This author explores themes of grief and friendship, loss and loneliness, and love, telling women's stories through a compelling perspective. Her contemporary work focuses on female friendships and their changing dynamics over a lifetime, inspired by a love for historic lodges and the families who built them. Drawing on extensive legal experience, the author delves into character psychology and the intricacies of human relationships, offering readers a deeply resonant and engaging read.
Set in a charming culinary village, this novella serves as a historical prequel to the acclaimed series, exploring the origins of its beloved characters. With a blend of mystery and culinary delights, it invites readers to uncover secrets that lead to an unholy death, enriching the backdrop of the Food Lovers' Village Mysteries. Celebrating a decade of storytelling, this stand-alone edition offers both fans and newcomers a taste of the series' engaging narrative and intriguing plotlines.
It’s the Lunar New Year, and fortunes are about to change. Pepper Reece, owner of the Spice Shop in Seattle's Pike Place Market, loves a good festival, especially one serving up tasty treats. So what could be more fun than a food walk in the city's Chinatown–International District, celebrating the Year of the Rabbit? But when her friend Roxanne stumbles across a man's body in the Gold Rush, a long-closed residential hotel, questions leap out. Who was he? What was he doing in the dust-encrusted herbal pharmacy in the hotel's basement? Why was the pharmacy closed up—and why are the owners so reluctant to talk? With each new discovery, Pepper finds herself asking new questions and facing more brick walls. Then questions arise about Roxanne and her relationship to Pepper's boyfriend Nate, away fishing in Alaska. Between her worries and her struggle to hire staff at the Spice Shop, Pepper has her hands and her heart full. Still, she can't resist the lure of the Gold Rush and its tangled history of secrets and lies stretching back nearly a century. But the killer is on her tail, driven by hidden demons and desires. As Pepper begins to expose the long-concealed truth, a bigger question emerges: Can she uncover the secrets of the Gold Rush Hotel without being pushed from the wok into the fire?
As the holiday season lights up Seattle's famed Pike Place Market, Pepper Reece's beloved Spice Shop is brimming with cinnamon, nutmeg, and shoppers eager to stuff their stockings. Add to the mix a tasty staff competition--a peppermint bark-off--along with Victorian costumes for this year's Dickensian Christmas theme, and Pepper almost forgets to be nervous about meeting her fisherman boyfriend's brother for the first time. But when a young woman working in her friend Vinny's wine shop is brutally assaulted, costumed revelers and holiday cheer are the last things on Pepper's mind. Who would want to hurt Beth? Or were they looking for Vinny instead? The vicious attack upsets everyone at Pike Place, but none more than Pepper's own employee, Matt Kemp. At first, Pepper is baffled by his reaction, but his clandestine connection to Beth could hold the key to the assailant's motive. Or perhaps it's Vinny's ex-wife who knows more than she's letting on . . . and what about the mysterious top-hatted man with whom Pepper saw Beth arguing that morning? As the secrets of the market come to light, long-held grudges, family ties, and hidden plans only further obscure the truth. Is it a ghost of the past rattling its chains, or a contemporary Scrooge with more earthly motives? As Pepper chases down a killer, someone is chasing her, and in the end, the storied market itself may hold the final, deadly clue
Pepper Reece never expected to find solace in bay leaves. But when her life fell apart at forty and she bought the venerable-but-rundown Spice Shop in Seattle’s Pike Place Market, her days took a tasty turn. Now she’s savoring the prospect of a flavorful fall and a busy holiday cooking season, until danger bubbles to the surface . . . Between managing her shop, worrying about her staff, and navigating a delicious new relationship, Pepper’s firing on all burners. But when her childhood friend Maddie is shot and gravely wounded, the incident is quickly tied to an unsolved murder that left another close friend a widow. Convinced that the secret to both crimes lies in the history of a once-beloved building, Pepper uses her local-girl contacts and her talent for asking questions to unearth startling links between the past and present—links that suggest her childhood friend may not have been the Golden Girl she appeared to be. Pepper is forced to face her own regrets and unsavory emotions, if she wants to save Maddie’s life—and her own.
Erin Murphy, manager of Murphy's Mercantile (aka the Merc), is tuning up for Jewel Bay's annual Jazz Festival. Between keeping the Merc's shelves stocked with Montana's tastiest local fare and hosting the festival's kick-off concert, Erin has her hands full.
Set against the vibrant backdrop of Seattle's Pike Place Market, the story follows Pepper Reece, a successful spice shop owner whose thriving business takes a dark turn when a killer disrupts her life. As she navigates the challenges posed by this unexpected threat, the narrative blends elements of mystery and culinary culture, showcasing Pepper's resilience and resourcefulness in the face of danger.
In Jewel Bay, Montana, the merchants are excited to boost winter business with a film festival. However, their plans take a dark turn when a local vendor is murdered, casting a shadow over the festivities. As the community grapples with the threat of a killer among them, the cozy atmosphere of the village is disrupted, leading to a gripping mystery that intertwines the warmth of local camaraderie with the chilling reality of crime.
In this thrilling installment of the Spice Shop mystery series, a murder investigation unfolds amidst the vibrant backdrop of Seattle's Pike Place Market. As the protagonist navigates the complexities of the case, the rich atmosphere of the market and the intricacies of spice trade add depth to the narrative. With a blend of culinary intrigue and suspense, the story promises to engage readers as they unravel the mystery alongside the characters.
