Murder Makes an Entree: A Victorian Whodunit [Hardcover]

Amy Myers (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1996

When chef Didier becomes the chief suspect in the murder of Sir Throgmorton after he suddenly dies during a banquet, Inspector Egbert Rose of Scotland Yard enters the case and prepares a search to find the real culprit, solve the crime, and clear the chef's good name.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Likely to satisfy few appetites, Myers's (Murder at the Masque) Victorian mystery features French chef Auguste Didier who is conducting a cooking course for six apprentices at Broadstairs on the English seaside. He can't pass up a chance for his little school to prepare the banquet for the Society of Literary Lionizers, convening there with the Prince of Wales. Didier is dismayed that the dishes must pertain to the works of the 1899 honoree, Charles Dickens, who championed plain cooking. But worse occurs when the chairman of the Society dies and Didier's gourmet meal seems to be the cause. The presence of the Prince of Wales commands the involvement of Scotland Yard, and fortunately, the chef's old friend, Inspector Egbert Rose of Scotland Yard, is vacationing with his wife nearby. Rose and Didier find a plethora of suspects in the acrimonious Society committee, all of whose members have had recent run-ins with the chairman, and the cooking school pupils, each of whom also had a tie with the dead man. Rife with Dickensian puns and references, this tale may nourish some literary and gourmet perusers, but it starves mystery fans. (Aug.) Science Fiction & Fantasy
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Cooking school instructor Auguste Didier and Inspector Egbert Rose, a Scotland Yard detective, join forces to solve a murder in a Victorian seaside resort. Members of a literary society, fed by Didier and his students and honored by the presence of Prince Albert, watch in alarm as their chairman succumbs to poison. Didier hastens to deflect attention from himself and his gourmet creations by locating the murderer. Minor squabbles arising from two sets of characters add spice to this stew of pert Victorian manners, witty asides, and royal pretensions.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 279 pages
• Publisher: St Martins Pr (August 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312143761
• ISBN-13: 978-0312143763
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.8 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,284,789 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The reluctant detective, October 28, 2003

By 

L O'connor (richmond, surrey United Kingdom) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Murder Makes an Entree: A Victorian Whodunit (Hardcover)

I was surprised to read the rather lukewarm editorial reviews for this series, I think they're alot of fun. Auguste Didier, a French Chef who loves English cooking, just wants to be left in peace to get on with his cooking, but keeps getting involved in murders, much against his will. In this instalment he is in the seaside resort of Broadstairs, preparing a banquet for a metting of literary Lions celebrating the life of Charles Dickens (Broadstairs is full of Dickens associations). One of the guests at the banquet unexpectedly expires, and poor Auguste is dragged into the mystery. Luckily Inspector Rose of Scotland Yard is holidaying in nearby Ramsgate, so he is on hand to help Auguste solve the crime. This is a very amusing series with likeable characters and lots of interesting period detail, I'm sorry they don't seem to be better liked.