“You’ll love renting this historic house in the heart of Cave Creek, Arizona,” my real estate agent and best friend Maddie told me over a year ago. But what she didn’t tell me was that it was occupied by its former inhabitant, or I should say, “the stubborn ghost of the former inhabitant, Edith Ellroy.”
Bad enough Edith was a renown food critic who once brought Gordon Ramsay to his knees, but now she derives great pleasure telling me how to run my charcuterie business. Too bad that’s the least of my problems right now.
My catering business was asked to create charcuterie trays for a spectacular murder mystery weekend to be held at the Foothills Library in Cave Creek. And the lineup of famous authors would take anyone’s breath away, even people who haven’t picked up a book since the Clinton administration.
You’d think I would be dancing on air! Lamentably, that was not the case. My fussy Aunt Regina from New Jersey was supposed to visit my parents in the next town over, but my mother decided to get the floors re-tiled (Yeah – I thought so too! Some excuse!) and guilted me into having my aunt stay at my place.
Worse yet, my aunt is the senior editor for a major publishing company and one of the star-studded authors had her for his editor. Did I mention they didn’t get along? Oops! And wouldn’t you know it? She informed him she wanted to hire a ghostwriter for his latest novel.
And speaking of which, Edith pitched a fit that Aunt Regina would be sleeping in “her room.”
But let me skip ahead to tell you that things went south real fast. The hot-shot author was found dead in the library’s fountain and all fingers pointed to my aunt. Especially those belonging to the local “kook and nutcase” fan who decided to hold a mourning party, complete with a lamenting room and a black balloon launch.
Maddie had her own suspicions about the woman, and in order to clear my aunt of any wrongdoing, we had two choices – hire a good defense attorney or sniff out a killer, no matter where it took us. Two guesses what we decided!
And in the meantime, I have a sandwich shop and catering service to run. So, if you ever find yourself in Cave Creek, stop by The Char-Board. We serve the best mini-charcuterie boards around and can offer you an endless array of the local fare, including the latest gossip!
A Plattering of Murder – A Charcuterie Shop Mystery, Book 4
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Release: July 2025
Format: Digital, Print
Purchase Link
Charcuterie trays may be on the menu, but murder is on the bill
Excitement is in the air as charcuterie chef, Katie Aubrey, is asked to showcase her magnificent creations for a once-in-a-lifetime library event featuring world renown mystery authors. The only snafu is Edith Ellroy, the obnoxious ghost and former food critic who just can’t stand to leave Katie alone. And while Edith means well by offering advice, she has a penchant for interfering at the worst moments. But that’s not what’s troubling Katie. Her demanding Aunt Regina, who was supposed to stay at her parents’ house for a visit, is now planning on staying at Katie’s, and Katie cannot say no.
To make matter worse, Regina is the senior editor for a major publisher and has a laundry list of authors, some of whom will be at the library event, ready and waiting to string her up to dry! And while the charcuterie trays are absolutely savory and stunning, the dead body that surfaces in the library’s waterfall fountain is anything but! It turns out to be a noted author who managed to butt heads with Katie’s aunt throughout the event. And when Regina’s bracelet is found in the fountain with the man’s hair wrapped around it, she becomes the primary murder suspect.
And while Katie tries to run her business as usual, it becomes virtually impossible. From crazed fans to an author mourning party, she thinks she has seen it all. But when another body crops up, the fingers can’t move fast enough to point to Regina. And Edith’s meddling means more mayhem and misery. If Katie doesn’t move quickly, the real killer will!
About the author
New York native Ann I. Goldfarb spent most of her life in education, first as a classroom teacher and later as a middle school principal and professional staff developer. Writing as J. C. Eaton, along with her late husband, James Clapp, they have authored the Sophie Kimball Mysteries (Kensington, Beyond the Page), The Wine Trail Mysteries (Kensington Lyrical Underground and Beyond the Page Publishing), The Charcuterie Shop Mysteries (Level Best Books) and the Marcie Rayner Mysteries (Camel). Ann is continuing the Sophie Kimball series as well as the Charcuterie Shop Mysteries with Jim’s notes, plotlines and spirit. In addition, she has nine published YA time travel mysteries under her own name and three award-winning screenplays. When she’s not catering to two demanding Chihuahuas and two annoying felines, she’s swimming to escape the Arizona heat, frequenting coffee shops, or finding herself tethered to her desk, writing!
Visit their website at jceatonmysteries.com and jceatonauthor.com, on Facebook and at timetravelmysteries.com.