Murder, Local Style

Retired caterer Valerie Corbin investigates a suspicious poisoning in this Orchid Isle cozy culinary mystery, featuring a feisty queer couple who swap surfing lessons for sleuthing sessions in tropical Hilo, Hawai'i.

A dinner to die for!

It's been an eventful transition, but retired caterer Valerie Corbin and her wife Kristen are finally settling into life on the Big Island of Hawai'i. Val's even joined the neighborhood orchid society to make some new friends. So when she's asked to step in to cater their latest social event, as the newbie of the group she can't exactly say no.

But what should have been a straightforward gig is soon a dining disaster when the food from the event poisons and kills the society president. As Val herself becomes a suspect in the murder investigation, she's determined to uncover the truth. Who would want to kill the mild-mannered president of the orchid society?

Turns out the list is longer than a celebrity chef's tasting menu. Apparently some of the residents did not "love thy neighbor." Can she reveal the killer's identity before they strike again?

This mouthwatering cozy mystery is perfect for fans of Ellen Byron, Jennifer J Chow, Lucy Burdette, and Raquel V Reyes, and includes a selection of delicious Hawaiian recipes to cook at home.

Author: Leslie Karst
Publisher: Severn House
Published: 04/07/2026
Pages: 240
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.84lbs
Size: 8.50h x 5.60w x 1.00d
ISBN: 9781448316588


Review Citation(s):
Kirkus Reviews 02/15/2026
Booklist 04/01/2026

About the Author
Karst, Leslie: - "

The daughter of a law professor and a potter, Leslie Karst is the author of the Lefty Award-nominated Sally Solari culinary mysteries, as well as the IBPA Ben Franklin and IPPY silver award-winning memoir, Justice is Served: A Tale of Scallops, the Law, and Cooking for RBG.

Leslie waited tables and sang in a new wave rock band before deciding she was ready for a "real" job and ending up at Stanford Law School. It was during her career as a research and appellate attorney in Santa Cruz, California that she rediscovered her youthful passion for food and cooking, at which point she once again returned to school - this time to earn a degree in culinary arts.

Now retired from the law, in addition to writing, Leslie spends her days cooking (and eating!), gardening, cycling, and observing cocktail hour promptly at five o'clock. She and her wife and their Jack Russell mix split their time between Hilo, Hawai'i and Santa Cruz, California."