Secret Sauce: Burnt Ends takes readers on a Kansas City bbq-based Midwest mystery

Illustration by Keegan Hudspeth

Even though mystery author Laura Wetsel only lived in Kansas City for four years, the city’s energy followed her all the way to Washington, D.C. More specifically, cravings for our world-famous barbeque have proven to be unshakable. This September, her book, Burnt Ends, hit the stands and offered a delicious spin on whodunnits. The murder suspects are an uber-rich family whose fortune comes from a drive-in BBQ chain right here in the heart of the Midwest.

In 2019, she left KC for a government job on the East Coast, and shortly after, the pandemic suddenly shut the world down. Lockdown gave a lot of us newfound downtime, and as the idea for her drive-in restaurant murder mystery novel began to take shape, KC was still fresh on her mind. “It felt like a nostalgic sort of place to go,” Wetsel says. “I had positive feelings about Kansas City, so I just wanted to give something to the city.”

The novel follows P.I. Tori Swenson on her unyielding quest to uncover the secrets that hide underneath her uncle and cousins’ picturesque lives. Especially because they’re living a life that is supposed to be hers. After her father’s overdose, his beloved West Bottoms gas station BBQ joint was swept away from her in a frenzy of lawyers and contracts by her uncle, Charlie.

Now, KC’s honorary uncle’s shining reputation is maintained by endless stacks of hush money. Swenson’s intuition leads her to believe that it was no coincidence that her father’s will changed days before his death. When another death happens in the kitchen at Uncle Charlie’s restaurant, she leaps at the opportunity to prove his guilt.

What starts as an investigation into a fry cook’s death unravels into drugs, affairs, more mysterious disappearances, and heaps of family drama. The prime suspects constantly change; The minute you think you’ve cracked the case, shots are fired from mysterious figures in Westport, and black Mercedes are chasing Swenson on I-35.

“This book could only take place in Kansas City,” Wetsel says. The sweet spot between metropolitan perks and tight-knit community makes it the perfect place to maintain anonymity, while also recognizing many familiar faces.

The investigation leads the P.I. through many staple KC neighborhoods like Hyde Park, Westport, and Leawood. Swenson even takes refuge in the Green Lady Lounge for smooth, soft jazz after an especially gruesome day on the job. Even almost pancaking a clueless pedestrian on The Plaza makes its way into the novel. Nods to Walt Disney, Charlie “Yardbird” Parker, and Hallmark make Kansas City an unofficial character in the story.

Within the investigative genre, many of its leading characters struggle with addiction. Though Tori Swenson fits this descriptor, her character isn’t the typical chain-smoking casanova that often pops up in mystery novels. Instead, she’s an opioid addict with very strong feelings, hates the smell of smoke, and only carries a stun gun for protection. Her addiction issues aren’t glamorized. Wetsel’s depiction of Tori shows the true heartbreak of what addiction can do to a person and their loved ones.

“My close friend died of an opioid overdose,” Wetsel says. “I feel like a lot of us have had somebody affected by opioids.” Addiction, especially to opioids, remains a somewhat taboo topic. Shows like Euphoria have brushed on the topic; the line between glamorizing and humanizing is scarily thin.

“I was trying my best to be authentic with it because that was one of my main concerns. I wanted to accurately convey this very serious subject matter while also trying to still have humor in it,” says Wetsel. “Trying to balance the dark with the light at the same time.”

Burnt Ends Cover

The investigation began during Tori’s fourth relapse. Scared that rehab would get in the way of her work, she concealed her regression from everyone, including her beloved aunt Kat and best friend Darnell. The protagonist bargains with herself, pretends to have a handle on her consumption of oxycodone, and can’t seem to find the proper window to finally quit. The story then has you rooting for Tori’s victory on the case, but also for a victory over her addiction.

When living here, Wetsel frequented Joe’s Kansas City Bar-B-Que, which she claims is her favorite spot for burnt ends in the city. The spectacular food and Americana feeling of the brick-and-mortar gas station storefront piqued Wetsel’s interest. “Kansas City has always felt like it’s in the middle of the country. It’s emblematic of the American spirit,” she says.

It’s only fitting that the quintessential cuisine of the Heartland found its way onto the pages of this money-hungry family. And who does barbeque better than KC? Burnt Ends balances the sweet and savory masterfully. While eccentric and caricature-like at times, every member of the family has something lethal to hide. Every truth that comes to light only adds to the ever-growing heap of questions.

Taking inspiration from thriller superstar Gillian Flynn, Wetsel hopes the revelations truly shock readers. “The plot has to be intricately designed—like a puzzle,” says Wetsel. She recalls the early stages of her writing process in her 400-square-foot Georgetown apartment overtaken with plot diagrams and notes. Her uncle became a vital part of ensuring she understood the industry inside and out, and who better to ask than the previous Swenson’s owner? “He was quite useful in giving me the real nitty gritty of restaurant life,” she says.

This novel couldn’t be made without a deep knowledge of and appreciation for Kansas City, our food, and our rich history. The four cousins all represent their own little corner of this city, with yoga and marketing savvy Annie situated in Overland Park, foodie Emma on The Plaza, Walt Disney-obsessed Chuck in Hyde Park, or busy golfer Toby in his Ward Parkway mansion. Even down to the historic West Bottoms drive-in, it shows the personality and character behind each of this city’s figurative boroughs, making it a beautiful, bloody love letter to our city.

Burnt Ends lets you see Kansas City through a private eye, including the mouth-watering and unsavory bits. This marks Wetsel’s first published work thus far, and though she’s appreciative of the support from her new home in Georgetown, she’s excited for KC to connect with her story.