The Solace of Bay Leaves by Leslie Budewitz

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from . This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

The Solace of Bay Leaves

by Leslie Budewitz

Series: Spice Shop Mystery #5
Series Rating:
Published by Seventh Street Books on October 20, 2020
Genres: Cozy Culinary Mystery
Pages: 248
Format: Paperback
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Pepper Reece never expected to find solace in bay leaves.

But when her life fell apart at forty and she bought the venerable-but-rundown Spice Shop in Seattle’s Pike Place Market, her days took a tasty turn. Now she’s savoring the prospect of a flavorful fall and a busy holiday cooking season, until danger bubbles to the surface . . .

Between managing her shop, worrying about her staff, and navigating a delicious new relationship, Pepper’s firing on all burners. But when her childhood friend Maddie is shot and gravely wounded, the incident is quickly tied to an unsolved murder that left another close friend a widow.

Convinced that the secret to both crimes lies in the history of a once-beloved building, Pepper uses her local-girl contacts and her talent for asking questions to unearth startling links between the past and present—links that suggest her childhood friend may not have been the Golden Girl she appeared to be. Pepper is forced to face her own regrets and unsavory emotions, if she wants to save Maddie’s life—and her own.

The Solace of Bay Leaves by Leslie Budewitz is a nice cozy fall read.

Can Pepper figure out what happened to Pat and Maggie?

Our main sleuth is Pepper Reece, and she is about to be celebrating her second year as Mistress of Spice. Pepper is definitely different than the other sleuths that I have read, and I like that. One of the things that make her different is that she works with spices, and the other thing is that she was raised differently than what some of the other sleuths I have come across. I have to admit I do like Pepper as a main character and point of view since she is a great person. I also love the different take on the relationship with a cop.

The Mystery

Pepper is solving two mysteries in this novel. Well more if you count the little side one that she has been ringed up to do. She needs to figure out how her friend’s husband, who died three years ago, is connected to Maggie, an old childhood friend. That and a lot more are solved in this novel. I did fall for the red herring but mostly because I couldn’t figure out the other angle.

Four Stars

The Solace of Bay Leaves by Leslie Budewitz is a nice book to curl up to and read during a nice or chilly fall day. Okay, maybe not just a fall day. Ms. Budewitz is an awesome writer, and this is the first book I have read by her. I love Pepper and the other characters that are showcased in this novel. Going to Seattle in a book and trying to figure out what happened is such a good feeling. I am giving this book four stars and recommending it to anyone that wants to dive into Pepper’s mysteries without having to go back to the beginning.

Don’t forget to check out the recipes in the book of this book. The recipes are Lavender-Bay Salt, Almond Biscotti, Carrot Soup with Toasted Spices and Pecans, Laurel’s Tomato-Basil Soup, Black Bean Chili, Misty’s Rosemary Focaccia, Cold Sesame Noodles, and Broccoli Beef Stir Fry. They sound so yummy!

Other Books in the Series

Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of The Solace of Bay Leaves by Leslie Budewitz.

Until the next time,

Happy Reading!

Reading this book contributed to these challenges:

• 2020 Cloak and Dagger Challenge
• 2020 Contemporary Romance Reading Challenge
• 2020 Craving For Cozies Reading Challenge
• 2020 Cruisin' Thru The Cozies Reading Challenge
• 2020 Goodreads Reading Challenge
• 2020 New Release Challenge

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