A Dash of Death by Michelle Hillen Klump

But if Sam can't 'pour' over the clues to find the killer, it may soon be last call for her. Who could have wanted Mark dead? His wife, Gabby? His girlfriend, Darcy? Someone who wanted his seat on the council? Or another citizen of this sweet Texas town that holds some seedy secrets? Job hunting, building her mixology business, and fending off late-night phone calls from her nearly betrothed don't leave much time for sleuthing. Now, she'll have to use all of her reporter's wisdom and wiles to clear her name. Since Sam mixed the drink that Mark imbibed right before his demise, she finds herself at the front of the suspect line.

But the party's over for one of the council members, who keels over dead soon after he sips the bereft bride's bitter brew.It turns out that the victim, Mark, was poisoned-his drink spiked with oleander. She intends to use that as her 'in' to become an in-demand party mixologist. At a meeting of the local historical-homes council, she serves up the homemade bitters that she made as gifts for her wedding party. But Sam has a way of making lemonade out of the bitterest of lemons. Bad news for Samantha Warren: The plucky Houston, Texas, reporter lost her job and her fiancé in rapid succession.

A Houston reporter-turned-mixologist mixes it up with murder in this series debut from Michelle Hillen Klump, superbly catering to fans of Diane Mott Davidson and Lee Hollis.

A Dash of Death by Michelle Hillen Klump