Book Reviews

Anthony and Barry Award winning author Julie Hyzy dazzles again with Affairs of Steak. If there was any doubt, Hyzy clearly establishes herself as a master of the culinary mystery subgenre. Readers don't have to be fans of cozies or culinary mysteries to enjoy her enchanting White House Chef Mystery Series. Those who relish fun characters, fast paced action and plot twists that will keep readers guessing until the final exciting climax, will savor Affairs of Steak.

In the fifth installment of the series, White House Executive Chef Olivia Paras finds herself paired with her arch nemesis, Peter Sargeant. They are tasked to find the perfect venue for the first lady's upcoming birthday party for the Secretary of State. Instead, they find the bodies of two White House staff members in a D.C. restaurant kitchen, and the fun and skin tingling suspense begins.

Due to her past involvement with matters far beyond duties normally performed by the White House chef, and with a new boss she's still figuring out, Olivia is determined to avoid getting involved with the investigation. In spite of her best intentions, she's thrown into the middle of the case when she and Sargeant become targets of the ongoing plot that killed her colleagues. To her dismay, she finds herself working closely with Peter as they depend on each other to save their jobs and their lives.

Even more troubling, when the Secret Service insists on protecting her, Olivia's personal life grows increasingly complicated. Her romantic past with an agent threatens to destroy the new clandestine love of her life. But not even the Secret Service can keep her safe, and only her pluck, grit and courage keep her and Sargeant from becoming the next victims of a deadly plot.

Julie Hyzy's Affairs of Steak weaves another fascinating, behind the scenes culinary mystery. Like a well-planned banquet, the intrigue incorporates multilayered characters with a dash of political intrigue, a splash of spicy romance and a simmering plot that leaves readers fully satisfied while looking forward to the next White House Chef Mystery.