Turmeric and Turmoil by Carly Winter

Genre: Illustrated Fiction - Inspiration

Star Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5)

Book Intro

Welcome to Heywood, where the only thing deadlier than gossip is dinner.

When former soap opera star Sam Jones and her lawyer, Colin Breckshire, discover a dead body outside his office, Sam's peaceful life in Heywood takes a deadly turn. Alan Jackson, a wealthy HVAC business owner, has been poisoned, and Colin becomes the prime suspect.

Determined to prove her friend's innocence, Sam uncovers a web of secrets surrounding Alan's death, and discovers plenty of motives: his business partner has been embezzling funds, his wife is having an affair, and his estranged son has been cut from the will. 
As Sam delves deeper into the investigation—much to the sheriff’s frustration—she discovers that Alan wasn't the upstanding citizen he appeared to be.

From blackmail schemes to family betrayals, the victim had made plenty of enemies. 
But the murderer is more dangerous than his victim and Sam must tread carefully.

Will Sam find the killer before she becomes a target herself?


Review

I picked up this book during one of my weekend bookstore hunts (you know how it is - went for groceries, came back with three books instead). I'm always drawn to cozy mysteries, and honestly, the title had me at "Turmeric" - being Indian, anything with spices gets my attention!

This is my first Carly Winter book, and wow, what a delightful surprise! Sam Jones is such a relatable protagonist - a former soap star hiding out in small-town Arizona, running an herbal shop. There's something so appealing about someone reinventing their entire life, you know? Maybe it's my quarter-life crisis talking, but I found myself rooting for her immediately.

The mystery itself kept me guessing until the end. When lawyer Colin becomes the prime suspect in Alan Jackson's murder, Sam jumps into detective mode. I loved how the author weaved in details about death cap mushrooms and herbal remedies - it felt educational without being preachy. Plus, Annabelle is such a quirky sidekick with her colorful outfits and herbal wisdom.

What really got me was the realistic portrayal of small-town dynamics. Living in Mumbai, I sometimes fantasize about this kind of close-knit community where everyone knows everyone (though the gossip mill aspect might drive me crazy in real life!).

The resolution was satisfying but bittersweet - Bill Wares wasn't your typical villain, just a desperate man who made a tragic mistake. That complexity is what I appreciate in good mysteries.

I'm definitely going back to read the earlier books in this series. Sometimes you just need a book that feels like a warm hug with your evening chai, and this was exactly that. Perfect for anyone who enjoys gentle mysteries without too much gore or darkness.