A Day in Life of Laurel Inwood by Kylie Logan

Which Life?

My Old Life

Laurel Inwood here, dreaming about the old days. My old life? Ah, that would be back when I was personal chef to Hollywood megastar Meghan Cohan. Back then, my life was all about travel, all about glamour, all about catering to whims that ranged from arranging an Arabian Nights party on the grounds of Meghan’s Malibu mansion (complete with an oasis and a camel or two) to learning whatever new cooking trend captured her fancy–gluten free, vegan, paleo, Middle Eastern, Lithuanian, South African. Whatever was hot, whatever the beautiful-people crowd was talking about, that’s what Meghan wanted, and I was only too eager to spread my culinary wings and provide it. I shopped at the finest stores, worked with the most expensive ingredients, and got to rub elbows with Hollywood’s movers and shakers.

Not bad for a kid who grew up in the foster system.

But remember how I said that was my old life? Yeah. The whole thing came crashing down when Meghan accused me of leaking personal information to the paparazzi. Just for the record, I didn’t do it, but once Meghan makes up her mind, that’s that. I lost my job and thanks to Meghan’s connections, there wasn’t another actor, producer or five-star restaurant that would touch me.

Good thing I got a call right about then, huh? My foster mother’s sister, Sophie, was having knee replacement surgery and needed help at her elegant restaurant in Ohio.

I’m on my way.

My New Life

Elegant?

Did I really say that about Sophie’s restaurant?

Well, it was what I’d been told over the years. Now here I am in Ohio and reality just hit me square between the eyes. Sophie’s Terminal at the Tracks is a greasy spoon diner along the railroad tracks and it’s losing customers to the trendy places springing up all over town.

Forget matcha, poutine and harrisa! My new life consists of fried baloney sandwiches, meatloaf and meatballs with rice.

The only way I may be able to turn things around is to feature ethnic foods on the menu and I’m starting with Irish.

Why?

Well, let’s just say that it’s hard to resist the pushy, overpowering (and OK, sexy, too) Declan Fury, manager of the Irish gift shop across the street. Between Declan and a family of what seems like thousands, Irish culture and cuisine have pretty much enveloped me. I’m overwhelmed by it all, but I intend to take full advantage.

Which doesn’t mean I’m going to cave completely. After all, I’m pretty street smart, not to mention completely unable to deal with that much family, that much togetherness. What are Declan and his family of Irish Travellers really up to? And after years of meeting the hunks of Hollywood, why does this particular guy (complete with shaggy hair, leather jacket and a vintage Harley) make my blood pump and my heart thump?

There are other surprises in store, too. Including the dead investigative reporter in the restaurant.

Not exactly something I expected to find my first day on the job.

Terminal at the Tracks, huh?

The body in the booth gives the word terminal a whole new meaning!

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Irish Stewed is the first book in the NEW Ethnic Eats mystery series, published by Berkley Prime Crime, May 2016.

After flopping as a personal chef to a Hollywood movie star, jobless Laurel Inwood finds herself humbled in Hubbard, Ohio, helping her aunt Sophie run her restaurant. Much to Laurel’s dismay, Sophie’s Terminal at the Tracks is not the cozy bistro her aunt would have had her believe—it’s a run-down greasy spoon in an old railroad station. To save the dingy diner, Laurel cooks up a plan to feature alternating ethnic cuisine as specials.

But first there’s the problem of the body in the booth. Slumped over a table with a receipt spike in his back is Jack Lancer—”the Lance of Justice”—an investigative reporter for local TV news. Assisted by the drop-dead gorgeous owner of the neighboring Irish store—who may or may not be a suspect—Laurel sets out to track down a killer who had no reservations about impaling a newshound. But as she turns up the heat, will she end up in the soup herself?

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About the author
Kylie Logan is the bestselling author of the League of Literary Ladies mysteries (newest is And Then There Were Nuns), the Chili Cook-Off mysteries and the Button Box mysteries. Her newest series is the Ethnic Eats mysteries. Irish Stewed hits stores shelves on May 3. When she’s not writing as Kylie Logan, she writes the Pepper Martin mysteries as Casey Daniels. The tenth book in that series, Graveyard Shift will be published this fall. Kylie is a lifelong resident of Ohio and her League and Ethnic Eats books are set there. When she’s not writing, she enjoys exploring old cemeteries, haunted buildings and (just for a change of pace) a wine bar or two. Connect with Kylie at kylielogan.com.

Giveaway: Leave comment below for your chance to win a print copy of Irish Stewed. US entries only, please. The giveaway will end May 10, 2016 at 12 AM EST. Good luck everyone!

All comments are welcomed.