Appetite For Violets

by Martine Bailey

That's how it is for us servants. No one pays you much heed; mostly you're invisible as furniture. Yet you overhear a conversation here, and add a little gossip there. A writing desk lies open and you cannot help but read a paper. Then you find something, something you should not have found. Irrepressible Biddy Leigh, under-cook at forbidding Mawton Hall, only wants to marry her childhood sweetheart and set up her own tavern. But when her elderly master marries the young Lady Carinna, Biddy is unwittingly swept up in a world of scheming, secrets and lies. Forced to accompany her new mistress to Italy, Biddy takes with her an old household book of recipes, The Cook's Jewel, in which she records her observations. When she finds herself embroiled in a murderous conspiracy, Biddy realises that the secrets she holds could be the key to her survival - or her downfall ...

Genres: Historical Fiction, Mystery, Fiction, Historical, Romance, 18th Century, British Literature

Paperback

First published December 2, 2013

About the author

Martine is a writer and keen reader who enjoys crime, mysteries and the gothic. After writing four acclaimed historical novels she has created a chilling new crime series comprising Sharp Scratch and Isolation Ward, both set in northern England in the 1980s.

After studying English Literature while playing in bands on the Manchester music scene she worked as a hospital personnel officer and qualified in psychometric testing. Over her career she assessed staff for Ashworth top security psychiatric hospital and completed an MSc on the ‘Psychic Prisons’ that can trap medical staff in negative behaviours.

Martine’s debut, An Appetite for Violets, takes sharp-witted cook Biddy Leigh on a murderous trip to Italy. Fay Weldon described its mix of crime, gastronomy and history, as a new genre, the ‘culinary gothic’. It was a Booklist top ten crime fiction debut of the year. The Penny Heart (A Taste for Nightshade in the US) is a Sunday Times Best Summer Read that draws on cooking, trickery and revenge. The stars, riddles and murder align in The Almanack, a historical mystery featuring fifty authentic riddles. In its sequel, The Prophet, destiny and murder weave an intricate web around Tabitha’s new life.

Martine’s influences include Ruth Rendell, Sarah Waters and the gothic tradition. She is married with one son and lives in Chester, UK.

Follow Martine at:
http://www.martinebailey.com
https://twitter.com/MartineBailey
https://www.facebook.com/MartineBaile...

Reviews

[Diane S ☔ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 the novel begins in 1772, when Biddy Leigh the 22 year old under cook at Mawton Manor is all set to marry her sweetheart Jem. Cooking is her passion and her ambition is to open her own place and prepare the food she wants to make. All the changes when they get word that their elderly master has married a much younger Lady Carina, who shortly descends on the manor.

What follows is an adventure, as Lady Carina takes Biddy on a mad romp to Italy. Of course things are not as straightforward as they seem, and there are plots, and betrayals a plenty to keep this story interesting. The atmosphere, awareness of time and place in very well done but it is the estimable Biddy that steals the day. She manages to stay basically unflappable in spite of some serious and nefarious doings. She is a character that brings humor, courage and affection to the most unbelievable occurrences. A fun novel, with some mystery, and an ode to the passion for food. Each chapter opens with a recipe from the time period, they ate some mightily complicated dishes.

The opening scene from this novel really drew me in quickly, it was so creepy and I couldn't help but keep reading to see what happened to cause a scene such as this. Good fun, reminded me a bit of Moll Flanders.

ARC from NetGalley

[MaryannC Victorian Dreamer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ah, a delicious and delectable tale of Biddy Leigh, an under cook with a heart of gold at crumbling Mawton Hall.
Descriptive, engrossing with a cast of characters that add to the enjoyment of this fantastic read. Can't wait for her next book, Penny Heart.

[Aditi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Michael Foley, an English author, has quoted about "servants" as:

“The perfect servant is the one who attends to all the master's whims - anyone can do that - but the one who anticipates the whims.”

Martine Bailey, another English author, has penned her debut novel named, An Appetite For Violets about the miserable lives of servants and how sometimes, by a simple stroke of luck, they are born with a new identity.

Synopsis:
“That's how it is for us servants. No one pays you much heed; mostly you're invisible as furniture. Yet you overhear a conversation here, and add a little gossip there. Then you find something, something you should not have found.”
Irrepressible Biddy Leigh, under-cook at the foreboding Mawton Hall, only wants to marry her childhood sweetheart and set up her own tavern. But when her elderly master marries the young Lady Carinna, Biddy is unwittingly swept up in a world of scheming, secrets, and lies. Forced to accompany her new mistress to Italy, she documents her adventures and culinary discoveries in an old household book of recipes, The Cook's Jewel. Biddy grows intrigued by her fellow travelers, but her secretive and unconventional mistress is the most intriguing of all.
In London Biddy finds herself attracted to her mistress's younger brother. In France she discovers her mistress's dark secret. At last in Italy, Biddy becomes embroiled in a murderous conspiracy, knowing the secrets she holds could be a key to a better life, or her downfall.
Inspired by eighteenth-century household books of recipes and set at the time of the invention of the first restaurants, An Appetite for Violets is a literary feast for lovers of historical fiction. Like Jo Baker’s Longbourn, it opens a window into the fascinating lives of servants, while also delivering a suspenseful tale of obsession and betrayal.

