Kellye Garrett is the author of Like a Sister. She also wrote the Detective by Day lightweight mysteries, which have won the Anthony, Agatha, Lefty and IPPY awards and been featured on the Today show as a Best Summer Read. She serves on Sisters in Crime’s national board and is a co-founder of Crime Writers of Color.

Like a Sister, March 8, 2022

Desiree’s death is too easily dismissed as a tragedy, but Lena knows better—why is no one listening to her?

When the body of disgraced reality TV star Desiree Pierce is found on a playground in the Bronx the morning after her 25th birthday party, the police and the media are quick to declare her death an overdose. But Desiree’s half-sister Lena Scott knows that can’t be the case. A graduate student at Columbia, Lena becomes determined to find justice for her sister, even if it means untangling her family’s darkest secrets—or ending up dead herself.

Desiree loves a good Lemon Drop. A recipe from Kellye’s friend Chantelle is below.

• Granulated sugar, for rimming
• Lemon wedge, for rimming
• 2 ounces vodka
• 1 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 to 3/4 ounce simple syrup, to taste
• Lemon twist, for garnish

Kellye’s version, however, does not do the sugar on the rim (she prefers it to be sour to sweet) and she also makes her own easy simple syrup—equal parts water to sugar, bring to a simmer, stir until sugar is completely dissolved, then store in a cool place (lasts up to 4 weeks). You can use any sugar, but she prefers brown sugar.

Valerie Wilson Wesley writes mysteries, novels and children’s books and is a former executive editor of Essence Magazine. She served as artist-in-residence at Columbia College in Chicago in spring 2005 and is a former adjunct professor at Ramapo College in Mahwah, New Jersey as well as a former artist-in-residence at the Tyson School of the Arts in East Orange, New Jersey. Valerie graduated from Howard University and holds master’s degrees from the Bank Street College of Education and the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism. She is married to noted screenwriter and playwright Richard Wesley and has two adult daughters.

A Fatal Glow, February 22, 2022

When a light snack proves deadly, it’s bad for business.

Recently widowed Odessa Jones is sure the exclusive catering job she’s scored from wealthy businessman Casey Osborne will propel her catering career into the big leagues. This causes her to ignore the pesky second sight which warns her that Osborne is bad news. But when he drops dead at his brunch after sampling her homemade preserves, Dessa and the friends who helped her in the kitchen are suspected of the crime.

Dessa’s Handy-Dandy Collard Greens Quiche

A tasty quiche is like an upright man, Valerie tells us—always have a good one on hand. This recipe comes with compliments to Jonell Nash, the late great food editor of ESSENCE magazine, with Valerie’s own touches. She hopes Jonell would approve.

• Basic piecrust for 9 or 10-inch pie pan.  (Your own if you have time, but store-bought is fine.)
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup milk
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper or cayenne pepper
• ½ teaspoon oregano
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• ¼ cup grated onion (sweet or red adds a nice touch!)
• ½ cup chopped red pepper
• 1 ½ cups chopped cooked fresh or frozen collard greens. Be sure to drain and squeeze them dry   or your quiche will be watery.
• ½  to ¾ cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Heat oven to 375 F for metal pan or 350 for glass pan. Roll out and ease pie dough into bottom and up sides of pie pan.  Tuck edges under and crimp. Using a fork, prick bottom and sides. Partially bake for about 12 minutes until crust is beginning to color.

In a large bowl, lightly beat eggs and milk. Add salt, pepper, oregano, nutmeg, onion, red pepper and collard greens and set aside.

Sprinkle half of the cheese on pie crust. Pour egg mixture on top of cheese. Sprinkle  remaining cheese on top. Bake until a knife inserted halfway between center and outside edge comes out clean, which is usually from 45 to 60 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before cutting into wedges to serve.