Culinary Mystery

A recipe for murder! 5 families living on Peregrine Circle, 1 flowered curtain tieback, 1 missing child, 1 body in the field. Mix with a long list of suspects and top with two very different detectives. Increase heat until only the truth remains. Award-winning author Josi S. Kilpack introduces a new series of culinary "cozies" that is sure to tantalize mystery lovers. In this debut volume, cooking aficionado-turned-amateur detective Sadie Hoffmiller tries to solve the murder of Anne Lemmon, her beautiful young neighbor--a single mother who was mysteriously killed while a lemon tart was baking in her oven. At the heart of Sadie's search is Anne's missing two-year-old son, Trevor. Whoever took the child must be the murderer, but Sadie is certain that the police are looking at all the wrong suspects--including her! Armed with a handful of her very best culinary masterpieces, Sadie is determined to bake her way to proving her innocence, rescuing Trevor, and finding out exactly who had a motive for murder.

Things to do in England: Visit Westminster Abbey, the Tower of London, and the London Zoo. Take the Jack the Ripper tour-creepy! Sample authentic English scones and crumpets. Discover a dead body. What begins as a holiday trip for amateur sleuth and cooking aficionado Sadie Hoffmiller and her daughter, Breanna, turns into a bizarre mystery when they discover a dead body in the sitting room of an English manor. Breanna's boyfriend, Liam, is heir to both the family title and the family estate of Southgate, where everyone seems to have a secret . . . or two. When the body in the sitting room disappears, Sadie and Breanna are stranded at the estate until the police can clear them to leave. With their departure delayed, they might as well solve the murder. Armed with a jogging whistle, her personal recipe collection, and an unfailing sense of American justice, Sadie begins her own investigation to find the killer. But as Sadie uncovers layer after layer of misdirection, secrets, and outright lies, she wonders if anyone is telling the truth-or if the case is really as hopeless as it appears to be. Take a missing family fortune, toss in a secret romance, mix with a mysterious murder, and this is one vacation Sadie will never forget.

Calling All Book Lovers! Please join us this Friday as the Garrison Library welcomes favorite son Thom Mortenson for a special appearance to discuss his bestselling novel Devilish Details. It's guaranteed to be a memorable evening! Place: The Carmichael Hotel ballroom Time: 6:00 PM. It's been years since author Thom Mortenson has been back to Garrison, Colorado. As part of the committee that invited the bestselling writer to speak at the library fund-raiser, Sadie Hoffmiller wants everything to be perfect--right down to the homemade devil's food cake she baked herself. Murder was not on the menu. When Thom's manager ends up dead on stage, Sadie immediately offers her guidance and expertise to investigators. But when the police refuse to take her seriously, Sadie has no choice except to pursue justice on her own. With her son, Shawn, at her side, her reputation on the line, and a full cast of characters--including a suspicious photographer, an inquisitive reporter, and a helpful, handsome neighbor with some useful skills--Sadie Hoffmiller is once again on the case. But the devil is in the details, as they say, and as Sadie digs deeper into the mystery, she discovers unexpected ties to another tragedy as dark as the chocolate in Sadie's world-famous devil's food cake.

Missing! Name: Megan Burton. Age: 25. Description: dark hair, blue eyes; no identifiable scars; wearing a diamond tennis bracelet. Last seen three years ago in Key West, Florida. If you have any information, please contact the police immediately. When Sadie Hoffmiller's new friend, Eric Burton, receives word that his missing daughter's body may have been found in Florida, he immediately packs his bags, but Sadie is determined to stay home and prove to everyone that she is not a busybody. But when she senses Eric is hiding something, Sadie is compelled to take action. Before she knows it, she's in the heart of Miami, trying to piece together a trail littered with broken relationships, mysterious strangers, and forged documents that might just provide Eric the answers he's been desperately searching for--or reveal a truth he may not be ready to face. Sadie must also face a difficult question: Where is her heart leading her? Onward into Eric's adventurous arms? Or back home to the stable and steady Pete Cunningham? If only love was as easy as following a recipe. Once again, Sadie finds herself in the company of some colorful characters and on the hunt for some good old-fashioned Southern cooking. But despite the drama and intrigue, all Sadie really wants is to go home . . . as soon as she does just one more thing.