Bailey's debut novel is brilliant which involves not only pain, but also involves an unraveling mystery, and lots of delicious 18th century recipes. Bailey has made her readers see through the miserable lives of servants in the 18th century, when servants were treated like a filthy dog on the street. Biddy Leigh, a.k.a, 'Obedience' Leigh is a under-cook in the Mawton Hall, serving her old master Sir Geoffrey. Biddy had a passion for cooking ingenious dishes for the household. But when her old master gets married to a young mistress named Lady Carinna, Biddy's life changes forever. Since Lady Carinna, a very delightful, yet sad character, took a liking for Biddy's creative cooking skills, the young mistress suddenly requested biddy to travel with her to France for her good health away from the cold, bitterly, English winter. And in the whole journey, the author makes us realize that being a human; we can still be so cruel and inhumane towards our servants.

But rather than her striking characters, I think Martine Bailey is the one who won my heart right away. Let me tell you how she represented her compelling historical story!
From the very first page, the author has introduced us with the 18th century recipes, antidotes, quick-tips for health, skin, antiseptic, health drinks and many, many more. Along with Biddy and Carinna's journey to the south, the author has guided her readers along with a food guide book all through the last chapter.

The plot is not only intriguing, but also very scintillating and with lots of mystery here and there, it makes the plot simply enchanting. The author has not only taken her readers back into time, but has also taken us into a whole new world and she has laid out those details very intricately. It's not only that I could smell the delicious food prepared inside the Mawton hall, but also I can almost see the whole story unfolding right in front of my eyes. And it was a thoroughly enlightening read for me! I got to see the then sociopolitical scenario of Europe, cultural aspect, and also learned the language and behavior of that period.

The characters felt like the author has taken them out right from the pages of some history books. From their demeanor to their insecurities to their livelihood, everything about those brilliant characters only makes the book more interesting and delightful.

There also a budding love-story, but that’s the spoiler part, I can't divulge anything about Biddy's love-life. You must read it, since it's so enchanting, just like a fairytale, yet very dangerous.

Verdict: A must read historical saga about servants and their masters filled with guilt, intrigue, passion, food and love.

Courtesy: I'd like to thank Laura Macdougall from Hodder & Stoughton publishing house, for sending me over a review copy of this book.

[Lyuda · Rating 4 out of 5]

The opening scene grabbed my attention right away and there is no way I wouldn’t immerse in the story just to find out what happened.

Like an ambitious recipe, the novel has many different ingredients: adventure, mystery, romance and gothic suspense. It is a geographical and gastronomical journey from Cheshire, England to Florence, Italy with a memorable and lively narrator Biddy Leigh. She is an under-cook at the Mawton Hall, whose dreams of settling down with her sweetheart had to be postponed by her new mistress's plans to travel to Italy. The trip sweeps Biddy into a world of scheming, secrets, and lies. And that is where I stop as saying more would spoil the plot.

I loved Biddy. Her spirits are infectious, her loyalty is admirable, and her drive to succeed is unstoppable.

The author beautifully captures the feel of the 18th century. The pace of the story is slow at times but I never lost interest. As it develops, the plot thickens and becomes more disturbing and twisted. And the very last twist made me gasp.

Much of the narrative revolves around food and cooking. Each chapter starts with what appears to be a random recipe or a cure of the times but they are not random- they are integral part of the story.

I'm amazed to find out that this is Ms. Bailey's debut. She's definitely the author to watch.

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

An intriguing title, a lovely cover, a promise of history and mystery gave me high hopes for ‘An Appetite for Violets’, and I am pleased to say that they were met. More than met.

The opening sets up the story beautifully.

A man arrives at a villa in Tuscany, looking for his sister, the lady of the house. But she is gone; her whole household is gone; only her little dog, the dog he knows she never would have abandoned, remains. Downstairs he finds a dining table is laid for a feast. He climbs the stairs, fearful of what he might find. But all he finds is a mannequin, clad in a lovely pink dress, and an envelope. He opens the envelope and a fabulous ruby falls out.

I had to find out what had happened, what led up to that extraordinary scene.

A few months earlier Biddy Leigh had been an under-cook at Mawton Hall. I liked her from the moment we met: she was bright, she was curious, she was capable, she loved what she did, and her future was full of promise. She was going to marry her young man, and they were going to run a tavern together.

Biddy didn’t know it, but her life was going to change.

The widowed master of the house brought home a new, young bride. Lady Carinna was spoiled, temperamental and horribly demanding. She had her eye on Biddy for some reason, and she often called her to her side. When Lady Carinna decided to travel to her uncle’s estate in Italy she decided than Biddy would be in her retinue. It wasn’t what Biddy wanted, but her young man told her that they needed the five guineas that she would earn for their future, and it was only for a year. She knew that she had to go.

Biddy was thrilled when Mrs Garland, the cook who had guided and taught her, entrusted her with ‘The Cook’s Jewel.’ It was a journal that had been written in by generations of cooks; an extraordinary anthology of recipes and knowledge. The contents of that book were scattered through the story; recipes from the past and recipes that Biddy learned on her journey across Europe. It was a lovely, lovely touch, and oh how I wish I could have a copy of ‘The Cook’s Jewel’ to keep with my copy of ‘An Appetite for Violets.’

It was clear from the start that Lady Carinna was a schemer, but it took time for her plans for Biddy to become clear. At first I thought I was a step ahead, that I could see what she couldn’t. But she caught on, and she held her end up brilliantly. But she didn’t see all of the consequences, and neither did I.

