Guest Leslie Budewitz To Err is Cumin #giveaway

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News Flash! PetuniaG is Leslie’s lucky winner. Congratulations, Petunia, and please check your email.

Edith/Maddie, happy it’s Friday north of Boston.

I’m also so happy my good friend Leslie Budewitz is joining us today. One of my favorite series is her Spice Shop Mysteries. To Err is Cumin, the newest installment, came out in audio this week and will release in trade paperback and ebook August 6. Order your copy now!

I love the cover! Here’s the blurb:

One person’s treasure is another’s trash. . . When Seattle Spice Shop owner Pepper Reece finds a large amount of cash stuffed in an old chair, she investigates—never suspecting a wingback will set her off on a trail of deception, embezzlement, and murder, and put her own life in danger.

Treasure in the Trash

Mr. Right and I live in the country, with no trash pickup. That means regular trips to a dump site to drop off trash and recycling. Years ago, before the switch to controlled access and staffing, I spotted a beat-up wingback chair left next to one of the big containers. Too heavy for the former owner to lift? Or left in hopes that the right customer would come along before the big crushing machine? Sadly, I drove a Subaru Legacy—and had no cell phone to call my hunny to rescue me with his bigger rig.

I’m still in mourning.

Like my Wicked friends, I’m a squirrel when it comes to story ideas, tucking them away for who knows when. A while back, I read a streak of stories about people who found cash in a chair seat, or a diamond ring inside a hidden pocket in a purse they bought at Goodwill.

(Shown below is Leslie in World Spice, a shop that might or might not have inspired her series…)

Pepper Reece, the main character in my Spice Shop series, loves vintage. At least, that’s what she calls it. Others call it trash. Her dining room table is a cast-off round cedar picnic table her former mother-in-law found on the curb—by no real coincidence, we have one just like it in our yard. I didn’t scavenge it, but thanks to a close encounter with a pipe fence on a windy day, it is pretty beat-up!

But we don’t have the pink cast-iron chairs Pepper’s ex-husband calls refugees from an ice cream parlor. (I spotted this pair at a coffee shop below Pike Place Market in Seattle, where Pepper works, a few years ago.)

Coffee shop on Western #2

So of course, I knew exactly what Pepper should do when she and her pal Laurel come across a ratty old wingback on the sidewalk, left for the taking. Later, she finds a wad of cash—we’re talking serious green—in the seat cushion.

No wonder it was so lumpy.

But where did it come from and why was it abandoned? The discovery and the questions it raises set Pepper off on the trail of the young woman who may have owned the chair. Her path crosses that of a chef she’s encountered in the past and would rather not meet again, thank you very much. But the found money and her deep sense of justice merge into a feeling of responsibility that compels her forward—even when tragedy strikes.

Because when Pepper sees someone in trouble, she can’t walk away.

I just wish she’d been with me that day at the dump.

Earlier this week, I visited with the Jungle Red Writers to talk about one of my guilty pleasures, newspaper advice columns. A story I didn’t relay there ties in neatly here: A reader and her mother agreed that a particular ring the family owned was bad luck, so they deliberately left it in the pocket of a coat they gave away, knowing the find would be a lucky one to the recipient and change whatever cursed energy the ring carried.

You gotta love it. Pepper would.

Readers, what’s the oddest thing you’ve ever seen left for the taking? What have you picked up? If you found cash, or a ring, what would you do? I’ll give one lucky reader a signed copy of To Err is Cumin, the 8th Spice Shop mystery. (US or Canada addresses only, please.)

Leslie Budewitz writes the Spice Shop mysteries set in Seattle’s Pike Place Market and the Food Lovers’ Village mysteries, set in NW Montana. She also writes historical fiction—watch for All God’s Sparrows and Other Stories: A Stagecoach Mary Fields Collection coming in September 2024. As Alicia Beckman, she writes moody suspense. She cooks, reads, paints, hikes, and gardens in NW Montana. And yes, there are bears in her yard.