Local "celebrity" Sadie Hoffmiller has been involved in a number of unfortunate situations that have taken her to crime scenes from London, England, to Miami, Florida, and even in her own backyard of Garrison, Colorado. But is she truly an unwitting bystander in all these investigations? Or is she something more? Is she, perhaps, even the cause . . . ? The word is out about Sadie Hoffmiller's amateur detective work, but it's not the kind of publicity Sadie wants. When Jane's article threatens Sadie's reputation in the community, she accepts her first investigation-for-hire and travels to Portland, Oregon – if only to give herself some space from her whispering neighbors. And from Pete, who is sending her mixed signals about their budding relationship. Sadie hopes the Portland air will clear her head, and she is eager to get to work for May Sanderson, who has suspicions about her father's untimely death. Putting her detective skills to the test, Sadie delves into a complicated past that includes a business partnership that didn't end well, several unsavory family secrets, and more than a few motives for murder. Sadie is afraid she might crumble under the pressure, but in a new place with new recipes, she finds herself more determined than ever to uncover the answers buried in scandal, insatiable appetites, and pure and simple greed.

Sadie Hoffmiller believes in her abilities as a cook and as a detective. She believes in the beauty of a perfectly baked pumpkin roll. She does not, however, believe in ghosts. As Halloween approaches, Sadie is looking forward to spending her favorite baking season of the year making delicious New England recipes in Boston, Massachusetts, with her favorite leading man, Pete Cunningham, as they babysit his three young grandsons. When the boys insist that Mrs. Wapple, the woman who lives across the street, is a witch, Sadie and Pete are anxious to distract the boys from such silly ideas. Sadie tries to befriend Mrs. Wapple, but when her foolproof plate of cookies fails to work its magic, she is left with more questions than answers. And Sadie has never been one to leave a good question unanswered. The more she investigates, however, the stranger the answers become. And when Sadie learns the eccentric Mrs. Wapple has been attacked in her home, she knows times is running out. As the unexplained occurrences escalate, Sadie finds herself embroiled in yet another mystery with life-or-death consequences. Can Sadie discover whoever-or whatever-is behind the mystery before anyone else gets hurt? Or will this be the last time Sadie takes the case?

Sadie Hoffmiller has survived eighteen months of nonstop adventures filled with murder, deceit, and danger. She could really use some rest-and maybe even some time to heal-relaxing in the tropical paradise of Kaua'i. However, palm trees and sunshine are not as effective a medication as Sadie had hoped. And when she finds herself entangled-literally-with a dead body, she is forced to face the compounding fears and anxieties that are making her life so difficult to live. Her determination to stay out of danger and to focus on overcoming her anxieties soon takes a backseat when she meets eleven-year-old Charlie, the son of the woman whose body she discovered near Anahola Beach. Charlies has some questions of his own about what happened to his mother, and he is convinced that only Sadie can help him. If only Sadie were as confident in her abilities as Charlie is. With the help of her best friend and a local social worker, Sadie dives into another mystery with the hope that, at the end, she'll be able to find the peace and closure that has eluded her.