I loved Biddy’s voice, and there were other voices too, and they opened out the story. There was Mr Pars, the butler, who had nobody who could talk to, but who could share his feelings in his letters to his bother. And there was Loveday, a black slave who had been torn away from his wife and children on a remote island. He and Biddy became friends; she was the only one who was interested in his story, who treated him with respect, who called him Mr Loveday.

Some very clever plotting explained just how that opening scene came to be, with lovely twists and turns, marvellous drama, and lots of lovely details. After that, the story moved forward to a very fine ending. It was unexpected and it was exactly right.

I loved the storytelling: the voices were distinctive, the period touches were lovely, and the story was captivating. There’s a lot more than history and mystery, but this is too good a book for me to spoil for anyone else. It’s a lovely, it’s distinctive, it’s full of interest, and it’s told with just the right amount of verve. The author’s love of her story and everything in it shone from the pages.

I can understand that: she’s written a fabulous first novel!

[Martine Bailey]

The story of An Appetite for Violets: A Novel began when I was inspired by a kitchen at an English country house called Erddig Hall, near Chester. It has a beautiful kitchen built in the 1700s with arched Venetian windows and a scratched wooden table and lots of beautiful copper moulds. But more importantly it has a collection of eighteenth century recipes.
Some of these recipes were cook’s working papers, while others were leather-bound collections that would have been given to women on their first getting married. In an An Appetite for Violets I wanted to give my young cook-heroine a recipe collection and then cast her adrift on a mysterious journey across England, France and the Alps to Italy.
In part the novel is an historical travelogue (I used a 1760 Guide book to the Grand Tour and visited most of the locations) and it is also a mystery story. Another inspiration was the true story of Georgiana: Duchess of Devonshire and her friend and rival Lady Elizabeth Foster. I came across a footnote about their strategy to hide unwanted pregnancies by disappearing abroad for a long tour and returning as if nothing had happened. This started me thinking about Biddy’s mistress, Lady Carinna, and the risks and realities of life for an immoral young adventuress.
I have set an authentic recipe to preface each chapter because I am fascinated by the way historic food guided women through different rites of passage through life – from hot drinks or caudles when they gave birth, sweetstuffs for festivals and bride cakes for marriage. And when I looked at some of the Old Bailey trials it became apparent how easy it was for women, the traditional poisoners, to adulterate foods without being caught, before the invention of forensic science. But one thing that stays with me when I look at early recipes is how they conjure that moment when a person tasted a dish and felt such powerful pleasure they wanted to use precious ink and paper to write it down as a gift for future cooks.
So why is the book called An Appetite for Violets? The fashion of the time was very much for floral flavours in confectionery, so we find a great deal of rosewater, jasmine and honeysuckle. Also in the novel violet stands for a Parisian spangled dress and a recipe for violet pastilles. But I also think there is something about the flavour of violets that is slightly sickly and unsettling. To quote from the book: ‘There is something of burned blackened sugar, of overcooked sweetness in their pulsing fragrance.’ So to me the taste is something corrupt that stands at the heart of this gothic mystery.
I hope you enjoy this rich historical mystery and get a flavour of a romantic but desperate era, when young women like Biddy and Carinna had to live by their wits. I adored writing it and hope you like it too.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bailey’s first book is lively, well-researched historical fiction, seasoned with mystery and culinary tradition. Biddy Leigh, vivacious 22-year-old undercook at Mawton Hall, Cheshire, has humble dreams: mastering the recipes in her treasured handbook, A Cook’s Jewel, and someday opening a tavern with her sweetheart Jem. Meanwhile she wishes she could make perfect violet pastilles to please her new mistress, Lady Carinna. Everything changes when Lady Carinna announces her sudden departure for Tuscany, accompanied only by a few servants. As Biddy picks up new recipes and snippets of languages en route through France and Italy, she remains curious as to the purpose of Lady Carinna’s journey - and uneasy about her own role in it.

The novel opens in 1772 and is told primarily through Biddy’s journal entries plus letters and historical recipes. The (rare) third-person narration is usually from the perspective of Loveday, Lady Carinna’s Indonesian footman. This strategy of revealing below-stairs reality through the servants’ distinctive, dialect-filled voices is reminiscent of Jo Baker’s Longbourn. Bailey also participates in a recent trend for food-themed historical fiction, alongside N.M. Kelby’s White Truffles in Winter and Philip Kazan’s Appetite, another novel that features elaborate Italianate feasts. Fans of Sarah Waters and Jane Harris will find much to enjoy here.

Alternating between the vivid settings of England, Italy, and the exotic islands of Loveday’s memory, Bailey weaves a suspenseful plot far more sophisticated than the bare facts of scandal, mistaken identity and poisoning might suggest. A delicious debut.

[MomToKippy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am excited about any book that presents me with a map at the outset. I know I am in store for some travel adventure. Even better that this is a gothic romantic mystery seasoned with historical recipes throughout that tie into the story. And the icing on the cake here is a generous helping of humor along the way.

As the story unfolds, it becomes more and more complex and mysterious. Told from the perspective of an undercook in the late 1700s, Biddy is a delightful character that one can not help but adore. She is thrown into all kinds of scrapes but continues to shine. Another wonderful character was Mr. Loveday, a South Pacific islander who was kidnapped from his home by English traders and sold as a slave and is now a footman in the same household. Several chapters dedicated to his history and thoughts are absolutely enchanting. The writing in these portions is especially magical. I would love to see Bailey write an entire book in this voice. I loved that some characters become more and more endearing along the way while others gradually reared their ugly heads.

