This audiobook is narrated by an AI Voice. A Mystery of Caribbean Secrets, Cold-Case Lies, and Murder
A Deadly Secret Surfaces Before the First Dish Is Served…
Eastern College’s first winter intersession brings administrator Steve Levitan to the Friar Lake Conference Center, where a Caribbean cuisine course is about to begin. His wife, Lili, is co-teaching alongside her old friend Dr. Yesenia Ubeda, a celebrated—and sometimes controversial—food anthropologist.

But before the class can settle in, unsettling events interrupt the program:

Threatening notes left for Yesenia

Long-hidden documents tied to U.S.–Cuba history

A student with a dangerous secret, found murdered

What should have been an exciting educational program quickly becomes a deadly puzzle.


Old Loyalties Hide New Lies
Steve soon realizes that someone at Friar Lake will kill to protect—or destroy—Yesenia’s reputation.
Every attendee seems to have a motive, from academic grudges to political agendas.
And the deeper Steve digs, the more the past comes roaring back.

With Rochester at his side, Steve must:

Navigate a tangle of academic rivalries and historical resentment

Uncover why a student joined the course under false pretenses

Protect Lili and Yesenia as tensions rise

Expose a killer who has carefully hidden in plain sight

The walls of Friar Lake contain secrets people have been guarding for decades—and now one of them has turned deadly.

A Rich, Layered Academic Mystery with Heart
Perfect for readers who love:

Cozy mysteries with smart, twisty plots

Academic and conference-center settings (Paige Shelton, Maggie Barbieri)

Culinary intrigue and food-driven storytelling

Faithful canine partners (Spencer Quinn, David Rosenfelt)

In this twentieth installment of Neil Plakcy’s award-winning series, Steve and Rochester confront their most intricate case yet—where history, identity, and motive intertwine.

Enter Friar Lake, Where Every Secret Has a Price