A mystery fanfest makes the perfect place for murder. Cafe manager Val Deniston is helping her best friend, organizer Bethany O'Shay, as a volunteer at the Maryland Mystery Fan Fest. Also on hand is Val's grandfather Don Myer, known for his five-ingredient recipe column and his sleuthing abilities, which have often gotten both of them in trouble. A rare Nero Wolfe recipe collection Granddad finds in his attic includes the perfect recipe for him to use in the festival's baking contest. Everyone attending is a mystery fan, and many dress in costume. So of course, lots of them think it's part of the festival when a real murder occurs. First, bake-off contestant Cynthia Sweet gets a vaguely threatening note. Then, someone steals Granddad's recipe box. Finally, Val's awakened by a whistling teakettle. When she enlists a security guard to check on Cynthia, they find her dead in her bed. Cynthia wasn't exactly universally beloved, and the family of her late husband had a particularly good reason to want her dead before the date on which she would inherit a pile of money. The beautiful family poison ring Cynthia flaunted makes Val wonder if poison was what killed her. The sheriff's deputy assigned to the case, knowing that Val is a bit of a sleuth, mentions that Cynthia is the second person to die alone in the hotel--the first murder remains unsolved. Once murder is confirmed, there's no dearth of sleuths seeking to solve the complicated case. Granddad is a hoot, and a clever method of faking an alibi adds to the fun. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.