Peppermint Cream Die — Carol E. Ayer

Kayla Jeffries, home bakery owner and HSP (Highly Sensitive Person), has arranged her life just so to avoid stressful overstimulation. The California oceanside community in which she lives proves the perfect venue for the quiet and peaceful existence she desires. She happily spends her time baking, walking along the beach, and spending time with her close friends.

But when Kayla discovers her elderly friend Trudy Dillingham has been strangled, she vows to do anything she must to help bring the killer to justice, including overcoming the stress and sensory overload involved in playing amateur detective. Using her HSP talents of attention to detail and ability to read other people's emotions, Kayla eventually cracks the case, all the while juggling two cats and a dog, non-stop orders for the Christmas holidays, and a budding relationship with handsome restaurateur Jason Banks.