In this mystery in Kate Kingsbury's charming series, the kitchen staff of the Pennyfoot Hotel is toiling away to prepare their guests the finest Christmas meal. And the plum pudding may very well be to die for.

When the Pennyfoot's housekeeper is suddenly called away, Cecily Sinclair Baxter needs a quick replacement. On short notice, the agency sends Beatrice Tucker, who proves more of a curse than a Christmas miracle. She even fights with the Pennyfoot's latest VIP guest, the famous actor Archibald Armitage.

When Armitage drops dead after Beatrice serves him some plum pudding, everyone assumes the huffy housekeeper is the culprit. But as Cecily investigates, the list of suspects grows, and solving this case may not be as easy as pie.or pudding.