Though not perfect, it is very well done without being trite and so much fun to immerse oneself in. The last portions of the book were a little wanting but ok. But the humor and dimensional characters raise this to another level.

Love historical foodie fiction because we are taken another level deeper into the cultural experience of the place and time!

[Jeanette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is this book flawless? Not completely. But my enjoyment of this saucy tale is certainly 5 star. And completely exceptional for the category of crossover genre. It's certainly historical fiction and yet chick lit to a degree. But entails a mystery and surrounds a good deal of cook book.

It all adds up to be absolutely delightful and even more surprisingly entrenched square within the period.

As opposed to other current fare in these modes, this Biddy is pure late 18th century. She has mores, sensibilities, class identity, conscience and pride of her place and time. And it doesn't hurt either that she is never faultless, but precisely Biddy nervy.

Knowing nothing about this author nor the book's subject- never even reading one review before it fell to me, I had not an inkling of expectation that this would entice me completely for 3 days. Not as a tear jerker or a victim's voicing, nor another descendant's search for some history towards a quest or legacy of inherited treasure. (I believe there must be 500 of those a year in English right now.) No, not an inherited clue or treasure promised toward an erudite plot here. Nothing but original humans coming alive in the printed word, living the fortune's wheel of 18th century life and health.

It's a woman's tale. It's good. And it inspires me to take a comfort day of making soups and savories. Its certain fault is that it ties the ends more neatly than they would be tied in life, and that the beginning is a trifle confusing toward the more stronger tones of the food progressions. But in its category, tone, nuance of connection absolutely lovely. Also recommended for those who love stories about friendship tested.

[Annette · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book weaves a story of a servant through her journal and of a supporting character, her ladyship through her letters and of a steward and a footman.

The voice of the main character is very sharp, which I enjoyed the most. She is just a servant, but knows how to use her politeness for her advantage. She gets pulled into the world in which she feels uncomfortable and doesn’t understand the purpose of it at first. Her passion is cooking and her dream is of having her own place to display her talents.

There are a few chapters of third-person narration, involving the perspective of a footman; his thoughts and spirit drifting him back to his homeland; the cruelty that happened to him and his family and his longing of going back home. The way it is written is kind of gibberish, which I enjoyed the least.

Overall, I enjoyed the book, but it left me with a feeling of wanting a bit more to the story.

[Sandra Nedopričljivica · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ovu sam knjigu čitala 14 dana (tako kaže Goodreads) i to već sve govori. Nije me vukla na čitanje, morala sam se svaki put prisiliti kako bih išla dalje... a o tome kako se nisam mogla povezati s likovima, napisala bih svoju vlastitu priču.
Ovo je ipak priča (dnevnik) sluškinje i pomoćne kuharice Biddy Leigh koja će nam približiti događaje iz davnog 18. stoljeća dok je služila kod lady Carinne, mlade žene udane za starkelju (klasika u ono vrijeme).
Početak je stvarno obećavao. Carinnin brat dolazi u posjet svojoj sestri, kako bi pronašao praznu kuću, hranu i namještaj porazbacane svuda naokolo, u okruženju neizdrživog smrada. Sad očekuješ dobar zaplet i rasplet, a dobiješ šipak.
Likovi puno putuju, Biddy zapisuje svoje recepte (to je još OK iako nisu baš za iskoristiti), krenu spletke ali toliko su mlake i razbacane, izazivajući čitateljsku glavobolju. Možda se pitate ima li ljubičica. Ima, lady Carinna voli bombone od ljubičica. I to je to.
Kraj je malo popravio stvar iako više izgleda kao jedna od Andersenovih bajki. Zato dajem pozitivnu ocjenu.
I zbog naslovnice - prekrasne ljubičice i desert od šumskog voća!
Savjet: ako ste uzeli knjigu iz knjižnice, divite se naslovnici, onoliko vremena koliko vam odgovara a onda vratite knjigu u knjižnicu. Ako ste kupili knjigu, tu vam, nažalost, ne mogu pomoći.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Biddy Leigh, the lead character of Martine Bailey's debut novel, works as the under-cook at Mawton Hall in Cheshire in the 1770s. Adorning each chapter opening are the recipes she consults and writes in a household book she carries on her adventures.

Written by an award-winning amateur cook, An Appetite for Violets fits as “foodie fiction,” a mini-genre that compels reviewers to pull culinary metaphors out of their cupboards and serve them up for readers’ delectation. (See? It's almost too easy.) That said, while some books of this type can feel gimmicky, this is a full-fledged historical novel that presents late 18th-century England and Europe from a servant's viewpoint.

The roles of food as nourishment, entertainment, a reflection of social class, and a way to connect to women of the past are all gently spun into the story. It’s all topped off with a sweet romance and more than a touch of Gothic creepiness. The recipes themselves ("receipts," in period parlance) are the icing on the cake.

