Chili will always be associated with family for me. My mother would give New Year Eve parties for both sides of our family, which would result in rooms full of love. Dad had six siblings, and so did Mom, so our house would be full of aunts, uncles, and cousins. For the parties, Mom would make a huge pot of chili and a big pot of pinto beans. I know, many do not think you should put beans into chili, and especially not pintos, but that’s the way my mother made it, so that is one of my comfort foods. And on the side was some wonderful golden cornbread. Funny how some foods equal love in our minds.
My mother was also a teacher. She and her friends gave me many ideas for this series. I have great respect for teachers, and was thrilled when both of my daughters went into the profession. I’m very proud of them both.
So book twelve of the Fresh Baked series was written with much love and respect to both family and the many teachers in our world. I’m thinking it might be time to put on a big pot of chili…
THE GREAT CHILI KILL-OFF
Fresh Baked Mystery Book 12
Phyllis, Sam, Carolyn, and Eve head for West Texas to compete in a Fourth of July chili cookoff. Thousands of people have descended on a sleepy little ghost town, turning it into a boomtown for chili mavens, gamblers, musicians, and media. Raucous excitement fills the air, but so does chili when a sabotaged propane cooker explodes, killing the much-hated current champion. The victim leaves behind a tangled trail of sleeping with other men’s wives, cheating at cards – and maybe at chili cooking – and deadly anger. With Sam a possible suspect in the murder, emotions run hot as a bowl of Texas red as Phyllis has to untangle these threads in order to put her finger on the killer!
Livia J. Washburn's beloved Fresh Baked Mystery series is back with another novel full of tasty recipes, dastardly doings, and brilliant sleuthing by Phyllis Newsom and her friends. THE GREAT CHILI KILL-OFF is a delicious dish of murder and detection.
