Salsa and Secrets — Joanne Pence

A fiery dish of desire, deceit, and death-in a town where every secret comes with a price.Gourmet cook Angie Amalfi is ready for a break from wedding planning. When her fiancé, San Francisco homicide detective Paavo Smith, suggests a trip to the Arizona desert town where he spent time as a boy, Angie jumps at the chance. Sun, serenity, and the potential for a Southwestern-themed wedding menu? Perfect. But Paavo has another reason for the getaway: to help a childhood friend investigate the suspicious death of a wealthy local. The Ghost Hollow Guest Ranch, complete with ostriches and ghost stories, turns out to be anything but peaceful. Before long, Angie is caught up in a stew of small-town secrets, wild cook-offs, and one seriously amorous ostrich. Then a second murder strikes. Now Angie and Paavo must untangle the prickly truths hiding behind polite smiles and cowboy charm. Between a missing stagecoach, a hidden fortune, and a stew recipe involving horned toads, Angie's vacation might turn out to be her final meal.Mouthwatering meals, quirky characters, and a whodunnit that will keep you guessing-Salsa and Secrets serves up mystery and romance with a Southwestern flair. NOTE: This is a completely updated and reimagined version of the mystery, Red Hot Murder.