Just Desserts: An American Who Watched British Mysteries Novel: 3

How could a famous chef get murdered during a cake-making class? Things are heating up in the third American Who Watched British Mysteries novel. Levelheaded police detective Marlowe is summoned to a suspicious death that somehow took place within an office locked from the inside during the middle of a baking class. With mystery television enthusiast John Arthur being acquainted with the victim and culinary scene (the same John Arthur who has helped solve cases in the past), Marlowe decides to bring him on as a contractor. John and Marlowe's team - including long-time partner Detective Morven, more recent addition Detective Nelson, and added-midcake-case Officer Natalia Weber - are soon sifting through the details about the victim, local celebrity chef Douglas Small. They discover the chef wasn't all that sweet, and that the class contained many wannabe bakers who had reason to harm him. The list of suspects is layered as a complicated entremet, making their task extra difficult. It includes the chef 's current protégé Louisa Sweeney, pharmacist Claire Holman and husband Kevin, who carries a long-term grudge against the chef, restaurant critic and the chef's ex paramour Sarah Sykes, her husband publisher Chester Rowan, and angry bartender Martin Allen. But that's just the first bite. The chef 's childhood friend Jim Sean and flirty wife Olivia (caught in the clutch with the chef by dishwasher Drogo Oates), real estate agent Lucille Crow, bubbly artist Madison Bernard, a bunch of cakes, and some mysterious butter are also involved. Can John's quotes, accents, and references borrowed from British TV mysteries help Marlowe and team sort the well-baked theories from the overbaked?