The secret poison garden : A Rita Calabrese culinary mystery. [Book 1

Rita is more than a strong, independent woman forging her second act--she's a force of nature.For most of her life, Rita has doted on her lovable but exasperating "famiglia." She’s always fortifying her down-on-their-luck neighbors with secret deliveries of home-grown vegetables and ravioli alla zucca, sneaking cannoli into her gruff husband’s lunch, and meddling in (or, as she would say, “improving”) the lives of her three grown children. Then Rita takes a job at the local paper, and her profiles of Acorn Hollow’s eccentric citizens, including the soft-spoken biology teacher with a secret poison garden, soon make her the toast of the town. But when the beloved football coach is murdered and Rita’s investigation uncovers not only a messy love triangle, but also rumors of her ne’er-do-well son Vinnie’s involvement, she finds her newfound journalistic zeal on a collision course with her fierce maternal instinct.Set in New York's bucolic Hudson Valley and sprinkled with Italian phrases and customs, "The Secret Poison Garden" includes eight mouth-watering, garden-to-table Italian-American recipes. Rita Calabrese Is The Guardian Angel Of The Bucolic Hudson Valley Hamlet Of Acorn Hollow-and Of Her Lovable But Exasperating Famiglia. She's Always Fortifying Her Down-on-their-luck Neighbors With Secret Deliveries Of Home-grown Vegetables And Ravioli Alla Zucca, Sneaking Cannoli Into Her Gruff Husband's Lunch, And Meddling In (or, As She Would Say, Improving) The Lives Of Her Three Grown Children. But Now, On The Eve Of Her Sixty-sixth Birthday, Rita's Looking For A Meaningful Second Act-and Finds As A Reporter For The Local Paper. Her Profiles Of Acorn Hollow's Eccentric Citizens, Including The Soft-spoken Biology Teacher With A Secret Poison Garden, Soon Make Her The Toast Of The Town. But When The Beloved Football Coach Is Murdered And Rita's Investigation Uncovers Not Only A Messy Love Triangle, But Also Rumors Of Her Ne'er-do-well Son Vinnie's Involvement, She Finds Her Newfound Journalistic Zeal On A Collision Course With Her Fierce Maternal Instinct.humorous And Zesty, The Secret Poison Garden Includes Eight Mouth-watering, Garden-to-table Italian-american Recipes. Rita Calabrese is the guardian angel of the bucolic Hudson Valley hamlet of Acorn Hollow—and of her lovable but exasperating "famiglia." She's always fortifying her down-on-their-luck neighbors with secret deliveries of home-grown vegetables and ravioli alla zucca, sneaking cannoli into her gruff husband's lunch, and meddling in (or, as she would say, "improving") the lives of her three grown children. But now, on the eve of her sixty-sixth birthday, Rita's looking for a meaningful second act and finds as a reporter for the local paper. Her profiles of Acorn Hollow's eccentric citizens, including the soft-spoken biology teacher with a secret poison garden, soon make her the toast of the town. But when the beloved football coach is murdered and Rita’s investigation uncovers not only a messy love triangle, but also rumors of her ne'er-do-well son Vinnie's involvement, she finds her newfound journalistic zeal on a collision course with her fierce maternal instinct