Yuletide Cast of the Iron Skillet: The Cast Iron Skillet Mystery Series, #5.5

By Jodi Rath

Welcome to Leavensport, OH, where DEATH takes a DELICIOUS turn!

 

Holiday folly—LITERALLY! Alongside a murder comes another new little addition to the human race in Leavensport, Ohio. Not to mention a broken-off engagement, a double wedding, and buried bones in the village chapel cellar. The Martinez family is back in town to observe Nochebuena with Ava as the Tucker family gears up for their Christmas feast. Leavensport community center is abuzz with preparations for the village multi-cultural shindig until the discovery of an old unresolved crime casts a dark shadow over the town. Will Jolie and Ava solve their first cold case in time to save the holiday celebrations—and will they both survive it?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jodi Rath
• Release date: Dec 18, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393605447

Jodi Rath

I am the owner of MYS ED LLC at www.jodirath.com.  Currently, I'm working on a cozy mystery series called The Cast Iron Skillet Mysteries. Book 1 will be coming out November 23, 2018 and it is titled Pineapple Upside down Murder.  I've also started working on a children's book called The Puppy-Toed Kitty and a YA book called The Cultural Mishaps of Savannah Lighthead. I also have one educational writing project that I’m currently working to complete on the topic of Social and Emotional Learning. I'm married to the perfect man for me with our family of eight cats. I have a B.A. in English Literature and an M.A. in Teacher Education.  I taught English to high school students for 18 years and loved every minute of it! Currently, my business entails online adjunct work where I have the honor to work with Ohio teachers, and I do educational writing, and of course mystery writing.

Book preview

Map of Leavensport, Ohio

Table of Contents

Map of Leavensport

Yuletide Cast of the Iron Skillet

Copyright Page

Quote

Dedication

The Leavensport Crew

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Recipes

Paella A Nochebuena

Carlos’ Jabberjaw Cast Iron Stuffing:

Cast Iron Jerk Chicken for Kwanza

Old-Fashioned Cast-Iron Latkes

From the Author

Exciting News

Monkey Bread Business Blurb

Chapter One

About the Author

Yuletide Cast of the Iron Skillet

A Holiday Novella 5.5 in The Cast Iron Skillet Mystery Series

Jodi Rath

Copyright © Jodi Rath—MYS ED LLC, 2020

All Rights Reserved

Published by MYS ED LLC

PO Box 349

Carroll, OH 43112

[e-mail]

First Printing December 18, 2020

Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

PUBLISHER’S NOTE

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.

The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the internet or any other means without the publisher's permission are illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

https://www.jodirath.com

Note from the Publisher: The recipes contained in this book are to be followed precisely as written. Be aware that oven temperatures vary. The publisher and author are not responsible for your specific health or allergy needs that may require medical supervision. The publisher and author are not responsible for any adverse reactions to the recipes contained in this book or series.

Cover Design by Karen Phillips at Phillips Covers

Edited by Rebecca Grubb at Sterling Words

Formatted by Merry Bond at Anessa Books

It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept, and celebrate those differences. ~Audre Lorde

Dedication

This dedication goes to my husband, Mike Rath, who has graced me with his love, support, humor, wit, intelligence, and ability always to see the best in me, believe in me, and love every flaw within me. Being an author is something I have wanted for forty-two years. None of this would have been possible without the foundation of a great man. Lucky Lou, Sam Jr, Mack McGillicuddy, Murray Kinz, Stewart Michael, Slinky Marie, Lily-Rose, Luna Bella, Lulu Bean, and all our other fur babies who have passed but live on in this series—Mama loves you all infinity and beyond. You make working from home so much fun, and all of you and your papa have honored me with the best life any person could ask for.

A huge thank you to my entire team, which makes the series the best it can be. Thank you to my marketing group for helping me think outside the box and grow a wonderful readership.

Speaking of the readers, excuse me for a moment while I tear up. All of you make me at a loss for words—no easy task for a writer! I never dreamed in a million years I’d have the following that I do within three short years of starting this series. To my newsletter subscribers, you all make me excited to think up new short mysteries each month, find yummy cast iron recipes to share, and I can’t believe I’ve had to purchase a raffle program due to the large numbers that are participating in the raffles! To those who follow me on social media, you make each day fun and entertaining and give me a much-needed break from plotting new murders! Your engagement, wit, positivity, and humor keep me going and bring light to my life! I feel like I’ve met all of you and we’ve hung out—it’s always amazing to me we’ve never met except for in cyberspace.

Thank you to Dedra Griffith for your witty comments; Nana Fields for educating me on chair boxing; and again, my hubby for all your hilarious anecdotes that give me fodder for humor in the books! Missy Smith, you shared your story with me one night and shared through messenger that this series and Jolie have touched you and helped you. I sat here a long time trying to come up with the words to express how that makes me feel. I can’t do it. That means more to me than any concrete thing, and it’s something I’ll carry in my spirit forever. Thank you, readers, for your generosity and friendship.

Happy Holidays, from the Rath family, to all of you!

Love,

The Leavensport Crew

Jolie Tucker—Co-owner of Cast Iron Creations, born in the village, best friend of Ava, granddaughter of Opal, daughter of Patty.

Ava Martinez—Co-owner of Cast Iron Creations, born in the village, best friend of Jolie, girlfriend of Delilah, sister of Lolly, daughter of Sophia and Thiago.

