Eclairs and Executions: Culinary Cozy Mystery (Alphabet Soup Mysteries Series Book 5)

Chef Jessica recently hired Shayla, a student from the culinary arts high school who has been working for her as an apprentice. Shayla is an excellent pastry chef and has become an invaluable member of the Crock Pot’s team.

She has also confided in Jessica about her dysfunctional home life. As Jessica knows, blended families can come with a lot of complications, even worse when the dysfunctional part puts Shayla in the hospital, and she moves in with Jessica.

One day, Shayla goes home to get the last of her things, only to find her stepfather shot to death and her mother clinging to life, a gun lying between them. As she is holding her mother and the murder weapon, the police come in, finding her there. Unfortunately, her mother passed away in that moment.

Chef Jessica knows that Shayla didn’t like her stepfather and knows how complicated her relationship with her mother was but believes her when she said she would never kill them. Jess takes up the case to help clear her newest employee’s name.