Rosemary and Crime

"[A] quality first in a Southern cozy series . . . a must-read for fans of Carolyn Hart's Death on Demand series, as well as those who like culinary mysteries." ― Publishers Weekly   Piper Prescott, a transplanted Yankee living in the South, might be down, but don't count her out. Change of life? Bring it on!    The recently divorced mom decides to pursue a dream she's secretly harbored: owning her own business. She's set to launch her spice shop, Spice it Up!,  in her adopted hometown, Brandywine Creek, Georgia. But Piper's grand opening goes awry when the local chef who's agreed to do a cooking demo is found stabbed. Not only did Piper find the body, she handled the murder weapon and doesn't have a witness to her alibi, making the case look like a slam dunk to brand new police chief Wyatt McBride.   Desperate to uncover the truth—and prove her innocence—Piper enlists the help of her outspoken BFF, Reba Mae, to help track down the real culprit. The pair compile a lengthy list of suspects and work to eliminate them using their own creative brand of sleuthing techniques including stakeouts, breaking and entering, and one very unorthodox chocolate pie. When Piper narrowly avoids being a victim of a hit-and-run, she knows she's getting closer to the truth—and to save herself, she's going to have to become a seasoned detective . . .    Includes recipes!   "An excellent mystery." ―Donna Andrews,  New York Times–bestselling author of  Birder, She Wrote   "A strong cast of secondary characters . . . Fans of Jenn McKinlay and Ellery Adams will want to add this series to their reading lists." ― Booklist