The Solace of Bay Leaves - (Spice Shop Mystery) by Leslie Budewitz (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

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.

Review Quotes

"A hit with nanas everywhere!"--Molly, Read Between the Lines Podcast

"Adventurous, quirky, eerie...this whodunnit--fifth in the Spice Shop Mystery series penned by Leslie Budewitz--has it all."--Woman's World

"Budewitz's affection for Seattle is apparent on every page. Foodie mystery aficionados will love the mouthwatering recipes at the end."--Publishers Weekly

"Leslie Budewitz has written an absorbing page-turner that mystery fans will love."--Suspense Magazine

"The character-driven mystery by the award-winning author of Death al Dente is darker than many cozies. Readers attracted to unusual settings and mature, introspective amateur sleuths will appreciate this intricately plotted story depicting the impact of murder on the family and community."--Library Journal (Starred Review)

"This cozy mystery is a perfect mix of intrigue, neighborhood development schemes, and a great collection of soup recipes."--The Missoulian

About the Author

Leslie Budewitz tells stories about women's lives, seasoned with friendship, food, a dash of history, and a heaping spoonful of mystery. She writes the Spice Shop mysteries set in Seattle's Pike Place Market, as well as the Food Lovers' Village mysteries and historical short fiction set in her native Montana. As Alicia Beckman, she writes moody suspense. A three-time Agatha Award winner--2013 Best First Novel for DEATH AL DENTE, the first Food Lovers' Village mystery; 2011 Best Nonfiction, and 2018 Best Short Story, for "All God's Sparrows," her first historical fiction--she is a past president of Sisters in Crime and a former board member of Mystery Writers of America. Leslie lives and cooks in NW Montana.