Brendan Slocumb's mystery The Violin Conspiracy tells the story of Ray McMillian, a Black classical musician on the rise—undeterred by the pressure and prejudice of the classical music world—when a shocking theft sends him on a quest to recover his great-great-grandfather’s heirloom violin on the eve of the world's most prestigious music competition.

From Brendan Slocumb: "Serve 'Soul Food' like Ray’s mother would have made: fried chicken, collard greens or green beans, mashed potatoes, cornbread, sweet iced tea, brownies, or ice cream. Once Ray got famous, he’d have vegan meatloaf, asparagus, applesauce, sourdough bread, or some other type of bruschetta."

In Stacy Willlingham's thriller A Flicker in the Dark, a medical psychologist sees parallels from her past when a local teenage girl goes missing.

From Stacy Willingham: "Since A Flicker in the Dark is set in Louisiana, I'd say any traditional Cajun food would be a perfect fit: maybe some jambalaya, gumbo. or crawfish etouffée and a side of beignets for dessert."