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 <em>Agnes</em>-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 Pacific Northwest cozy with historical grit Ella confronts inherited guilt: shield the town's facade or let revelations tear it apart? Perfect for fans of <strong>Louise Penny's moral mazes</strong> and <strong>Richard Osman's community whodunits</strong> where flour-dusted clues meet stubborn courage.</p><p>• Mysteries blending cozy charm with ethical dilemmas<br>• Small-town PNW secrets rooted in bootlegging lore<br>• Culinary hooks that drive the plot (recipes included!)<br>• Women sleuths doubting their way to justice<br>• Atmospheric coasts where truth ferments slowly<br>• Standalone series starter-complete with twists that linger</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>Book 1 in the Brookdale Mysteries. Read now and join the rise.</strong></p>