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Toxic Torte (A Just Desserts Mystery Book 1) Kindle Edition


Jess Harriet writes for the Seattle Sun, a weekly newsrag best known for its personal ads. When her latest assignment turns out to be yet another obituary, this time for caustic restaurant critic Perry Lowell, she seriously considers quitting. But before the memorial buffet is replenished, detectives appear. Perry didn't die of a heart attack after all. He was murdered...with a toxic torte, likely served at the Valentine's Day Chocoholic Ball. Jess seizes the opportunity to solve the murder and scoop the story, but she'll have to outwit Cherrie Belle, fellow Sun Reporter by week, cheerleader by weekend; Tom, a college dating disaster who holds a flame for Jess and the elusive Chocoholic Ball guest list; and a cadre of unsavory chefs who invite her to a dinner she suspects is a recipe for danger.

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Lori Pollard-Johnson
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I have a dedicated Facebook page: Lori.Pollard.Johnson.Books! Check it out!

I'm a storyteller at heart. After retiring from teaching reluctant and eager readers and writers, elementary school-age through college, I've refocused my energy and am spinning yarns once again. I have two novels slated for publication in 2024 through The Wild Rose Press: "Corpse in the Craftsman Cottage," a cozy mystery with a female amateur sleuth duo and a backdrop of home flipping; and "Toxic Torte," a cozy culinary featuring a sassy young newspaper reporter investigating the murder of a caustic restaurant critic. I also have two mid-grade readers available through Perfection Learning Corporation: "The Truth Test" and "Recipe for a Rebel," and an edgy, Indie-published YA, "The Lie." Additionally, I have over 100 publishing credits in short fiction, nonfiction and poetry, in publications as diverse as Vegetarian Journal, Seattle, Black Belt, NW Palate, Palm Springs Life, Bridal Connections and The Binnacle. I recently took first place in short fiction for "What It Takes to Scare a Man," and poetry for "Hope is a Three-Toed Dragon" in a southern California writing contest. I earned an MA in Writing Popular Fiction at Seton Hill University and had the pleasure of learning from some of the best, most creative writers in the business. In my spare time, I braid rugs from upcycled materials, watch the javelinas dance through my back yard, hike with my husband, and swim with my beautiful grandchildren.

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