First-Degree Fudge: A Fudge Shop Mystery

Description

First in a new mystery series--includes fudge recipes! New candy store owner Ava Oosterling specializes in making heavenly homemade fudge and fresh starts. But she's just found out that her newest flavor is to die for.... Between getting her store up and running and uneasily settling back into her charming Lake Michigan hometown, Ava Oosterling has her plate full. She hopes using local fresh dairy and her own flavorful imagination to cook up one-of-a-kind fudge will also create a brand-new start for her. And if she can tempt wealthy ex-film star Rainetta Johnson to try her newest creation, Cinderella Pink, at a local fund-raiser, maybe her road to big-time success will be short and sweet. But when Rainetta chokes to death on a stolen diamond hidden in the fudge's fluffy depths, Ava is pegged as the prime suspect. Now saving her business and reputation means investigating a batch of townspeople who had numerous reasons to hate disdainful, hard-bargaining Rainetta. With Ava's best friend and her former flame in the suspect mix, she must figure out who the real culprit is fast or face a very bitter end.... Includes Delicious Fudge Recipes and Fudge-Making Tips!

Christine DeSmet is a winner of the Romance Writers of America Golden Heart as well as a three-time finalist. She is also a winner of the Slamdance Film Festival writing contest. A member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and Romance Writers of America, Christine teaches fiction and screenwriting at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Praise for First-Degree Fudge: "An action-filled story with a likeable heroine and a fun setting. And, oh, that fudge! I'm swooning. I hope Ava Oosterling and her family and friends take me back to Door County, Wisconsin, for another nibble soon." -JoAnna Carl, national bestselling author of the Chocoholic Mysteries "The first in a new series set in the 'Cape Cod of the Midwest', First-Degree Fudge is a lighthearted confection that cozy mystery readers will devour." -Lucy Burdette, author of Topped Chef "As palatable as a fresh pan of Belgian fudge, this debut will delight candy aficionados and mystery lovers with its fast pace, quirky cast and twist after twist. A must-read!" -Liz Mugavero, author of Kneading to Die "Christine DeSmet has whipped up a melt-in-your mouth gem of a tale. One is definitely not going to be enough!" -Hannah Reed, national bestselling author of Beeline to Trouble "First-Degree Fudge will tingle your sweet tooth at the first mention of Cinderella Pink Fudge, even if this pastel treat may be a murder weapon."-The Washington Post