The Solace of Bay Leaves is the 5th Spice Shop mystery, featuring Pepper Reece, a 40-something single city girl. When her life fell apart at 40, after she stumbled over her husband, a Seattle police officer on the downtown bike beat, and a parking enforcement officer practically plugging each other’s meters, and the law firm where she worked as an HR manager imploded in scandal, taking her job with it, Pepper never expected to find solace in bay leaves. But season after season, as the new owner of Seattle Spice in the Pike Place Market, Pepper faces danger head-on, determined to work for justice, protect those she loves, and live a spicy life.

The Spice Shop Mysteries have been described as “smart cozies that respect the reader.” Each involves a social justice issue as well as tasty food and recipes, and portrays a slice of life in one of the country’s most fascinating, and delicious, cities.