A Spice Shop Mystery

Gail Oust

Recently divorced and newly determined to reinvent herself, Piper Prescott opens Spice It Up!, a specialty spice shop in the Georgia town she now calls home. But her celebratory launch turns deadly when a visiting chef is found stabbed—and Piper’s connection to the crime makes her the police’s prime suspect. With the help of her outspoken best friend, Piper investigates Brandywine Creek’s secrets to clear her name and uncover the real killer. A lively Southern cozy mystery, the novel blends culinary flavor, small-town intrigue, friendship, and one woman’s spirited second chance.

Leslie Budewitz

After rebuilding her life as the owner of a thriving spice and tea shop in Seattle’s Pike Place Market, Pepper Reece is determined to savor her hard-won independence. But when a panhandler is found dead outside her store with one of her shop’s cups in hand—and her employee becomes the prime suspect—Pepper launches her own investigation. As she follows a trail of secrets through the colorful Market community, Pepper must rely on sharp instincts, local knowledge, and a dash of courage before her search for the truth turns dangerously personal. This lively cozy mystery blends food, friendship, reinvention, and suspense with an aromatic Seattle setting.

Leslie Budewitz

Spring brings a surge of visitors and new opportunities to Seattle’s Pike Place Market, where Pepper Reece’s spice shop is thriving as she supplies herbs and seasonings to local restaurants. But when an ambitious young chef is found dead after being exposed to a dangerously hot ghost chili, Pepper’s business—and her knowledge of spices—places her dangerously close to the investigation. As rivalries, secrets, and culinary ambitions simmer, she must uncover who wanted the chef’s café to fail before another life is ruined. This flavorful cozy mystery blends market charm, mouthwatering food, and suspense, with recipes included for readers to enjoy.

Gail Oust

At Brandywine Creek’s annual Oktoberfest, Piper Prescott’s spice shop is thriving—and her former mother-in-law, Melly, is enjoying unexpected attention for her talent with technology. But the celebration turns sour when a software executive is found dead at the foot of Melly’s basement stairs, making her the prime suspect in a case clouded by a disputed contract and a suspicious delay in reporting the death. Convinced that Melly is innocent, Piper and her best friend, Reba Mae, begin investigating before the charming police chief can close in on the wrong culprit. Filled with small-town secrets, lively friendships, and tantalizing culinary details, this installment delivers a warm, witty cozy mystery with plenty of twists.

Gail Oust

Brandywine Creek’s week-long barbecue festival is sizzling with competition, simmering rivalries, and a tempting array of rubs and sauces—but the festivities turn deadly when a local contender is found murdered by a brisket. With suspicion falling on her friend Maybelle Humphries, spice-shop owner Piper Prescott launches an investigation of her own, despite the objections of Chief Wyatt McBride. As Piper follows a trail of jealousies, grudges, and culinary secrets, she must uncover the killer before the town’s celebration—and an innocent woman’s future—goes up in smoke. This lighthearted cozy mystery blends small-town charm, sharp wit, and mouthwatering Southern flavor.