I, Sarah Blair, hate kitchens! In fact, the thought of being in a kitchen is more frightening to me than murder. That’s why it’s ironic that I’m co-owner of the Southwind restaurant. It really belongs to my twin sister, Chef Emily, and her boyfriend, Chef Marcus, but they insist I’m an equal partner because I own the building the restaurant is in. Being a law firm receptionist is my real day job, but in the last year, I’ve also ended up solving several murders here in Wheaton, Alabama.

After calling and telling my boss, Harlan Endicott, I’d be a little late this morning, I came to the community college to meet my friend, Grace, who is teaching a knife skills class. Yesterday, during a celebration at Southwind, Grace, who’s also Southwind’s sous chef, asked me if we could talk sometime out of Marcus and Emily’s earshot. I hastily agreed to first thing today because earlier during the event, I’d seen her sneak across Main Street from Southwind to our biggest competitor, Jane’s Place. Anytime anyone has anything to do with Jane’s Place or Jane Clark, the woman who broke up my marriage, tried to steal my Siamese cat, RahRah, and has done everything she can to sabotage Emily and me, I get nervous.

That’s why I’ve been sitting on a hard bench in the heat, glistening, waiting for Grace. She should have come out of the building that houses the culinary arts classes at least fifteen minutes ago. I hope she’s not standing me up. I don’t like to take advantage of Harlan being a little flexible with my hours, especially when he turns a blind eye if I need to run home and care for RahRah or Fluffy, my rescue dog. Harlan’s a good egg. When I got divorced last year, Harlan was the only person who would hire me.

Here comes Grace, now. I’ve never seen her looking so disheveled and to make matters worse, her hand is bleeding. Without thinking, I calm her down and make her put pressure on her hand. I gather she cut her hand with a knife, had a run in with Dr. Martin, her department head, and that fearing she’d miss me, rushed outside, leaving her classroom a mess.

Because she wants to clean up her classroom and only has a limited amount of time before she’s supposed to be at Southwind to prep for the luncheon service, I agree to follow her upstairs to the culinary arts floor. Of course, with my aversion to kitchens, even classroom kitchens, I tease a promise from her that I can simply sit and watch her clean while we talk.

Turns out her classroom is on the third floor. For a twenty-nine-year-old who regularly walks Fluffy, as well as shelter dogs, I’m a little out of shape when it comes to this many steps. They don’t faze Grace. She’s already opening the door to the culinary floor. From the startled expression on her face and the many voices I hear, I gather something’s going on.

Grace doesn’t wait for me. I quicken my step to catch up to her. A student blocks us from entering what Grace says is her classroom. I peer into the room and see that the floor and a metal cook table are covered with cheese and knives and there is a man sprawled across the table. I pull on Grace’s sleeve and point inside the classroom. She looks and exclaims, “It’s Dr. Martin.”

From the looks of Dr. Martin, I don’t think I’ll be getting back to the office anytime soon.

Four Cuts Too Many, A Sarah Blair Mystery #4
Genre: Cozy
Release: May 2021
Purchase Link

Sarah Blair gets an education in slicing and dicing when someone in culinary school serves up a main corpse in Wheaton, Alabama . . .

Between working as a law firm receptionist, reluctantly pitching in as co-owner of her twin sister’s restaurant, and caretaking for her regal Siamese RahRah and rescue dog Fluffy, Sarah has no time to enjoy life’s finer things. Divorced and sort-of dating, she’s considering going back to school. But as a somewhat competent sleuth, Sarah’s more suited for criminal justice than learning how many ways she can burn a meal.

Although she wouldn’t mind learning some knife skills from her sous chef, Grace Winston. An adjunct instructor who teaches cutlery expertise in cooking college, Grace is considering accepting an executive chef’s position offered by Jane Clark, Sarah’s business rival—and her late ex-husband’s lover. But Grace’s future lands in hot water when the school’s director is found dead with one of her knives in his back. To clear her friend’s name, Sarah must sharpen her own skills at uncovering an elusive killer. . .

Includes quick and easy recipes!

About the Author
Judge Debra H. Goldstein writes Kensington’s Sarah Blair mystery series (Four Cuts Too Many, Three Treats Too Many, Two Bites Too Many, One Taste Too Many). She also authored Should Have Played Poker and IPPY Award winning Maze in Blue. Her short stories and novels have been named as Agatha, Anthony, Derringer, and Silver Falchion finalists. Debra serves on the national board of Mystery Writers of America and is president of SEMWA. She previously was on Sisters in Crime’s national board and president of SinC’s Guppy Chapter. Find out more about Debra at debrahgoldstein.com.

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