Gwen is having trouble settling in to the deli business and is waiting for a pastrami to arrive from California, at a cost of over $1,000 including overnight shipping. Before the pastrami makes it to the deli, local businessman Buster Sergeant falls dead while doing Karaoke after eating some of Gwen's brisket. Handsome detective Beau McClintock informs Gwen that a murder has occurred in her restaurant and that anyone (including herself) who had access to Sergeant's meal is a suspect.

Already unsure about her decision to uproot her life to Tennessee, this makes Gwen even more unsure about the decisions she has recently made. A call from attorney Cyrus Liarson (on behalf of developer Royce Ramsey) with a demand that Gwen sell Ramsey the deli makes Gwen wonder if someone is trying to hurt her business hoping she'll sell the deli and at a low price.

With the help of the deli's manager, bossy, outspoken Thomasina Jackson, who Gwen isn't one hundred percent certain likes her, Gwen starts taking a good hard look at Murray's deli and at the turn her life has made. She hopes to uncover some answers that will lead to a murderer and help her make a decision about what she should do next.

The premise of a Kosher deli in Memphis is a bit unusual and could be a lot of fun, but the writing falls flat and is often uneven and the pace lags in places. The characters are not very interesting and are written as stereotypes rather than real people. Gwen is out of her element and consumes an alarmingly large quantity of chocolate when the going gets tough. There is no doubt that Gwen is a smart lady, but she often seems disorganized, having jumped into the deli business with both feet, knowing little about it. Plus, it is a little surprising she is able to uncover the murderer and the motive as easily as she does.

It is also a little unbelievable how immediately taken by Gwen Detective McClintock is, given the fact that he is investigating a murder where everyone at the restaurant is a suspect. He also gives up too easily when he hears Gwen accept another man's dinner date, not an admirable character trait for a detective. There are some corny jokes thrown in for good measure, and little by little Gwen does pull herself up and begins to try and make the deli her own.

--Jennifer Monahan Winberry