In Featherstone, reputations are earned with a light hand and a steady oven temperature. Flour-dusted rivalries are expected. Murder is not.

Bake-off contestant Flora Wren arrives at the village's much-anticipated regional baking competition with one goal: to prove her quiet talent can stand alongside the showiest sponges and boldest flavours. With her beloved Pekingese, Dotty, tucked under the prep table, Flora is ready for nerves, scrutiny, and stiff competition. What she is not ready for is a rival baker collapsing after tasting her signature pudding pie.

As suspicion curdles faster than custard, Featherstone's polite smiles hide sharp opinions, whispered judgements, and carefully guarded secrets. The bake-off presses on, the village buzzes, and Flora finds herself at the centre of an investigation she never wanted—one that can only be solved through observation, patience, and a refusal to be rattled by gossip.

Armed with her instincts, her baking know-how, and a small dog with a talent for stopping conversations mid-sentence, Flora begins to notice what others overlook: inconsistencies in ingredients, strange access patterns, and truths revealed only when people believe they are being charming.

Pekes, Poison, and Pudding Pies is a warm, witty cosy mystery filled with village politics, delicious details, and a heroine who proves that calm competence can be just as powerful as accusation. Perfect for readers who enjoy gentle intrigue, baking-centred mysteries, and clever puzzles served with a generous slice of humour.

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