Welcome to the Food Lovers' Village -- #giveaway #Spotlight Sunday

LESLIE BUDEWITZ: Most of you know me for my Spice Shop Mysteries, set in Seattle’s Pike Place Market, where Pepper Reece runs a spice shop and solves crime. It’s a delicious series to write, inspired by the tastes, smells, and scents of a place I first encountered as an 18-year-old college girl, and still love. (Here’s my first Spotlight, back when we started the feature, on what inspired the Spice Shop mysteries.)

I also write the Food Lovers’ Village Mysteries, where Erin Murphy runs a local foods market in her family’s hundred-year plus Mercantile in the heart of the village of Jewel Bay, Montana, and solves crime. 

It takes a village . . . to catch a killer.

And I'll be giving one lucky reader winner's choice of a Village mystery. Read on, friends! 

 

Death al Dente won the 2013 Agatha Award for Best First Novel!

No surprise that Jewel Bay is based on the town where we live. I had to change the name so I could kill people. It really is the perfect cozy village, filled with great food, art galleries, live theater, and live music, on a bay formed where two rivers meet to create the largest freshwater lake west of the Mississippi. Behind both real and fictional towns are several mountain ranges formed, as Erin likes to say, by the glacial hand of God. (With help from a series of earthquakes and floods, back in geologic time.) Wilderness abounds – along with a 36-hole golf course designed by Jack Nicklaus. And there’s a real-live dude ranch literally 5 minutes from the village – just drive across the one-lane bridge and turn left. . 

You can’t make this stuff up.

I’ll admit, that’s not what most people think of when they imagine a small town in Montana. And that’s what makes it the perfect cozy setting. 

A patient of Mr. Right sent his bookmark through the wash!

So where did Erin come from? She’s half Italian, as you can tell by her name. Like me, she left Montana and worked in Seattle. I wanted her to have experience in retail and in groceries, so I made her a grocery buyer for SavCo, the international warehouse chain. (At the time, our niece was a buyer for Costco, though not in groceries.) That gave her the skills to come home and take over the struggling Merc and give her widowed mother, Francesca, a chance to focus on her own line of pastas and sauces – and a new romance. 

And her name? Like the husband of a friend of my mother, Tom Murphy decided that because his wife had named the first two, it was his turn. And when she showed up on St. Patrick’s Day, her name was obvious.

Sadly, Tom Murphy was killed during Erin’s senior year of high school, in a hit-and-run that’s never been solved. Not until Erin returns home. I’ve lost count of how many readers finished the first book, Death al Dente – or murder not quite well done – and asked if we would ever find out what happened to him. Yes, yes, yes! Erin uncovers clues in each of the first three books, in addition to solving the crime in that book, and solves the mystery of her father’s death in Butter Off Dead, the third in the series.

The Food Lovers’ Village series includes five novels and a short story collection, with five short stories featuring Erin and the Villagers, and a prequel novella set in 1910, the year Erin’s great-grandparents, Paddy and Kate Murphy, married and started the Merc. Turns out Erin’s sleuthing skills may be inherited! 

The one lane bridge dressed up for the holidays -- and on the cover of my Christmas short story, The Christmas Stranger! (Available in the collection Carried to the Grave and as an e-book standalone.) 

I hope you’ll take a visit to the Food Lovers’ Village with me. Find out more about the books and read excerpts and praise on my website.  And as a gift to my readers, newsletter subscribers get two free short stories, including “The Picture of Guilt,” in which Erin and her beau make a surprising discovery while huckleberry picking. If you’re new to the series, it’s the perfect taste of the Village! 

Here's a link to one of my favorite Village recipes, Grilled Caprese Kabobs from Treble at the Jam Fest, the 4th Village mystery. I'll be back Tuesday with a yummy recipe for Shrimp with Pearl Couscous and Fried Capers. 

I love visiting new-to-me places on the page! Talk to me about some of your favorite armchair travel. If you've been to the Food Lovers' Village, on the page or IRL, tell us what you love about the place and the books! One lucky reader will win their choice of a Food Lovers' Village mystery -- and if you've read them all already, we'll come up with something else! (Leave your email address to enter. US and Canada only. Winner to be announced Wednesday, July 1.)  

At Seattle Spice Shop, owner Pepper Reece has whipped up the perfect blend of food, friends, and flavor. But the sweet smell of success can be hazardous . . .  

