by Orlando Murrin
Up until Knife Skills for Beginners, I’ve spent my life writing cookbooks, so it’s natural that I’m drawn to stories on a culinary theme. Here are some recent titles I’ve been feasting on.
Pink Lemonade Cake Murder by Joanna Fluke
Hannah Swenson has been cracking mysteries for going on 25 years, and her stories are as fun and fresh as ever. I love it when writers interweave recipes into the plot, and Joanna’s are both practical and mouthwatering.
A Deadly Walk in Devon by Nicholas George
As I live in Devon myself, I was thrilled to get an early glimpse of this new series, in which a group sets off on walking adventures around the English countryside. Not strictly culinary, but certainly an excuse for a traditional cream tea.
Death and Croissants by Ian Moore
I’ve appeared at a couple of events with Ian at British crime writing festivals; I think he’s the funniest man alive. This is the first of a series featuring Richard, who runs a guest house in rural France and his glamorous sidekick (and potential love interest) Valérie.
Mrs Sidhu’s Dead and Scone by Suk Pannu
is another pacy, good-hearted read, set in a town on the outskirts of London where Mrs Sidhu – unofficial auntie to everyone, caterer and amateur sleuth – finds herself investigating the death of a therapist at an exclusive celebrity rehab retreat.
The Maid meets Knives Out with a dash of Top Chef in the debut locked room culinary mystery set in a London cooking school by MasterChef semi-finalist and cookbook writer Orlando Murrin.
“Some people are natural dancers, others marvelous in bed, but—not wishing to boast—I’m good with a knife. Most chefs are.”
The Chester Square Cookery School in the heart of London offers students a refined setting in which to master the fine art of choux pastry and hone their hollandaise. True, the ornate mansion doesn’t quite sparkle the way it used to—a feeling chef Paul Delamare is familiar with these days. Worn out and newly broke, he’d be tempted to turn down the request to fill in as teacher for a week-long residential course, if anyone other than Christian Wagner were asking.
Christian is one of Paul’s oldest friends, as well as the former recipient of two Michelin stars and host of Pass the Gravy! Thanks to a broken arm, he’s unable to teach the upcoming session himself, and recruits Paul as stand-in. The students are a motley crew, most of whom seem more interested in ogling the surroundings (including handsome Christian) than learning the best ways to temper chocolate.
Yet despite his misgivings, Paul starts to enjoy imparting his extensive knowledge to the recruits—until someone turns up dead, murdered with a cleaver Paul used earlier that day to prep a pair of squabs. Did one of his students take the lesson on knife techniques too much to heart, or was this the result of a long-simmering grudge? In between clearing his own name and teaching his class how to perfectly poach a chicken, he’ll have to figure out who’s the killer, and avoid being the next one to get butchered . . .
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