Murder at a Scottish Social

Book excerpt: A clique of rich women make life so miserable for someone that it leads to murder. Paislee Shaw, owner of Cashmere Crush in Nairn, Scotland, is all for a peaceful life raising her son and knitting, but an invitation to a fundraiser for the local food bank involves her in yet another murder. Paislee packs her wares and goes to join several friends sharing a table at the recently renovated Social Club and Art Centre, including her newest friend, Blaise O'Connor, who's well off and devoted to her husband, Shep, the pro at the local golf course. Blaise is verbally attacked by the nasty alpha mom Kirsten Buchanan, whose husband helped Shep get his job and knows a lot of secrets she isn't afraid to spill. The day features a lot of backbiting between Kirsten and her sycophants, Mari, who's bulimic, and Christina, who drinks. Sales go well until the ill-fated baking contest: When Kirsten tastes her own shortbread before presenting it to the judges, she goes into anaphylactic shock--and her EpiPens are missing. Despite Paislee's best efforts at CPR, Kirsten dies. Kirsten had a severe peanut allergy well known to all her friends, but the personal chef she'd just fired is the prime suspect. Paislee thinks he's innocent and hopes to convince her attractive nemesis, DI Mack Zeffer, of that fact, when she isn't busy dealing with her son being bullied and her loyal dog.