Spring is in full bloom in Pike Place Market, where Pepper is celebrating lavender’s culinary uses and planning a festival she hopes will become an annual event. When her friend Lavender Liz offers to share tips for promoting the much-loved—and occasionally maligned—herb, Pepper makes a trek to the charming town of Salmon Falls. But someone has badly damaged Liz’s greenhouse, throwing a wrench in the feisty grower’s plans for expansion. Suspicions quickly focus on an employee who’s taken to the hills. 

Then Liz is found dead among her precious plants, stabbed by a pruning knife. In Salmon Falls, there’s one in every pocket. 

Pepper digs in, untangling the tensions between Liz and a local restaurateur with eyes on a picturesque but neglected farm, a jealous ex-boyfriend determined to profit from Liz’s success, and a local growers’ cooperative. She’s also hot on the scent of a trail of her own, sniffing out the history of her sweet dog, Arf. 

As Pepper’s questions threaten to unearth secrets others desperately want to keep buried, danger creeps closer to her and those she loves. Can Pepper root out the killer, before someone nips her in the bud?

Available at Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Books-A-Million * Bookshop.org * and your local booksellers!

ALL GOD'S SPARROWS AND OTHER STORIES: A STAGECOACH MARY FIELDS COLLECTION, now available in in paperback and ebook 

Take a step back in time with All God's Sparrows and Other Stories: A Stagecoach Mary Fields Collection of historical short mysteries, featuring the Agatha-Award winning "All God's Sparrows" and other stories imagining the life of real-life historical figure Mary Fields, born into slavery in 1832, during the last thirty years of her life, in Montana. Out September 17, 2024 from Beyond the Page Publishing.  

“Finely researched and richly detailed, All God’s Sparrows and Other Stories is a wonderful collection. I loved learning about this fascinating woman . . . and what a character she is! Kudos to Leslie Budewitz for bringing her to life so vividly.” —Kathleen Grissom, New York Times bestselling author of Crow Mary

Available at Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Books-A-Million * Bookshop.org * and your local booksellers!

Leslie Budewitz is the author of the Spice Shop Mysteries set in Seattle's Pike Place Market, and the Food Lovers’ Village Mysteries, set in NW Montana. As Alicia Beckman, she writes moody, standalone suspense, most recently Blind Faith. She is the winner of Agatha Awards in three categories: Best Nonfiction (2011), Best First Novel (2013), and Best Short Story (2018). Her latest books are To Err is Cumin, the 8th Spice Shop Mystery and All God's Sparrows and Other Stories: A Stagecoach Mary Fields Collection, in September 2024. Watch for Lavender Lies Bleeding, the 9th Spice Shop Mystery, on July 15, 2025.

A past president of Sisters in Crime and former national board member of Mystery Writers of America, Leslie lives in northwest Montana with her husband, a musician and doctor of natural medicine. 

Swing by Leslie's website and join the mailing list for her seasonal newsletter. And join her on Facebook where she shares book news and giveaways from her writer friends, and talks about food, mysteries, and the things that inspire her.

Release Day News: Murder in the Graveyard: A Destination Murders Anthology featuring Leslie Budewitz

CONGRATULATIONS to our own Leslie Budewitz on the release today of Murder in the Graveyard: A Destination Murders Anthology. 

Murder in the Graveyard features short cozy mysteries by Cathy Wiley, Karen Cantwell, Meri Allen, Leslie Budewitz, Misha Crews, Eleanor Cawood Jones, Tina Kashian, Daphne Silver, Shawn Reilly Simmons, and Rosalie Spielman. 

Look for Leslie's story, "The Devil's Chair," a Spice Shop mystery. 

Available in paperback and ebook. Buy links to some of your favorite retailers here.

Release Day News: To Err is Cumin by Leslie Budewitz

August 6, 2024: Congratulations to our Leslie Budewitz on the release today of To Err is Cumin, the 8th Spice Shop Mystery!

TO ERR IS CUMIN 

by Leslie Budewitz

French Apple Custard Cake with Five Spice -- Release Day #recipe + #giveaway by @LeslieBudewitz

LESLIE BUDEWITZ:  Happy Book-Day to Me! I'm delighted to celebrate the launch today of Between a Wok and a Dead Place, the 7th Spice Shop mystery! 

Although the heart of my Spice Shop mysteries is always Pike Place Market, a place I fell in love with as a college freshman, I also love introducing readers to another part of Seattle in each book. In this one, it's the CID, or Chinatown-International District, just south of the main business section of the city. It's a fascinating place, and honestly, not one I knew well when I lived in Seattle, first as a college student and later as a young lawyer. Getting to know it better through my research for this book was one of the joys and gifts of writing it.  

