Mabel Aphrodite Brown (Ditie) is thrilled when her best friend, Lurleen, wants to buy a 1920s mansion and create a cooking school in Atlanta. An old murder in the house simply adds spice to their intentions. Back in 1949 an innocent Black man was convicted of the crime. Ditie and Lurleen can investigate the murder, right a terrible wrong, and design a cooking school for women who need a second chance in life.
A perfect plan! As Lurleen says, "A new house and an old murder, what more could a girl want?" But "a perfect storm" might be a more accurate description. Conflicting forces swirl around Lurleen even before she purchases the house. Outside the crumbling mansion, a well-tended rose garden seems to welcome her, while a chalked threat on the broken front porch tells her to stay away before a second murder occurs.