“You really are banned from the Ren faire,” Romy declared as she stared at her phone. “They even got a picture you in your lady knight armor on the site.”

“It’s nothing,” I said prodding at my pizza, wishing I kept my mouth shut, as this wasn’t the news I wanted to share with my friends. “Just a misunderstanding.”

“How does one get banned from a Renaissance fair?” Jamal smirked, already teeing up several jokes. “What did you do?”

“What she always does. She accused people of murder!” Eden glowered at me, still clearly upset about the wild goose chase we undertook last year. “Keisha had the whole place in uproar when she decided to play detective. But it was just a heart attack in the end. You need to stop consuming so much true crime, Key. You see mysteries where’s there’s none to be found.”

“I can’t help it if they’re everywhere!” I retorted. Before Eden could snap back, I hastily added. “Okay, I might have gone a teensy bit over the top at Jousting Dragons, but there was something very odd going on, and you agreed to find out.”

“Well you’ll need a new mystery partner next time,” Eden sniffed. “You’ve cost me scotch eggs and meat pies!”

“I’m sorry,” I said, truly meaning it. I suggested going to a Ren fair when Eden’s parents got divorced way back in high school. In the years since then it didn’t just because our yearly tradition, but a way for us to both forget our troubles in a slightly ahistorical romp. I didn’t mean to ruin things, but I really did believe the man was murdered. “I’m sure there’s a fair I hadn’t been banned at. My new boss says there’s another one we haven’t been to yet.”

“New boss?” Romy echoed, “you landed another job? How wonderful! But, I thought you were taking a break.”

“I didn’t get a data analyst job,” I squirmed, as this was the reason I invited my friends over for dinner in the first place. “You know the Christmas Cake Queen?”

“You mean, Shirleen Foster?” Jamal said, “the one with all the cookbooks?”

I nodded. “I’m working for her now. She wants me to help update her first cookbook. I don’t know how she found out about me, but I think it was through my blog.”

“You don’t sound excited,” Romy remarked.

“I am, I’m just worried. It’s just so sudden, and I didn’t even have a proper interview. She just had me make potatoes four different ways and asked me if I ever wore a watch.”

“Find a watch then,” Jamal shrugged, “unless you’re worried she’ll change your mind since your banned for life from Jousting Dragons.”

“You’ll be fine,” Romy encouraged.

“Just don’t go around play detective, “Eden said. “Food and mystery solving don’t mix well.”

“I don’t know about that,” I replied, not quite ready to argue over this point. “Guess I’ll just have to find out.”

DEATH BY CHRISTMAS CAKE
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Release: November 2026
Format: Print, Digital, Audio
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop | Datura Books

A cosy, Christmassy crime that’s equal parts mystery and delicious festive food! Perfect for fans of The Great British Bake-Off and Murder at Mistletoe Manor.

A dash of murder, a sprinkle of amateur sleuthing, and a cup full of Christmas spirit…

After months of working alongside the legendary chef Shirleen Foster, Keisha Scott is ready for a night of festivities celebrating her boss’s famous 12 Christmas Cakes.

It’s all of Keisha’s dreams come true, until the night takes a turn for the worse. Her boss’s former collaborator (now rival), Ruby Walton, accuses Shirleen of stealing her recipes.

Even worse, Ruby is found dead a short while after their argument, leading the police to arrest Shirleen as the top suspect.

Keisha is less convinced, however. Fuelled by her passion for true crime podcasts, and aided by Shirleen’s vexing nephew, Virgil, she sets out on a mission to clear Shirleen’s name.

This will either be a piece of cake or a recipe for disaster…

About the author
Nicole Glover (nicole-glover.com) is the author of several mysteries including the acclaimed historical fantasy series, Murder and Magic, which includes The Starseekers. Her books featured in NPR, En Forme, and the Virginian-Pilot. She’s been a Library Reads pick, made the Locus bestseller list, and most recently won The Webster Award. She lives and works in Virginia plotting her next fictional murder.