished it within twenty-four hours of starting it.

This is a great book, just like the others in the series. The only thing that bothered me a little was the ridiculousness of the scandal that the killer was trying to hide. It was amusing, but a little too weird for my taste. Regardless, I highly recommend both this book and the series . You can find more of my reviews at http://bookwormbookreviews.com ( )

Sophie is called upon by her mentor for a really big favor. This story is the first one I've read where I thought maybe Sophie will grow and develop and not just be another Stephanie Plum. It is a fun story, I was impressed with the author's handling of the political candidates. When I saw where the story was headed, I was afraid it would simply turn out to villainize one party or the other, but she kept the focus on the individuals, and human nature, not on the political differences. I must say, this book may have ruined my innocent enjoyment of mascot costumes and such!

I'm always a bit unsatisfied at the end of these novels, I think the author could still improve in setting up her resolutions and denouement. ( )

The 3rd book in the Sophie Katz series was a weird one involving sex and politics. Took me a while to get into it and I can't say it was a favorite. I am glad that she and Anatoly are working together and on their relationship. Here's hoping the 4th book is better. ( )