Bleeding Tarts

Book excerpt: A Northern California pastry chef chases down a killer while trying to keep her business alive in this cozy mystery by the author of Pie Hard. Old West ghost towns are as American as apple pie. So there’s no better place to sponsor a pie-eating contest than the Bar X, a fake ghost town available for exclusive private events on the edge of Silicon Valley. Valentine Harris is providing the pies, hoping to boost business for her struggling shop, Pie Town, and maybe even become the Bar X’s regular pie supplier. But no sooner does she arrive in town than a stray bullet explodes the cherry pie in her hands. And the delicious dessert is not the only victim. Val finds the Bar X bartender shot dead in an alley. Egged on by her flaky friend and pie crust specialist, Charlene, Val aims to draw the shooter out. But solving a real murder in a fake ghost town won't be easy. And if Val doesn't watch her back, her pies won't be the only thing filled with lead. Includes recipes!