When murder rises from the ashes, this Southern baker’s got more than bread on her hands.

Lou Ellsworth is finally back in the dough. After a fire reduced her outdoor kitchen to cinders, she’s rebuilding her routine one loaf at a time. She’s thrilled to have been asked to serve as judge at Oak Haven’s beloved Bread Walk, where townsfolk and visitors alike stroll the square sampling everything from challah to ciabatta… and gossip spreads faster than butter.

But the yeast hits the fan when a construction crew uncovers skeletal remains beneath the foundation of her former kitchen. At first, folks assume it’s a relic from ages past—until the bones are dated to just fifteen years ago. Suddenly, Lou’s backyard is a crime scene, and her peaceful corner of Tennessee is thrust into a cold-case murder investigation.

Then the mayor’s brother, who’s already known for being a little out there, starts acting jumpier than popcorn in a hot pan. He’s paranoid, anxious, and muttering to shadows, and no one’s quite sure if he’s scared of something… or losing his grip entirely.

When another body turns up, Lou knows she’s caught in something deeper than over-proofed dough. With her reputation crumbling, her dogs digging up trouble, and the past refusing to stay buried, she’ll have to rise to the occasion before someone else ends up six feet under.

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