Between a Wok and a Dead Place

A Spice Shop Mystery #7

by Leslie Budewitz

It’s the Lunar New Year, and fortunes are about to change.

Pepper Reece, owner of the Spice Shop in Seattle's Pike Place Market, loves a good festival, especially one serving up tasty treats. So what could be more fun than a food walk in the city's Chinatown–International District, celebrating the Year of the Rabbit?

But when her friend Roxanne stumbles across a man's body in the Gold Rush, a long-closed residential hotel, questions leap out. Who was he? What was he doing in the dust-encrusted herbal pharmacy in the hotel's basement? Why was the pharmacy closed up—and why are the owners so reluctant to talk?

With each new discovery, Pepper finds herself asking new questions and facing more brick walls.

Then questions arise about Roxanne and her relationship to Pepper's boyfriend Nate, away fishing in Alaska. Between her worries and her struggle to hire staff at the Spice Shop, Pepper has her hands and her heart full. Still, she can't resist the lure of the Gold Rush and its tangled history of secrets and lies stretching back nearly a century.

But the killer is on her tail, driven by hidden demons and desires. As Pepper begins to expose the long-concealed truth, a bigger question emerges: Can she uncover the secrets of the Gold Rush Hotel without being pushed from the wok into the fire?

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Cozy, Audiobook, Fiction, Contemporary

310 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 18, 2023

About the author

*Also publishes as Alicia Beckman*

Leslie Budewitz is the three-time Agatha Award winner and bestselling author of the Food Lovers’ Village and Spice Shop mysteries, continuing with the 9th installment, LAVENDER LIES BLEEDING (July 2025). Her historical short mystery collection, ALL GOD'S SPARROWS AND OTHER STORIES: A STAGECOACH MARY FIELDS COLLECTION (September 2024), featuring a remarkable figure from Montana history, is a finalist in the 2025 High Plains International Book Awards. She also writes standalone moody suspense as Alicia Beckman.

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What a delight to return to the Spice Shop, a fictional shop in Seattle’s Pike Place Market, a place I fell in love ages ago as a college freshman. I made it my mission to eat my way through the place, and since it’s constantly changing, I’ll never be done!

In LAVENDER LIES BLEEDING, Spice Shop owner Pepper Reece is shocked when vandals destroy the greenhouse at her friend Liz Giacometti’s lavender farm. But then Liz is killed, and Pepper digs in to solve the crimes. As her questions threaten to unearth secrets others desperately want to keep buried, danger creeps closer to her and those she loves. Can Pepper root out the killer, before someone nips her in the bud?

Writing about Seattle and its surroundings never gets old. Plus it's an excuse to keep up with places I love, and to make regular research trips. And by research, you know I mean eat!

ALL GOD’S SPARROWS AND OTHER STORIES imagines the life and heart of Mary Fields (1832-1914), a real-life woman born into slavery who spent her last 30 years in Montana, where she found freedom and community, and her own place in the West, bringing solace and justice to those in need. The collection brings together three stories originally published in Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, and a new novella, “A Bitter Wind,” set in 1897 and 1914, in which Mary helps a young picture bride solve the mystery of her fiancé’s death, his homesteading neighbors’ bitterness, and her own future. The title story won the 2018 Agatha Award for Best Short Story; others were finalists for awards from the Short Mystery Fiction Society and the Western Writers of America. The collection is a finalist for the 2025 High Plains International Book Awards.

I’m also the author of the Food Lovers' Village Mysteries, set in fictional Jewel Bay, Montana. DEATH A DENTE, first in the series, won the 2013 Agatha Award for Best First novel. My guide for writers, BOOKS, CROOKS & COUNSELORS: How to Write Accurately About Criminal Law & Courtroom Procedure, drawing on my long career as a lawyer, won the 2011 Agatha for Best Nonfiction.

I’m a past president of Sisters in Crime and former regional and national board member of Mystery Writers of America. I love to cook, eat, hike, travel, garden, and paint—not necessarily in that order. My husband and I live in northwest Montana.

For regular updates, please visit my website, http://www.LeslieBudewitz.com, and click on the newsletter tab to sign up for emails crammed with book news, peeks inside the writing life, and more, along with two free short stories.

