She came for a fresh start. She stayed to solve a murder.
When Cressida Vale returns to the small town of Blackvale, she's hoping for quiet-a few months helping at her great-aunt Sylvia's inn, some freelance photography work, and maybe a chance to figure out what she actually wants from life. Instead, she gets a dead celebrity chef, a poisoned tart, and her beloved aunt accused of murder.
Henrietta Dodd collapses at the town's annual Midsummer Feast & Fair-right after tasting Aunt Sylvia's jam tart. With all evidence pointing to Sylvia and the sheriff closing in, Cressida knows she has to act fast. Enter Miles Stone, her childhood friend and fellow reluctant hometown returnee. Together, they navigate rival bakers, town gossip, blackmail, and decades-old grudges to uncover the truth.
But in Blackvale, the sunny façade hides shadows deeper than either of them imagined. And the real killer is closer than they think.
A cozy gothic mystery where summer sunshine meets dark secrets, and every smile might hide a motive. Perfect for fans of amateur sleuths, culinary mysteries, and small-town intrigue.
