Leslie Karst s'inspire d'un mélange unique d'influences, y compris les discussions familiales qui valorisaient à la fois l'analyse minutieuse et les arts, pour créer des histoires de mystère captivantes. Elle applique cette éducation fondamentale à son écriture, créant une série de mystères culinaires se déroulant à Santa Cruz, en Californie. Ancienne avocate diplômée en littérature anglaise et en arts culinaires, son parcours informe son approche narrative distinctive. Karst consacre son temps à diverses activités créatives, de la cuisine et du chant au jardinage et à l'écriture, insufflant à son œuvre une perspective riche et multidimensionnelle.
When a head cold knocks out restaurateur Sally Solari's sense of taste and smell, at the same time her old acquaintance Neil Lerici is murdered at the annual Artichoke Cook-Off, she plunges headfirst into the case, risking alienating everyone she knows. But soon it's not just her restaurant and her friendships on the line - it's her life ...
Sally Solari quits her job as an attorney to help her recently widowed father run his restaurant. When her aunt is found murdered and her sous chef is the prime suspect, Sally is determined to clear his name and find the real murderer.
The story follows amateur sleuth Valerie Corbin, who is taken aback by the discovery of a rapidly melting corpse near a volcano. As a food enthusiast, she finds herself drawn into a mystery where the challenge lies in investigating a murder with no evidence of the victim's existence. This intriguing premise sets the stage for a unique blend of culinary passion and crime-solving, as Valerie navigates the complexities of a case that seems to defy reality.