Dakota Green would rather participate in The Hunger Games than in the annual Obergin beauty pageant. But the last wish of the deceased mother forces her to change her work boots for stilettos and reveal the long-standing secret of the missing beauty queen. Welcome to Aubergine, Virginia, where there are blue mountains, sweet air — and where beauties have much darker secrets than last year's tanning. Armed with sarcasm instead of glitter, Dakota is forced to plunge into the merciless world of ribbons and smiles in order to win a lot of money and save her home from sale. But when the owner of the contest disappears right on the eve of the finals, suspicion falls on Dakota's beloved aunt, DiDi. Now Dakota has to go through a minefield of treacherous rivals, distrustful judges, a mysteriously attractive new sheriff and uncover the mystery of the long—ago disappearance of the beauty queen - and all this without losing her balance on her heels. Will she be able to uncover the killer, clear her aunt's name, and win the crown? Or will he be the next victim?_________________________________________________________"One of the best cozy detective stories I've ever read." — ASHLEY WINSTEDCRISTEN BIRD is a USA Today bestselling author and teacher. She has lived on both coasts of the United States, but she is from the South, because a large family lives in northern Alabama. Kristen teaches English in high school and writes her books in cozy coffee shops near her home near Houston. In her free time, she walks through parks with her three children, watches unusual films with her husband and tries to keep up with her energetic half-breed Labrador, adopted by their orphanage.