Pepper Reece never expected to find solace in bay leaves. But when her life fell apart at forty and she bought the venerable-but-rundown Spice Shop in Seattle’s Pike Place Market, her days took a tasty turn. Now she’s savoring the prospect of a flavorful fall and a busy holiday cooking season, until danger bubbles to the surface . . . Between managing her shop, worrying about her staff, and … her staff, and navigating a delicious new relationship, Pepper’s firing on all burners. But when her childhood friend Maddie is shot and gravely wounded, the incident is quickly tied to an unsolved murder that left another close friend a widow.
Convinced that the secret to both crimes lies in the history of a once-beloved building, Pepper uses her local-girl contacts and her talent for asking questions to unearth startling links between the past and present–links that suggest her childhood friend may not have been the Golden Girl she appeared to be. Pepper is forced to face her own regrets and unsavory emotions, if she wants to save Maddie’s life–and her own.
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The Solace of Bay Leaves is the fifth book in the Spice Shop Mystery series written by Leslie Budewitz. Although I’ve read all of the previous books in this series, I haven’t yet gotten to sample from the author’s other books or series, but they are on my short-term horizon. I really enjoy Ms. Budewitz’s character creation, wonderful settings, and writing style, and I highly recommend her to other readers of this sub-genre, or even those who want to branch out.
Pepper is the main character; she’s on the younger side of middle-aged, in her second / third career (first was HR, then owning a spice shop in Seattle, and now she also is an amateur sleuth), and was previously married to a cop. Now she’s dating a fisherman and helping keep Pike’s Market safe, unofficially of course. She often bumps heads with the local cops who try to give her extra leeway… even though she tends to find a few too many bodies. In this caper, a friend calls her when the FBI shows up. The woman’s husband died three years ago and the agents finally have a lead on his murder–the same weapon was used to shoot another friend of Pepper’s. How will she get wrapped up in this one?
My favorite aspect of this series is the spice shop setting. I love exploring the market, learning about spices, and observing the realistic relationships between bosses / employees, friends, family, and ex-husbands. It’s not always good, and it’s not always bad. It’s right on point! The mysteries are also very well architected. There’s never a dull or boring spot in the story; they usually shine with intrigue and confusion (in a good way). Pepper investigates as though she’s just checking out new restaurants, visiting former neighbors, and talking to folks who know others around the market… it fits in quite well without seeming like she’s getting access to info most regular folk wouldn’t. What a fine balance in a cozy mystery!
I enjoyed this particular mystery. Between the past and the present, there is a link we will not expect. What do four generations of people who owned a building have to do with a murder and a near-murder? Can you always trust a neighbor who calls the cops on you because you are doing things to protect the Earth, even though it might look like a bit of an eyesore? What if someone steals your special recipe? How do you say goodbye to a loving partner? What kind of fun can your 4/5 year-old dog get into when you’re not around? So many fun side stories make this a winner for me. Definitely a high recommendation, but best to start from the beginning. They can be read stand-alone, but I’m an orderly guy, so I have to start with the first one. You should too.
I like this author – I think this is the 5th book in the series. I don’t think you have to read the series from book one, but it helps. She has a large amount of characters – which she lists in the front of each book (thank goodness), otherwise it would be difficult to keep track. She also periodically refers to something that happened in one of the previous books, which I find a bit distracting. On the plus side, she’s a good writer and writes a good mystery.
This is an engaging mystery full of twists and turns. The author paints a beautiful picture of the city of Seattle and also gives an insightful look into the world of spices. Pepper is a protagonist that is an inspiration to how much life can be savored and enjoyed after the age of 40. It is never too late to try new things!
https://cozyexperience.com/the-solace-of-bay-leaves-book-review/
Read 10.4.2020
This was a very good [minus Pepper using spices as idioms; THAT is super annoying. It had slowed down in the last one and I was hopeful. Sigh. I was wrong to have hope] story. The mystery was very good and I was surprised at the reveal [which is rare and always gives a book more points in its favor, even if its a sucky book, which this was not]. I am not sure if there will be any more of these, but if there are, I will reading them. Idioms and all.
Intriguing story! Pepper and Kristen’s old high school friend, Maddie, is shot and it is later determined that the gun used to shoot and injure Maddie is the same gun used to kill Pepper and Kristen’s friend, Laurel’s, husband, Pat 3 years ago. Pepper tries to do some investigating to find out how these two shootings are related. It seems like they are both connected to a development project in the Montlake neighborhood. Can Pepper catch a killer without getting herself killed? Delightful characters and a storyline that had me hooked from the beginning. I love Pepper and her Spice Shop family as well as her friends, Nate, and Arf the dog. I look forward to hopefully more great stories in this series and seeing Pepper and Nate’s relationship deepen!
A delightful read! I love that the story takes place in Seattle. Especially Pike Place Market. A place I plan to visit one day. A murder and an unsolved case has Pepper doing her own investigation.
The pacing of the story is good. I really liked Pepper! She’s smart and a little sassy. Her passion for her spice shop is really cool and had me wanting to get some of my own! I loved the descriptions of both Seattle and the food. I am the reader who loves when food is described in books. This story has a good mix of suspense, humor, and a bit of danger. I honestly had no clue who had done it because I was too busy enjoying the scenery!
This is my first Leslie Budewitz book and it won’t be my last! Her writing style and storytelling is really great and kept my interest the whole way through. This book is part of a series and I was fine reading this one on its own. I look forward to reading more books by her. If you love a good mystery, this book is for you! I give this 4 stars.
