by: Mary Lee Ashford
Series: Sugar & Spice Mysteries
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Release Date: May 27, 2025
Publisher: Oliver Heber Books
Sugar Calloway and Dixie Spicer are up to their aprons in community cookbook projects, but Sugar can’t resist when the Jameson County Historical Society asks for their assistance with a cookbook featuring bread recipes. But they’ve barely begun when suddenly troubles are on the rise. Marla, the board’s president is stabbed with a bread knife, her best friend, Mame, is a suspect & some dough (of the money kind) is missing.
As Sugar and Dixie try to save the cookbook project and help Mame, things take a twist with a second body. But what’s the connection? And who in St. Ignatius has been keeping secrets? And, mostly importantly, will Sugar and Dixie be able to figure out whodunnit before the killer catches up with them and they are toast.
I am, as my Aunt Cricket would say, finer than frog hair. Which, if you’re not familiar with the saying, where I’m from, it dates way back and means I’m excellent. Couldn’t be better. A while back, not so much. There had been a murder, and it was a lady who we were working with on a project, and her best friend was accused. But now, the killer has been caught, the world is righted, and hopefully things will soon be back to normal, right?
Well, that’s good. Please introduce yourself to readers.
Well, I was raised that a Southern lady never tells her age, but I don’t mind telling. And the truth is, I’m afraid I break a lot of rules that my mother and aunts hold fast to. For instance, I’m over thirty and not married. Even after they set me up with that nice Danny Kindell who they had determined was a “great catch.” And then to top it off, I moved from Georgia to Iowa. Iowa? Can you hear the collective disappointed sigh from Aunt Crickett, Aunt Celia, and my mother, Cate?
In any case, I’m sure you can see why I think it’s best that I live several states away. My full name is Rosetta Sugarbaker Calloway, but everyone calls me “Sugar.” I’d made use of my journalism degree and had a great start on an editorial career with a big glossy lifestyle magazine which was headquartered in the Midwest. But about a year ago, I was downsized right out of my corner office. After a period of reassessment, I remembered Dixie, the talented blue-ribbon baker that the magazine had done a story on. We’d hit it off and had stayed in touch. And after an afternoon of coffee, crying on her shoulder, and lengthy conversation in her hometown of St. Ignatius, she and I came up with the idea for Sugar & Spice Community Cookbooks. You know, the kind that are often used for fundraisers. Church groups, band boosters, centennial celebrations, and the like. So far, the business venture has been both fun and profitable. And I love living in St. Ignatius. A lovely town square, friendly neighbors (mostly anyway), and a wonderful sense of belonging.
Please tell me about Dixie.
My business partner and best friend, Dixie Spicer, is about my age, a widow, and hands-down best baker I’ve ever known. I can’t imagine a better business partner or a truer friend. Several of the locals still call her by her childhood nickname, “Spice.” I suspect it has more to do with her temperament than her red hair. Dixie is outspoken, says what she thinks, and though sometimes her lack of a filter can create problems, I see it as a good thing. She’s fiercely independent, loyal to a fault, and generous with her time and talents. We work well together, and though we work hard, we also have a lot of fun.
Can you please tell me more about how you two met?
The magazine where I used to work always does an annual feature on state fair competitions. And we did an interview with Dixie because of the number of blue ribbons she’d won for her baking. Sometimes you meet someone for the first time, and it’s like you’ve been friends for years. It was like that for us. We just hit it off right away, shared similar interests and outlooks. So we decided to keep in touch. Then, as I mentioned before, when I was deciding what to do next, we came up with the idea for Sugar & Spice Cookbooks.
What’s your favorite dish to make or eat?
I’m a pretty basic cook. Nothing fancy. Dixie is the cooking and baking talent. And she is well-deserving of the many blue ribbons she’s won. Though she makes it look easy, I can tell you it’s generally not that easy. At least not for me. So I’m lucky that I’m often on the receiving end of her efforts. If I had to choose, I’d say my all-time favorite is her Lemon-Blueberry Scones. The recipe looks simple - just a few ingredients. But wow, when she does whatever it is she does with them. They are to die for!
Who are some people we’ll meet in your story, Night of the Living Bread, and the Sugar & Spice Mystery series?
Well, first off, you’ll meet my cat, Ernest, who is pretty much in charge of things at my house. Then Greer Gooder, my landlady, a feisty octogenarian who is always in the know. Sheriff Terry Griffin is the county sheriff, and though friendly, isn’t wild about Dixie and I “helping” him out. Special friend, Max Windsor, is a former photo journalist and currently our food photographer. It’s hard to say if he’s in town to stay or not. Plus around the square, there’s Toy George, the proprietor of the Red Hen Diner; the record and memorabilia store owner, Disco; as well as Tina Martin, the town square fashionista who deals in both real estate and gossip.
Also, in Night of the Living Bread, there is both someone from my past who shows up in town. And someone in town, with a secret from their past.
What’s your most prized possession?
