Sweet Masterpiece

Connie Shelton

Book 1 of Samantha Sweet Mystery

Language: English

Published: Aug 27, 2010

Pages: 204
ABC: 5

Description:

"Connie Shelton gets better with every book she writes." --The Midwest Book Review Amazon.com bestselling author Connie Shelton has wowed readers with her down-to-earth female sleuth in her Charlie Parker mystery series. Now she introduces a new set of characters in a mystery series that contains a little romance, a little magic and a lot of chocolate! Samantha Sweet is a lady who breaks into houses for a living, and the things she discovers often lead to trouble. When she finds an unmarked grave on a property in a remote spot in Taos County, New Mexico, Sam calls in the authorities. A small mural painted inside a closet in the abandoned house provides clues and Sam is caught up in an investigation. A fortune in artwork, a bogus will, and a wooden box that seems to give Sam powers she never dreamed she possessed--all lead to a genuine mystery for Sam to solve. Then there is all that chocolate! Sam's real goal in life is to use her elegant baking skills to open her own pastry shop, Sweet's Sweets. She's gaining quite the reputation as a baker with a magical touch, but a few obstacles stand in her way. Her grown daughter shows up on her doorstep--jobless and homeless; her bank account is at an all-time low; and trying to work from the tiny cramped kitchen in her home is becoming impossible. Somehow, Sam copes and she finds that her dreams might just have a chance of coming true. Praise for Connie Shelton's previous mysteries: "Shelton, a major success for Intrigue, can only expand her fan base with this solid effort." -- Publisher's Weekly "Shelton continues to combine suspenseful storytelling with sensitive portrayals of complex family relationships." --Booklist "Shelton again has done a superb job in bringing New Mexico to life." -- Albuquerque Journal "Connie Shelton has another winner!" -- The Book Report ### From the Author The character of Samantha Sweet first appeared in one of my Charlie Parker mysteries, *Gossip Can Be Murder*, almost as a walk-on. She had one scene and would have vanished, but I was already thinking of a new series that would feature a baker (anyone who has been around me or read any of my books has a pretty good idea how I feel about chocolate!). By the time I did the final edits on *Gossip*, Sam had become a real person to me, complete with her quirky day-job of breaking into houses for a living. I expanded her role in the original Charlie book, giving readers a tiny glimpse of the magical powers that become such a part of Sam's personality in this new series. My editor was a little unsure about my letting my two fictional heroines cross over into each others territories, but readers seem to like it. ### About the Author Connie Shelton is the author of more than a dozen books in her bestselling Charlie Parker mystery series, and now in the Samantha Sweet romantic suspense series. She taught writing for several years and is the creator of the Novel In A Weekend writing course. Visit her website at www.connieshelton.com to sign up for her free email mystery newsletter. She lives in northern New Mexico.