Fragrance of Death
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- $6.99
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- $6.99
Publisher Description
Restaurateur Sally Solari has a nose for trouble, but when her sense of smell goes missing, it's not just her career on the line . . . it's her life.
Restaurateur Sally Solari is a champion, both in the kitchen and on the case, but after getting mixed up in one too many murders, she's noticed her nonna's friends have now taken to crossing themselves when they see her in the street. Adding to her woes, a sinus infection has knocked out her sense of smell, making cooking on the hot line difficult, indeed. Nevertheless, Sally is determined to stay out of trouble and focus on her work.
But then her old acquaintance Neil Lerici is murdered at the annual Santa Cruz Artichoke Cook-Off, and her powers of investigation are called into action once more. Could Neil have been killed by the local restaurant owner who took his winning spot at the competition? Or maybe by one of his siblings, who were desperate to sell the family farm to a real estate developer?
Sally plunges headfirst into the case, risking alienating everyone she knows - including the dapper Detective Vargas, who finds her sleuthing both infuriating and endearing. And soon it's not only her restaurant and tentative new relationship that are on the line - it's her life . . .
The Fragrance of Death is a non-stop fun cozy mystery that will keep your mind buzzing and your mouth watering, and contains a selection of delicious recipes to cook at home.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
At the start of Karst's enjoyable fifth outing for Santa Cruz, Calif., chef Sally Solari (after 2019's Murder from Scratch), Sally realizes that a sinus infection has left her without a sense of smell. The timing couldn't be worse, with the annual Artichoke Cook-Off about to begin. Sally hopes her artichoke salad recipe will place her in the winner's circle, but a chef who can't taste her own cooking is a liability in the kitchen. Cutthroat competition pits Sally against friends and family, including former high school classmate Neil Lerici, an artichoke grower, and her father, restaurateur Mario Solari. When the discovery of Neil's body—with an artichoke wedged in his mouth—cuts short the awards ceremony, the motives for Neil's murder are as abundant as the suspects. Unable to keep her nose out of the investigation, Sally uncovers troubling family secrets, including her father's romance with Neil's mother. Meanwhile, Sally's efforts to ignore her feelings as ex-boyfriend Eric is consumed by his new relationship with another woman adds some emotional depth. This well-done culinary cozy should win new fans for the ever enterprising Sally.
