A Slice of Murder

Not too much happens in the sleepy little town of Timber Ridge, North Carolina—which is fine with pizza-purveyor extraordinaire Eleanor Swift. The spunky owner of A Slice of Delight is trying to mend her broken heart and could use a little quiet time. But when a late night delivery customer turns up dead, she's in for just the opposite in this delicious mystery series debut, featuring pizza as the prima character . . .

"Pizza lovers will relish Cavender's delightful first in a new cozy series."—Publishers Weekly

"Cavender introduces a promising cast of characters."—Booklist


"The camaraderie of the Timber Ridge, NC, sisters is reminiscent of Nancy Martin's Blackbird siblings."—Library Journal

"A delightful mystery—as filling as a big slice of warm pizza."—Armchair Interviews

"As warm and satisfying as a pizza straight from the oven. I can't wait for seconds!"—Laura Levine

Not too much happens in the sleepy little town of Timber Ridge, North Carolina—which is fine with pizza-purveyor extraordinaire Eleanor Swift. The spunky owner of A Slice of Delight is trying to mend her broken heart and could use a little quiet time. But when a late night delivery customer turns up dead, she's in for just the opposite in this delicious mystery series debut, featuring pizza as the prima character . . .

"Pizza lovers will relish Cavender's delightful first in a new cozy series."—Publishers Weekly

"Cavender introduces a promising cast of characters."—Booklist


"The camaraderie of the Timber Ridge, NC, sisters is reminiscent of Nancy Martin's Blackbird siblings."—Library Journal

"A delightful mystery—as filling as a big slice of warm pizza."—Armchair Interviews

"As warm and satisfying as a pizza straight from the oven. I can't wait for seconds!"—Laura Levine

Publishers Weekly

Pizza lovers will relish the pseudonymous Cavender's delightful first in a new cozy series, which introduces Eleanor Swift, owner of A Slice of Life, a pizzeria in Timber Ridge, N.C. When late one winter night Eleanor delivers a pizza ("one of my specials decked out with pepperoni, sausage, ham, bacon, hamburger, and little bits of sliced sirloin"), she finds her customer, Richard Olsen, lying dead on the floor with a kitchen knife in his chest. Kevin Hurley, the surly local police chief who pursued her back in high school, responds to her 911 call. Suspecting Eleanor is guilty, Kevin does his best to make her life difficult. Olsen's dotty sister thinks so, too, but once she's convinced of Eleanor's innocence, she asks Eleanor's help in solving the murder. Eleanor's occasionally married sister, Maddy, assists in the sleuthing. A lively pace and a thrilling climax more than compensate for some distracting chatter and not always relevant sibling spats. (Aug.)