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Clover City Files #2
The Spice Code
In the heart of a quiet college town, restaurant owner and chef, Raphael Parera, finds himself entangled in a web of deception that threatens not only his culinary career but his very life. Charmed by the enigmatic beauty of his new girlfriend, Isabella, Raphael is unaware of the darkness lurking beneath her captivating smile.
As their relationship deepens, Raphael suddenly disappears without a trace, leaving his cousin, Amira Cooper, frantic with worry. Unbeknownst to Isabella, he manages to send a cryptic message through a seemingly innocent bag of groceries to his restaurant – a silent plea for help hidden within a recipe's ingredients.
Desperate to save her beloved cousin, Amira embarks on a perilous journey to decipher the clues concealed within the grocery bag. Each ingredient holds a vital piece of information, pointing to Raphael’s whereabouts and the sinister truth behind his disappearance.
Will Amira decipher the ingredients' hidden meanings in time to rescue Raphael, or will Isabella's twisted game end in a tragedy that will forever alter their lives? Get ready to indulge in a mystery where every twist and turn will leave you craving more.
As their relationship deepens, Raphael suddenly disappears without a trace, leaving his cousin, Amira Cooper, frantic with worry. Unbeknownst to Isabella, he manages to send a cryptic message through a seemingly innocent bag of groceries to his restaurant – a silent plea for help hidden within a recipe's ingredients.
Desperate to save her beloved cousin, Amira embarks on a perilous journey to decipher the clues concealed within the grocery bag. Each ingredient holds a vital piece of information, pointing to Raphael’s whereabouts and the sinister truth behind his disappearance.
Will Amira decipher the ingredients' hidden meanings in time to rescue Raphael, or will Isabella's twisted game end in a tragedy that will forever alter their lives? Get ready to indulge in a mystery where every twist and turn will leave you craving more.
160 pages, Paperback
Published December 6, 2023
5 people want to read
About the author
Barbara Howard
34 books97 followersRevealing secrets. Igniting passion. One page at a time.
Author of mystery stories featuring a strong female protagonist, a diverse cast of characters, and a dash of romance.
Barbara Howard is a mystery, romantic suspense, and contemporary romance author based in Cleveland, Ohio with a passion for creating stories that delve into complex relationships and hidden truths. Her works often explore themes of love, trust, and the past's influence on the present. With extensive experience as a Department of Defense/Pentagon Project Manager, KPMG Eastern Region Project Leader, and Corporate Sales Representative for Borders Books & Music, Ms. Howard brings a unique perspective to her writing. Now back in her hometown, she spends her days treasure hunting, spoiling her fur-babies, growing veggies, and plotting whodunits.
Board President (2024-2025), Great Lakes Fiction Writers
Memberships/Affiliations: Mystery Writers of America (MWA), Sisters in Crime (SinC), Great Lakes Fiction Writers (GLFW), Crime Writers of Color (CWoC), Authors Guild (AG)
She has also published a collection of books on food-related topics, food safety, and heirloom recipe cookbooks under the pen name, Arlene Lee.
Author of mystery stories featuring a strong female protagonist, a diverse cast of characters, and a dash of romance.
Barbara Howard is a mystery, romantic suspense, and contemporary romance author based in Cleveland, Ohio with a passion for creating stories that delve into complex relationships and hidden truths. Her works often explore themes of love, trust, and the past's influence on the present. With extensive experience as a Department of Defense/Pentagon Project Manager, KPMG Eastern Region Project Leader, and Corporate Sales Representative for Borders Books & Music, Ms. Howard brings a unique perspective to her writing. Now back in her hometown, she spends her days treasure hunting, spoiling her fur-babies, growing veggies, and plotting whodunits.
Board President (2024-2025), Great Lakes Fiction Writers
Memberships/Affiliations: Mystery Writers of America (MWA), Sisters in Crime (SinC), Great Lakes Fiction Writers (GLFW), Crime Writers of Color (CWoC), Authors Guild (AG)
She has also published a collection of books on food-related topics, food safety, and heirloom recipe cookbooks under the pen name, Arlene Lee.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
July 7, 2024
Review by Novels Alive:
The Clover City Files Mysteries by new-to-me author Barbara Howard included the series’ first two books. The two titles are The Taste of Rain and The Spice Club, and there was a nice flow from one story to the next, especially with the same central characters—whether leading or secondary.
