The Solace of Bay Leaves

Spice Shop Mystery Series, Book 5

By: Leslie Budewitz

Narrated by: Dara Rosenberg

The Solace of Bay Leaves is the fifth Spice Shop mystery, featuring Pepper Reece, a 40-something single city girl.

When her life fell apart at 40, after she stumbled over her husband, a Seattle police officer on the downtown bike beat, and a parking enforcement officer practically plugging each other's meters, and the law firm where she worked as an HR manager imploded in scandal, taking her job with it, Pepper never expected to find solace in bay leaves. But season after season, as the new owner of Seattle Spice in the Pike Place Market, Pepper faces danger head-on, determined to work for justice, protect those she loves, and live a spicy life.

©2020 Leslie Budewitz (P)2020 Tantor

The past affects the present.

I took a long time to finish this book but was glad I did. The past of Turkish and ARMENIAN troubles cast shadows on a current crime. The spice shop takes a back seat to tracking down attempted murder of Peppers crowd. Mattie was shot with the same gun as a 3 year old crime and Pepper pursues the truth in her usual fashion. I enjoyed the book and would recommend it as another good read

A delicious cozy mystery

THE SOLACE OF BAY LEAVES, the fifth book in the Spice Shop Mysteries by Leslie Budewitz, is another delicious addition to a tantalizing series! In this newest release, Ms. Budewitz once again displays her strengths in developing relatable and memorable characters that show growth over the course of the series. She also includes a colorful cast of characters that add to the whimsy of the locale. While this can be read as a standalone, I think the story is stronger by getting to know the protagonist, Pepper Reece, from the beginning and following her journey. I love how the author effectively uses Pepper, as owner of the Spice Shop in Pike Place Market, to showcase the bounty and tastes of the setting. In fact, she immerses the reader using all five senses so that I felt like I was right there and made me want to hop on a plane and visit in person. The Spice Shop would definitely be one of the first places I’d want to visit if it were possible! I also enjoyed all the tidbits of information offered up about spices and uses, along with all the mouthwatering descriptions of food.

The mystery surrounding the brutal shooting of one of Pepper’s childhood friends takes center stage. It also pulls in an unsolved 3-year-old murder case of the husband of another childhood friend. As Pepper searches for answers, it appears that the two crimes are connected. The author has created a complex, well-plotted mystery that revolves around the re-gentrification of a rundown area in Seattle. With plenty of suspects to keep the reader guessing, the ending caught me by surprise with a historical twist that provided another layer of intrigue. Tying in the themes of friendship and loss, hope and acceptance, the reader is taken along for an enticing read as they follow Pepper’s search for answers!

The narrator had a pleasing voice and cadence, which added to the enjoyment of the story. Her inflections made it easy to follow each characters' voices.

Always a fun romp

This series is set in Seattle’s Pikes Place Market and this one resolves a situation referenced in earlier books. Great either as the latest in the series or a stand alone book. These are well written, charming, funny at times, and clever. Dara Rosenberg voices them beautifully - clear and in character

Good read.

Overall I give the story five stars but I have a really pay attention to this book. There just seemed to be a whole lot of names going on.