Retiring to the quiet village of Carsely, Agatha Raisin enters a local baking contest; surely a blue ribbon for the best quiche will make her the toast of the town. But her recipe for social advancement sours when the judge not only snubs her entry but also falls over dead. After her quiche's secret ingredient turns out to be poison, she must reveal the unsavory truth—she bought her entry ready-made from an upper-crust London quicherie. When she starts receiving sinister notes, Agatha's best bet is to solve the case herself before she lands in hot water. First published in 1992, this is the first installment in M.C. Beaton's beloved, ongoing series.