Amira is a college student with a lot on her plate with family issues, school, and working at a nursing home where she and a resident, Claire, cross paths. Several storylines are woven throughout, but in The Taste of Rain, I often felt we were supposed to know some of the background already, which sometimes made it choppy.
The Taste of Rain introduces the readers to several characters but Amira and her caring for Claire is one of the central themes. Claire is convinced that her husband’s death was not an accident, as the police ruled it, but that he was murdered. To everyone’s chagrin, Almira believes her and sets her sights on figuring out whodunnit.
Amira takes everything Claire tells her at face value, and when Claire disappears from the nursing home, Amira doesn’t know what to think. Amira has an organized mind and is straightforward in her sleuthing, but some don’t like her sticking her nose where it doesn’t belong.
The story has twists and turns, along with bad guys and some fretful moments. There are layers to the story, and attention is definitely paid to the details. When Amira solves the crime, no one is happier than Claire, and almost everyone is surprised by the outcome and whodunnit. There is closure, and life seems to be back on track, but is it?
The Spice Club was the more enjoyable read for me. The murder takes more of a central stage with the whodunnit front and center, but there also seems to be another crime that needs to be solved. Of course, there is a murder suspect, but the police seem to be way off base. There are clues for Amira to sift through for not only the murder but also the mysterious disappearance of her cousin, who owns a local restaurant but has higher aspirations. There are vivid descriptions of the food, the small business, and the various locales where the story occurs.
The story has a good flow, and it kept my interest throughout. I was rooting for the crimes to be solved and for Claire to have a better quality of life. There is still some family strife, but things do improve on that front, along with some romance or what’s perceived as romance sprinkled throughout. There are some happier times which did lighten up the gloom and doom.
There is closure in solving the crimes, especially with help from unexpected sources. I look forward to meeting up with these characters again. The inclusion of so many recipes in the back of the book was a nice surprise, and I plan on making a few of the dishes that were also featured in the books.
The Clover City Files Mysteries are set in a small town with many clues sprinkled throughout that had me turning the pages to see what would befall the characters next. It also was nice to read the first two books back-to-back.
The Clover City Files Mysteries by new-to-me author Barbara Howard included the series’ first two books. The two titles are The Taste of Rain and The Spice Club, and there was a nice flow from one story to the next, especially with the same central characters—whether leading or secondary.
Amira is a college student with a lot on her plate with family issues, school, and working at a nursing home where she and a resident, Claire, cross paths. Several storylines are woven throughout, but in The Taste of Rain, I often felt we were supposed to know some of the background already, which sometimes made it choppy.
The Taste of Rain introduces the readers to several characters but Amira and her caring for Claire is one of the central themes. Claire is convinced that her husband’s death was not an accident, as the police ruled it, but that he was murdered. To everyone’s chagrin, Almira believes her and sets her sights on figuring out whodunnit.
Amira takes everything Claire tells her at face value, and when Claire disappears from the nursing home, Amira doesn’t know what to think. Amira has an organized mind and is straightforward in her sleuthing, but some don’t like her sticking her nose where it doesn’t belong.
The story has twists and turns, along with bad guys and some fretful moments. There are layers to the story, and attention is definitely paid to the details. When Amira solves the crime, no one is happier than Claire, and almost everyone is surprised by the outcome and whodunnit. There is closure, and life seems to be back on track, but is it?
The Spice Club was the more enjoyable read for me. The murder takes more of a central stage with the whodunnit front and center, but there also seems to be another crime that needs to be solved. Of course, there is a murder suspect, but the police seem to be way off base. There are clues for Amira to sift through for not only the murder but also the mysterious disappearance of her cousin, who owns a local restaurant but has higher aspirations. There are vivid descriptions of the food, the small business, and the various locales where the story occurs.
The story has a good flow, and it kept my interest throughout. I was rooting for the crimes to be solved and for Claire to have a better quality of life. There is still some family strife, but things do improve on that front, along with some romance or what’s perceived as romance sprinkled throughout. There are some happier times which did lighten up the gloom and doom.
There is closure in solving the crimes, especially with help from unexpected sources. I look forward to meeting up with these characters again. The inclusion of so many recipes in the back of the book was a nice surprise, and I plan on making a few of the dishes that were also featured in the books.
The Clover City Files Mysteries are set in a small town with many clues sprinkled throughout that had me turning the pages to see what would befall the characters next. It also was nice to read the first two books back-to-back.
Displaying 1 of 1 review