Hot Cross Burglary

Hot Cross Burglary photo

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Jillian Green's life just isn't much fun lately. Her job at The Chocolate Shoppe Bakery is all work and no play thanks to the high demand for Easter treats in Moss Hollow, Georgia. And, when her treasured childhood doll, Sophie, is sold out from under her and into the hands of Minerva Dougherty, the meanest woman in town, it's enough to make a baker feel as if she's losing her marbles.

 Although she knows it's childish, Jillian is determined to get her precious porcelain doll back. Her quest leads her to Minerva's doorstep, the ominous Hedgerfield Hall, and to a horrifying discovery: the dead body of Minerva's younger, kinder sister, Rachel, at the bottom of the grand staircase.

At first glance, it appears the home was burglarized. Did a greedy thief have a hand in Rachel's tumble down the mansion's treacherous marble staircase, or was it simply an accident? Or could it be that Mean Minerva lived up to her nickname in the ultimate case of sibling rivalry?

Jillian is further rattled when burglars ransack her own home, Belle Haven. She can't imagine they would be after Sophie. After all, the doll's value is merely sentimental . . . or is it? Suddenly, Jillian finds herself drawn into a dangerous game of cat and mouse. Refusing to play the fool, she resolves to puzzle out the mysteries surrounding Hedgerfield Hall, Mean Minerva, and her cherished childhood doll.

Jillian continues to seesaw between finding the truth and keeping her loved ones safe, but she can only skate by on luck for so long. If she keeps toying with the wrong person, the next dead body in Moss Hollow could very well be hers.

The Characters

At 39, Jillian is living the life she always dreamed. Using her creative talents, she's built a successful career as one of the top executives at a prestigious advertising agency in California, and she's engaged to an amazing man who showers her with love and the finer things in life. Life couldn't be more perfect.

But as quickly as a chocolate souffle can flop, Jillian's "perfect" fiance is arrested for embezzlement, putting a quick end to the engagement, and the advertising agency coincidentally "downsizes" Jillian after the scandal, leaving her without a job. But Jillian is a strong Southern woman who has learned how to endure from her feisty and iron-willed grandmother. She decides to leave California and make a fresh start where her life began, in the quaint town of Moss Hollow, Ga.

Under Grandma Bertie's roof at Belle Haven mansion and under her wing, Jillian prepares to take over the family business: The Chocolate Shoppe Bakery. But she doesn't expect to find murder on the menu! Will returning home to reconnect with her Southern roots ultimately prove to be a blessing or a fatal mistake?

Longtime member of the Sweetie Pies baking club and grandmother extraordinaire, Lenora has managed the bakery for decades and is considered a part of the family. Since fixing a salad is Jillian's greatest culinary accomplishment on most days, she encounters a few hurdles while learning how to create the decadent treats the bakery is known for. She's grateful for Lenora's wise counsel and encouragement!

The curious and cuddly house cat keeps a close eye on the happenings at Belle Haven mansion and lends a hand -- or paw -- in helping Jillian solve the intriguing mysteries of the small town.

Savannah is one of Jillian's oldest and best friends. She's delighted Jillian moved back to town and looks forward to reconnecting with her childhood companion. But she's also keeping a secret that may be the key to unlocking the mystery of Nadine's untimely demise.

Jillian's down-to-earth and lovable grandmother is ready to retire from the hectic demands of running The Chocolate Shoppe Bakery, but she refuses to sell to a complete stranger. Jillian is her last hope for keeping the business in the family, even if Jillian can barely boil water. Bertie is determined to help Jillian succeed in the business and to see her marry a good Southern man before the bloom falls completely off the rose.

Cornelia may be Bertie's twin, but she is different from her sister in every way, from her flair for the dramatic to her eccentric nature. She moved back to Belle Haven mansion to live with Bertie five years ago after the death of her husband. She claims to possess a joie de vivre that simply cannot be tamed. Bertie prefers to call it "flighty." Despite her theatrics, Cornelia has a generous heart and wants nothing but the best for her grandniece. She will do anything to see Jillian happy and settled in Moss Hollow ... even if it means bending a few rules.