Beat Until Stiff

Pastry chef Mary Ryan has sunk a lot of time and talent into the American Fare, San Francisco's hottest spot, while grieving over her broken marriage. Then, arriving at work very early one day, she discovers a laundry bag stuffed with the dead body of one of her employees. The ensuing investigation soon exposes all of the dirty secrets that the food industry would like to keep hidden—philandering chefs, illegal aliens, and subsistence-level pay scales. Events begin to spiral and in time take out the restaurant's celebrity chef and force Mary to use her unique skills to uncover a poisonous scheme.