Catalina, Crimes, and Coconut Pies

By Kailin Gow

If you like the Aurora Teagarden Mysteries and Chronicles Mysteries, you'll love the cozy mysteries from Kailin Gow like this one. Each book is a standalone complete mystery that's solved in the end but the mystery of who Sadie ends up with is revealed at the end of the series.

It is a Purrfect Mix of Romance, Food, and Mystery.

Fashionable Celebrity Pastry Chef Sadie Silver loves mixing travel, food, romance, and crime solving wherever she goes or stays...along with the help of her intelligent cat Orchid and sensitive-smelling-nose dog Biscuit. handsome forensic scientist Palmer, and the mysterious gorgeous man who always places an order directly from her for a dozen red velvet cupcakes. When Sadie takes a trip to Catalina Island, California to cater the wedding for her friend, tv star Luna Lacewell and her agent, Spencer Pike, she didn't expect her friend Luna to become the prime suspect in a murder on the beautiful island getaway for Hollywood celebrities. She also didn't expect to have the killer to come after her when she began snooping into the case to help solve the crime, unleashing the amateur sleuth in her. Using her knowledge of ingredients, deduction, location, and science with the help of her friends, this case may be as easy as baking coconut pies, or so she thought.

**Sadie Silver Mystery is an amateur sleuth Cozy Mystery appropriate for 13 and up. Cozy Mysteries are lighter on the romance and mystery, and usually portrays an amateur sleuth as the main character. Sadie Silver Mystery features light mystery, romance, and an enjoyable read :D

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sparklesoup Inc.
• Release date: Jan 29, 2021
• ISBN: 9781597481434

Kailin Gow

It's official! Read about Kailin and her books being adapted into films and tv series here: https://filmdaily.co/obsessions/kailin-gow-loving-summer/ FIND OUT MORE ABOUT KAILIN GOW AT: https://linktr.ee/KailinGow including how to get a free book from her! Kailin Gow is a million-selling international and USA Today Bestselling author of over 680 published books! She writes in many genres under her name and other pen names. She has been an invited speaker on Book Expo America, appeared on CBS News about writing books with social issues, and the Top 15 National radio regularly on women's issues, women in film and Hollywood, and leadership. She holds a Masters in Management from USC and degrees in Social Ecology, Criminology, and Filmmaking. She is an author influencer on Instagram, owns a podcast network with multiple channels, is a multi-award-winning filmmaker, screenwriter, producer, actress, and host. Her books have been made into games, animated short films, and series. Currently, a number of her book series have been optioned, are in development, or pre-production, including her YA Fantasy Sci Fi Thriller FADE (which has been optioned) and Red Genesis (also optioned) by Netflix producers. Kailin Gow is a regular guest in radio and television on women in Hollywood and filmmaking, naming the top Women Execs to Watch. She is a judge in film festivals, writing contests, and is also a voting member in the Academy Awards. AWARD-WINNING INTERNATIONAL MILLION-SELLING AUTHOR, PRODUCER, AND TV PERSONALITY Kailin Gow is an internationally-recognized multi-award-winning multi-genres USA bestselling Asian American author and woman director/filmmaker who has written and published over 400 books under Kailin Gow and her pen names. She is both traditionally-published as well as indie. Considered a digital publishing pioneer, her books have been downloaded over 10 Million times around the world. She is known as one of the most prolific authors internationally who not only writes novels but screenplays fast, but of world-class quality they win prestigious awards like the ALA YALSA Awards and Los Angeles Film Awards. Besides having gone to law school, she holds a Masters Degree in Communications Management from USC and Drama/Film and Social Ecology Degrees from UC Irvine. She has also been a longtime member of TED Talks. She is the first Asian American author to have sold over 1 million books and to be featured on Amazon.com's homepage as an indie Author Success Story. Her success as an Indie Author and advocate for Indie authors during the early Kindle days has inspired many to take a plunge to become authors. The first Asian American woman who is independently published to appear on Amazon's homepage as an Author Success Story, she also represented Amazon as an author spokesperson during Amazon's Kindle Family Launch press conference in Santa Monica and at Book Expo America where she was an invited speaker. A digital publishing pioneer, she was one of the first authors and publisher to publish digitally back in 2001. Prior to becoming a full-time author and filmmaker, she worked as an Exec in Legal and Production at Walt Disney Company, a writer/producer for Cable Television, an Exec at high tech start ups, and Exec at Fortune 100 Hotel and Travel Corporations where she has managed and trained hundreds of employees on world-class service and operations. She has also been a professional model, a tour director, journalist, re-organization consultant, a secret mystery shopper/consultant for top brands, and professional speaker who has been an invited speaker at Book Expo America, Girl Scouts, Asian America Heritage Week, and more! FUTURIST AND SOCIAL INFLUENCER A social influencer, she has over millions of views on her YouTube channel and her Vimeo channel with over 1.5 million views on her Bitter Frost trailer and award-winning animated short film alone. She is a judge on writing contests for writing incubator social sites, has been a member of TED Talks, and is one of the most quoted modern living authors today. She has also been regularly published as a contributor on Fast Company magazine on articles about publishing, leadership, business, and social issues. https://www.fastcompany.com/1800256/social-media-and-future-publishing-industry

Book preview

AUTHOR’S NOTE

Thank you for picking up Catalina, Crimes, and Coconut Pies (Sadie Silver Series #1).

This series is a cozy mystery with clean romance and some pet paranormal elements recommended for age 13 and up.

Summary

Fashionable Celebrity Pastry Chef Sadie Silver loves mixing travel, food, romance, and crime solving wherever she goes or stays...along with the help of her intelligent cat Orchid and sensitive-smelling-nose dog Biscuit. handsome forensic scientist Palmer, and the mysterious gorgeous man who always places an order directly from her for a dozen red velvet cupcakes.