Readers are my favorite people. Drop me a line at Leslie at LeslieBudewitz.com. Join me at my website, LeslieBudewitz.com, or on Facebook at Leslie Budewitz & Alicia Beckman.

Reviews

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Leslie Budewitz is one of my go-to authors when it comes to new cozy mystery releases. The Spice Shop series has been a delight, and this latest installment continues that experience. Set in Seattle's famous market, this entry revolved around a run-down Chinese hotel that's being revamped. A friend of Pepper's finds a dead body, and Pepper is compelled to sort out the murder. My favorite part of the series is all the different shop owners, market experiences, and characters. I often feel transported to the setting and always finish the books thinking about a trip to the West Coast. Definitely recommend the books, and if you have an interest in Chinese culture, this will have a good balance of curious mystery, tasty Chinese foods, and a memorable Seattle moments.

[LORI CASWELL · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dollycas’s Thoughts

There is a big celebration for the Lunar New Year in one of Seattle’s oldest neighborhoods, the Chinatown-International District. Spice Shop owner Pepper Reece is excited to attend the food walk and other booths. Her friend, Roxanne is working in an old closed residential hotel, the Gold Rush, in the district. She was hoping to find items of historical importance but she also found a dead man in the basement. No one is able to identify the man or why he would have been in the building and the building owners are staying pretty tight-lipped about it all. Instead of answers Pepper only has many more questions. Is Roxanne involved in the man’s death? Are the building owners? Can Pepper get to the truth before the killer stops her? She is definitely Between a Wok and a Dead Place.

Pepper Reece is diving into another mystery but after all the cases she has been involved in she has become very good at it. All the characters we have grown to love are back but some of them are in new places or headed to new careers. So Pepper is hunting for the perfect people to join her fabulous team and she finds it isn’t that easy. We do get to meet some new hires though. Pepper’s boyfriend is away working in Alaska so there are some issues there and I enjoy the way they finally communicate about their relationship. All of Ms. Budewitz’s characters are dynamic and diverse. Whether old friends or new they feel true to life and continue to grow in realistic ways. The friendships the characters build between themselves are heartwarming.

The mystery was steeped in history and I loved that. I haven’t ever delved into Chinese history and the herbal pharmacy that was boarded up in the basement of the hotel and the history of the hotel itself and the entire block really, was so interesting. The author’s research into the Asian communities in Pacific Northwest is clearly evident throughout the story. I always appreciate the way Ms. Budewitz sets a scene but in this story, she went above and beyond to take her readers inside the hotel Gold Rush and around the Chinatown-International District including the food. She painted such clear pictures with her words.

The mystery was complex. Secrets that were buried so deeply come out as the search continues for the killer. The suspects were limited but motives really ran the gambit. Pepper, a lot of time with her airedale Arf by her side, keeps going over different theories and digging into anything she can to find the truth. There were some intriguing pieces of evidence that take things in a different direction which sets up a surprising discovery while sealing someone’s fate but not before Pepper finds herself in dire straights.

Between A Wok and a Dead Place was a captivating tale that kept me entertained from beginning to end. On the last page Pepper knows there are some changes ahead but states she knows the importance of following your passion no matter how old you are. Her passion led her to the Market and the Spice Shop. She is in a good place but it gave this reader some food for thought. Like Pepper, my life is filled with great people but am I following my passion?

[Linda Langford · Rating 3 out of 5]

Way too much history for me to be entertained.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love books where I can learn something about the city it’s based in and this series teaches me so much about Seattle and its different residents. And it’s not just the city, it’s the food and culture of its diverse populations. My mouth watered as I read about the various dishes Pepper and her friends tasted. The mystery was well-paced and also rooted in Seattle’s history, showing me even more of its multiculturalism. I enjoyed my visit with Pepper and her friends and look forward to the next one.

[Phyllis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Edelweiss & publisher Seventh Street Books for a digital advance reader's copy. All comments and opinions are my own.

I like this cozy series, featuring Pepper Reece as an intelligent and aware female main character and amateur sleuth. Even though it’s #7 in the series, you can read this as a stand-alone.