(Read more about the research in my Spotlight Sunday post from late June.)  

When I started creating the recipes, I spotted one for an apple cake with Chinese Five Spice. For some reason -- who knows how the writer's brain works -- I decided my version should be a French Apple Custard Cake, and what better place to serve it than at one of Pepper's favorite restaurants in the Market, not by coincidence, also one of mine!  

The business of dividing the batter and adding extra yolks to part and extra flour to the other is a little confusing at first, but that's what creates the custard---and it's not hard once you start to do it!

Serve with a fresh cup of coffee or tea---or a spot of apple brandy!

GIVEAWAY: Talk to me in the comments for a chance to win a signed copy of Between a Wok and a Dead Place! 

Cayenne’s Five Spice French Apple Custard Cake

Cayenne spiced up this classic apple custard cake to demonstrate the versatility of the Chinese Five Spice Blend. The alcohol will bake off, leaving a hint of flavor to complement both apples and spice.

1-1/2 pounds Granny Smith apples or a mix of Granny Smith and McIntosh (3-4 large apples, depending on size)

1 tablespoon Calvados (apply brandy), brandy, or white rum

1 teaspoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons Chinese Five Spice, divided

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided

1 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, divided

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 large egg plus 2 large yolks

1 cup vegetable oil

1 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

powdered sugar for topping (optional)

Heat oven to 325F. Lightly coat a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray and place pan on a baking sheet.

Peel and core the apples. Cut each in half and place cut side down on the cutting board. Cut each half in four pieces, then rotate and slice into pieces about 1/8 inch thick.

Place apple slices on a microwave-safe pie plate; cover with plastic wrap and microwave until apples are pliable and slightly translucent, about 3 minutes. (This softens the apples in the finished cake.) 

Toss apple slices with Calvados, lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon Five Spice and cool about 15 minutes.

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk 1 cup flour, 1 cup granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, and remaining Five Spice (1 tablespoon plus two teaspoons). 

In a second bowl, whisk the whole egg only, oil, milk, and vanilla together until smooth. 

Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and whisk until just combined. Transfer 1 cup batter to a separate bowl and set aside. 

Add the two egg yolks to the remaining batter and whisk to combine. Gently fold in the apples. Transfer batter to the pan, using a spatula to spread evenly to edges. Shake lightly to ensure an even layer and smooth surface.

Whisk remaining 2 tablespoons flour into the 1 cup batter. 

Pour on top of batter in pan. Spread evenly and smooth the surface. Sprinkle remaining tablespoon of sugar evenly over the batter. 

Bake until the center of cake is set, a toothpick or tester inserted in center comes out clean, and top is golden brown, about 65 minutes. 

Transfer pan to wire rack; let cool for 5 minutes. Run a knife around sides of pan to loosen the cake and cool. Dust cooled cake with powdered sugar, if you’d like.  Serve slightly warm or cool. 

Enjoy!

What's your favorite Chinese food -- or your favorite way to add a bit of spice where it's least expected? Leave a comment with your email address for a chance to win a signed copy of Between a Wok and a Dead Place. (US and Canada only.) Mr. Kitten will choose the winner on Friday, July 21, after his morning nap. 

BETWEEN A WOK AND A DEAD PLACE: A Spice Shop Mystery (July 2023, Seventh St. Books)

Here's what two of my favorite authors--and yours--had to say:  

“Between a Wok and a Dead Place is the most tantalizing Spice Shop mystery yet!” — Maddie Day, Agatha Award-winning author of historical and cozy mysteries

“An exciting mystery blended with great food, delicious spices, and fascinating details about the early Asian residents of Seattle, making this the perfect book for readers of all tastes, spicy or not. A fitting entry in one of the best cozy series being written today.” — Vicki Delany, bestselling author of the Tea by the Sea and Sherlock Holmes Bookshop mysteries

From the cover: 

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 find 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?

Leslie Budewitz is the author of the Spice Shop Mysteries set in Seattle's Pike Place Market, and the Food Lovers’ Village Mysteries, set in NW Montana. As Alicia Beckman, she writes moody, standalone suspense, most recently Blind Faith. She is the winner of Agatha Awards in three categories: Best Nonfiction (2011), Best First Novel (2013), and Best Short Story (2018). Her latest book is Between a Wok and a Dead Place, the 7th Spice Shop mystery.  

A past president of Sisters in Crime and national board member of Mystery Writers of America, Leslie lives in northwest Montana with her husband, a musician and doctor of natural medicine, and their cat, an avid bird-watcher.