“The Solace of Bay Leaves” is the fifth in the Spice Shop mysteries written by Leslie Budewitz. Although this title is number five in the series, the author does an excellent job of giving just the right amount of back story that the book could easily be read as a stand-alone. Protagonist Pepper Reece, owner of the Spice Shop in Seattle’s Pike Place Market, is busily planning her store’s anniversary celebration when her childhood schoolmate, Maddie Petrosian, is shot and gravely wounded. The police quickly tie the shooting to an unsolved murder that left another of Poppy’s dearest friends a widow. With intricate plotting, a cast of likable characters, and a fascinating tour of the beautiful city of Seattle, “The Solace of Bay Leaves” is a great choice for mystery readers, like me!
Pepper Reece finds herself comforting a friend on the three year anniversary of her husband’s unsolved murder when another friend is attacked and nearly dies. The families know each other. Is there a connection? I really like Pepper for her sheer normalness and humanity. She feels envy and jealousy towards old friends who seem to have it all. She feels guilty for being that way. Even though divorced and happy she still feels resentment towards her ex for cheating on her. She’s juggling a lot of emotions and knows it’s time to do something about it. This is an absorbing mystery and a great character study.
This is the first book I’ve read by this author. It will definitely not be the last. I loved the Seattle Pikes Place Market setting. Very true to life. I could smell the coffee and spices. Very well drawn characters that you care about and want to know more of. I especially enjoyed how the author highlighted how the way we perceive people is not always an accurate assessment of them and we need to revisit our suppositions. Especially with those we love. As a big bonus, the recipes from the story are included at the end of the book. Yum!
The Solace of Bay Leaves by Leslie Budewitz is a nice cozy fall read.
Can Pepper figure out what happened to Pat and Maggie?
Our main sleuth is Pepper Reece, and she is about to be celebrating her second year as Mistress of Spice. Pepper is definitely different than the other sleuths that I have read, and I like that. One of the things that make her different is that she works with spices, and the other thing is that she was raised differently than what some of the other sleuths I have come across. I have to admit I do like Pepper as a main character and point of view since she is a great person. I also love the different take on the relationship with a cop.
The Mystery
Pepper is solving two mysteries in this novel. Well more if you count the little side one that she has been ringed up to do. She needs to figure out how her friend’s husband, who died three years ago, is connected to Maggie, an old childhood friend. That and a lot more are solved in this novel. I did fall for the red herring but mostly because I couldn’t figure out the other angle.
Four Stars
The Solace of Bay Leaves by Leslie Budewitz is a nice book to curl up to and read during a nice or chilly fall day. Okay, maybe not just a fall day. Ms. Budewitz is an awesome writer, and this is the first book I have read by her. I love Pepper and the other characters that are showcased in this novel. Going to Seattle in a book and trying to figure out what happened is such a good feeling. I am giving this book four stars and recommending it to anyone that wants to dive into Pepper’s mysteries without having to go back to the beginning.
Don’t forget to check out the recipes in the book of this book. They sound so yummy!
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the author. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of The Solace of Bay Leaves by Leslie Budewitz.
Until the next time,
Karen the Baroness
If you would like to see other reviews like this one, check out BaronessBookTrove.com.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Pepper Reece and her boyfriend Nate are out for a night on the town with her BBF Kristen Gardner and her husband Eric when she receives a text message from mutual friend Laurel Halloran . . .
Detective Tracy is in my living room . . . FBI on the way.
After a little confab, the foursome heads to Laurel’s houseboat where they learn another friend of the girls has been shot and is in the hospital. Then Detective Tracy drops the bomb, their friend Maddie was shot with the same gun as another case that had gone cold. Pat Halloran, Laurel’s husband was murdered about 3 years ago. Is this a new lead? Tracy tells Pepper to stay out of his investigation and that is echoed by the FBI agent. Pepper knows that is not going to happen. She has helped solve other cases, why not this one? or two?
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Pepper Reece knows her spices and she is a grand amateur sleuth. Her life is on an upswing with a successful and growing business, a new romance with Nate, and her lovable companion Arf, who she adopted when his owner moved away. She is surrounded by a great supporting cast of friends and employees. All the characters are written very realistically. Ms. Budewitz all gives readers a nice group of suspects. Some as sketchy as can be.
The murder mystery is complex and requires a lot of digging. If the shootings are related Pepper needs to finds out how. The author has plotted many twists and turns to keep everyone guessing. There is also a subplot mystery involving the spice shop and a special blend. This mixes in with the main mystery nicely along with the daily routine of running the shop and Pepper’s personal life. The story has a nice pace and builds to an exciting conclusion.
Seattle’s famed Pike Place Market is an ideal setting for this series. Each story we learn more about the place and discover new shops and vendors. I really hope to visit there someday.
The Solace of Bay Leaves is a fine addition to this series. I am looking forward to the next installment.
The Solace of Bay Leaves by Leslie Budewitz is the fifth in the Spice Shop series. Pepper Reese purchased the Spice Shop when her life turned upside down a few years ago. Things seem to be back on track, especially in regard to her relationship with commercial fisherman Nate, when a childhood friend is shot. Even more shocking is that this shooting seems to be linked to the murder of a close friend’s husband.
Like fine spices, this mystery has complex layers with a pleasing delivery. The reader can almost step through the pages onto the streets of Seattle to feel the mist and drizzle, and to experience the bustle of Pike Place. The relationships seem so true-to-life that one feels as though the characters are close friends.
This is a favorite series and one that I hope runs for many years to come.