Praise for
Here Today, Gone Tamale
“This Southwestern cozy comes with a spicy Tex-Mex flair. Its delightful characters and clever mystery will have you stomping your boots for more.”
—Mary Ellen Hughes, national bestselling author of the Pickled and Preserved Mysteries
“Adler’s debut sizzles with West Texas flavor and a mystery as satisfying as a plate of fresh tamales. Slip on a pair of cowboy boots, pour yourself a margarita, and kick back to enjoy this Texas-sized delight.”
—Annie Knox, national bestselling author of the Pet Boutique Mysteries
“Rebecca Adler’s Here Today, Gone Tamale is a much needed addition to the cozy mystery genre. Terrifically tantalizing . . . and as addictive as a bowl of chips and salsa. Settle in for a mystery fiesta you won’t soon forget.”
—Melissa Bourbon, national bestselling author of the Magical Dressmaking Mysteries
“What a tasty idea for a new series! In Here Today, Gone Tamale, Rebecca Adler merges the warm and vibrant West Texas town of Broken Boot with a clever murder mystery that kept me guessing until the exciting finale. Josie is an engaging hero who must solve the mystery while helping her delightfully quirky family and balancing trays of steaming tamales!”
—Kathy Aarons, author of the Chocolate Covered Mysteries
Berkley Prime Crime Taste of Texas Mysteries
HERE TODAY, GONE TAMALE
THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE GUACAMOLE
CINCO DE MURDER
BERKLEY PRIME CRIME
Published by Berkley
An imprint of Penguin Random House LLC
375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014
Copyright © 2018 by Penguin Group LLC
Penguin Random House supports copyright. Copyright fuels creativity, encourages diverse voices, promotes free speech, and creates a vibrant culture. Thank you for buying an authorized edition of this book and for complying with copyright laws by not reproducing, scanning, or distributing any part of it in any form without permission. You are supporting writers and allowing Penguin Random House to continue to publish books for every reader.
BERKLEY is a registered trademark and BERKLEY PRIME CRIME and the B colophon are trademarks of Penguin Random House LLC.
Ebook ISBN: 9780698166738
First Edition: April 2018
Cover design by Judith Lagerman
Cover illustration by Ben Perini
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
PUBLISHER’S NOTE: The recipes contained in this book have been created for the ingredients and techniques indicated. The Publisher is not responsible for your specific health or allergy needs that may require supervision. Nor is the Publisher responsible for any adverse reactions you may have to the recipes contained in the book, whether you follow them as written or modify them to suit your personal dietary needs or tastes.
Version_2
For my mother, Mildred JoAnn Wallace Woodall
Acknowledgments
As always, big hugs to my family and friends for their patience and encouragement.
Thanks to Pat French and B.L. Brady, precious friends, whose loving prayers and home-cooked meals warmed my soul during the writing of this book.
This story was made into a much better book through the efforts of my editor, Rebecca Brewer; copy editor, Randie Lipkin; cover artist, Ben Perini; publicist, Tara O’Connor; and the many fine folks behind the scenes at Berkley Prime Crime and Penguin Random House. Many thanks to you all.
As always, heartfelt gratitude to my agent, Kimberly Lionetti, and BookEnds Literary Agency for always having my back.
To the One who created the Chihuahua Desert, the Chisos and Davis Mountains, and the rugged beauty of The Big Bend, thank you for your countless gifts and tender mercies. They are beyond compare.
Contents
Praise for Berkley Prime Crime Taste of Texas Mysteries
Berkley Prime Crime Taste of Texas Mysteries
Title Page
Copyright
Dedication
Acknowledgments
Chapter 1: Folklórico Rehearsal
Chapter 2: The First Annual Charity Chili Cook-Off Reception
Chapter 3: Let the Games Begin
Chapter 4: Aftermath
Chapter 5: Where There’s a Will . . .
Chapter 6: Questions Asked
Chapter 7: Lucky’s Heart Needed a Bit of Help
Chapter 8: And the Winner Is . . .
Chapter 9: Break-In at Pinyon Pawn
Chapter 10: Senora Mari’s Dream
Chapter 11: The Cinco de Mayo Parade
Chapter 12: Josie and Patti Do a Bit of Shopping
Chapter 13: Josie Meets Ryan for a Dance
Chapter 14: Another Break-In
Chapter 15: Ryan Dances with Another Woman
Chapter 16: Questions and Answers on the Rocks
Chapter 17: Fireworks
Chapter 18: From Bad to Worse
Chapter 19: Josie to the Rescue
Chapter 20: On the Trail
Chapter 21: Night Moves
Chapter 22: Monday, Monday
Lenny’s Little Dog Blog
Recipes
About the Author
Chapter 1
Folklórico Rehearsal
On such a gorgeous May morning, what could be better than a power walk to Cho’s cleaners with my long-haired Chihuahua, Lenny? The morning sun had tossed a wide blanket of gold over the Davis and Chisos mountains, awakening the piñon pines and the weeping junipers from their slumber, illuminating the bluegrass and scrub so they looked like desert jewels. The plan had been to retrieve my abuela’s folklórico costume and burn some extra calories. And though we made good time—considering the length of my canine sidekick’s pencil-thin appendages—the morning sun galloped down Broken Boot’s cobbled streets while I paid Mr. Cho with a crumpled five-dollar bill and a coupon for a dozen free tamales.
“Yip.” Lenny lapped from the pet fountain in front of Elaine’s Pies, soaking his black-and-white coat.
“¡Vámonos, amigo!” If we were late to the final dance rehearsal before the Cinco de Mayo parade, God only knew when Senora Marisol Martinez, our matriarch, would permit me to call her abuela again.
During my first few months back home, I was elated to find I could accomplish tasks in far less time than in the crowded thoroughfares of Austin. Almost a year later, I was forced to admit the slower pace of our dusty little town didn’t aid me in my quest to check things off my list. It merely encouraged me to meander.
On that happy thought, Lenny and I raced down the sidewalk toward Milagro.