For Sadie Hoffmiller, going undercover as an informant for the Bureau of Land Management on an archeological site in Santa Fe, New Mexico, seems like the perfect way to stay safe and busy while a threat against her life remains unresolved. Sadie's days are spent digging up artifacts in the middle of nowhere, but she's also digging up information on her fellow dirt geeks." With the help of her baking prowess and Pete's cousin, Caro, who takes to the detective work wholeheartedly, Sadie is finding herself again. But when recent burials are found on an ancient site, Sadie finds herself in the middle of an unexpected-and unwanted-investigation. The more she digs for the truth, the more secrets she uncovers-secrets that people would kill to keep hidden. Before Sadie knows it, she's arrested for starting a bar fight (which was totally not her fault), her new friend is missing, and she's worn out her welcome in Santa Fe in more ways than one. A trip to the annual hot air balloon fiesta in Albuquerque is supposed to give her a break, but before long, she learns that when you're dealing with the black market antiquity trade, you're not really safe anywhere.

Sadie Hoffmiller is looking forward to an entire week cruising the Alaskan wilderness with her two grown children, Shawn and Breanna, and her boyfriend, Pete. Not only will they all have the chance to get to know one another better, but Sadie will finally be able to help Breanna plan her upcoming wedding. They board the ship with high expectations of a well-deserved vacation. And except for the mysterious woman on the ship that Shawn seems to know but will not discuss, and the fact that Breanna's future mother-in-law has already hijacked the wedding plans, and the unexpected death of a passenger in the middle of the buffet line, Sadie's vacation would have been perfect. As it is, Sadie will need all her investigative skills to navigate the deep waters of the mystery that is soon swirling around her family. Amid her growing fears for the future, Sadie must also come to terms with the fact that her role in the lives of her children is changing and that even the best laid plans can go awry when a secret gets thrown into the mix.

It was supposed to be a girls' weekend in scenic St. George, Utah, that would included shopping, trying out the local cuisine, and participating in a breast cancer fund-raiser. The fact that one of the organizers of the fund-raising event, a local doctor, had disappeared two months before was not supposed to be Sadie Hoffmiller's problem. When Sadie learns that her friend Caro and Caro's cousin, Tess, have started a grassroots investigation into Dr. Hendricks's disappearance, Sadie graciously refuses to be a part of it. With her wedding to plan and her most recent case still fresh in her mind, Sadie is determined to leave this case to the police-until she meets the ex-wife of the missing man. How could she not ask a few questions ... that lead to more questions ... that lead to a small town and even more questions? When the local police ask her to be their eyes and ears, Sadie can't help but jump in with both feet. Before she knows it, she is on the rocky road of another investigation and following a convoluted trail of good intentions, hidden motivations, and philanthropy turned big business.

Sadie Hoffmiller has always liked things to be just so. A place for everything and everything in its place. Order over chaos. And of all things Sadie should be able to control, her own wedding is at the top of the list. With the big day just three weeks away, Sadie is busily adding the perfect final touches to her wedding plans, but the arrival of a mysterious letter that from San Francisco changes everything. The only person Sadie knows in San Francisco is her older sister, Wendy, whom she hasn't seen or heard from since their mother's funeral nearly fifteen years ago. Sadie has faced off against murderers and criminals in recent years, yet the possibility or reconnecting with her sister is both overwhelming and frightening. Sadie soon discovers, however, that the letter is just the beginning when Wendy's world turns out to be a place of unanswered questions, twisted truths, and more than one motive for murder. The more Sadie digs into her sister's past, the more she places her own future at risk.

After years of mysteries, murder, and mayhem, the big day has arrived, and Sadie Hoffmiller wants nothing more than for her wedding to Pete to be completely uneventful. When she receives a threatening, anonymous text message just days before the ceremony, she's determined not to let it interfere with the celebration she has carefully planned for months. But as the threat escalates from a distant fear to a frightening reality, Sadie realizes just how much she's underestimated the situation. Desperate to put an end to the games, lies, and manipulation that has shadowed her life, Sadie, her fiancé, Pete, and her children pull out all the stops. What they don't know, however, is just how far Sadie's nemesis is willing to go to make good on the threat she made to Sadie three years ago. Will the wedding go off without a hitch, or will "'til death do us part" come far too soon? There's no turning back for anyone in the riveting conclusion to this twelve-volume culinary mystery series.