A sharp and tangy culinary mystery featuring Tish Tarragon. Can Tish beat the curse of the cherry pie to win first prize at the Virginia Commonwealth Bake-Off?

When literary caterer Letitia 'Tish' Tarragon's friend and star baker at Cookin' the Books cafe, Celestine Rufus, pulls out of the prestigious Virginia Commonwealth Bake-Off, an anxious Tish reluctantly takes her place. Will her signature bake, a frangipane cherry pie, be up to the grade?

As the bake-off gets underway, Tish's worries increase when she learns that two contestants from the previous two competitions also had cherry pies on their menus . . . and both women died suddenly before making their bakes.

Amid bitter rivalries, simmering jealousy and the bakers' insatiable appetite for winning, is the curse of the cherry pie about to strike again?

Meade makes each character memorable in this layered, cleverly constructed story. The ending will surprise even seasoned cozy readers. Recommend Tish to fans of Laura Childs' Theodosia Browning * Booklist *
Delicious . Meade skillfully sets up tantalizing red herrings, while leaving the actual clues hidden in plain sight. Fans will welcome Tish's growing maturity as a character * Publishers Weekly *
Foodies will enjoy the cooking tips along with a tricky mystery and hints of romance to come * Kirkus Reviews *
Comfy . offers plenty to please cozy fans, including punning food names like Danielle Steel Cut Oats * Publishers Weekly on The Christmas Fair Killer *
A foodie's delight with lashings of Southern charm, theater lore, and a puzzling mystery * Kirkus Reviews on The Christmas Fair Killer *
Appealing . Cozy fans will have fun * Publishers Weekly on The Garden Club Murder *
Suggest this series to fans of Joanne Fluke's Hannah Swensen novels * Booklist on The Garden Club Murder *
Obscure secrets, eccentric characters, and a soupcon of romance embellish an appealing mystery * Kirkus Reviews on The Garden Club Murder *