Swing by Leslie's website and join the mailing list for her seasonal newsletter. And join her on Facebook where she shares book news and giveaways from her writer friends, and talks about food, mysteries, and the things that inspire her.

Holiday Cocktails -- #Christmas #recipes by @Leslie Budewitz

LESLIE BUDEWITZ: Sometimes our characters have different tastes than we do. I prefer wine and champagne to mixed drinks, but since my girl Pepper, from the Spice Shop mysteries, loves a good cocktail, several of the books include a cocktail recipe. For Peppermint Barked, 6th in the series, we tested two recipes with a holiday flair and loved them both. Only one, the Sleigh Ride, appears in the book, but our variation of the pomegranate martini was too good not to share.

By the way, if you have any spiced cognac left over, it's delish all by itself. 

Consider this a Christmas gift from my in-house mixologist, aka Mr. Right, and me.   

The Spiced Sleigh Ride

The color of firelight on a chilly evening, Kristen and Eric’s variation of the classic sidecar uses homemade spiced cognac for a warming winter cocktail that can also be made with brandy or bourbon. 

For each drink: 

1 tablespoon white sugar 

lemon wedge

1.5 ounces spiced cognac (recipe follows) 

1 ounce Triple Sec or Cointreau 

½ ounce lemon juice 

Spiced Cognac

4 cardamom pods 

1 cinnamon stick 

1 star anise 

2 slices fresh, peeled ginger (each about the size of a nickel) 

6 ounces cognac 

To make the spiced cognac: 

Lightly bruise the cardamom pods with the flat side of a meat mallet or the flat of a chef’s knife. Break the cinnamon stick. Add cardamom, cinnamon, star anise, and ginger to a large glass measuring cup and add the cognac. Infuse 30-45 minutes, tasting after 30 minutes; allow to steep another fifteen minutes if you’d like. Strain to remove spices. 

To make the drink: 

Pour the sugar on a saucer. Rub the lemon wedge around the rim of a small coupe or martini glass. Dip the rim into the sugar. Pour the spiced cognac, Triple Sec, and lemon juice into a cocktail shaker; fill with ice and shake well before straining into the frosted glass. Garnish with the lemon wedge. 

Mrs. Santa's Pomegranate Martini

Fun and festive. No seeds in my version, only because we didn't have any at the moment, but they are a nice touch.  

For each drink: 

1-1/2 ounces gin

1 ounce pomegranate juice

1 ounce fresh lime juice

1/2 ounce simple syrup

pomegranate seeds and sliced lime to garnish

To make the drink: 

Drop a few pomegranate seeds in the bottom of your martini glass. Set aside.

In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add the gin, pomegranate juice, fresh lime juice, and simple syrup. Shake vigorously.

Strain into martini glass. Garnish with a fresh lime slice.

Cheers! All the very best to you and yours this holiday season, from Mr. Right and me!

If you're a fan of holiday mysteries, I've got a pair for you! Peppermint Barked, 6th in my Spice Shop series set in Seattle's Pike Place Market, and As the Christmas Cookie Crumbles, 5th in my Food Lovers' Village mysteries! More about it on my website.

PEPPERMINT BARKED: A Spice Shop Mystery (Seventh St. Books)

From the cover: 

A Dickens of a Christmas turns deadly…

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.

A cozy holiday mystery full of culinary delights and a rich cast of characters, the sixth installment in the Spice Shop Mystery series will keep you turning the page . . . and reaching for another piece of peppermint bark. 

Leslie Budewitz is the author of the Food Lovers’ Village Mysteries and the Spice Shop Mysteries, and the winner of Agatha Awards in three categories. Death al Dente, the first Food Lovers' Village Mystery, won Best First Novel in 2013, following her 2011 win in Best Nonfiction. Her first historical short story, "All God's Sparrows," won the 2018 Agatha Award for Best Short Story. Peppermint Barked, her 6th Spice Shop mystery, came out in July 2022, and Blind Faith, her second standalone suspense novel (written as Alicia Beckman), was released in October 2022. 

A past president of Sisters in Crime and a current board member of Mystery Writers of America, she lives in northwest Montana with her husband, a musician and doctor of natural medicine, and their cat, an avid bird-watcher.

Swing by Leslie's website and join the mailing list for her seasonal newsletter. And join her on Facebook where she shares book news and giveaways from her writer friends, and talks about food, mysteries, and the things that inspire her.