Pepper, who describes herself as “a standard issue white woman a pinch past forty,” owns a spice shop in Seattle’s Pike Place Market. Author Leslie Budewitz knows the area well, and her descriptions made me feel like I was there, too. In addition to a cozy murder mystery, there is a lot of local history incorporated into the novel – specifically the area’s Chinatown-International District.

The story begins during Seattle’s Pike Place Market Lunar New Year celebration, with lots of traditional food being consumed. In fact, this is a book that will have you craving all sorts of delicious food, from dim sum to craft cheese to pastries. And there is also cup after cup of tea being offered. After all, Pepper owns a tea and spice shop. And the book comes with recipes at the end!

In addition to the real life history of the area, plus the food and spices, there’s a murder mystery. Hey, that’s what I came for. Budewitz provides clues and red herrings, but I guess I was paying attention because I solved the mystery along with Pepper.

Themes of family, trust, the past and future were woven into the plot. Budewitz says the heart of the cozy is the community and she hopes “this story demonstrates the importance of communities like Chinatowns and international districts, still vibrant and resilient, and still vulnerable.”

If you’re looking for a food-centric mystery with an intelligent amateur sleuth, set in historic Seattle-based Chinatown, you’ll want to read this one. And if this whets your appetite, you can also search out Pepper’s six earlier “Spice Shop” mysteries.

[Cindy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Difficult to keep track of the characters that were a part of the mystery being solved. Who is in the past and who is in the present and how they connect.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this one and getting to explore the CID in this one. Sleuthing with Pepper is always fun and exciting. This was a maze of a story, just like all the buildings involved. I liked that it explored past events and how they impacted the modern story line.

[Deborah Almada · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was good to spend time getting up to date with Pepper and the Spice Shop crew. Pepper is facing lots of changes in her life, Nate is at sea fishing, her parents are ready to go back to Costa Rica and there are personnel changes happening at the Shop. To take her mind off of all that she is celebrating the Chinese New Year with a friend watching the parades when she is surprised to see someone she knows coming out of a building totally shocked to say a murder has occurred. Since the young woman is Nate's former sister-in-law Pepper feels obligated and this starts a very interesting mystery in Chinatown, where she doesn't have many bearings and history plays a very big role in this twisting turning saga. An enjoyable read and a history lesson.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Spice shop owner Pepper is celebrating Lunar New Year in Seattle's Chinatown-International DIstrict when a friend discovers a body in a deserted hotel. Pepper can't resist the mystery of the unidentified victim, or the abandoned Chinese pharmacy shop hidden in the basement. She should have enough to keep her occupied with her growing business, the problem of hiring new employees, and her loneliness for her lover Nate, who is fishing off the North Pacific coast. One of Pepper's best friends is interested in the son of the hotel's owner--whose behavior raises questions.

[JulieB · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love, love, love this Cozy Mystery series as Audible books. No matter how clichéd or predictable these types of books can be, Budewitz really makes me love Pepper and her Spice Shop fam through stories that are great mood lifters! Plus, the author really puts me into the heart of Seattle’s Pike Place Market…I must visit!!
Finally, Dara Rosenburg’s narration is the special “spice” that pulls everything together :)

[Leta Hyde · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Delightful Read

Pepper seems to be some people I know,including me especially her musing on what kind of a hobby she would like. I found the mystery in testing and the Seattle CID history was very engaging. Overall with characters, story line and background, along with spice information, this was a wonderful, totally engaging read and can't wait for the next.

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The fun and suspense continue!

This is my new favorite in the series! The author balances the suspense and the ongoing stories of the characters, and it left me eager for the next installment in the series.

[Jennifer Gallagher · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this series! This was a fun, fast paced book with some of my favorite characters (who doesn’t love an Airedale named Arf??) and an exciting mystery. I hope the author continues this series!!!

[Linda Smatzny · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this story, Pepper, the main character, becomes involved in the investigation into a murder in a long closed hotel. The hotel is owned by a family who has secrets which they don't want to reveal to the police. Also Pepper is missing her boyfriend and feeling at loose ends with changes at the spice store she owns. The book was an easy read.

