Hello all! I’m so happy to feature the newest release from author G.P. Gottlieb today. Smothered (A Whipped and Sipped Mystery) is the second book in the Whipped and Sipped Mystery series.

Synopsis:

When the owner of the business next door is found dead in his Chicago office, Alene Baron is relieved. She’s been suspicious of the food supplements he’s been selling, not to mention the smoothies he’s been hawking, which are much inferior to the ones Alene sells at the Whipped and Sipped Café. Plus, Stanley Huff never cleaned up his garbage in their shared alley. As a shady businessman, Stanley had enemies, but now one of Alene’s favorite employees is a suspect in his murder. And that employee is missing.

Smothered: A Whipped and Sipped Mystery includes 22 of the author’s best, healthy and delicious recipes!

This was a fun cozy packed full of interesting characters with just enough personal drama and romance to keep it interesting without overshadowing the mystery. With so many potential suspects and so many reasons for people to want to get rid of the victim, the story kept me guessing right up to the end, and left me wanting to spend just a little more time in Alene’s café.

Smothered is book 2 in the series, but you can definitely read it without feeling like you are missing anything. The author does a good job of filling you in on who is who and how everyone is connected. Sound good? Read on for a guest post from the author as well as a special offer if you pre-order the book!

Kitchen Competition by G.P. Gottlieb

In the recipes I post online or publish in my culinary mystery novels, I usually specify whether to use a food processor or a high-speed blender. I love them both and don’t know how I made vegetable and bean dips, whipped up creamy, non-dairy pies and cakes, or quickly pulled together velvety soups before I acquired either piece of equipment.

I never thought of them as anything more than kitchen tools until the day I left my phone on the counter and neglected to turn off the recording function after audio-texting a reminder to myself to buy a jar of vanilla paste. I was surprised to notice that the phone had continued to record and proceeded to listen to the astonishing recording. The following is an exact transcription of what appears to be an argument between my fifteen-year-old food processor and my four-year-old high-speed blender. The food processor (FP) must have been carrying a lot of anger before finally bursting out. “Nobody wants to eat pureed baby food for every meal.”

The high-speed blender (HSB) sounded a little taken aback: “What? Were you talking to me?”

FP: “Yes, I’m talking to you. I’ve just about had it with your higher-than-mighty attitude, and your constant smirking.”

HSB: “I’m not smirking. I’m just a little worn out from making arugula dip followed by asparagus soup, and then, after being scrubbed for a good ten minutes, a lemon cream pie filling that she still hasn’t perfected. I think it needs more lemon zest and another quarter of a cup of fresh lemon juice.

FP: “It took ten minutes to scrub because your polycarbonate sides are a bear to get clean.”

HSB: “Whoa. You’re just trying to start a fight. You know I can be easily cleaned with soapy water and a few seconds of blending.”

FP: “Perhaps for anyone who’s satisfied with surface cleanliness.”

HSB: “Hold on. What’s got you all stirred up? Did I puree your pride?”

FP: “Well, if you must know, it’s because you’re sitting out on the counter next to the coffee maker all day, acting like queen of the kitchen. And ever since you showed up, I’ve been stuck in a back cabinet.”

HSB: “Oh, come on. It’s not like you’re never used. How many times have we heard how you’re the only route to great hummus? Every week you’re out here making cake batters or bread doughs with that separate blade of yours. And let’s not forget about the grating feature. You’re busy with carrots and zucchini every time I turn around.

FP: “You’re just trying to make me feel better.”

HSB: “Exactly. That’s how one ends a squabble like this. What are we arguing about anyway?”

FP: “I don’t know. Maybe I’m just all mixed-up today. Sorry to take it out on you.”

HSB: “Glad to have ‘smoothied’ things over!”

I heard chuckling, and that’s when the tape cut out. It sounded like they’d resolved their differences, but just in case, I used them both for the next few hours. Also, adding zest and lemon juice did the trick and I think the pie is perfect now. It’s for a friend’s birthday.

Special offer! Pre-order a paperback copy of Smothered by February 16, 2021 and received 30% off PLUS a free copy of the first book in the series, Battered.

If you prefer ebook, you can get a copy at Barnes & Noble or Amazon.