Read excerpts and more at http://www.LeslieBudewitz.com

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Published by Edith Maxwell

Agatha Award -winning author Edith Maxwell writes the historical Quaker Midwife Mysteries (Beyond the Page) and short crime fiction. As Maddie Day she writes the Dot and Amelia Mysteries, the Country Store Mysteries series, the Cozy Capers Book Group Mysteries, and the Cece Barton Mysteries (all from Kensington Publishing). She lives north of Boston in an antique house with her beau and cat Martin, where she writes, gardens, cooks, and wastes time on Facebook.

72 Thoughts

  1. I’ve only found a $5 bill and once a $10 bill and I kept them as they were found in big shopping center parking lots. If it had been a ring or $50 or more I would have turned it in. Thank you so much for this chance at your giveaway, I love this series. pgenest57 at aol dot com

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    1. So kind. I think we’ve all scoured a parking lot or business floor for a lost earring . . .

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  4. This is funny because my husband is always and forever finding stuff for free or for practically free on the side of the road! I never know what he’ll bring home! Nothing too bizarre, mostly old furniture (that we don’t need nor do we have room for lol), scraps of wood, old tools…but we haven’t found any money or jewelry. If we did, we’d return it for sure – bad juju to keep what isn’t yours.

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    1. A true hunter-gatherer! In our front garden, we have a giant piece of driftwood I hauled home, an old car mirror nestled in the ground cover, a rusty old tractor headlight, and a cream separator turned planter!

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  5. Congratulations on the release of TO ERR IS CUMIN! LOVE your books, LOVE the Spice Shop series and can’t wait for the opportunity to read and review it this one.

    Part of my answer is in more of the one person’s discards are another’s treasure I guess. Having a garage sale once, I asked relatives for anything they didn’t want to put into it. Believe it or not, I ended up with not one but two sets of false teeth. Thinking it was a joke and a good conversation piece, I put them in the sale. Someone actually asked to buy them – to use. I gave them to her.

    With being the one that everything was passed down to, from grands to parent, there’s never been any room to pick up much. Guess I’m more of a reuse – repurpose gal from what came to me for free via relatives.

    Finding things would depend on what or how much. I’ve found purses and wallets that I turned into the local authorities (including a purse with LOTS of drugs in it). My dad was always finding cash, but the largest amount ever found was a $20 bill. He always said “Stick around for a while to see if anyone comes looking for it. If they do, ask what they are looking for and return it. If not, pocket it.” That’s my motto too, but I’ve never found as much as a $20.

    Thank you for the chance to win a signed copy of TO ERR IS CUMIN!
    2clowns at arkansas dot net

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    2. Oh my, thr false teeth reminded me of the when I was in Junior High and my best friend and I were waiting at the light to cross the street in our small town. Two older (to us anyway) women were in front of us. One of them sneezed and her false teeth flew out. They went under a parked car. We crawled under and retrieved them for her. We laughed so hard about what a sight tha t was.

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    1. Congratulations on the new release, Leslie! I remember one time when my wife found someone’s wallet when she was out on a run. She was able to contact the woman and return it. The kids were young at the time, so it was a good lesson for them about doing the right thing.

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  7. I’ve seen all sorts of odd things – especially furniture – left “out for the taking.” If I found something like a ring, I would definitely attempt to trace back the item I found it in and return it to the owner. Cash is a little harder. A large amount of cash, yes, I might post a sign around the neighborhood or contact a store owner if I found it in a parking lot. But something like $5? I’d probably pick it up and pitch it in the church collection basket. The Boy found a twenty frozen into the slush in the alley behind our house. I had the hardest time telling him returning it would be practically impossible and it was okay for “finders-keepers.” He did take it – and yes, put it in for a surprise second collection at church the next Sunday.

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  8. Welcome back! My mom is going to be so happy to see that you have another book coming out! As am I and this one plucks and my vintage-finds heartstrings. My favorite find is the two heavy, wooden wine racks. I had to go get Elizabeth to help me lift them into the trunk of my car. They now reside in her apartment as a wine rack and tv stand. And, Leslie, I LOVE advice columns too.

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  9. I haven’t found any treasures. Sometimes there are free items. Last week an exercise bike was left for free on the corner. It looked good. Didn’t last long. Heavy items are impossible. If I found a valuable I would try to trace the owner.

