Coming back to the town I grew up in sometimes makes me want to pull the covers over my head and not get out of bed like possibly ever. But somebody has to take Sprocket, my standard poodle, out for a walk and someone has to make the popcorn breakfast bars that have the people of Grand Lake lining up in the morning (even the ones who talk about me behind my back like I’m still the wild child who skated out of here with her hair on fire before the strains of Pomp and Circumstance could even fade out at my high school graduation). That someone would be me, Rebecca Anderson. Ex-wife of celebrity chef Antoine Belanger. Best friend of Dan Cooper, now Sheriff in our small town. Mentee and darn close to adopted granddaughter of Coco Bittles, owner of Coco’s Cocoas.
All those relationships are important, but it was really Coco who got me to return to Grand Lake when I wasn’t sure what to do after my split with Antoine. She helped me set up my new gourmet popcorn shop, POPS, and continued to coach me as I learned how to run a successful business. You can imagine how devastated I was when she was found murdered in her shop in what Sheriff Dan thinks is a robbery gone wrong.
Problem is, that explanation just doesn’t make sense to me. To make matters worse, some people in town think I might have had something to do with Coco’s death. Then another woman business owner is attacked. Does someone have it in for the female shopkeepers?
Between Sheriff Dan constantly hauling me in when he catches me snooping, my dog stealing toys from babies, and Antoine constantly trying to get me to come back to him, my life is pretty complicated. Good thing I have the new lawyer in town, Garrett Mills, on speed dial.
Kernel of Truth is the first book in the Popcorn Shop Mystery series published by Berkley Prime Crime, March 2016.
An all-new Popcorn Shop Mystery bursts on the scene, featuring gourmet popcorn entrepreneur Rebecca Anderson and her poodle Sprocket.
Opening a gourmet popcorn shop was never on Rebecca Anderson’s bucket list. But after a failed marriage to a celebrity chef, she’s ready for her life to open up and expand. She has returned to her hometown of Grand Lake, Ohio, with her popcorn-loving poodle Sprocket to start a new business—naturally called POPS. As a delicious bonus, Cordelia “Coco” Bittles, a close family friend who has always been like a grandmother to Rebecca, owns the chocolate shop next door, and the two are thinking of combining their businesses.
But when Coco’s niece, Alice, discovers her on the floor of her chocolate shop, those dreams go up in smoke. The local sheriff thinks Coco was the victim of a robbery gone wrong, but Rebecca isn’t so sure. As suspects start popping up all over, Rebecca is determined to turn up the heat and bring the killer to justice in a jiffy!
Includes Popcorn Related Recipes!
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Meet the author
Kernel of Truth is Kristi’s first book with Berkley Prime Crime. She has been obsessed with popcorn since first tasting the caramel cashew popcorn at Garrett’s in Chicago. If you’ve never had it, you might want to hop on a plane and go now. Seriously, it’s that good.
Kristi lives in northern California, although she was born in Ohio like the heroine of Kernel of Truth. She loves snack food, crocheting, her kids, and her man, not necessarily in that order.
Kristi also writes as both Eileen Rendahl and Eileen Carr. For more information, visit KristiAbbottAuthor.com or EileenRendahl.com.
Giveaway: Leave comment below for your chance to win a print copy of Kernel of Truth. US entries only, please. The giveaway will end March 8, 2016 at 12 AM EST. Good luck everyone!
All comments are welcomed.
If there has ever been a series for me, this is it!!! Popcorn is my favorite food. I’ve been known to eat it for breakfast even. My daughter’s name is Rebekah (so we missed the spelling there), but still! Popcorn plus Rebekah/Rebecca! I am looking forward to the release! Sounds like a fantastic one for sure!
I said I was looking forward to the release, but today is the release! I just popped over to Amazon looking for it and not only is today release day (I had the 8th on my mind, but that’s just the day of Dru’s giveaway) and it’s only $5.99! Fun!
This sounds great! Love the popcorn theme. This series is right down my alley – really looking forward to it.
Kernel of Truth sounds like an exciting read, and I adore the cover art. Thank you for the giveaway.
Love popcorn and this sounds great.
