Mama Stalks the Past - Tapa dura

Mama, an African-American social worker from Otis, South Carolina--where her cooking entices visitors from near and far--and her lawyer daughter take on a case of greed, family betrayal, and murder

on is digging up bits and pieces until she's solved a mystery.  Long ago she decided that if we could get at the truth of a problem, we would have made a contribution to humankind.  Most of the time I agree with Mama.  This time, however, finding the truth about Hannah Mixon's murder could cost Mama her life....

Mama's name is Grace, but folks call her Candi because of a golden-brown complexion that puts you in mind of candied sweet potatoes.  Mama makes her living as a case manager for Social Services, but her talent for cooking up the best food in Otis, South Carolina, is well known.  When things weren't working out for me in Atlanta, Mama suggested I come home.  I soon knew I'd made the right decision when I found Nat Mixon on Mama's doorstep threatening to tell the whole town that Mama stole his inheritance.  It seems that Nat's mother and Mama's neighbor, spiteful recluse Hannah Mixon, had just died and left a will