In Pelican, Louisiana, Valentine's Day has a way of warming the heart. But the air at Crozat Plantation B&B turns frigid when celebrity chef Phillippe Chanson checks in. And when the arrogant Phillippe perishes in a fiery boat crash, Maggie Crozat's dear friend JJ lands in very cold water. Did JJ, proprietor of Junie's Oyster Bar and Dance Hall, murder Phillippe because he feared the competition? Might Maggie's mother, Ninette, have bumped off the chef for stealing one of her cherished recipes? Or was the culprit a local seafood vendor, miffed because Phillippe was somehow able to sell oysters for a remarkably reasonable price? Maggie had planned to devote her February to art lessons in New Orleans. But now she has to focus on helping her friend and her mother cross a murder charge off the menu. Meanwhile, Maggie receives a series of anonymous gifts that begin as charming but grow increasingly disturbing. Does Maggie have an admirer—or a stalker? And are these gifts somehow related to Phillippe's murder? Blood may be thicker than water, but this case is thicker than gumbo. And solving it will determine whether Maggie gets hearts and roses—or hearse and lilies—this Valentine's Day. Ellen Byron is a television writer, playwright, and freelance journalist. Her television credits include Wings , Still Standing , and Just Shoot Me , and her written work has appeared in Glamour , Redbook , and Seventeen , among others. She lives in the Los Angeles area with her husband, their daughter, and the family's very spoiled rescue dog. Amy Melissa Bentley is a professional stage and screen actress. A member of SAG-AFTRA, she has performed in Scotland, New York City, and throughout Connecticut. Her narration of The Education of Dixie Dupree won her an AudioFile Earphones Award.