Threads of Deception - Jauffret Elle

Thirty-five-year-old Claire Fontaine had it all as a successful D.C. defense attorney until a criminal explosion shattered her career and left her with a debilitating French foreign accent syndrome. To make matters worse, her neurologist ordered her to take a break from the law and the FBI urged her to lay low. She's also broke. Her only marketable skill is the culinary expertise she's gained through countless cooking classes for singles. Forced to embrace a new path as a private chef, Claire accepts the invitation of a rising fashion designer friend to move back to her Southern California hometown to cater for a fashion TV show-only to find said friend dead.

Desperate to prove it wasn't a suicide but a murder, Claire teams up with her childhood best friend, Suggie Oh, the town's beloved accountant. She also forms a tension-filled alliance with charismatic Detective Ben Torres, who reluctantly accepts her cooperation and with whom she's forced to share an apartment.

As she investigates, Claire glimpses into the world of competitive fashion, political campaigns, and ex-lovers' vendettas. But getting closer to the truth may not be as safe as juggling knives in a dark kitchen.