The Starter's Secret

<p><strong>When a 76-year-old sourdough starter bubbles up century-old secrets one baker must knead truth from lies before Brookdale crumbles.</strong></p><p>Ella Oak returns to fog-shrouded Brookdale Oregon expecting to revive her late grandmother Mae's coastal bakery amid the scent of sea salt and fresh loaves. Instead she inherits Agnes-a feisty family starter since 1968-and a recipe box etched with waterwheel codes whispering of the abandoned mill where her ancestors ground more than grain.</p><p>As Ella deciphers Mae's cryptic notes threats rise like overproofed dough: a shadowy watcher at dawn's lamppost a brick shattering her window with a chilling warning and ledgers revealing a 1924 Prohibition murder buried in the foundation-bones and all. The Calloway Foundation feeds hundreds on blood money philanthropy. Her own kin profited from silence. And now someone will kill to reseal the vault.</p><p>In this <strong>Pacific Northwest cozy with historical grit</strong> Ella confronts inherited guilt: shield the town's facade or let revelations tear it apart? Perfect for fans of <strong>Ellie Alexander's atmospheric bakeshop mysteries</strong> and <strong>Amanda Flower's historical cozies</strong> where flour-dusted clues meet stubborn courage.</p><p><strong>You'll love this if you enjoy:</strong></p><ul><li>Mysteries blending cozy charm with ethical dilemmas</li><li>Small-town PNW secrets rooted in bootlegging lore</li><li>Culinary hooks that drive the plot (recipes included!)</li><li>Women sleuths doubting their way to justice</li><li>Atmospheric coasts where truth ferments slowly</li><li><strong>First in the Brookdale Mysteries-complete with twists that linger</strong></li></ul><p><strong>A 28000-word mystery novella.</strong></p><p><em>Some secrets eat through their jars and poison everything. But truths? They rise like bread-whether you're ready or not.</em></p><p><strong>The first Brookdale Mystery.</strong> Read now and join the rise.</p>