When I hear prized possession, I always think, “What would you grab if your house were on fire?” I don’t have a lot of worldly possessions that matter to me. So for me, it’s a framed photo of my family – my mother, my dad, and me. My parents divorced when I was very young, and though he remained a part of my life, things were definitely different after they split. Though my mother and I were okay, her main focus was keeping us afloat and making our lives better. My father would pop in every so often, and I remember those visits as exciting and fun. But I never again felt that sense of family that photo represents.
Why do you feel the need to put on your sleuthing hat and investigate murders?
This may sound odd, but I don’t think I purposely set out to investigate. I think I’m just curious (my neighbor, Mrs. Pickett might say snoopy) and I’m a good listener. Which leads to people sharing information, which leads to my getting involved. Much to the chagrin of Sheriff Terry.
What can readers expect from Night of the Living Bread?
My hope is that readers will find Night of the Living Bread an enjoyable read, a fun cozy, and a light-hearted escape from real life. Because let’s face it, some days real life can be just a bit too…real.
Sugar, thank you so much for your time.
You are very welcome! Thanks for letting me stop by.
“You are such a sucker.” My business partner and bestie, Dixie Spicer, pointed a finger at me. Albeit it was a finger tipped with a dollop of chocolate frosting. Which made it difficult to take her seriously, but that was beside the point.
It’s true. I am a sucker.
I’m a sucker for little kids with lemonade stands, old ladies selling daffodils, and any and all varieties of animal rescue fundraisers. Adopt a dog, save a cat, dollars for donkeys. They see me coming a mile away.
“Sugar, it’s impossible for you to say no.” Dixie had spotted the frosting and licked it from her finger.
“I can, too.” Picking up a spoon, I reached in front of her and dipped some frosting from the bowl. Why fool around with only a finger of frosting? You’ve got to lean in.
Yum. I sighed in ecstasy.
The rich dark chocolate was pure bliss.
And it would nicely complement the praline pecan cupcakes cooling on the counter. A test recipe for our latest project, a community cookbook for the local band boosters.
Dixie swatted my spoon away, but a smile quirked her lips.
I’d grown up in cities but was madly in love with the small town where I’d lived for the past couple of years. I cherished the friendships, the simplicity, and the slower pace. It was perfect for someone looking for fewer distractions and a sense of belonging. And ideal for the types of cookbooks that we produced at Sugar & Spice Publishing.
“The Tasty Notes Cookbook will make them money and still turn a profit for us.” I reached in for another spoonful of frosting. “I ran the numbers, and we’re good.”
“Agreed.” Dixie touched a couple of the cupcakes and, apparently deciding they were cool enough to frost, picked up a knife and scooted the bowl of frosting out of my reach. “You’ve got a much better head for business than I do, but you’re still a sucker.”
It’s true. I am a sucker.
I’m a sucker for little kids with lemonade stands, old ladies selling daffodils, and any and all varieties of animal rescue fundraisers. Adopt a dog, save a cat, dollars for donkeys. They see me coming a mile away.
“Sugar, it’s impossible for you to say no.” Dixie had spotted the frosting and licked it from her finger.
“I can, too.” Picking up a spoon, I reached in front of her and dipped some frosting from the bowl. Why fool around with only a finger of frosting? You’ve got to lean in.
Yum. I sighed in ecstasy.
The rich dark chocolate was pure bliss.
And it would nicely complement the praline pecan cupcakes cooling on the counter. A test recipe for our latest project, a community cookbook for the local band boosters.
Dixie swatted my spoon away, but a smile quirked her lips.
I’d grown up in cities but was madly in love with the small town where I’d lived for the past couple of years. I cherished the friendships, the simplicity, and the slower pace. It was perfect for someone looking for fewer distractions and a sense of belonging. And ideal for the types of cookbooks that we produced at Sugar & Spice Publishing.
“The Tasty Notes Cookbook will make them money and still turn a profit for us.” I reached in for another spoonful of frosting. “I ran the numbers, and we’re good.”
“Agreed.” Dixie touched a couple of the cupcakes and, apparently deciding they were cool enough to frost, picked up a knife and scooted the bowl of frosting out of my reach. “You’ve got a much better head for business than I do, but you’re still a sucker.”
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She is the founding president of Sisters in Crime – Iowa and a former board member of the Mystery Writers of America Midwest chapter, as well as a member of Novelists, Inc., and Sisters in Crime Guppies.
She loves encouraging writers and is a frequent lecturer and workshop presenter for writers’ groups. Mary Lee has a long-time interest in creativity and teaches a university-level course on creative management. She also presents workshops and blogs about creativity and the writing craft.
She currently resides in the Midwest with her husband, Tim, and Zoey, her feline coworker. When she’s not writing, her passions are reading, travel, and time with her family, especially her six grandchildren.
Places to find Mary Lee Ashford:
You can follow the Night of the Living Bread Blog Tour here.
I enjoyed the interview.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Rita.
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