Culinary Mystery

A shadowy master criminal has been kidnapping experts from the food industry and stealing both food and equipment. The crimes are so unrelated no one in the world had noticed the connections. No one except Albert Smith, that is. He’s got almost nothing to go on, but with every place he visits, he gets just a little closer to the truth. He’s not working alone though, his faithful sidekick, Rex Harrison the former police dog is right there with him. Can the two of them pull off the impossible and find the man Albert chose to dub ‘the Gastrothief’?

When Carmella Moretti inherits her grandfather's beloved pizzeria in the quaint coastal town of Wavecrest Cove, she trades her fast-paced New York advertising career for small-town charm and the promise of keeping her family's legacy alive. But her fresh start takes a dark turn when a rival pizzeria owner is found dead, and suspicion falls on Carmella's establishment. Teaming up with the enigmatic Detective Maddox Jones, Carmella must clear her name and uncover the truth behind the murder. As they dive deeper into Wavecrest Cove's secrets, they discover a web of lies, rivalries, and ...

Samantha Barnes was always a foodie. And when the CIA (that’s the Culinary Institute of America) came calling, she happily traded in Cape Cod for the Big Apple. But then the rising young chef’s clash with another chef (her ex!) boils over and goes viral. So when Sam inherits a house on the Cape and lands a job writing restaurant reviews, it seems like the perfect pairing. What could go wrong? Well, as it turns out, a lot.

🍲 "Murder is on the menu." 🍲 When a politician drops dead after choking on a mysterious USB drive hidden in his soup, chef Cee-Cee’s career goes up in flames—literally. Accused of murder and entangled in a web of small-town secrets and organized crime, she’s got more on her plate than just the dinner rush. Armed with nothing but her wit, her whisk, and a few loyal friends, Cee-Cee must uncover the truth hidden in that deadly bowl of soup before she becomes the next course. Murder, mayhem, and a dash of dark humor simmer in this page-turning cozy culinary mystery. Perfect for ...

They say chocolate is irresistible... this time it's deadly. When Savannah Stanton arrives in Spring Grove to help her cousin Holly run the family bakery, she's looking for a fresh start, not a fresh crime scene. But after a prominent charity board member drops dead at a gala event—right after eating one of Holly's cupcakes—both the bakery's reputation and Holly's freedom are at risk. As suspicions swirl around Sweet Springs Bakery, Savannah finds herself drawn into a web of small-town secrets, suspicious financial dealings, and long-buried scandals. With help from the handsome but ...

Too many cooks spoil the stew! The Irish stew at O’Brien’s pub in Ballydehag is a Friday night favorite—until several people get sick and terrible reviews bubble to the surface on social media. Publican and chef Sean O’Grady is horrified, but when one of his customers dies after eating the stew, he realizes he has more than poisonous reviews to worry about. Was Sean the only one who added ingredients to the simmering pot—or does someone have a taste for murder?

Zoe Washington isn’t sure what to write. What does a girl say to the father she’s never met, hadn’t heard from until his letter arrived on her 12th birthday, and who’s been in prison for a terrible crime? A crime he says he never committed. Could Marcus really be innocent? Zoe is determined to uncover the truth. Even if it means hiding his letters and her investigation from the rest of her family. Everyone else thinks Zoe’s worrying about doing a good job at her bakery internship

Sienna Monroe’s adventures continue, right along with the use of her amateur sleuthing skills, in her new hometown in Columbia, Tennessee. Since moving to Tennessee 2 years ago from LA, after the death of her husband, things have changed with a former rival & enemy, Pierre Delacroix. Pierre, a fellow local bakery owner, was once bitter at Sienna for buying a nearby building for her boutique bakery. Now he’s warming up, as he sees how Sienna has helped serve the community by solving mysterious crimes. Though no longer enemies, and now almost friends, Pierre suddenly closes off to Sienna,...

Gelato. It can be the start of something deadly. As Christmas approaches, amateur sleuth Julia JJ Kamaras finds herself growing restless working in her family’s Greek restaurant in Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania and dreams of an exotic adventure. When a twist of fate from the Natale family allows her the chance to work in a world-famous Italian restaurant, JJ packs her bags, grabs her two besties, and heads to Florence. Immersing themselves in the richness of Italian culture, JJ, Rebecca, and Gwen Q are blissfully unaware that they’re about to be thrust into a series of scandalous family ...

USA TODAY Bestselling Author Carolyn Ridder Aspenson is back with a fun and funny romp in Holiday Hills! Competition is one thing, but murder is another. When Page Turners, a new bookstore in Holiday Hills, opens its doors, it’s not just books flying off the shelves—accusations are too. Constantine Fairbanks, the tech-savvy owner of the shop, claims Bessie, the heart of The Enchanted Bookstore and Cafe, and Holiday Hills itself, is trying to sabotage her competition, his business. With glitchy e-readers and talk of other crazy events, the town is buzzing with gossip. Things heat up when...

