2025 Winner NYC Big Book Award - Mystery

2025 Winner IAN Book Award - Cozy Mystery

2025 Winner IPA Book Award - Mystery

Once celebrated for her show-stopping pastries and irresistible desserts, former celebrity chef Laura Harris is now making headlines for a far darker reason.

Laura has been accused of murdering her best friend.

How could this petite chef have brutally smothered the beloved small-town matriarch, veteran ferry pilot, Hattie Stenburg? Hattie wasn't just a pillar of the community; she was Laura's confidant and mentor. If only Hattie's will hadn't included recent changes, bypassing next of kin and leaving Laura her entire fortune and historic Southern estate.

As Laura scrambles to clear her name, she uncovers sinister secrets lurking beneath the town's idyllic surface. The real murderer is always one step ahead, leaving taunting clues and threatening Laura to leave Texas or face deadly consequences. With time not a luxury, Laura must untangle the web of deceit before the assailant makes her the next victim.