The plot takes the form of a Georgian-era road trip, and Biddy’s voice – good-natured, fresh, and full of colorful regionalisms – makes her an appealing guide. In one amusing example, revealing her family background, she says that her "old da... fancied himself a roaring dissenter, but all I ever saw him dissent from was a hard day’s work.” The action starts when her elderly master’s young second wife, Lady Carinna, shows up at Mawton alone and unannounced, then demands an escort to her uncle’s villa in Italy. “I reckon she brings only trouble here,” says Biddy, all too correctly.

Fashionable and fine-looking but with unorthodox habits, Lady Carinna’s a bit strange, but she likes Biddy’s cooking and Biddy herself – and orders her to come along and dish up good English fare along the way. Biddy forms a friendship with Mr Loveday, the footman, whose non-western background is highlighted. Smart and literate yet lonely, he’s a former warrior from Batavia who mentally escapes from the drudgery through dreams of his previous life. The servant’s lot is a lowly and demeaning one, that’s apparent, but from sophisticated Paris to the Alps of Savoy to the gloomy and aptly named Villa Ombrosa in Tuscany, ambitious Biddy keeps her good sense and finds new opportunities to up her culinary game.

Letters travel back and forth from others as their party heads south, which leave Mr Loveday and Biddy wondering about the true reasons behind their travels. The story remains absorbing throughout, and the suspense gradually increases as the story behind the ghastly scene in the prologue comes to light. This scrumptiously satisfying work will leave readers eagerly awaiting the author’s next fictional creation, foodie or otherwise.

An Appetite for Violets was published in January by St. Martin's Press ($26.99 US/Can, hb, 391pp). It was published in the UK by Hodder Paperbacks in January as well (£7.99). Thanks to the publisher for sending me an ARC at my request.

First published at Reading the Past.

[Rebecca Mascull · Rating 5 out of 5]

Martine Bailey’s first novel is a tour de force set in eighteenth-century Europe. Its heroine is plain-talking Biddy, an under-cook at an English mansion. We are brought into her world through a cookery journal named ‘The Cook’s Jewel’, full of recipes jotted down through the years by a succession of women. When a new mistress arrives at the house, Biddy is soon drawn into intrigue and the heart of a mystery, the roots of which are not fully revealed until the very end of the book. There are many other interesting characters in this story, some of whom contribute their own perspectives, through letters and viewpoint; in particular, a slave renamed Loveday from Batavia (present day Indonesia), whose memories of his homeland were particularly fascinating to this reader. This novel is about rulers and the ruled, cookery and the emergence of restaurants, sugar-craft, slavery, all kinds of love and companionship and also a great mystery story. The writing itself is beautifully fluent and quirky in its use of eighteenth-century parlance, yet this latter element was used charmingly and never overdone. It’s full of twists and turns with marvellous moments of drama and some super revelations I never saw coming! I’d recommend this novel to anyone wanting an insight into the period and a jolly good read with satisfying and very real depths.

[Suzanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love old recipes and this story revolves around them. The book is beautifully plotted and conceived. The late 1700s is such an interesting time period in terms of cooking, notions of class distinction and the burgeoning role of public spaces for formerly private activities. This is just a wonderful book with a mystery, a murder, a poisoning, some sexual shenanigans and financial misbehavior all wrapped into a traveling tale of food and lodging from England to Italy. I haven't enjoyed a book this much in quite awhile.

[Mari Carmen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesante novela de época, nos mantiene enganchad@s hasta el final.
Entrañable el señor Loveday y la protagonista nos hace pasar buenos ratos con sus maquinaciones y percances.

[Natalia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tenía este libro entre los miles (Sí, miles, en total unos tres mil libros) que están en mi Kindle, pero entre tantas otras lecturas, nunca encontraba un momento para leerlo, hasta este verano. Junto con la vida de Mary Wollstonecraft y Mary Shelley, este fue uno de mis primeros libros del año 2019 y lo más interesante es que al mismo tiempo se convirtió en una lectura conjunta con mi buena amiga Emma J. Care, ya que terminamos leyéndola al mismo tiempo y comentando nuestras impresiones, que me permitieron tener más de un punto de vista acerca de esta increíble novela.

La novela está situada entre Inglaterra, Francia e Italia, alrededor del año 1772, donde en una mansión en el campo británico, llamado Mawton Hall, vive la joven Biddy Leigh, quien trabaja en la cocina siendo la asistente de la Sra. Garland y que a través de un diario titulado “La joya de la cocinera” que ha pasado por generaciones, anota ahí todas las nuevas recetas que va descubriendo o aprendiendo. A pesar de las condiciones del lugar o de su misma situación, Biddy es feliz, soñando con casarse, formar una familia y abrir una taberna con Jem, un hombre con el que está prometida, descrito como atractivo, pero sin gracia alguna. Sin embargo, un acontecimiento cambiará su vida completamente, ya que hace su aparición la nueva y joven esposa de Sir Geoffrey, dueño del lugar, Lady Carinna, cuyo encuentro con Biddy ocasionará que deje todo aquello que conozca, para sumarse a un viaje entre Francia e Italia, como cocinera personal de Carinna y que estará lleno de incertidumbres, donde su visión de las cosas y su inocencia cambiará paulatinamente conforme comience a conocer la verdadera cara de aquellos que son sus patrones y se encuentre en medio de maquinaciones y conflictos de los que poco sabe, pero que también será un descubrimiento para la joven cocinera, ya que con cada nuevo lugar y nuevos aires, veremos como su diario se llenará de nuevas recetas que jamás antes hubiese podido conocer en su vida. El único amigo que encontrará en esta odisea será el señor Loveday, un hombre africano que fue capturado como esclavo, separado de su familia y su tribu, que en más de alguna ocasión ayudará a Biddy. La amistad entre ambos está muy bien narrada, aunque hubieron partes vagas o vacías acerca de Loveday, el único punto negativo del libro.