It’s been over three years since Sienna’s fresh start in her new hometown in Middle Tennessee. Her culinary gifts were equally praised with her keen ability to solve mysterious crimes. Today she finds herself at the most charming wedding venue in Columbia, for the unexpected wedding of…. When her dearest friend Aurelia Simpson seeks Sienna’s help when her nephew Riley is accused of attempted murder, the strangest of circumstances unfold. The next brief lull in Sienna’s amateur’s sleuthing is interrupted by a notorious copycat killer making his way to her cozy hometown. Perhaps ...

It's autumn in Ashland, Oregon, - 'tis the season for a spiced hot apple cider with a serving (or two) of Torte's famous peach cobbler. It's also the perfect time for Jules Capshaw to promote her family's beloved bake shop by competing in The Pastry Channel's reality show, Take the Cake. The prize is $25,000. But as Jules quickly learns, some people would kill for that kind of dough. Literally.

Local innkeeper and vineyard owner, Avery Parker, is having a blast with her friends during the annual grape stomp in their small town of Los Robles, California. The air is filled with laughter, cheers, and the pulsating rhythm of stomping feet, creating an atmosphere that crackles with contagious energy. But the good times come to a sudden end when a corpse is discovered in the vineyard. Avery is stunned to learn that the motley collection of suspects includes a member of her own staff, who she had never considered a possibility. As Avery uncovers the secrets behind the mystery, the stakes...

A Cupcakes-and-Crime Caper When Paul Alwes, a "life coach" is murdered, Tiffany and Rosie are asked to investigate. But who would want to kill a popular life coach? Unfortunately, as they look into Paul's life, the harsh truth is revealed: Paul was a fake. Suddenly, it seems as though many in his life would've wanted him dead - including Tiffany's clients - and Tiffany and Rosie must race time to uncover the killer before they strike again...

Sienna has taken a break (or so she thought) from her amateur sleuth work in her new small hometown in Tennessee, south of Nashville. While on “break” she’s focusing on her boutique bakery & community service for the homeless…until she accidentally uncovers something sinister at the Columbia Inn. Sienna realizes it’s time to dust off her crime-fighting skills to get to the bottom of this, and to the odd correlation with the tensions that are suddenly heating up between the local police & homeless. Growing affection & connections with a local fellow bakery owner (Pierre Delacroix),...

What Does a Harvest Festival and Zero Pumpkins have to do with a Dead Guy? It's time for the annual Harvest Festival in Goodsprings, Georgia as tourists and vendors pour into the small town. Everyone is excited until a vendor meets his reward....and not in a good way. He wasn't the most pleasant of fellows, but who or what wanted him dead? Does the Otter King have a clue? Tessa, fire witch, stood up Ethan, the new detective in town. But why? Tessa won't divulge much to Sam, and Ada, Ethan's twin, blames Tessa for her brother's somber mood. Black magic has sickened Mara and her mother steps ...

When a vineyard accident during harvest season leaves Lucie Montgomery without a valuable employee, it's her worst nightmare. But before she can search for a replacement, there's more bad news: Paul Merchant, her winery manager's husband, is found dead at the bottom of his swimming pool. Police rule Paul's death an accident, but his wife insists he was murdered because of his leadership of Don't Pave Paradise, a conservationist group lobbying to keep the region's beautiful country roads unpaved. And six weeks ago, Paul's predecessor also died under mysterious circumstances.

In the charming coastal town of Harbor Cove, renowned for its picturesque beaches and vibrant culinary scene, excitement buzzes in the air as celebrity chef Gordon Masters announces plans to open a new restaurant. Amidst this whirlwind, Emma Turner, owner of the beloved bakery "Sweet Escapes," finds herself in the heart of a baking competition designed to showcase local talents against the culinary prowess of Chef Masters. However, as Emma prepares to prove her baking skills, a series of mysterious incidents begin to unfold. These sinister events threaten not only her chances in the ...

Christmas in the close-knit community of Balsam Dell promises to be especially festive for Carly Hale this year when a prominent theater company comes to town to stage A Christmas Carol. But it turns out that Scrooge is not the most ill-tempered character in the production, as blowhard actor Prescott Lennon proves when he begins berating everyone else in the cast for their poor theatrics. When his arrogant behavior threatens the production, someone decides to resolve matters with a fatal solution—and frames Carly’s friend Gina for the murder.

Middle-aged Meredith’s husband is getting on her last nerve! Suddenly being an empty nester and getting a mysterious postcard has left her wondering what’s next for her. But, it’s hard to focus on her own troubles when something weird is going on next door. Is her latest bad dream a clue to follow or just the result of too much Law & Order?Note: This is a short story prequel to Brownies & Betrayal in the Merryville Mystery series. This story stands alone and can be read before or after other books in the series.