It’s an old adage that too many cooks spoil the broth. But when a tour of the White House kitchen by a group of foreign chefs ends in murder, it’s Olivia Paras who finds herself in the soup…
Due to a government sequester, entertaining at the White House has been severely curtailed. So executive chef Olivia Paras is delighted to hear that plans are still on to welcome a presidential candidate from the country of Saardisca—the first woman to run for office—and four of that nation’s top chefs.
But while leading the chefs on a kitchen tour, pastry chef Marcel passes out suddenly—and later claims he was drugged. When one of the visiting chefs collapses and dies, it’s clear someone has infiltrated the White House with ill intent. Could it be an anti-Saardiscan zealot? Is the candidate a target? Are the foreign chefs keeping more than their recipes a secret? Once again, Olivia must make sleuthing the special of the day…
For fans of: Claudia Bishop
Things have been pretty quiet for White House Executive Chef Olivia “Ollie” Paras and her staff; thanks to a government sequestration, nearly all parties and State dinners have been canceled. The only official event still taking place is a visit from Saardisca’s first-ever female presidential candidate and four of the nation’s top chefs.
The chefs are scheduled to spend two weeks working alongside Ollie while the candidate tours the country. Should make for a nice change of pace, right? But when the White House pastry chef collapses in the kitchen and just a few days later, one of the Saardiscans drops over dead, Ollie’s forced to wonder if one of their guests isn’t the goodwill ambassador he claims.
All the President’s Menus is the eighth of Julie Hyzy’s White House Chef Mysteries, and I’m delighted to report it’s every bit as magnificent as its rave-worthy predecessors. The setup is perfect – simple yet smart, and quickly accomplished. The story beats with a rapid pulse and is suffused with paranoia, dread, danger, and doubt. The plot is full of feints, twists, and sly red herrings, and the cast is stocked with artfully sketched suspects bearing motive, means, and opportunity. Hyzy ratchets up the tension with every passing scene, dragging you closer and closer to the edge of your seat until you’re perched, teetering, just waiting for final axe to fall. The solution is neat yet satisfying, and Hyzy gets bonus points for using the plot to tackle the topic of gender discrimination (and doing so with fire and grace).
The White House Chef Mysteries don’t just top my list of favorite traditional mystery series, they top my list of favorite series, period. I know these books are branded cozies, and I suppose by definition they are; they star an amateur sleuth, there’s no on-screen sex or violence, and each installment includes recipes and a complete presidential menu. Don’t let the trappings fool you, though – Hyzy’s writing straight-up thrillers, and top-notch ones, at that. Whether you’re a stranger to Ollie and her extra-culinary adventures or you’ve been a fan from the start, you’re in for a treat. Get thee to a bookstore, booklovers, and stat.
Reviewed by Kat