Recomiendo sin dudas este libro a todos los que busquen una buena historia, pero más a aquellos que son fans de las sagas al estilo “Downton Abbey”, por la relación entre criados y señores, siendo la perspectiva de los criados la más narrada, pero con un giro narrativo que solo servirá para pasar página tras páginas, porque el primer capítulo cumple con su objetivo de llamar la atención del lector y dejarnos en un suspenso que nos hará preguntarnos cómo ocurrieron los acontecimientos para encontrarnos con el inicio que se presenta.
Su edición es muy especial, ya que no solo contamos con el punto de vista de Biddy a pesar de que es la protagonista indiscutida, sino que también tenemos el de todos aquellos que rodean al grupo de viaje, lo que permite que vayamos conociendo sus motivaciones y sus secretos, junto con sus historias. Cada uno narrado de manera precisa que nos muestran sus profundidades como seres humanos y no solo como unos personajes de cartón. Claro que, si de personajes se trata, Biddy es uno de esos personajes tan bien escritos que nacieron para quedarse en el rincón de todos los lectores. Me gustó que no fuese descrita como una criada ignorante que se conforma con serlo sin buscar otra cosa, porque en las palabras de Biddy descubrimos a una joven que lucha por salir adelante, que sabe adaptarse y que tiene sueños y metas, pero, sobre todo, que es una mujer que piensa y aprende rápido, con una enorme humanidad en sus acciones que hace imposible no quererla. Sus interacciones con Carinna son las veces en que vemos el lado más vulnerable de su joven patrona, naciendo entre ellas una especie de amistad, en un mundo donde la verdadera amistad no existía y solo era un interés disfrazado por parte del resto.

Si hay algo que tuviese que lamentar es que los demás libros de Martine Bailey no estén traducidos al español o disponibles al alcance de la mano para leerlos, porque definitivamente, querré leer otro escrito por ella.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Biddy Leigh is young under-cook at Mawton Hall in 1773, where her ambitions are no higher than marriage to Jem Burdett and opening a local tavern. However, her plans and dreams are interrupted by the sudden arrival of a carriage one day, bearing Sir Geoffrey’s new young wife, Lady Carinna. No sooner has Lady Carinna arrived than she is eager to leave again, for her Uncle’s villa in Tuscany, taking the famous jewel belonging to the previous Mistress of the house, the ‘Mawton Rose,’ and as much money as she can gather with her. Obviously things are amiss and Mr Pars, Sir Geoffrey’s steward, vows to accompany her to protect his Master’s interests. Also included in the trip is her Lady’s Maid, Loveday the footman and an unwilling Biddy.

Biddy is told by the Cook, Mrs Garland, that marriage to local boy, and heavy drinker, Jem, would be a waste of her talents. She entrusts her with “The Cooks Jewel,” a cookbook kept by her previous Mistress, Lady Maria, which includes recipes, folklore and advice and tells Biddy that she will get a good position if she learns to cook in the French style. Lady Carinna also seems keen to include Biddy and tries to teach her to speak well and act more like a lady. Yet, why should Lady Carinna show such interest in an under-cook and why is she fleeing so shortly after her marriage?

This entertaining and interesting historical novel follows the band of travellers across the Continent to the Villa in Tuscany and shows what befalls the characters on the way. There are many secrets being kept, but Biddy and Lovelace do their best to protect each other. Lovelace is an interesting character – a man who has been captured as a slave and who dreams only of the tropical paradise and the family he has been forced to leave behind. Both he and Biddy are underestimated by their ‘betters’; while Biddy discovers that, far from being appreciated by those she serves, she is seen of little consequence and that those in charge are no less intelligent or worthwhile, regardless of titles or fine clothes.

The novel is interspersed with recipes and letters, which help tell the story from the point of view of all the characters, but it is Biddy who is central to the novel. Taken away from all she knows, manipulated, used, and often disregarded, she is always strong, loyal and trustworthy. There are plots, love affairs and tragedy along the way, in a novel which takes us from the English countryside, through London, to Paris and on to Italy. Good characters and interesting settings, as well as an intricate and involved plot, makes this a really enjoyable historical novel.

Lastly, I received a copy of the this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, for review.

[Yvonne Harlech · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel has a refreshing narrator in the form of Biddy Leigh – an opinionated, ambitious yet endearing 18th century under-cook who dreams of a better life. The book lives and breathes the Georgian period, with a touch of Gothic mystery. Biddy Leigh’s diary is full of colloquial idioms and keen observations about life and food, with personal comments about her mistress, Lady Carinna and her privileged yet oppressive world. The household embark on a Grand Tour of Europe, aptly described by Biddy Leigh who has never been out of England. But soon Biddy begins to realise all is not as it seems – her mistress is hiding a terrible secret... The sense of foreboding is echoed in the landscape as they leave the tranquil hills of England and travel through the dramatic Alps to the unpredictable heart of Italy. This is the perfect read for anyone who loves the 18th century, travel and cooking, with sharp-edged insights into class-conscious Britain, the relationship between mistress and servant and the historical recipes that bind them together.

