Mysterious Saturday Review: Foreign Eclairs

 * Book 9 in the White House Chef Mystery series *

Strange events are happening to the White House staff. First a member takes personal time without an explanation. Ollie is mugged on the way home. Then there's news of a bombing of a federal prison - a prison in which a resident currently resides thanks to Ollie.

Soon it becomes clear that all three events are connected. Ollie's targeted in a revenge plot - someone wants her to pay. At first, the revenge plots start small, but quickly they escalate. Even Ollie isn't sure she's going to survive this one...

My Thoughts: I loved this series! This installment of the series reminds me of the show 24. I liked that every time they thought the revenge plot was finished, the book took another turn.  Lots of action, danger, and plot twists in this one. I devoured this book, not wanting to let go of the world and these characters. I needed to know what happened!

I liked how Gav and Ollie worked together to figure out and attempt to untangle this mess. 

As always, I love the background bits in the White House and I really enjoyed the search for a new chef. The interviews and candidates were entertaining. 

I really liked the scenes between Ollie and Josh. I like how she helped him and how he talked with his parents. I think being a kid/teen in White House would be very difficult. 

A wonderful series and as much as I want to know what happens next, I can imagine too.

Cover Thoughts: Love them
Source: Book sent for Review

For news about the series that's hard (but understanding to read) - here's the author to explain about the Ollie's future.

Final Thoughts: Reading this series is like getting together with old friends. I shall be very sad next January without them.

Mysterious Saturday Review: All the President's Menus

* Book 8 in the White House Chef Mystery series *

Things have been quiet in the White House lately - a little too quiet for Olivia's taste.  So it's not surprise that she's happy (even though a little surprised) that visit to welcome the first woman Presidential candidate from Saardisca is still on - including hosting four top chefs.

Now the kitchen's humming with noise as the chefs attempt to learn from each other. The foreign chefs aren't used to working for a woman nor do they believe the truth about the events the kitchen's hosted. Culturally very different, Olivia's having a tough time hosting.

Things get worse when the pastry chef collapses.  He calls Olivia later, he thinks he might have been drugged. Marcel asks her to look into the matter - could it be someone in her kitchen?

My Thoughts: I adore this series for so many reasons. First the setting is amazing and I love learning more about the White House. The food always makes me want to cook up something fabulous. Plus I would LOVE a tour of the chocolate and pastry rooms!  The favorite secondary characters provide banter, comic relief, and tension.

In this addition to the series, I like how Ollie and Bucky attempt to share their knowledge with four nationally known chefs - but the reactions from the chefs themselves are priceless. They don't believe in working for a woman. They don't believe the White House hosts such elaborate events. They don't believe in taking time away from work. I'm impressed by how Ollie keeps her cool under these conditions and tries to show patience while learning about their culture. The differences between cultures were fascinating and I wonder if there are cultures who see American in this light. 


Ollie and Gav talk about their future and I can see this spinning into a whole different direction for the series - which would still be charming.

Cover Thoughts: Great!
Source: My Library

Overall Thoughts: Sink your teeth into this series, if you haven't done so already!

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Mysterious Saturday Review: Home of the Braised

* White House Chef Mystery Series #7 * 

Ollie and her staff are busy pulling together a last minute state dinner for the beginning of peace talks with the country of Durasi.  They're trying to make it work - even with the unhelpness of Virgil. It's an important dinner and Ollie won't do anything put the dinner in jeopardy.

Unforgettably, she has some personal troubles. While trying to visit a friend of Gav's, they come across a gruesome murder scene. The scene's being take care of by the Secret Service, but there's something not right about it all. 

As the days lead up to the dinner, it's clear that people are unhappy at the prospect of it. A group of U.S.-hired mercenaries are about to be recalled and redistributed to other regions or terminated. The Secretary of Defense is found murdered in his home.

As rumors swirl and the people are told half-truths, it's hard to know who to trust anymore...

My Thoughts: I Love this series and Home of the Braised is a great addition to the series - I love the politics and the inside look at the White House. I love the planning of State dinners and seeing how the kitchen staff comes together to create meals. I loved the personal story between Gav and Ollie - especially how it turned out. I love Ollie for her intelligence, her fast thinking, her ability to help out and keep calm in a crisis, and her loyalty. The stakes are high and the plot twists make this book hard to put down.

