When pastry chef Ami Miyamoto returns to Kyoto from San Francisco, she hopes to make a fresh start while helping her grandmother preserve Kissa Sakura, a beloved traditional café tucked away in the historic streets of Gion. With its comforting tea, delicate matcha creations and familiar neighbourhood faces, the café seems a world away from the pressures of her former life.
But a controversial redevelopment scheme threatens the neighbourhood, and tensions rise when influential culinary figure Kenji Takahashi becomes caught up in the dispute. During Kyoto’s spring cherry-blossom food festival, a sudden death turns a celebration of food and tradition into a murder investigation.
As Detective Kaito Sato follows the evidence, Ami finds herself drawn into a web of hidden financial interests, questionable records, recipe disputes and long-held secrets. With her grandmother Chizuru offering sharp observations and the people around Kissa Sakura revealing more than they intend, Ami must learn to distinguish genuine clues from convincing red herrings.
In a neighbourhood where everyone seems to know everyone, appearances can be deceptive, and even the sweetest traditions may conceal a bitter secret.
Matcha, Morsels & Murder is a Kyoto-set culinary cozy mystery blending Japanese café culture, traditional sweets, family bonds, neighbourhood rivalries and an intriguing murder investigation.