State of the Onion (White House Chef Mysteries, No. 1) [Mass Market Paperback]

Julie Hyzy (Author)

Book Description

Release date: January 2, 2008

Introducing White House Assistant Chef Olivia Paras, who is rising-and sleuthing-to the top.

Includes recipes for a complete presidential menu! Never let them see you sweat-that's White House Assistant Chef Olivia Paras's motto, which is pretty hard to honor in the most important kitchen in the world. She's hell-bent on earning her dream job, Executive Chef. There's just one thing: her nemesis is vying for it, too. Well, that and the fact that an elusive assassin wants to see her fry.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

White House Assistant Chef Olivia Paras—you can call her Ollie—faces challenges aplenty: a heated competition for the soon-to-be-vacant top chef's job, the sneering antagonism of the president's newly appointed sensitivity director and, of course, the mysterious intruder she unwittingly stops on the White House lawn with a couple of swift blows from a frying pan—an unarmed man with news of a threat to the president. Though the Secret Service disapproves of her interference, Ollie soon takes on the mantel of amateur sleuth, which could endanger not only her life but her cozy relationship with handsome Secret Service Agent Thomas MacKenzie. The tension mounts as the president negotiates a major peace plan for the Middle East, Ollie stumbles on the path of a nearly invisible enemy known as the Chameleon, and obnoxious TV celebrity chef Laurel Anne Braun shows up to threaten Ollie's career. Hyzy (Deadly Interest) launches her White House Chef Mystery series with a compulsively readable whodunit full of juicy behind–the–Oval Office details, flavorful characters and a satisfying side dish of red herrings—not to mention 20 pages of easy-to-cook recipes fit for the leader of the free world. (Jan.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Berkley (January 2, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425218694
• ISBN-13: 978-0425218693
• Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 0.9 x 6.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (61 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #54,608 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Julie Hyzy is the New York Times bestselling author of the White House Chef Mysteries and the Manor House Mysteries. She's won the Anthony, Barry, Derringer, and Lovey Awards for her novels and short stories. Her first Manor House Mystery, Grace Under Pressure, earned a Starred Review from Publishers Weekly. Julie loves to read, eat out, and watch old movies and TV shows with her husband and three daughters.

She's one of three authors (along with Deb Baker and Lorraine Bartlett) who make up The Story Sisters. Visit them on their Facebook page: www.facebook.com/thestorysisters3

MANOR HOUSE MYSTERIES
Grace Under Pressure
Grace Interrupted
Grace Among Thieves
Grace Takes Off

WHITE HOUSE CHEF MYSTERIES
State of the Onion
Hail to the Chef
Eggsecutive Orders
Buffalo West Wing
Affairs of Steak
Fonduing Fathers

Originally published in hardcover books now available on KINDLE:
Artistic License (standalone romantic suspense)
Deadly Blessings (first in Alex St. James series)
Deadly Interest (second in Alex St. James series)

Also on KINDLE
Short Story Collection, Volume 1
Writing Dialogue
Deadly Shorts, Alex St. James short stories

Available on KINDLE - under the N.C. Hyzy pseudonym (decidedly less cozy!):
Playing With Matches
Mystery Short Stories, Volume 1
Tracer's Blues

And, under the S.F. Hyzy pseudonym - Science Fiction shorts
Science Fiction Short Stories, Volume 1

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 30 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars A pleasurable read May 6, 2008

By alpha_grrl VINE™ VOICE

Format:Mass Market Paperback

Sometimes, with genre fiction such as mysteries, all I really expect is to not feel irritated by anything as I read the book. I want the writing, the plotting and the characters to be written with an accomplished enough hand that I can lose myself in the story instead of cursing as I encounter something that interrupts the flow. "State of the Onion" gets full marks for not having any annoying stumbles. The White House kitchen is a fresh and interesting setting and a new twist on the cooking mystery angle. The writing and especially the character development is better than I've found in some other long running, popular mystery series and that is very refreshing. I liked "State of the Onion" and will read more in the series. I think the author is well on her way to creating a good series that will get even better.

25 of 27 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars good fun March 10, 2008

By M. S. Butch VINE™ VOICE

Format:Mass Market Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Despite the 3 star rating, I really enjoyed this book. The three stars is on a comparative basis. The most interesting feature of the book is the White House kitchen setting. Most of us have probably not ever thought about the White House Kitchen, and Ms. Hyzy makes it very interesting. On the negative side, there wasn't much to the plot - we read on because we enjoy the characters and the setting. Finally, no one else has mentinged it, but I really disliked Ollie's super-bossy FBI boyfriend, who basically threatened to break up with her because she didn't automatically do what he told her to do. Hope Ollie gets rid of him.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Cooked up a good mystery January 18, 2008

By Armchair Interviews

Format:Mass Market Paperback

Olivia "Ollie" Paras is the White House Assistant Chef, a job that she loves but she'd also love to be promoted to Executive Chef since her boss is retiring. There are just a couple of problems: first, the other candidate for the job is a TV chef and Ollie's least favorite person, and second, Ollie accidentally got involved in stopping a man fleeing the Secret Service and now it appears Ollie is in danger.

Tom, Ollie's Secret Service boyfriend, tries to convince Ollie to stay out of the mystery of the fleeing man and let the Secret service do their job-but Ollie's curiosity keeps putting her right in the middle of things. Will Ollie's involvement in the mystery spell the end of her relationship with Tom, or even worse, cost her the job of Executive Chef? When Ollie figures out that she is the only person alive who can identify an international assassin, will she even live long enough to be offered her dream job?

I have really enjoyed several "culinary" mystery series but I think this is my favorite. State of the Onion by Julie Hyzy is the first book of a new White House Chef Mystery series, and this series is off to a wonderful start. This isn't just a book for people who like the mixture of recipes, cooking, and a mystery-this is a first-rate thriller that is filled with interesting tidbits of Presidential history, White House trivia, and of course cooking tips and secrets.

Ollie, the main character in State of the Onion, is intelligent, curious, ambitious, tenacious and fun. I would love to know her personally. Several wonderful secondary, support characters help round out the story too. Tom, Ollie's Secret Service boyfriend, is an interesting character although I wanted to kick him a time or two for being so stubborn and not being there when Ollie needed him.

State of the Onion is an exceptionally well done first book of a new series. Author Hyzy keeps the reader in suspense, entertained, and wanting more throughout the entire story. She is a talented author and one that will be on my favorite author list from this point forward. I can't wait for the next installment in this fantastic new series!

Armchair Interview says: Highly recommend this series to those who love a good mystery, whether you are interested in cooking or not.