Marcus Pinter has visited the Bay View Harbor Bakery many times since Gypsy Lee and her cousin Linda opened it last year. He talked them, as well as Maggie at the Inn she may or may not own, into hanging pictures drawn by local artists. If they sell one, he and the artist have a payday. That’s why he often badgers Gypsy Lee and Linda to display more pictures – for a small commission.

Marcus writes a blog and considers himself more of an art critic than an artist. Observations, in his blog, ArTique, are not always popular.

Though the artwork he provides to the bakery brings customers, Gypsy Lee and Linda aren’t pleased that his booth of local paintings is next to the bakery’s at the Bay View Harbor Spring Festival near the boardwalk. But he doesn’t appear the second day of the festival. His partners Lorenzo and Camilla are mildly concerned but not alarmed. Then Gypsy Lee discovers a ransom note among the muffins, tulip-shaped cookies, and scones.

Later, Marcus’ body is discovered in a shed only Linda and one other have a key to. That’s not good, but she made no bones about not liking him. He trash-talked the bakery behind their backs because Gypsy Lee and Linda won’t display lots more local art. But exactly whose art is it, and why has Marcus been so anxious to promote it? When his reputation starts to unravel, the spotlight on the bakery gets even brighter.