Five-Ingredient Mystery series

Cafe owner Val Deniston is worried about her boyfriend Bram Muir’s first big shift as a volunteer firefighter. While he’s been called out to minor fires before, this latest blaze is taking a lot longer to control than usual. Fortunately, Bram returns physically unharmed–but he comes bearing bad news: the fire was at the home…

Val Deniston and her Cooking Codger columnist granddad Don Myer are more than happy to help out their friend Bethany O’Shay as she finds herself somewhat in over her head while organizing the Maryland Mystery Fan Fest. Val volunteers to run the mystery trivia contest and monitor discussion panels, while Granddad will serve as a…

Cafe owner and caterer Val Deniston is looking forward to her Maryland town’s annual Dickens Fair, held every year in early December. Her grandfather Don is slightly less enthused. He’s been replaced as Santa by newcomer Jake Smith and has been given the role of Scrooge instead. While he tries not to let his assigned…

The Maryland town of Bayport’s newest bookstore is having an invigorating effect on every member of Val Deniston’s household. She herself is excited to be catering the bookstore’s Halloween event, while her housemate grandfather is exploring his tender feelings for bookstore owner, Dorothy Muir. Meanwhile, Granddad’s lodger, Suzette Cripps, is working hard on her entry…