Lilah Drake has a secret.
When she's not working at her parents' real estate agency, she cooks for other people who don't have the time/energy/skill to do it themselves. These people also don't want it known that the food they're serving was made by someone else. Lilah doesn't mind (too much), as the money she earns is being saved for her Catering Business fund.She's had no trouble with her deceptions, until the unpleasant Alice Dixon dies after tasting Lilah's chili con carne at a church function. Nonetheless, Pet Grandy, who is taking credit for the dish, urges Lilah to keep her secret. Lilah is uneasy about this, but agrees.
She feels even worse when she meets the detective in charge of the case, Jacob (Jay) Parker. Not only does Jacob happen to be the son of Ellie, one of Lilah's best customers, he's very handsome.
Lilah tries hard to convince herself she's not attracted to Jay, has to be very careful not to spill the beans (pun intended) about who really made the chili. To assuage her conscience, she begins her own investigation into the murder.
Unusually for a cozy, the story is told in the first person, from Lilah's point of view. As a result, we are able to identify with her strongly as we follow along with her thought processes while she conducts her investigation.
The town of Pine Haven, Illinois, and its residents are believable without being either clichéd or abnormal. Lilah is a smart, likeable protagonist, though she does tend to overthink things.
Recipes for some of Lilah's creations are included at the end of the book.