Off the Page with Pepper Reece

Greetings, Noters!

Can you believe how quickly this year has flown by? As we find ourselves once again in the warmth and cheer of the holiday season, it's the perfect time to reflect on the memories we've made together as a bookish community.

2024 has been an incredible year for me, both professionally and personally. The Bookish Hour continues to grow and flourish, and we were honored to be featured at Malice Domestic, where we interviewed an incredible group of mystery authors. I published three books, including the final installment of the Court of Mystery series, Eternal Empire. Finishing a series is a dream come true—something I always aspired to but never thought possible. Yet, here we are.

I was also grateful to attend some wonderful author events and panels over the past year. My author coaching services and online Canva training continue to grow, and I love supporting the writing community by sharing my knowledge. It’s incredibly rewarding.

And, on a personal note, getting married was pretty darn special.

All in all, I am immensely grateful for this life, and I want to extend my heartfelt wishes to all of you for a wonderful holiday season filled with love, laughter, and peace. Happy holidays, everyone!

Now, I’m handing the blogging reins to Winnie Lark, the main character in my Book Blogger Mysteries. Winnie runs a popular bookish website called What Spine is Yours (think Metacritic for the literary world). However, she manages it anonymously, and the online community only knows her as “The Wren.” She often interviews guest authors through their characters, and I’m delighted that she will share her features here for the foreseeable future.

Enjoy!

Greetings, bookish friends! The Wren, here. In today’s “Off the Page” feature, I’m sitting down with the spice maven herself, Pepper Reece.

Pepper, it’s so nice to get to spend some time with you. As a longtime fan of you and your author, I have a ton of questions! First, can you give readers a little background about the Spice Shop in Seattle’s Pike Place Market? Has spice always been your passion, or did it somehow find you?

Wren, it’s a delight to visit with you! When people hear my name, they assume I was destined for my job, and I agree – but not for the reasons they think.  My grandfather Reece thought my real name too weird for a sparky little girl, so he nicknamed me after his favorite baseball player, Pepper Martin of the St. Louis Cardinals. (Find out Pepper’s legal name in Killing Thyme.) I’d always loved coming to the Market with my mother, who often let me get a cup of spice tea from her friend Jane at the Spice Shop. Years later, when I turned forty and my life fell apart, Jane was looking to sell. See? Grandpa was right, in a way. My destiny was cinnamon, cloves, and bay leaves.

Grandparents have a special way of knowing us better than we know ourselves sometimes. I’m so glad you found your passion in life—following your heart’s desire is so fulfilling.

Can you tell us a bit more about Pike Place and its perfect cozy setting (which might surprise some readers of the genre) in the heart of a bustling city?

Pike Place is the oldest continuously-operating farmers’ market in the country, since 1907. It’s a tangled warren of vintage buildings, each with their own history and architecture, connected by open-air arcades, with more shops “down under.” More than fifty years ago, voters saved it and created a historic preservation district, a city within the city.

Along with the farm stalls, bakeries, meat and fish markets, produce stands, and specialty food stores, two hundred craftspeople rent daystalls, operating alongside more than 200 owner-operated shops and services, and nearly one hundred restaurants. The Market is also home to more than 350 residents—all in nine acres.

Stuff happens. It truly is a community, with all the tensions and joys of a small town. Honestly, I couldn’t imagine working anywhere else.

It sounds like the perfect place to spend an afternoon or a lifetime! Now, in your time at Pike Place, you’ve encountered a lot of dead bodies and mysteries. In your latest outing, To Err is Cumin, you seem to be the literal embodiment of “no good deed goes unpunished.” What goes through your mind first thing when you find yourself tangled up in a mystery?

“Detective Tracy is not going to be happy to see me.”

LOL! I bet you’re earned quite the reputation with the detective over the years. So, when you’re on a case, are you a solo investigator, or do you have a team to help you?