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

As I hadn’t read this series before, it took me a minute to navigate both characters and setting, but once I did, I was all in. Set in Pepper Reece’s spice shop in Seattle’s Pike Place Market, the setting in this book was a character all on its own. This book focuses on the “CID” (I had to look that up), or Chinatown International District, during Lunar New Year celebrations, and Pepper is enjoying them with her buddy Seetha. She runs into an acquaintance (connected to her present boyfriend in a labyrinthine manner), Roxanne, who is coming out of a building looking completely freaked out, and in fact, she’s found a dead body.

Roxanne, a curator, has been working in an old hotel, the Gold Rush, helping the owner figure out the value of anything left behind in the long abandoned place, and she’d discovered a complete, antique, Chinese pharmacy. Unfortunately, she’s also discovered a body there and Pepper, luckily, is one the spot to help. While Roxanne is upset about damage that might be done to her rare find (as well as freaking out about the blood), Pepper is more concerned with the killing itself as well as hooked on the history involved.

The police, when they are called in, have little luck figuring out who the man might be, but Pepper is on the case, trying to unravel the community strands that might have brought this man to that particular place.

Meanwhile, Pepper has to run her spice shop, where she’s attempting to hire a couple new employees (a frustrating task in this day and age); take care of her dog Arf (she’s lucky enough to take him to work with her); worry about her parents, who are trying to find a house in Seattle’s pricey market; and miss her boyfriend, Nate, who’s in Alaska running his own fishing business. She manages to squeeze in some investigation time, nevertheless.

The family who owns the old Gold Rush hotel provide puzzles of their own. The evaluation is being undertaken by the son, Oliver (who is dating Pepper’s friend, Seetha), but the parents seem to be the owners. The father, Bobby, who owns a comic book store, appears completely uninterested, and Oliver’s mother, Abigail, while appearing somewhat interested, also seems to be ill and frail.

Budewitz supplies a very vivid and complete background, including the trouble the merchants in the area have with traffic and parking (as a former retailer, I know this obsession is completely believable), and she paints a good picture of the Lunar New Year celebrations, which include lots of delicious sounding food. The spice shop itself is a great backdrop, and Pepper’s love of herbs and spices as well as detective novels often prompts her to wonder what would her favorite mystery solving monk, Brother Cadfael do. I love a character whose spirit guide is Brother Cadfael.

The mystery part of the novel is nicely tricky with a resolution involving decades and decades of built up resentments. Reading through Budewitz’s blog, I was interested in her definition of a cozy, which she says have “two parallel investigations” one run by the police, one run by the amateur sleuth. Because the amateur is enmeshed in the community, she (or he) brings something to the table the police do not. She says “Ultimately, these books are about community.” I don’t think I’ve read a better explication of a cozy, and it’s one I had in mind as I read this thoughtful and well written mystery.

[K.A. Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

BETWEEN A WOK AND A DEAD PLACE is the seventh book in the Spice Shop Mystery series by Leslie Budewitz. The author pens a complex, multi-faceted mystery with compelling characters set against the backdrop of an enticing setting! With a setting as appealing as Seattle’s Pike Place Market along with the city’s Chinatown International District, and a colorful festival commemorating the Chinese Lunar New Year, the reader is in for a sensory treat! Spice Shop owner Pepper Reece is an admirable protagonist. Whip smart, she’s the go-to person when anything needs solved or if anyone needs help. She’s also compassionate and goes out of her way to assist those in trouble. I also love how she shares her love of spices and herbs on the page, alongside foodie mystery recommendations that match the theme of the book. I found a couple of new authors to try out too! Pepper also surrounds herself with like-minded employees and their interaction is a balm to anyone struggling. I also enjoyed the author’s historical look at the area as it pertained to early Chinese immigrants and how they assimilated with the city. It’s obvious she’s undertaken a lot of research, which adds to the authenticity of the story.

