Life in Carolina Arbors, a peaceful 55+ community in North Carolina, is built around morning walks, book clubs, and neighborly gossip-until one resident turns up dead.
Jerry Cornwall wasn't popular. His shadowy past as the former head of a human testing laboratory in the Research Triangle left more than a few neighbors uneasy. So when he's found murdered, Detective Travis Vinder faces a problem: almost everyone had a reason to dislike the victim.
Determined to avoid a tidy, clich whodunit, Vinder digs into the secrets simmering beneath the manicured lawns and friendly smiles. But solving the case proves harder than expected-especially when an overly curious local book club inserts itself into the investigation, uncovering clues, stirring suspicion, and possibly muddying the waters even further.
As motives multiply and alibis crumble, Vinder must untangle truth from rumor before another quiet morning in Carolina Arbors turns deadly.
Mud Cake for Breakfast is a witty, character-driven mystery featuring amateur sleuths, sharp dialogue, and a refreshingly modern take on small-community crime-perfect for readers who enjoy gentle mysteries, senior sleuths, and book-club intrigue.