A Brisket, a Casket

Hapless New York accountant Gwen Silver makes a disastrous move to Nashville to take over her uncle's deli in this flavorless debut. Gwen is happy to leave New York and her larcenous ex-husband, but the new venture hits a snag when local car dealer and celebrity Buster Sergeant keels over after eating her brisket. Then Gwen is attacked and locked into the walk-in freezer. Is the culprit pushy developer Royce Ramsey, lawyer Cyrus Liarson, or one of Gwen's own employees? Good thing she has attractively mysterious Det. Beau McClintock and bitchy battle-ax manager Thomasina Jackson on her side. The overworked shtick is full of caricatures and lacking in surprises, and awkward prose ("Only her anxious expression convinced me she wasn't setting a trap to test my deli acumen") further hampers the threadbare plot. (Oct.)