Keith—Ex-boyfriend of Jolie, born in the village, best friend of Teddy—now, an officer of Leavensport.

Detective Mick Meiser—Love interest of Jolie, from Tri-City, transferred career to Leavensport.

Chief Teddy Tobias—Police chief of Leavensport and born in the village, best friend of Keith.

Lydia—Jolie’s frenemy, village nurse, best friend of Betsy, born in the village.

Betsy—Owns Chocolate Capers, best friend of Lydia, born in the village.

Delilah—Sister of Bradley, village artist, girlfriend of Ava.

Bradley—Brother of Delilah, village journalist.

Grandma Opal—Jolie’s grandma, housewife who helped Jolie and Ava start Cast Iron Creations with her cast-iron skillet recipes.

Aunt Fern—Jolie’s wacky, unpredictable aunt, sister to Patty, man-hungry.

Patty—Jolie’s mom.

Mayor Nalini—mayor of Leavensport, Lahiri is his niece.

Jackson Nestle—Unscrupulous political associate of Mayor Cardinal from Tri-City

Tom Costello—grocer in Leavensport; dating Grandma Opal

Eddie—uncle to Jolie. Was estranged to family for decades with wife Shelly and five kids.

Wylie—uncle to Jolie.

Lory—Lydia’s mom.

Karl—Lydia’s dad.

Pastor Joe Quigley—one of the pastors at Converge Life and Faith.

Chapter One

I loved the winter season. Snow blanketed the ground as snowflakes fell from the pastel-colored sky, and the sun began to drop behind the puffy clouds. I grasped the hand of the tall, muscular, dark-haired Mick Meiser as his brown eyes gleamed with joy. Our other hands each held mugs of hot cocoa. We were toasty in fluffy, warm coats, mittens, hats, scarves, boots, and sweaters. This was our first Christmas together in the village. Every year, one evening around twilight–right when the lights come on–I enjoyed slowly walking around the town and taking in all the decorations, starting in the southeast corner of the village.

I appreciate you allowing me to horn in on your loner time. Mick squeezed my hand tighter.

I’m starting to get used to not being alone so much. Plus, it’s fun to get to show you everything and talk to someone while doing my annual walk. I was born and raised in Leavensport with my bestie, Ava Martinez. We now co-owned Cast Iron Creations restaurant and, recently, co-ran a part-time PI service. We’d always done everything together, but this walk had always been just for me . . . until today.

I was giddier and more excited than usual to start a new tradition with Mick, so I had met him at his restaurant.

I think you and Ava went a tad overboard with decorations on my place, Mick said. He stood out in front of the restaurant with his phone, ready to snap a picture of the large pine that we had decorated. It was covered with green, white, and red ornaments, and a ribbon that represented the Italian flag was draped around the boughs. A huge lily crowned the top of the pine–the official Italian flower. You know it’s my family that was born in Italy, not me, right?

Hey, this was all Ava’s idea. She thought it would be a cute theme for your restaurant. I was opposed to doing branding for you. Personally, I think you should pay us as we are helping you beef up your business. I gave him a playful punch with my pink, black-cat-covered mittens, then sipped my rich, chocolatey cocoa.

He grabbed me around the waist of my black puffy coat and pulled me into his double-breasted brown wool jacket, nuzzling my curly blonde hair. You just let me know what type of payment you’ll take.

I accept all currencies, I said, reaching up for a light kiss as my heart fluttered. Now, enough of this, it’s time to take a stroll.

We sauntered north, moving next door to the Make Yourself at Home B&B. Every year, there are certain places in the village that work to honor as many winter cultural celebrations as possible, and the B&B is one of them, I explained. We have residents here from around the world, and that is probably the thing I love the most about this village. Regardless of how gossipy and judgmental some of the villagers can be at times, most of us attempt to understand people of different cultures than our own. My family worked to teach me this growing up, and our teachers did a great job too. I had different teachers from different cultures.

That’s pretty amazing. Most small villages have little or no diversity.

I know, and I’ve never really understood how that happened here, but I’m thankful for it. It’s one of the reasons I love starting my walk here because the B&B is so large, and the owners do such a great job of blending the reds and greens for Christmas, the orange, greens, yellow, and black for Kwanzaa, and the Jewish blue and white.

I’d imagine they have many families from all over who come to stay here around this time to be with those that live here in the town, Mick said.

I nodded and took another sip of my cocoa, slurping up a marshmallow that had melted and enjoying the soft vanilla flavor mixed in with the rich chocolate.

As we walked through the park, I noticed the gazebo covered in puffy, white snow and said more to myself than Mick, It would have been nice to see a wedding in the gazebo.

I was referring to the upcoming double wedding with my grandma and local grocer Tom Costello, and my best friend, Ava, and Delilah. Tom was a real character. He had to be to keep up with my grandma’s orneriness. They looked adorable when they were together. Grandma Opal was not even five feet tall stout, with tight curly black hair with lots of grays mixed in, and always with a bulldog expression on her face. She was a real spitfire. Tom was two times her size in height, with a rotund belly that hung over his leather belt, bushy black eyebrows, and I swore he colored his equally bushy black hair to a deep black.

I’m sure the church will look beautiful, too, Mick said.

I thought Ava was going to be the bridezilla, seeing that Ava was all things big, bold, and fabulous. But Grandma Opal gave her a run for her money, pushing