Double Chocolate Peppermint Bark -- a release day treat #recipe from @LeslieBudewitz

LESLIE BUDEWITZ:  Merry Christmas and Ho-ho-ho! 

It's launch day for Peppermint Barked and I am tickled pink---or red-and-white stripes, to stick with the seasonal theme.

I'll admit, it's odd to be launching a Christmas book in the middle of summer, though there have been times here in NW Montana the last couple of months that the seasons have been pretty darned confusing.

And it was odd to write a Christmas book in summer, as I did with this book and with As the Christmas Cookie Crumbles, the Christmas entry in my Food Lovers' Village Mysteries.

But testing the recipes is great fun any time of year. 

You know the series: Just a pinch of murder . . . When her life fell apart at age 40, Pepper Reece never expected to find solace in bay leaves. But her impulsive purchase of the Spice Shop in Seattle’s famed Pike Place Market turned out to be one of the best decisions she ever made. Between selling spice and juggling her personal life, she also discovers another unexpected talent – for solving murder. 

In her latest adventure, Pepper investigates when a young woman working the Christmas rush in her friend’s Vinny’s wine shop is brutally attacked, on the busiest shopping day of the year.

Let's get merry! Talk to me in the comments for a chance to win a signed copy of Assault & Pepper, the first Spice Shop mystery, or Peppermint Barked.  

Double Chocolate Peppermint Bark

from Peppermint Barked by Leslie Budewitz  

Two kinds of chocolate and two kinds of peppermint—no wonder this is Pepper’s favorite childhood Christmas treat and her go-to for holiday gatherings.

12 ounces semisweet chocolate (chips, chunks, or chopped)

1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract

12 ounces white chocolate (chips, chunks, or chopped) (see note) 

5-6 ounces crushed peppermint candy (about 8 small canes, 3 large canes, or 30 candies) 

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Melt the semi-sweet chocolate in a small pan over low heat or in a double boiler, stirring regularly until melted. Stir in extract. Pour onto prepared baking sheet and spread evenly. Refrigerate until set, about 25 minutes. (If chocolate is still warm, it will merge with the white chocolate in the next step; too hard and the layers may not bond.)

Meanwhile, crush the peppermint candy. Put the canes or candies in a plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin or the flat side of a meat mallet. 

Remove pan from refrigerator. Melt the white chocolate in a small pan over low heat or in a double boiler, stirring regularly until melted. Spread over semi-sweet chocolate and immediately top with crushed peppermint.

 Refrigerate until well set, 30-40 minutes. Break in pieces and enjoy!

Store tightly covered; keeps about one week. 

Note: Look for white chocolate containing cocoa butter, not added palm or coconut oil, often sold as “candy coating,” which will interfere with the bonding of the two layers and cause them to split when you break the bark into pieces.

Let's get merry! Do you read Christmas books any time of year, or only in December? Are you one of those wonderful/annoying people who shop all year and are all done before Thanksgiving? What's your favorite part about Christmas cozies---the food, the fun, the chance to celebrate the season with fictional friends? Leave a comment -- and your email address -- for a chance to win a signed copy of Assault & Pepper, the first Spice Shop mystery, or Peppermint Barked.  (US and Canada only; Mr. Kitten will pick the winner on Friday, July 22.)  

PEPPERMINT BARKED: A Spice Shop Mystery (coming July 19, 2022 from Seventh St. Books)

From the cover: 

A Dickens of a Christmas turns deadly…

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.

A cozy holiday mystery full of culinary delights and a rich cast of characters, the sixth installment in the Spice Shop Mystery series will keep you turning the page . . . and reaching for another piece of peppermint bark. 

Leslie Budewitz is the author of the Food Lovers’ Village Mysteries and the Spice Shop Mysteries, and the winner of Agatha Awards in three categories. Death al Dente, the first Food Lovers' Village Mystery, won Best First Novel in 2013, following her 2011 win in Best Nonfiction. Her first historical short story, "All God's Sparrows," won the 2018 Agatha Award for Best Short Story. Peppermint Barked, her 6th Spice Shop mystery, will appear in July 2022, and Blind Faith, her second standalone suspense novel (written as Alicia Beckman), will release in October 2022. 

A past president of Sisters in Crime and a current board member of Mystery Writers of America, she lives in northwest Montana with her husband, a musician and doctor of natural medicine, and their cat, an avid bird-watcher.

Swing by Leslie's website and join the mailing list for her seasonal newsletter. And join her on Facebook where she shares book news and giveaways from her writer friends, and talks about food, mysteries, and the things that inspire her.