Murder in the Mix (A Gina Morrison Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Settings – Baltimore, Savannah, NYC
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Grounds for Suspicion
Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 21, 2025
Print length ‏ : ‎ 272 pages
Paperback

Synopsis

When Gina Morrison agrees to pen the memoir of celebrity chef Marisol St James, she expects high-pressure deadlines, diva behavior, and decadent dishes-not murder. But when Marisol is found dead in her restaurant’s kitchen, Gina’s literary aspirations take a back seat to her survival. Between a cutthroat industry, simmering secrets, and the demands of Marisol’s unfinished manuscript, Gina becomes entangled in a web of lies, rivalries, and danger. Worse still, Marisol’s killer may be keeping tabs on Gina to ensure she doesn’t write too much.

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Guest Post

Interview with Marisol St. James, Executive Chef of The Mix in New York and frequent Food Network guest judge.

New York City is both my home and the location of The Mix, the place where I am happiest. I was not raised here though. My first visit was after culinary school many years ago. I can still remember the smell of the street carts and subway grates after emerging from the subway on those early days. The din of the traffic and the crowded sidewalks both thrilled and terrified me. I found refuge in tiny coffee shops drinking unfussy coffee and watching the bustle and drama of the city through the glass.

Over time, I grew to appreciate the quiet coolness of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the perfection of a slice of pizza served on paper plates that soaked up the grease, and the mind-boggling expanse of Central Park. I remember the chew of my first bagel from Zabar’s, and as delicious as it was (and is still), my current controversial preference is for a good muffin with my coffee these days.

I provided one of my most popular muffin recipes in my upcoming memoir, and I am pleased to share it with you a little early. In addition to the customizations included in the book, I’m giving you an exclusive tip to make these extra fancy with the addition of a little cinnamon streusel on top before placing them in the oven.

Combine one cup of flour, one half cup of brown sugar, six tablespoons of melted butter, a teaspoon of ground cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Combine until crumbly and spoon over the batter in each muffin cup before placing in the oven.

You might opt to add chopped nuts to the streusel as well. I like walnuts for banana muffins and pecans for apple muffins. I prefer my blueberry muffins without nuts and citrusy muffins like lemon poppyseed without any topping aside from a dusting of coarse sugar.

If this all sounds like a great baking adventure, that’s because it is! There are few rules so enjoy yourself!

Marisol St.James

Cinnamon Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Is there anything better than New York City in the fall? Something about the relief from the oppressive summer heat and the whisper of falling autumn leaves always makes me think of comfort food and love. It’s snuggle season. Couples hold hands in Central Park, sip wine next to fires, and share meals. It finally becomes cool enough to run the oven, which is excellent timing since nothing kicks off the holidays better than pies, cakes, cookies, and muffins. I spent a few years at a small bakery on the Upper West Side early in my career and that time was magical. I mastered pastry crust, croissants, even cupcakes, but when I think about those years, I remember the muffins. Muffins are wonderful because they are so easily customizable. They can be breakfast, brunch or an accompaniment to dinner. With the addition or subtraction of some simple ingredients, you can create your own favorite. And because they are baked in single serving portions, they are conveniently giftable. So bake some muffins and share them with those you love. I’ve included a recipe for Cinnamon Banana Chocolate Chip muffins, a favorite memory from a special autumn. I encourage you to tinker around with the add-in ingredients until you find some magic of your own.

Recipe:

• 1 ½ cups sugar
• 2 cups mashed overripe bananas (5 or 6)
• 1 ½ sticks of butter, melted
• 3 large eggs
• 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 ½ teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°F, line two 12-cup muffin pans with paper or foil liners. Mix wet ingredients well before adding dry, stirring until combined. Bake for 20–25 minutes.

Variations:

• Swap chopped walnuts for the chocolate chips for banana nut muffins.
• Swap 1 cup frozen blueberries for chocolate chips for banana-berry muffins.
• Omit cinnamon, and stir two tablespoons of creamy peanut butter in with mashed banana, butter, and egg for peanut butter banana chocolate chip muffins.

About the Author

Carolyn Eichhorn is a mystery novelist and former Disney Imagineer whose work blends suspense, humor, and heart. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing and has published short mystery fiction and essays. Based in the mountains of Western North Carolina, she draws inspiration from small towns, big secrets, and the stories people tell to survive.

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