When Sadie takes a trip to Catalina Island, California to cater the wedding for her friend, tv star Luna Lacewell and her agent, Spencer Pike, she didn't expect her friend Luna to become the prime suspect in a murder on the beautiful island getaway for Hollywood celebrities. She also didn't expect to have the killer to come after her when she began snooping into the case to help solve the crime, unleashing the amateur sleuth in her. Using her knowledge of ingredients, deduction, location, and science with the help of her friends, this case may be as easy as baking coconut pies, or so she thought.

Chapter 1

Sadie

THE MOMENT THE PLANE’S wheels screeched onto the tarmac of Catalina Island, Sadie smiled and tilted her face up to the sun.  What a glorious change from the chilled autumn air of Fortune Falls in New York.

This is going to be a spectacular weekend, she said to her assistant, Tiffany as they got off the plane and walked to the car that awaited them.

And a stress-filled one, Tiffany said as she watched the driver open the trunk and load up their bags.  He reached out to take the bag slung over her shoulder.  Oh, no.  This one stays with me.

Orchid, Sadie’s Russian blue cat hissed at the driver as if to confirm her desire to stay with Tiffany.

Meanwhile, Sadie tugged on the leash that held Biscuit close by.  The curious little terrier was more than eager to get to know the driver.

Do you know where we’re supposed to go? Tiffany said as she headed to the back door of the car.

No, but I assume he does, Sadie said as she looked at the driver. 

The Luna and Spencer wedding, the driver said with a reverent nod as he prepared to close the door behind them.

Exactly.  Sadie got into the car and the driver closed the door before walking around to the driver car door and getting in.

While she kept her cool on the outside, Sadie was a bundle of nerves on the inside.  Her good friend Luna Lacewell was getting married.

It was a huge deal.  Huge.

While Sadie had been requested to provide desserts to small events before, they had never been as large as this one.

Sadie looked into the small pet carrying bag on Tiffany’s lap.  How are you holding up, Orchid?

A soft spoken meow came from the green-eyed gray cat.

How’s Biscuit doing? Tiffany asked Sadie.

Sleeping, Sadie said as she glanced at the small, black terrier rolled up on the floor of the car.  This trip really knocked him out.

Flying out to the west coast from New York had taken longer than expected.  The plane had been delayed for twenty minutes.  After landing at LAX they had then transferred onto a smaller plane that brought them to Catalina Island.

Breathing deeply, Sadie tried to enjoy the ride.  The driver was unhurried as he drove from the airport to the resort where Luna was getting married.  The scenery was pleasant and beautiful and had a soothing, calming effect on her. 

But the moment they pulled up in front of the magnificent hotel, the nerves kicked in again.

Wow, Tiffany said as the driver stopped the car in front of the main entrance and came around to open the door.  I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything so grand.  Back at Fortune Falls the biggest hotel I ever saw was only two stories and had fifteen rooms.

Yeah, Sadie said as she got out of the car.  I know what you mean.  But Luna has always liked the very glamorous lifestyle.  She went all out on this one.

I can’t say that I blame her.

They entered the Grande Catalina Hotel and headed to the counter to check in.

Are those your pets? the woman behind the counter said.

No, Sadie thought.  We just like dragging strange animals around.  Yes, she said politely.  This is Biscuit, and that is Orchid.

How lovely, the woman said.  Are they house broken?

Of course, they are, Sadie said.

Very well, the woman said with a smile as she handed them a small envelope with two card keys inside.  You’re in room 115.

Thank you, Sadie said as she took the keys and handed one to Tiffany.

They reached their deluxe room and dragged their luggage inside.

Get a load of this, Tiffany said as she quickly walked around to take in the beautifully elegant room. 

Two large queen sized beds were set up on opposite sides of the room, each with its white bedside table and a dresser drawer.  At the back of the room were two loveseats that faced the large window and to the side a huge flat screen television.

Is this what they call a French décor? she mused.

Sadie shrugged.  I don’t really know, she said of the fresh blue walls with white trim.  I’m a baker, remember, not a decorator.  She unleashed Biscuit who quickly ran around the room, sniffing every corner.

Right. Tiffany chuckled as she unzipped Orchid’s carrying bag and let the cat get acquainted to her new surroundings.

Leave all the stuff there, Sadie said.  I want to hurry down to the kitchen to make sure everything has arrived.

Tiffany smiled her big goofy smile.  Are you afraid your world famous coconut cream pies didn’t make it on time?

No, Sadie said with a grin.  She knew she tended to be a little obsessive about such things and it always amused Tiffany.  I’m pretty sure they made it.  I’m just not so sure about the state in which they arrived.  They needed to be kept cool.

Come on, Sadie said as she picked up Orchid and reassuringly scratched under her chin.  In addition to inspecting the condition of my pies, I want to meet this Pierre Duvak that Luna said worked here.

Ooh, Tiffany let out.  A French chef.  How posh.

Come on, Biscuit, Sadie called out to her pooch.

They left their elegant room and headed down to the massive kitchen.

As they made their way down to the wide corridor, they passed by the grand ballroom where the wedding ceremony and reception were to be held.  A large easel stood at the entrance with an elegantly calligraphed poster reading:

The Luna Lacewell and Spencer Pike Wedding.

In the bottom corner were small photos of the bride and groom.

Holy cow, Tiffany said as she peered inside the large room.  This is straight out of a movie.  Look at that.  I’ve never seen anything so elegant and... classy.

Well, Sadie said.  This is where so many stars of the 1940s and 1950s came for their over the top weddings.

Dozens of round tables were draped with silver gray