[Jae · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delicious dream of a book. Adventure, romance and recipes.
For a first novel this is a great success, a thoroughly enjoyable read with many twists and turns - just as I like it.
Martine Bailey is definitely an author to watch out for.

[Cristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Una delicia de leer!

[Mecomenloslibros María Valero · Rating 2 out of 5]

En realidad 2,5/5.
El libro empieza muy bien, con un misterio a resolver y un salto atrás en el tiempo en el que te van contando qué ha sucedido. Creo que hay demasiada descripción y demasiadas hojas de relleno. La trama está muy bien, pero creo que no muy bien desarrollada.

[Barb · Rating 2 out of 5]

Biddy Leigh has been chosen to accompany her new mistress from England to Italy, few others from the household have been chosen, the rest have been given their leave. Biddy has been the under-cook in Sir Geoffrey's household, learning her skills under, Mrs. Garland, the cook. None among the staff quite understand how Sir Geoffrey came to marry the new "Lady Carinna" or why he has removed himself from England to his estate in Ireland, though it does seem odd.

Mrs. Garland gives Biddy 'The Cook's Jewels', a book that has receipts (recipes is what we call them now) that have been handed down over the years, so she can record the receipts for new dishes and desserts she learns to make in her travels. The book includes special holiday dishes, puddings, possets and remedies.

Loveday, Lady Carinna's footman, befriends Biddy and the two work together to understand the motivations of the others in the household, never getting a clear picture of events unfolding behind the scenes. Loveday has an interesting history, from the island of Batavia he dreams of returning home to his wife and son.

Miss Jesmire, Lady Carinna's maid, is bristling and jealous over the affection Carinna shows Biddy. Doing nothing to discourage the animosity, Biddy is proud of her ability to learn new tricks, mimic a gentlewoman's speech and pick up the French and Italian languages quickly.

The threads of these characters are woven together somewhat loosely. The reader knows there is more going on than meets the eye, but what and why? Secrets are revealed and shocking events unfold.

I enjoyed the protagonist, Biddy Leigh and her story, it's a good one, interesting and exciting. However I would have enjoyed it more if the pacing had been more taut and if the relationships between the characters had been fleshed out more. Biddy came to life for me but the other characters weren't as well developed. I enjoyed the thread of cooking the author wove through the story, especially the way it came together for Biddy at the end.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and the Amazon Vine program for the advanced reader copy given in exchange for an honest review.

[Vikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

I simply loved An appetite for Violets. This is one of the best books I've read in a long time. It also was different than anything I've read. This is a debut novel by Martine Bailey. I even learned a lot from the Acknowledgements at the end. Like- her former teacher reminded the author that she was writing this story at the age of ten and needed to get it finished! Bailey had Biddy speak in a Lancashire dialect remembered from the author's late grandfather's reminiscences.
The story is that of Biddy, an under-cook at the great Mawton Hall. The inspiration for this story was the true story of Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire (the great, great, great, great grandmother of Princess Diana). Biddy has many adventures that took her from London to Florence. This story takes place from 1773 - 1778.
Much of the story revolves around food and cooking. During this time most of the cooking was done in big wood ovens. I never thought that a cook's forearm's would be burned and scarred. Spoken by Biddy, "A fire is a cook's truest friend. It was a good fire at Mawton: blackened with hundreds of years of smoking hot dinners." I learned that a Christmas Pie is made up of meat- turkey, goose, fowl, partridge, pigeon and whatever wild birds you can get. It has a crust and gravy. Upon going to her first Italian market, Biddy said "I would not stand over a roasting fire in the Italian heat to make the charred roasts so famed in England. I wanted to try dainty Italian fare, and bought spicy Bologna sausage, pink papery hams, hard white bread and chalky cheeses." The fashion at the time of this book in cooking was floral flavors- rosewater, jasmine and honeysuckle.
I guess this book was sort of a gothic mystery. A successful woman of the day had to live by her wits.
Now I look forward to looking at the treasure trove that is www.historic-food.com that is spoken of in the Acknowledgments. Also, I look forward to Martine Bailey's next novel, A Taste of Nightshade out in January, 2016.

[Louisa Treger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Undercook Biddy Leigh only wants to marry her handsome sweetheart and open a tavern. But when the master of Mawton Hall takes a much younger wife, Biddy is forced to accompany her capricious new mistress to Italy. With only her native intelligence to help her, and “The Cook’s Jewel,” a scrapbook of recipes and remedies in which she records her own observations, Biddy finds herself caught up in an increasingly dark and secretive world, where nothing is as it seems.
Biddy is one of my all-time favourite heroines: sharp-witted and straight talking, yet hardworking, generous, and kind-hearted. There are many other strong and compelling characters. I particularly liked Lovejoy the slave, who wants to regain the power and courage he had when he was free, and return to his wife and child. Memories of and dreams about his homeland are well researched and lyrically written, adding an exotic flavour. His outsider’s perspective on English society adds insights we might otherwise miss, while his skill in opening other people’s letters contributes to our knowledge of the plot.
Martine Bailey writes beautifully. The novel’s sumptuous and vivid period detail instantly transports you to the eighteenth century, while a fast-moving, constantly surprising plot ensures that you want to keep turning the pages. I particularly liked the way Bailey uses the speech and idioms of the period: she has a light touch, and the language feels natural, fresh, and utterly convincing.
Part travelogue, part gothic mystery, part love story, part dream-sequence, part journal and epistolary novel, and told from the perspective of several characters, this novel is just like the recipes it’s packed with: rich and many-layered, yet perfectly combined to make up a delicious and satisfying whole.

[Bonnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Biddy Leigh is an under-cook at Mawton Hall in England, 1772, and her only ambition is to marry her childhood sweetheart and set up her own tavern, but when her elderly master marries young Lady Carinna, Biddy is caught up in a world of scheming secrets and lies. She is forced to accompany her new mistress to Italy where she is asked to assume her Lady's identity and is introduced to an entirely new way of life. The one constant is her life is the Journal she writes in daily containing thoughts for the day and new receipts she has cooked. Each chapter begins with receipt and they are the highlights of the novel. The first one is for a Taffety Tart: Lay down a peck of flour and work it up with six pound of butter and four eggs and salt and cold water. Roll and fill with pippins and quinces and sweet spice and lemon peel as much as delights. Sweet spice is cloves, mace, nutmeg, cinnamon, sugar and salt. Close the pie and strew with sugar. Bake till well enough.

The title comes from a candy that her mistress craved made with essence of violets. She promises Carinna that she can duplicate the confection and thus begins her culinary journey. When Carina travels to London, she takes Biddy along and becomes reliant on her cook's support. Biddy becomes attracted to her mistress's younger brother and when they travel to France, she discovers her mistress's dark secret that she is pregnant with a man other than her husband.

The novel is inspired by eighteenth century household books of recipes and set at the same time of the invention of the first restaurants. A window in opened into the lives of servants that lets the reader glimpse what life was like for both servant and master. It is a novel and delightful read.

[Sheila DeChantal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I honestly am gushing over this surprise book. Gushing because it is brilliant and captured my attention from the start. Surprising because I chose to read this book for my interest in the recipes woven within it and was not expecting to find an excellent read as well.

The recipes were not as I expected. They are recipes for the times… the 1700’s and a cook who made do with what she had available to her, while interestingly enough, (a cure for illness is burning a piece of toast in the fire, then running hot water through the blackened toast into a cup for the person to drink. If that does not work, do it again.) I don’t see myself attempting to make any of these recipes soon.

An Appetite For Violets by debut author Martine Bailey is a book I am suggesting you do not miss out on. It is a fun historical read with snooty servants, and upper class people – but mostly… it is about Biddy and how she transforms throughout the book is delightful. As I finished I was still putting pieces together like, “Oh, that is why she ….”

Well written. Highly recommended. Biddy Leigh is a remarkably smart and witty protagonist that I found to be spot on. The author truly has her finger (or her wooden spoon) on the pulse of the 1700’s. I absolutely loved it.

[Cristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Se trata de una novela romántica de época. Aunque la historia está impregnada de misterio, el romance prevalece sobre el resto.

En concreto, relata una historia entre criados y señores, lo que me ha hecho recordar la novela Criadas y señoras; aunque, realmente, no tienen nada que ver. Esta historia se desarrolla a finales del siglo XVIII entre Inglaterra, Francia e Italia.

Me ha gustado especialmente la fortaleza de Biddy Leigh (criada), pero también la valentía de Carinna (señora). En esta novela casi nada es lo que parece y da giros importantes, dejando lugar incluso para la acción en ciertos capítulos.

La novela se articula en cuarenta capítulos de una longitud media. Todos los capítulos se inician con una receta, algo que, en principio, me parecía atrayente, pero que ha ido perdiendo fuerza al desconocer algunos de los ingredientes y al no comer muchos de ellos.

En definitiva, una novela recomendada para los lectores aficionados a las historias entre criados y señores que quieran viajar hasta la Inglaterra, Francia e Italia de finales del siglo XVIII.

[Arlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this historical novel of a young undercook who travels to Italy with her mistress and takes part in intrigue and cooking! Set in the 1770s, this is the story of a young girl who finds favor with her mistress and sets out on a trip that takes her from England to Italy, stopping in France along the way. Biddie Leigh is a cook...she lives and breathes cooking and thinking about foods and flavors so when she gets to travel to France and then Italy, she is amazed by all the recipes she learns on her travels. Writing down the receipts in her treasured cook book, she hopes one day to amaze the masses with her cookery. However, before those dreams can come true she must play a clever game with a Count all the while keeping a wary eye on Mr Pars, the butler who is in control of group of travelers from England. This book captures the spirit of the times and makes for interesting reading. It is not an easy read but one that is very satisfying as it comes to an end.

[Emma Care · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sería un 4,5 y me explico por qué no le he dado los cinco puntos.

Es una deliciosa novela que comienza en 1772 y está narrada desde varios puntos de vista. El principal es Biddy, una criada de 22 años que tiene muy clara su vida y lo que quiere. Se verá envuelta en una historia un tanto escabrosa, estará en medio de un montón de intrigas, será foco de celos y envidias. Ella nunca perderá ni la razón ni sus ganas por cocinar.
La razón por la cual no le doy 5 estrellas es que, la historia de uno de esos personajes me resultó un poco aburrida. Es el único pero, ya que el misterio y la vida de Biddy, enganchan y solo quieres saber más.

Este libro lo recomiendo para aquellos que sean amantes de Downton Abbey o Arriba y abajo.

[Kristin · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5