Ms. Budewitz has done a commendable job deftly weaving her research and history into the mystery. The discovery of the century-old Chinese pharmacy hidden in the basement of a defunct hotel that had been closed for decades intrigued me. But how did the Chinese Lion dancer wind up inside the boarded-up pharmacy? And who killed the dancer? (And, if you’ve never seen a Chinese Lion dance, I highly recommend checking out a YouTube video!) With the discovery of historical artifacts found alongside the body, it would seem like the owners of the property would want to find answers. Instead, they close ranks and discourage any snooping. Of course, Pepper can’t leave it alone, so with her ties to the marketplace, she digs for answers. Instead of playing armchair detective, I followed Pepper as she meandered the streets and enjoyed the aromas of exotic spices, the tastes of delicious cuisines, and the beauty of the architecture and costumes. As she narrows in on the killer, she becomes ensnared in a heart stopping predicament. But with the final reveal, all the clues Pepper has gathered comes together to answer all our questions in a highly satisfactory manner.

[Marcia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every time I read a Spice Shop Mystery, I learn something. This entry in the series opens with Spice Shop Mistress, Pepper Reece, her mother Lena and friend Seetha enjoying all the tastes, sights and sounds of the Lunar New Year celebrations in Seattle's Chinatown International District (CID). As she and Seetha head off to see a friend's sister dance, they encounter Pepper's acquaintance, Roxanne who is frantic since she discovered a body. It is in a previously unseen room in a rundown hotel in the CID. Pepper and Roxanne set out to discover who he is and why he is there, not to mention who murdered him!
The author has done her research into much of the history of this area of Seattle and the Chinese population that live there. I found myself wanting to head for the Emerald City to explore the streets and alleys of this area, not to mention my constant desire to prowl about the Pike Place Market visiting them any shops and booths that are there.
Along the way Pepper is trying to hire new staff for both the shop and the production facility, so once again wearing her HR hat. She also finds herself on a task force within the Market Community to address the many and varied traffic issues. We meet new shopkeepers as well as seeing a few old favorites.
While it is the characters and community that keep me coming back to this favorite series, the mystery was complex and intriguing, partly due to all the cultural references and differences, partly due to the many twists and turns the story took. All in all, a great read!

[Vickie · Rating 4 out of 5]

In intriguingly intertwined mystery with history. I enjoy reading this series as much for the history I learn as the mystery, investigation, the characters unfold. This one felt more twisty-turny than the previous books and I am glad I was taking my time, since it was my bedtime book and shorter reading sessions, so that I could absorb what was going on.
I like that most of the characters I like are present but new ones are getting introduced as some of the current ones are moving in new directions.
Pepper is even going through her own personal growth. Her boyfriend is away more than not since he's a fisherman, she worries that she's all about her spice shop and might need a hobby.
Character-driven as much as it is mystery solving and that is what makes this series so good. It's a story and you can read each one as a stand-alone if you like or start in the middle and work your way back and forward. Mix it up. Each one is perfect that way.
I can definitely recommend this book, series and author.

[Miss W Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Between a Wok and a Dead Place is Book 7 in the Spiced Shop Mystery series by Leslie Budewitz.

This well written cozy mystery takes place in Pepper Reece’s spice shop in Seattle’s Pike Place Market. I loved this setting in the Chinatown-International District. I have to admit I was getting so hungry reading this book.

When Pepper's friend Roxanne finds a body in the Gold Rush, a closed down hotel there are more questions than answers. One of those questions is a complete pharmacy in the basement.

Pepper is on the case while also trying to hire some new employees for her spice shop.

This is such a well written mystery and the author does an excellent job describing the Lunar New Year festivities and the food, did I mention the food?

The mystery is complex with deep buried secrets. The characters were complex, diverse, and well fleshed out.

I really enjoyed this complex cozy mystery.

[Catherine L Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series entry explores the links between past and present in the immigration story of Seattle. The usual series friends are present but Pepper is involved in hiring to replace two beloved staff members of the Spice Shop. A body found in the costume of a dancer in the Lunar New Year Parade in a previously hidden medical clinic.. The location plays a major part in this story as the old hotel has had many lives in the immigration story. New to the cast is a historical researcher hired to document the hotel's many lives. She is the sister of Nate's exwife. Nate being Pepper's current love interest. Each member of the staff of the Spice Shop, new and old, is well developed with enough back story to make them interesting and well integrated into the story. Budewitz is a master of character development making Pepper's feelings valid and echoed by the reader. Great advertising for Pike's Place Market.
. .

