Killer Crust

A Poppy James Cozy Mystery

In Willowbrook, even the sweetest pies can hide the sharpest secrets.

When the Willowbrook Pie Festival ends in chaos, café owner Poppy James finds herself holding more than flour-dusted plates. A letter from beloved baker Etta May reveals shocking news: the bakery deed is missing, and a secret recipe may hold the map to its whereabouts.

With her loyal beagle Midsip sniffing out clues and her gossip-loving best friend Nadine stirring trouble faster than batter in a bowl, Poppy dives headfirst into a puzzle baked with secrets. Historian Theo Mercer lends a steady hand—and perhaps a spark of something more—but even his research can’t keep suspicion from landing on the wrong doorstep. Was it Etta May’s ambitious niece, eager to seize control, or the rival baker who long envied her success?

As threats turn to break-ins and a fire nearly silences the truth, Poppy must race against time. If she can’t untangle the coded recipes and expose the real culprit, Willowbrook’s sweetest traditions—and her own café—may crumble for good.