Can’t wait to read this one. 🙂
Popcorn breakfast bars? Say no more! I’m in…this is a must read! Thanks Dru for today’s feature. Thanks Kristi for the chance to win a copy. 🙂
Popcorn is something my family always has in the house, so the theme of this series is right up our alley, and Kernel of Truth sounds like a great beginning to it. Can’t wait to read it. Thanks for the chance to win.
Love these culinary cozies with dogs! Thanks for a chance to enter.
Love popcorn and mysteries, the perfect combination! Thanks for the chance to enter!
Kernel of Truth sounds like a fun cozy. My TBR list is growing and growing! Thank you for this chance.
I do love a culinary cozy and this sounds like fun! Thanks for the chance to win a copy.
There is nothing better than a new series, and this one sounds like fun! Thanks for the chance to win a copy.
This sounds like a fun new series. Thank you for sharing
What a cute title and cover! Thank you for the chance to win a copy of this book.
wfnren at aol dot com
That’s an awesome name for a popcorn store and sentimentally it would remind me daily of my Pops, which is what I called my Dad!
Congratulations on the new release! Sounds like a fun read!
This sounds like a great book to add to my cozy challenge list. Thanks for a chance to win a copy.
What a lovely cozy which I would enjoy. Thanks for this giveaway.
What a terrific and fun sounding book, I can’t wait to read it. Thanks for the giveaway.
Sounds like a great read.
Thanks for the giveaway. I like Rebecca and want to read more about her. I’ll be putting this book on my wish list.
Book will be on my TBR list, but hope I win, sounds really good and a fun series
Sounds like a series I could really get into! Thanks for the contest.
suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com
Popcorn, chocolate, and a poodle–perfect.
sounds like a fun cast of characters…cant wait to try the series!
I’m looking forward to this one! Popcorn has a special place in my stomach and heart! It sounds like loads of fun.
Popcorn at the center of a mystery? Who’d have expected that? I want it.
Every since I saw the cover of this book, I’ve known I wanted to get a copy to read. Thanks for the opportunity to enter your giveaway. robeader53@yahoo.com
Sounds like a great book, thank you for the chance to win.
You got me with standard poodle and a popcorn shop. Toss my name into the magic contest hat please Dru.
I can’t watch a movie without a bowl of popcorn on my lap. I’m a messy popcorn eater–lands on my shirt, on the couch, on the floor…..LOL. Looking forward to reading this book. Thanks for the chance to win a copy.
WOW…this definitely looks like a really awesome new mystery and can’t wait to read it! I absolutely love, love, love the adorable cover on the book. Popcorn is one of my very favorite snacks and will have to have some when I read this…lol! Thanks much for the chance to win a copy of this new awesome book dearest Dru!!! God bless you!!!! Oh and the fact that this is a first in a new series book makes it all the more special to me as I know there will be many more to come. And this is a brand new author for me and that is always so exciting to me too! All this together makes for this to be a super duper awesome book!!!! Woo Hoo!
Always up for a new series. This appears to be full of interesting relationships.
Really looking forward to reading this series. I live in the suburbs of Chicago and was really happy when Garrett’s Popcorn opened a new store in the mall near my house. Glad to see that popcorn recipes are included in the book. Great storyline for a cozy mystery.
Love to read a cozy about my favorite snack food.
I have added this book to my TBR list. Thanks for the chance to win a copy.
How can we lose with a book about popcorn?
I would to win this book. It sounds so intestine and I love popcorn as a main character.
This sounds like a fun read. Definitely adding it to my TBR list.
I would love to win this book!
I think you have a winner with the popcorn! Who doesn’t love popcorn? The cover art is fantastic! Thanks for the post.
This sounds like a promising new series.
My neighbors had a dog named Sprocket. I’ll have to start reading the series becaause of that.
This sounds like an interesting read.
Sounds like a wonderful fun book to read 🙂 My whole Family can’t get enough popcorn every week. We try so many different kinds and make up our own favors too!
I love books that are centered around food (especially chocolate) and has recipes. This one sounds like a popping good read!
Already added to my WishList…..
Thank you for the giveaway…..
Love the cover. Love the premise. Love popcorn and am always looking for new ways to cook, flavor, use them. Rebecca has her task set before her. So excited about this new series. Thanks for the heads up and the chance to get it sooner
What a cute cover! A popcorn mystery is different. I hardly ever eat popcorn, but a bag of cheese popcorn would be good with a movie. I like animals in mysteries and it looks like this one features a large poodle.