Cover Thoughts: Love it
Source: My Library

Mysterious Saturday Review: Fonduing Fathers

** White House Chef Mystery Series #6 **

Ollie's learned a detail about her father's life. She brings Gav home in hopes of learning more from her mother. Her father died when she was young. She doesn't know the details surrounding his death.

She didn't know he was dishonorably discharged from the army, nor that he was murdered. After his death, he was accused of selling company secrets.  Ollie can't believe that about her father. She knows him to be honorable. There must be another explanation. Her mother doesn't have any more answers, but Ollie's not about to let that get in her way.

Back in Washington, she's eager to learn the truth. She and Gav research the company, learning a little information. She finds two workers for the company, her father's Army friend, and a friend of Gav's. She hopes that one of them can help her. What she doesn't know is she might be stirring up trouble after all these year, trouble that someone wants deeply buried.

My Thoughts: I LOVE this series. I loved learning more about Ollie's past, meeting her family, and seeing her childhood home. This book was different as the murder happens in the past. That doesn't mean there's not a sense of urgency, but there is a different feeling to the book. Most of the book takes place outside the White House, as Ollie's on vacation. However, she does come in for a few special events, with the President's son.  I loved the side story with Josh wanting to learn how to be a chef. I find him adorable. Plus, those moments bring his parents more into the books, adding to the look at every day life in the White House. I love the politics behind the scenes and seeing the White House from the kitchen's point of view. Ollie and Gav had some touching moments and I enjoyed watching their relationship unfold. I admit that the ending of this book made me tear up and then wish for the next installment of this fabulous series immediately!

Cover Thoughts: Great!

 Source: My Library

Mysterious Saturday Review: Affairs of Steak

In a joint effort with Peter Sargeant, Olivia begins work on a birthday party for the Secretary of State. The First Lady has high hopes that the party will smooth over relations between the two political parties.

Things take a wrong turn when upon checking out the party venues, Olivia and Peter come across two bodies. Both have been murdered and both have connections to the White House.

Olivia heads home, but immediately becomes suspicious of two individuals. Before she knows it, she's swept into more drama. She's happy to get home and relax.

However, she won't be relaxing for long. With the murder of the First Lady's staff, Olivia and Peter become the official party planners. They must coordinate everything while dealing with suspicious family members, meddling co-workers, a chatty self-absorbed usher, and White House politics.

Will the murders ruin the party?

My Thoughts: I adore this series! I love the glimpse of the inner workings of the White House. I love the cooking and the food prep in the kitchen. I liked the potential romance between Olivia and Gav. I thought her dealings with Tom were amusing. I found Peter both highly annoying and amusing. I can't wait to see all these relationships develop more. This is one of my favorite mystery series and I can't wait to devour more!

Cover Thoughts: Cute, I love the shadow

Source: Purchased

Mysterious Saturday Review: Buffalo West Wing

Ollie's day with the new first family doesn't go well. As head chef, she rules the kitchen. When a box of chicken wings appear in the kitchen without going through the proper channels of protocol, Ollie refuses to let them be served.

When her assistant delivers the chicken wings to the laundry room for a late night snack, several laundry room workers and butlers become deathly ill. They're immediately rushed to the hospital. When terrorists take over the hospital, things in the White House become tense.

Secret Service launches an investigation. Ollie tries to keep out of the plot, but fails miserably.

On top of the terrorist plot against the new First Family, who isn't apprised of the situation, Ollie must deal with heat from the First Lady. She's not pleased her children were denied their gift. She brings in her personal chef to prepare all the family meals. Ollie's worried her job might be in jeopardy.

My Thoughts: This is the fourth book in the White House Chef series. Ollie commands her kitchen and her sharp observations command the attention of the Secret Service. Ollie and her assistant Cyan are both newly single. Cyan decides they both need a little romance in their lives. Ollie deals with juggling work issues, a threat to her job, keeping her kitchen operational in times of a crisis all while trying to understand the new First Family. The plots of the terrorists take twists and turns adding lots of danger. The action packed final climax leaves me breathless. I devoured this book. I couldn't stop reading, I HAD to know what happened.

Cover Thoughts: I love the cover for these novels!

Source: My Library

Up Next: The second book in her new series starting with Grace Under Pressure (Manor of Murder series). Grace Interrupted will be out in June. I'm looking forward to the latest installment