[Mac Daly · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Seattle spice shop owner Pepper Reece agrees to put up Roxanne, her boyfriend's ex's sister (it's complicated) she thinks that's enough drama. But then, during a celebration of the Chinese Year of the Rabbit, Roxanne stumbles on a dead body in a closed hotel. Soon Pepper is embroiled in a mystery shrouded in long buried secrets and no end of suspects, including Roxanne.

Leslie Budewitz delivers another fun and engaging mystery with colorful characters and vivid descriptions of Seattle and the Pike Place Market. I didn't want to put it down and I'm looking forward to exploring Pike Place Market when I head to Left Coast Crime next year.

[Annarella · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was very happy to read a new instalment in the Spice Shop Mystery series as I love the setting, how it talks about spices and Pepper Reece, a strong and clever woman.
This is another solid mystery that made me visit new places in Seattle, discover spices and be entertained by a solid mystery.
It can be read as a stand alone even if it's better to read the books in order.
This is a series I would surely recommend to anyone who want to read an entertaining and compelling cozy mystery
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

[Lori Bonkoski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chinese new year and a body found in a hidden pharmacy in a building in Seattle. Pepper is drawn into this mystery by Roxanne, and while Pepper is willing to help she has misgivings about Roxanne and all that is going on around her. This book is more reflective than usual in this series. I missed Nate in the story, he seems like an addition rather than a part of the book. The writing is great and the mystery well plotted. I just felt a little unsettled while reading, maybe a reflection of Pepper's uncertainty in her life. Overall, A great read.

[Sheila · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's the Year of the Rabbit celebration in Seattle's Chinatown. Pepper Reece, owner of the Spice Shop in Pike Place Market, is doing a food walk and loving all the different foods available. She's enjoying the dragon dances and the excited atmosphere until her friend discovers a dead man. Who is he? Why is he in the basement of a building? of course Pepper has to do her own investigating but will asking too many questions put her in danger? Delightful characters, a great story, and some delicious recipes make this a must read!

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Chinese International District is in the midst of celebrating Lunar New Year and Pepper and friends are enjoyed the festivities when they discover a body in an abandoned building. The Gold Rush was a former hotel but has been mysteriously abandoned for decades. The body is found in an intact Chinese pharmacy and Pepper is intrigued by the possibilities. Family feuds and disputed ownership make this a fascinating mystery.

[Ryan Hoffman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alway love returning to this cozy mystery series and Seattle in book form. Pepper and the rest of the Pike Place market crew are alway a must. There are changes to the spice shop as well as Peppers personal life. There is of course a murder too, that hits close to Pepper. And it all takes place during Chinese New Year. It was fun, entertaining, and provided history of the area and a whodunit that didn't disappoint.

[Sherrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have enjoyed this series unfortunately the ending could have been done better. The ending ties up everything but leaves some questions of what is going on with both her and Nate. The interesting part was Chinatown and the history, how Pepper loses 2 of her employees and the 2 new employees she hires and why. How Pepper gets to know her boyfriend's sister. The recipes at the end are always good.

[Robyn Murphy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have enjoyed all the books but this title was especially well-done. I find the series more developed than many in the genre. The characters aren’t cliched and the relationships, friends and lovers, are realistic. The community is intertwined, and you see familiar faces in every book. I also love how the author supports other writers and series. I have a list now of other books to read. Oh, and the food! This is a love affair between good food and Seattle.

[Vanessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes this book had the cozy mystery, the unexpected murder. However, I truly enjoyed the in-depth research the author did. She detailed the Chinatown International District. She told us the historical background of martial art great Bruce Lee, the history of Chinese/ Lunar New Year and a detailed family tree of the suspected. I also enjoy the references and uses of various spices and herbs that are available in Pepper’s spice shop. The recipes at the end of the book sound delicious.

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have really enjoyed this series. The mysteries are great but I also love reading about different events and areas of Seattle. I have only visited once and would love to go again one day.
Earlier books Pepper seemed able to stay out of harm’s way, but the last couple have found her getting roughed up by the murderer. I am not liking that as much but I think it is pretty realistic.
I like seeing characters grow as people through a series, and the author is doing a great job with that.