It's Murder, My Son - Lauren Carr, Author

Chicken Breast Scampi
A Lauren Carr Favorite

Specialty of The Spencer Lounge at the Spencer Inn Resort on Deep Creek Lake, Maryland

In the lounge at the Spencer Inn Resort, their Chicken Breast Scampi was a favorite of the famous mystery novelist Robin Spencer, the Inn’s late owner. She would have it served over rice, though some guests would prefer to serve it over linguini. The Inn’s Chicken Breast Scampi is served with a Caesar salad and garlic Texas toast. Ms. Spencer would always accompany this dish with a glass of Orveito, an Italian white wine from her, now her son Mac Faraday, private stock. For the Inn’s guests, they recommend a nice glass of Pinot Grigio.

Ingredients:
2-3 lbs chicken breasts, bones and skinned, cut into 2 in x 1 in pieces
½ lb (2 sticks) butter or margarine
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 scallions, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or 1 teaspoon dried parsley)
2 teaspoon fresh dill or 1 teaspoon dried dillweed
½ teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Place the chicken in a 9’x13’ baking dish.
Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat. Add the garlic, scallions, parsley, dill, oregano, salt, and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes. Pour the mixture over the chicken pieces. Bake for 10 minutes. Turn chicken pieces over. Bake for another ten minutes. Turn oven to broil and put chicken under broiler for 3-4 minutes until lightly browned. Serve over rice or linguini.

Recipe from The Mr. Food Cookbook, OOH it’s so GOOD! (copyright 1990)

It’s Murder, My Son – Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat

A noise outside made her jump out of the recliner.  She glanced at the clock.  Almost nine.  Could Chad have decided to come out when I mentioned my appointment with the divorce lawyer?  Maybe he does love my money more than he loves Rachel.  She listened.  Nothing except the wind signaling the blizzard’s approach.  Maybe I should call David?  No.  It wouldn’t look good if Chad found him here.  He’s already suspicious.  The German shepherd began scratching at the back door.  Not again, you damn dog!  When you aren’t wanting out or in, you’re digging up the back yard.  With a groan, she pulled herself out of the recliner and let the dog out onto the patio.  As long as she was up, she poured herself another martini and admired her reflection in the mirror behind the bar before returning to her seat for another sitcom.  Her mind sucked in by the television, Katrina was unprepared to fight when her killer attacked and pinned her down by her throat.'
“Did you really think I was going to let you leave?” she heard through the roar in her ears while gasping her last breath.

The front foyer of Spencer Manor stretched up two stories to the cathedral ceiling paneled in cedar.  Granite slabs made up the floors throughout the home, including the three steps that led down to the dining room which opened up onto the deck overlooking the lake.  Colorful afghans were draped across leather furniture in the living room, which was twice the size of the one in the home Mac’s ex-wife had won from him thirty days earlier.  Stone fireplaces commanded every room.  Every window and door provided a view of Deep Creek Lake.  This was just a small portion of what Mac Faraday, policeman and illegitimate son of mystery writer Robin Spence, inherited at her death.
When Robin’s solicitor tracked Mac down, he was just getting over a divorce where the court awarded his wife, who was having an affair with the assistant district attorney, their home as well as everything else of value.  Now Mac finds himself with more money than he could ever imagine.  He has become a retired policeman and multi-millionaire overnight.  But that’s not all he has become.  Mac also finds out that he has a ½ brother who not only lives in Spencer but who is also a policeman, as was their father.  And then Mac finds himself to be the owner of Gnarly a German Shepherd retired from the military with a dishonorable discharge.  Oh yeah, he also finds himself working with the police to solve several murders, both old and new.


2010
286 Pages
ISBN# 9781452819433