Buried in Beignets

This fun, farcical first in a new cozy series from Ripley (Gunfight in Gatlinburg) introduces 39-year-old Maggie Miller, who has moved from Phoenix to Table Rock, Ariz., where her mother, sister, and two nephews already live. When people ask her whether she’s married, recently divorced Maggie says her husband is dead because “he was dead to me.” Maggie is preparing to open Maggie’s Beignet Café, but inside a packing box, she finds the body of her landlord, Rick Wilbur. When Det. Mark Highsmith, who has “yummy brown eyes, sort of the color of brown M&Ms,” learns that the murder weapon was a rolling pin, he takes Maggie in for questioning. Meanwhile, obstacles keep getting in the way of her grand opening—the police investigation, a bounced check, a fire, and a visit from her ex-husband. Recipes and tips add seasoning to Ripley’s appealing mix of quirky characters and slapstick humor. Agent: Priya Doraswamy, Lotus Lane Literary Agency. (Dec.)