Spice Shop #9
I enjoy all my meetups with Pepper Reece at her charming Seattle Spice Shop. The books are set in the iconic Pike Place Market, and Pepper is very much an active part of the market community. Many of the books have taken place in and around the Market, but in this one, Pepper ventures out to a nearby lavender farm. She’s planning a lavender festival at the market and thinking of ways to get as many vendors as possible involved in her venture.
To this end, she’s gone out to the farm of a friend, Liz, who has a lavender farm in Salmon Falls. While the real Salmon Falls is now an historical (and abandoned) landmark, the Salmon Falls in the book is a lively place. When Pepper arrives, though, Liz’s greenhouse has been trashed and the police are on the hunt for the boyfriend of Abby, Liz’s assistant, as the possible culprit for the vandalism. Abby is sure he’s innocent.
While Pepper is more than disturbed and does what she can to help her friend, she ventures into town to make connections with local lavender suppliers in support of her festival. When Liz is later found murdered in her greenhouse, however, things begin to take an even more sinister turn. The players in the drama are mostly in Salmon Falls, but there are tendrils that tie into Pepper’s life, and, mourning Liz, she’s inevitably drawn into trying to solve the murder.
Meanwhile, Pepper’s personal life is going well, as she and her boyfriend seem to be edging closer to commitment. The other main character in this book is Arf, her Airedale, a dog she’d adopted after his homeless owner had left the state to be with family. Arf is a real gentleman and an excellent dog character, who realistically needs walks and food. He’s often at the Spice Shop along with Pepper and is well known and liked in the market.
What I truly enjoy about these books is the richly detailed Seattle setting and Pepper herself, who is good humored but quirky enough to be an interesting human being. She ties the books together. If I wasn’t as taken with the mystery part of this novel in this outing, I am still smitten with Pepper and her spice shop. Oh, and just about every culinary use for lavender is covered here – you’ll probably have a craving when you finish the book. — Robin Agnew