In this second book of the Maple Syrup Mystery series, our heroine, Leila Khoury, has reconciled herself with inheriting her father’s Sappy Endings maple farm. It helps that she’s discovered that she not only likes running the business but is pretty darn good at it too. She’s also secretly pleased to be back in her childhood home with her new love interest, Noah Rivers, as well as with her lifelong best friend, Heather Turcot.

Heather is actually about to get married in what’s shaping up to be the wedding ceremony of her dreams. She is a little worried, though, that her parents are relying way too much on her Uncle Grant to finance the festivities. Grant Butterfield married into wealth, and his wife, Monica, is always happy to flaunt that fact. Because of this and Monica’s general disdain for social niceties, Heather is hesitant to involve her in the wedding planning any more than necessary. Heather does, however, feel obligated to invite Monica to the bridal shower Leila is organizing, where Leila gets an eyeful of just how awful Monica can be.

Still, that’s no preparation for Leila finding Monica stabbed to death in her car shortly after the shower is over. A grieving Grant refuses to shell out another penny for the wedding until Monica’s killer is caught. While Heather wants to respect his grief, the wedding is only weeks away. With non-refundable deposits on the line, Heather asks Leila for help in speeding along the process of figuring out who murdered her aunt by marriage. After all, Leila successfully apprehended her own father’s killer–and at no small risk to herself.

There’s no way Leila would let her best friend down, even as the return of Leila’s ex-fiance brings a whole new set of complications to her already chaotic life. Will Leila be able to prevail over all these challenging circumstances, or will a crafty killer make her their next victim?

In all honesty, I found Leila to be unnecessarily judgmental in the series’ debut, so I was genuinely pleased at how she’s loosened up somewhat in this book. I loved, too, how Catherine Bruns showcases Lebanese culture, even as Leila both embraces her heritage and resists the pressure to mindlessly propagate it. I really adored how her mother, Selma, overcame her own highly critical nature–despite several difficult moments–and affirmed Leila’s belief that mutual care and happiness are the most important things in a romantic relationship, not convention and cultural expectations.

There were six delicious maple and/or Lebanese American recipes included here. It was difficult trying to figure out what to make, but I finally decided on this dessert, edited slightly for space:

Salted Maple Pie

Ingredients

One 9-inch pie crust [blind-baked]

½ cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 ¼ sticks), melted and cooled

1 cup dark robust maple syrup

¾ cup packed light brown sugar

¼ cup fine yellow cornmeal

Heaping ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

3 large eggs, at room temperature

1 large egg yolk, at room temperature

1 ¼ teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 large egg, beaten

Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling

Instructions

In a medium bowl, whisk the melted butter and maple syrup. Whisk in the brown sugar, cornmeal, and kosher salt. In another medium bowl, crack the 3 eggs and add the yolk. Add the cream and vanilla and whisk until combined. Slowly pour the egg mixture into the maple mixture and whisk just until combined. 

Place the blind-baked [pie crust] on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush the crimped edge with the beaten egg. Pour the maple filling into the pie shell until it reaches the bottom of the crimps.

Transfer the baking sheet with the pie on it to the oven and bake for 45 to 60 minutes, until the edges are puffed and the center jiggles only slightly when shaken. It will continue to set as it cools.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven and transfer the pie to a wire rack to cool for 4 to 6 hours. Once fully cooled and at room temperature, sprinkle generously with flaky sea salt. Store leftover pie, well wrapped in plastic wrap or under a pie dome, at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Oh, this is such a wonderful dessert! It’s very reminiscent of a chess pie, only with a distinct maple flavor of which I am a huge fan. It actually reminded me a lot of a pie-sized egg tart, which is one of my favorite desserts. The flaky sea-salt garnish is an excellent addition, perfectly balancing out the sweetness of the filling. The pie, overall, is pretty easy to make and such a great anytime treat.

Next week, we travel to France to cook up a satisfyingly savory dish while exploring the setting of a beloved mystery series. Do join me!

See also: Cooking the Books: Spoon to Be Dead by Dana Mentink