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  10. If I ever was fortunate to locate something valuable I would return it but finding small change and freebies is fun and lighthearted. It makes your day brighter.

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  11. The only thing that comes to mind is a black lab puppy. He was running the streets freely and darted in front of my car. After getting rear-ended as I stood on the brakes to avoid hitting him, I coaxed him into the car and drove around the neighborhood hoping to find his owner. He had tags, but it took awhile before I was able to get close enough long enough to read them. Once I was able to contact the owner they were happily reunited.

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    1. Oh, gosh, what a scary moment that must have been! So glad you were able to find his owners.

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  12. Welcome back to the Wickeds, Leslie! I’m so excited there’s a new Spice Shop Mystery. Most of the treasures I’ve found in unexpected places have been while cleaning out one of my late mother-in-law’s homes. For example, sorting through boxes and boxes of costume jewelry for donation I found her diamond engagement and wedding rings.

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  13. Great topic! As a high school science teacher, I often found lesson props in the trash. For example, a lesson about the Doppler effect, and… oh, look—there’s a toddler’s race car in the trash! Race cars are perfect for the sound pitch changes as they approach, pass, and then leave the observer. VRooom! The students loved the sight of their oldish science teacher trying to ‘fit’ in, or more on, the little car and scooch around the classroom making the race car sounds. One time, I needed building blocks and found oversized Lego blocks. They were perfect. Enough for each group to use to make models of molecules. There’s something so fun about the way the brain works to fit the ‘find’ into our lives. Love it! And what a great plot-point for your story, Leslie.

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    1. Legos as part of molecules — brilliant! Especially because every kid who’d ever played with one immediately got the concept. Brava! (And thanks!)

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  15. The oddest street side find was a treadle Singer sewing machine. A friend had just been talking about looking for one to turn into an end table. Of course we set out on a mission – that sucker was heavy. Turned out, the sewing machine was still nestled inside. We took it apart, cleaned the machine and by golly, it works. My friend never turned the piece into an end table, but she proudly displays (and sometimes uses) the machine.

    I would make an effort to return cash, jewelry, or collectibles found in a find. The owner of a street side find might be easier to locate than a thrift shop find. Thrift shop records are fluid.

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    1. Love the story of the sewing machine — and that it still worked! Thanks for stopping by, Kait!

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  16. The strangest thing I ever found was a half-buried box at an old dumpsite (small western town, probably left there before there was trash pickup). Rusted mattress springs all around. The box contained very old photographs of an infant in a tiny coffin. (Sorry to bring that image to mind.) My sister, the historian, said folks from the “old country” (probably Germany) used to take those kind of photos. I was only about 12 when I found that box, and the memory of those photographs are deeply etched in my brain. I think I kept the box for a long time, until I left for college. Might be a story line there, do you think?

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    1. Oh, I do think there’s a fabulous story waiting to be told in that box. A sad find, as well as a haunting one.

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  17. It was an old Chambersburg High watch I found in a campground while on a trip to pick up my friends dog in Ohio- from Connecticut. I tried for several years to find the owner- even calling the school in the summer to talk to the office staff and return it. Never found the owner. I have it now as a keepsake from a great roadtrip with friends.

    Is that a Welsh Terrier on the cover? I had one- my faithful partner in crime Scooter! What a hyper boy.

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  19. Congratulations on your new release! I haven’t found any fun treasures yet. Just free items that people give away. I did find $17 on the ground at a Fair once years ago.

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    1. And I trust that $17 was quickly recycled in the form of hot dogs, lemonade, and ring toss games on the Midway!

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  20. Found $20 once in a parking lot. Was so broke at the time, I gratefully kept it. Valuables I would try to find the owner. However, I once found a wallet with money and credit cards and took it to the address of the owner. They acted like I had committed a crime. Gee, thanks for being so grateful. I picked up a discarded desk and took to the campaign HQ in town when they were asking for furniture. And found a bunch of very old Godey’s lady magazines and early Old Farmer’s Almanacs in old trunks that were going to be tossed after cleaning out an apartment house basement. That was fun.

