{ "item_title" : "The Case of the Cryptic Cook-Off", "item_author" : [" Ashlee Butterman "], "item_description" : "A celebrity judge collapses after one bite of a beloved widow's stew.Now the town's sweetest tradition has become Oakwood's most dangerous recipe.When Oakwood's annual cook-off begins, Maddy Moss expects a weekend of jam judging, cornbread rivalries, and enough small-town gossip to fill every booth in the square. As a former county kitchen inspector and the unofficial leader of the Oakwood Domestic Detectives, Maddy knows how to spot trouble.Usually, trouble looks like an unlabeled jar.This time, it wears a silver ring.The first sign is a mysterious vendor named Remy March, who arrives with antique spice boxes, a strange silver-leaf symbol, and a crate no one remembers approving. The second sign is celebrity food judge Gregory Beaumont's sudden reaction to Marjorie Harrow's Heritage Pepper Stew, a dish made from her late husband's cherished recipe.Within seconds, Gregory is on the ground. Marjorie is devastated. The cook-off is shut down. And Maddy notices what everyone else missed: the seal on Marjorie's finishing sauce has been broken.Then she finds the silver leaf.As rumors spread through Oakwood, Maddy and her friends begin tracing a trail of cryptic notes, secret vials, old recipes, restaurant grudges, and a scandal buried deep in the town's culinary past. Someone has returned to Oakwood with a grudge older than the cook-off itself, and they are not finished serving revenge.To clear Marjorie's name, Maddy must uncover the truth behind: - A suspicious sauce bottle marked with a silver leaf- A long-forgotten chef whose name still unsettles Oakwood's kitchens- A celebrity judge who knows more about the past than he first admits- A proud restaurant owner hiding dangerous secrets- A final dinner where the culprit may strike againMaddy has no badge, no patience for nonsense, and no intention of letting an innocent woman's grief become someone else's weapon. With Charlie's sharp humor, Denise's digital digging, Bea's careful eye, Vicky's legal precision, Roz's people sense, and Ellie's steady medical calm, the Oakwood Domestic Detectives are ready to stir the pot.But the closer they get to the truth, the clearer one thing becomes.This was never just about food.It was about pride. Memory. Old shame. And one bitter man who believes Oakwood owes him a final course.The Case of the Cryptic Cook-Off is a warm, witty cozy mystery filled with small-town charm, culinary secrets, clever clues, loyal friendships, and a satisfying community-centered ending.Perfect for readers who enjoy: - Small-town cozy mysteries- Culinary mysteries and food festival settings- Amateur sleuths with practical skills- Clean mysteries with warmth, humor, and heart- Friendship-driven detective teams- Twisty clues without graphic violenceIn Oakwood, recipes are meant to bring people together.This one nearly tore the town apart.", "item_img_path" : "https://covers1.booksamillion.com/covers/bam/9/79/831/106/9798311060400_b.jpg", "price_data" : { "retail_price" : "11.99", "online_price" : "11.99", "our_price" : "11.99", "club_price" : "11.99", "savings_pct" : "0", "savings_amt" : "0.00", "club_savings_pct" : "0", "club_savings_amt" : "0.00", "discount_pct" : "10", "store_price" : "" } }

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