Genre: Cozy Mystery
Deep in Texas Trouble is all about love and romance—and murder!
It’s Christmas in Texas. Henny’s best friend, Charlie, is marrying the love of her life, rich and spoiled Rick Scott, and Henny will cater the wedding supper. Irene, faux Franch chef, diva, and Henny’s one-time mentor, and Chance, Irene’s billionaire lover, are spending the holiday with Henny’s family, and Irene steps in as Henny’s sous chef.
When there’s a sensational murder at supper, Irene is the prime suspect. Murder is complicated by a kidnapping, threatening notes, and a runaway couple. Once again, Henny is the one to save Irene.
Come on down to Texas and wander the historic Fort Worth stockyards, watch a rodeo, discover a new competitive sport, and eat some Texas food. While Irene detests most of the Texas menu, you’ll probably like it. Recipes included.
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Chapter One
Texas was not ready for Irene Foxglove. And neither was I.
“Henrietta!” Irene’s voice boomed across the Atlantic from Peyrolles-en-Provence straight into my Chicago kitchen, and for just a second there, I had to remind myself that I was glad to hear from her. “What day do we arrive for a Texas Christmas?”
Cancel that reminder. I nearly banged my head on the kitchen table and might have if my computer hadn’t been in the way. “You’re coming for Christmas?” I tried, really I did, to put joy into my tone, but I think my voice squeaked. My mind was hoping she wouldn’t turn my favorite family holiday into a circus or, worse yet, a murder mystery. Stop it, Henny. Breathe deep. Lower your voice two octaves.
“Of course we are. We could not turn down such a kind invitation. Now, tell me what day you and Patrick are arriving.”
Struggling to remember the kind invitation. “Well, you see, Irene, Patrick and I are not going together … “
“What?” she interrupted. “Is there trouble in Paradise?”
No, but there might be if Patrick didn’t help me through this. “No, no, nothing like that. I am going early – my best friend is getting married two days before Christmas.” No need to add that I was catering the reception and was really excited about it. “I’ll be going a few days before that for the wedding preparation. Patrick will have to finish out the school term, and then he’ll drive down.”
“He will drive alone? Non, I do not like that. We will pick him up in the plane.”
“He’ll be fine alone,” I protested. “He likes to drive.” It was not as though that fear hadn’t crossed my mind already, but he’d be offended if we thought he couldn’t do it alone. “Besides, we’ll need a car in Texas.” Cleverly, I kept to myself the fact that he wouldn’t quite be alone—he’d have Beau, our enthusiastic Labradoodle. Irene despised Beau, who in turned found her irresistible, in the worst way.
“Fiddlededee. We can just rent a limo in Dallas. Fort Worth is a Dallas suburb, isn’t it?”
Any good Fort Worth native would see red at that assumption. “No, we’re our own city ….” I started to tell her we were better, friendlier, lived at a slower pace, but I realized I’d sound like the chamber of commerce. “Where will you stay? I’m sorry Mom and Dad don’t have room to invite you to stay with us.”
“Oh no, we wouldn’t want to impose. I have already looked. There are lots of hotels in the city. I am thinking a new one in what they call the stockyards would be interesting. It’s called the Drover.”
I didn’t know a thing about the Drover, but the vision of Irene in the stockyards was more alarming than funny. “I’ll ask my family about it and get back to you.”
“All right. I want to see this stockyards place though.”
The stockyards in Fort Worth no longer had cattle, hogs, and horses. Instead, the historic district had tourists, trinkets, and neon restaurant signs. If Irene even remembered stock sales from that childhood in Minnesota that she hides, she’d find this quite different. But it wasn’t my job to warn her.
She was on to other things. “I’ll have Chance talk to Patrick, and we can arrange what day we’ll pick him up. We’ll have to stay over anyway. Can’t ask Jean Claude to fly that many hours. Ta-ta!” And she was gone.
After an award-winning career as a western writer, Judy Alter turned to mystery. She is the author of three earlier series—Kelly O’Connell Mysteries, Blue Plate Café Mysteries, and Oak Grove Mysteries. Irene Deep in Texas Trouble is the fourth in her new Irene in Chicago Culinary Mysteries, following the successful Saving Irene, Irene in Danger, and Finding Florence. Alter is retired as director of a small academic press and lives in a cottage in Fort Worth with her dog, Sophie. She is the mother of four and grandmother of seven and is an avid cook. She’s even written a book about cooking in her cottage, Gourmet on a Hot Plate.
Find Judy at http://www.judyalter.com or her two blogs, http://www.judys-stew.blogspotcom and http://www.gourmetonahotplate.blogspot.com; Facebook: Judy Alter | Facebook; Twitter: @judyalter; Bookbub: Partner Dashboard My Books – BookBub; Goodreads: Search results for “Judy Alter” (showing 1-10 of 174 books) | Goodreads: Search results for “Judy Alter” (showing 1-10 of 174 books) | Goodreads