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    1. I think your $20 find when you needed it was the Universe taking care of you. Thanks for stopping by.

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  21. Years ago I took a spring jacket from my closet after being put away for the winter and I found a wad of cash in one of the pockets. It was only about $14, but it was a nice surprise. Looking forward to reading your new release.

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    1. That’s how Pepper got her dining room table, an old cedar picnic table her former MIL snared for her! To go with those pink chairs!

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  23. We have a pair of nightstands that someone put out by the curb. There was absolutely nothing wrong with them. sgiden at verizon(.)net

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  24. If I found money or jewelry and knew who had left it I would definitely make sure they got to the right person.

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    1. Ah, but what about when you DON’T know? How far will you go to find out — that’s what Pepper must decide!

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  25. Congratulations on another book! I guess I’m not very lucky. I’ve never found anything. Sometimes people leave furniture by their curb but I’ve never picked any of it up. ckmbeg (at) gmail (dot) com

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  27. LESLIE: Cool story about the donated coat with the (cursed) ring.

    I have been a member of our local Buy Nothing FB group for the past 3 years. It’s part of a global movement to give and receive, share, lend, and express gratitude with our real-life neighbours.
    I have received so many useful used/brand new items for free: a Queen-sized headboard & bed frame, vacuum cleaner, 2 floor-sized lamps, balcony planters and pots, a brand-new Raleigh handlebar bag, silicone muffin tin liners & baking pans, and lots of free food.

    And of course, I have given away plenty of my own unused items to others.

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    2. Lucky you! No formal group like that here — I’ve looked — but Mr. Right and I are doing our best!

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  28. I have really never found anything other than pennies. If I found a ring, I would see if I could find the owner. Thank you so much for sharing. God bless you.

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    2. A few pennies here, a few pennies there, and pretty soon you’re talking quarters and dollars! (To misquote a long-gone senator!)

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  29. My son found a $10 bill on the sidewalk when we were on a walk many years ago. No houses nor anyone around or anything. No way to return it to anyone, so he got to keep it.
    lkish77123 at gmail dot com

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  30. After my brother-in-law died, we had to clean out his condo. When going through the clothes, Hubby Dearest was looking at a London Fog Raincoat that he gave to his brother and found $20 in the pocket. Who knows if that money was Hubby Dearest’s or his brothers as his brother never wore it. We gave it to my nephew, but it was too large for him, so he gave it to my sister’s (his mother) 2nd husband. husband. Hopefully he wore it. It was mint. It sure made the rounds. A neighbor threw out a wrought iron fireplace deal. I repainted it and placed it in my garden. It sure looks good with St. Francis behind it. A long time ago, our lab used to retrieve things from the neighborhood and bring them home. One was a Wildlife Preserve T-shirt. One lady came down and complained that our lab had taken her tennis shoes from the back porch, so we looked and sure enough they were there. So, I took the box around to every neighbor, but no one claimed anything else. I tried to find the rightful owners but since I did not, I donated them to Goodwill. I have found dogs running on the highway and found them their homes. I have heard of people selling false teeth at garage sales. I donated my father’s dentures and glasses to the Lion’s Club to help someone. The saddest thing that happened in our neighborhood, was a neighbor’s daughter’s ex-boyfriend brought all of her belongings (furniture, etc.) and threw them all out on the curb of her mother’s house. Neighbors thought that she had thrown them out and went through and took things. Luckily, they gave them back when they heard the truth. I hope she got them all back. I love all of your books. Keep on keepin’ on with your writing.

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    1. Oh my! So many stories here! Years ago, when I lived in the country, I had a couple of puppies who loved to roam. One day, they brought home a leather glove. Oops. Next day, they brought home the other. I had no idea where they’d been, so I couldn’t return them — but we still use them, thanks to those silly little border collies!

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  31. Nothing all that exciting or very valuable. The most money was a quarter, and things was a simple silver bracelet with a faulty clasp

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    1. I predict you will soon find a great book to read and find yourself lost in the pages! And maybe it will be my book! Thanks for stopping by, Cherie.

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