Mostly, I work alone, following my nose. It isn’t always the safest work, and I wouldn’t want to drag people I love into it, especially my staff. Not in their job description. But they are all smart cookies and sharp-eyed observers. When a woman from the peace and justice community where my BFF, Kristen, and I were raised was killed, Kristen’s insights and memories were key to cracking the case. Sandra, the assistant manager who did not approve of selling the shop to a woman -- me – whose only experience of retail and the food biz was shopping and eating, has been an invaluable spice spy. And there’s a network of folks here in the Market – Jamie the painter, Vinny the Wine Merchant, Mary Jean the Chatty Chocolatier – who feed me kibbles and bits. Of info, not dog food. Though my best partner in crime is Arf, a five-year-old Airedale I call Mr. Ambassador.

Detective Tracy may not approve of me solving crime. But my Market neighbors do. Except the bad apples, and they deserve to rot.

I can’t not mention Officer Tag Buhner of the Seattle Police Department, bike patrol, and my ex-husband. I would never have bought the shop if I hadn’t literally tripped over him and a meter maid (I can’t say “parking enforcement officer”) practically plugging each other. Then, right after I left him, the law firm where I’d managed staff HR imploded in scandal, taking the job I loved with it. Did I mention his beat includes the Market? Tense at first, I admit, but we’ve managed a truce. He tries to keep me out of trouble, but he’s finally learned I’ll find it myself – and that most of the time, I can handle it. He’s helped me out a time or two, against his better judgment, and I’m grateful. 

I’m glad you have someone in law enforcement looking out for you—and that you’ve managed to put the past behind you (you’re a bigger person than me, that’s for sure)! Pepper, you’ve had a lot of fun, edge-of-your-seat adventures with friends and family. Without giving away too many spoilers, could you share one heart-stopping moment that eventually ended in a fit of laughter?

Well, there was the time I thought the cyclist who helped me climb, half-drowned and all wet, from the Ship Canal was wearing a green body suit, until the water dripping off me landed on him, and the color started to run. Turned out all he actually had on were his helmet and his cleats – and a lot of green and blue paint.

Oh lordy! That really “paints” a picture. Let’s talk spice! Teach me—what are some of your favorite ways to bring big flavor to a simple dish?

Get to know your salts and when to use them! Every kitchen should have a good kosher salt (I prefer Diamond Crystal) and a good flake salt, a fabulous dash of flavor when sprinkled on anything from mac & cheese to shortbread dipped in dark chocolate. Specialty salts, like black or Himalayan pink or alderwood smoked salt, are all fun, too, in small amounts.

Don’t be afraid to try something new! I’m always recommending Syrian za’atar, a classic Middle Eastern blend that adds a burst of beautifully balanced flavors and is highly versatile.

My favorite spice? Smoked paprika, but don’t tell the others. Some shoppers are afraid of peppers, including paprika, because the heat can bother them. But not every pepper is hot! At the Spice Shop, we’re all about the flavor and helping you find exactly what you’re looking for – even if you don’t know what that is!

Oh my, I should not have interviewed you on an empty stomach. My mouth is watering! So many good recommendations. I’m adding flake to my grocery list as we speak. What advice do you have for other amateur sleuths?

Trust yourself and your strengths. You may not have access to hot-shot forensics labs and secret databases. Doesn’t matter. You know people. You know your community. You know how to suss out what’s going on behind the scenes and what’s really driving people. And you’re brave and compassionate and determined to do what’s right.

But always keep your cell phone handy and charged. I’ve run into more trouble digging for that thing than I ought to admit.

Are there more adventures in store for you and your author, Leslie Budewitz?

Ha – as if I could keep track of Leslie! Me, I’m settling in for a nice quiet winter selling cinnamon for cocoa and bay leaves for soup. Sandra, Cayenne, and I will be dreaming up next year’s spice blends and planning new classes and events. I’d really like to do something with lavender. There’s a woman out in Salmon Falls who grows the most beautiful plants, perfect for cooking . . .

Watch for Pepper’s next adventure, Lavender Lies Bleeding, coming in July 2025.

Pepper, thank you SO much for stopping by and coming “Off the Page” with me. It was so delightful diving in and learning more about your life in Pike Place and spice! To Err is Cumin, by Leslie Budewitz, is available in paperback, ebook, and audio, wherever you buy books.

Buy links and more about the Spice Shop Mysteries and Leslie on her website, www.LeslieBudewitz.com While you’re there, join her newsletter community for book news, a peek inside the writing life, and two free short stories!

Noters, do you have a favorite spice or herb to use in your cooking?