Before the Butter Cooled

A cozy baking mystery

A Sparrow Creek Prequel

Long before the bakery was Vera Holloway’s, Eleanor Holloway learned what it meant to win—and what it could cost.

A baking fair.
A perfect croissant.
And a dead judge with Eleanor Holloway’s rolling pin beside him.

When sabotage threatens Sparrow Creek’s beloved Baking Fair—and a murder puts her at the center of the investigation—baker Eleanor Holloway must uncover the truth before her bakery, her reputation, and her future crumble.

With a sharp mind, steady hands, and a suspiciously intelligent cat, Eleanor follows a trail of secrets someone was desperate to keep hidden.

Cozy mystery. High stakes. Zero chill.

Perfect for readers who love small-town scandals, baking competitions, clever heroines, and mysteries that keep you turning pages long past bedtime.

Cozy Mystery • Baking Competition • Amateur Sleuth • Cat Sidekick