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Chef Paul Delamare Mysteries #1
Knife Skills for Beginners
The Maid meets Knives Out with a dash of Top Chef in the debut locked room culinary mystery set in a London cooking school by Masterchef semi-finalist and cookbook writer Orlando Murrin.
“Some people are natural dancers, others marvelous in bed, but—not wishing to boast—I’m good with a knife. Most chefs are.”
The Chester Square Cookery School in the heart of London offers students a refined setting in which to master the fine art of choux pastry and hone their hollandaise. True, the ornate mansion doesn’t quite sparkle the way it used to—a feeling chef Paul Delamare is familiar with these days. Worn out and newly broke, he’d be tempted to turn down the request to fill in as teacher for a week-long residential course, if anyone other than Christian Wagner were asking.
Christian is one of Paul’s oldest friends, as well as the former recipient of two Michelin stars and host of Pass the Gravy! Thanks to a broken arm, he’s unable to teach the upcoming session himself, and recruits Paul as stand-in. The students are a motley crew, most of whom seem more interested in ogling the surroundings (including handsome Christian) than learning the best ways to temper chocolate.
Yet despite his misgivings, Paul starts to enjoy imparting his extensive knowledge to the recruits—until someone turns up dead, murdered with a cleaver Paul used earlier that day to prep a pair of squabs. Did one of his students take the lesson on knife techniques too much to heart, or was this the result of a long-simmering grudge? In between clearing his own name and teaching his class how to perfectly poach a chicken, he’ll have to figure out who’s the killer, and avoid being the next one to get butchered . . .
“Some people are natural dancers, others marvelous in bed, but—not wishing to boast—I’m good with a knife. Most chefs are.”
The Chester Square Cookery School in the heart of London offers students a refined setting in which to master the fine art of choux pastry and hone their hollandaise. True, the ornate mansion doesn’t quite sparkle the way it used to—a feeling chef Paul Delamare is familiar with these days. Worn out and newly broke, he’d be tempted to turn down the request to fill in as teacher for a week-long residential course, if anyone other than Christian Wagner were asking.
Christian is one of Paul’s oldest friends, as well as the former recipient of two Michelin stars and host of Pass the Gravy! Thanks to a broken arm, he’s unable to teach the upcoming session himself, and recruits Paul as stand-in. The students are a motley crew, most of whom seem more interested in ogling the surroundings (including handsome Christian) than learning the best ways to temper chocolate.
Yet despite his misgivings, Paul starts to enjoy imparting his extensive knowledge to the recruits—until someone turns up dead, murdered with a cleaver Paul used earlier that day to prep a pair of squabs. Did one of his students take the lesson on knife techniques too much to heart, or was this the result of a long-simmering grudge? In between clearing his own name and teaching his class how to perfectly poach a chicken, he’ll have to figure out who’s the killer, and avoid being the next one to get butchered . . .
320 pages, Hardcover
First published February 1, 2024
360 people are currently reading
17442 people want to read
About the author
Orlando Murrin
41 books82 followersOrlando Murrin is an English journalist, food writer, and chef-hotelier.
His début crime novel, Knife Skills For Beginners, was published in February 2024.
His début crime novel, Knife Skills For Beginners, was published in February 2024.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 572 reviews
January 2, 2025
3.5 stars, rounded down for pacing issues. Overall, I thought this was a very serviceable debut - I liked the gay MC, cooking school and recipes & found the mystery intriguing enough. However, there were just too many characters and it just really, really drug in some places, plus I think several things just needed to be cut (like Jonny, the stepson) Still enjoyed it and do recommend
August 18, 2024
3.5 stars?
I’ve no clue what inspired me to put a hold on this book at the library, for a debut novel it was pretty darn good. The author knows a thing or two about the food biz (he's been on MasterChef and has written six cookbooks) and the magazine biz (he's edited several, founded one). As an instructor I heard recently said, we are all expert in something, and it's wise to use that expertise in your fiction. So the main character, Paul, is a depressed, unemployed chef who is inveigled by a frenemy to take over a cooking school class. The frenemy, Christian, has broken his arm and the students, who are very much his fans, are disappointed to be fobbed off on Paul. Paul is unhappy because he can't seem to get a straight answer about his remuneration for the gig.
So Paul's situation is frustrating but bearable until he discovers Christian's body with a bloody meat cleaver and faints, fortunately not in the pool of blood. Because of his personal history with the deceased, he is immediately very much a person of interest to the police. Paul is exhorted by his best friend Julie (who works for a lifestyle magazine) to investigate the crime himself to avoid being railroaded. It doesn't help that he has a vindictive stalker muddying the waters.
Of course each of the students and even the cooking school owner have possible motives for wanting Christian dead. Can Paul figure it out before he gets locked up for the crime? If you like this book, I think you might also enjoy The Golden Spoon (a mystery on the set of a cooking show) or The Antique Hunter's Guide to Murder (this author has expertise in antiques which is used well in her novel).
I’ve no clue what inspired me to put a hold on this book at the library, for a debut novel it was pretty darn good. The author knows a thing or two about the food biz (he's been on MasterChef and has written six cookbooks) and the magazine biz (he's edited several, founded one). As an instructor I heard recently said, we are all expert in something, and it's wise to use that expertise in your fiction. So the main character, Paul, is a depressed, unemployed chef who is inveigled by a frenemy to take over a cooking school class. The frenemy, Christian, has broken his arm and the students, who are very much his fans, are disappointed to be fobbed off on Paul. Paul is unhappy because he can't seem to get a straight answer about his remuneration for the gig.
So Paul's situation is frustrating but bearable until he discovers Christian's body with a bloody meat cleaver and faints, fortunately not in the pool of blood. Because of his personal history with the deceased, he is immediately very much a person of interest to the police. Paul is exhorted by his best friend Julie (who works for a lifestyle magazine) to investigate the crime himself to avoid being railroaded. It doesn't help that he has a vindictive stalker muddying the waters.
Of course each of the students and even the cooking school owner have possible motives for wanting Christian dead. Can Paul figure it out before he gets locked up for the crime? If you like this book, I think you might also enjoy The Golden Spoon (a mystery on the set of a cooking show) or The Antique Hunter's Guide to Murder (this author has expertise in antiques which is used well in her novel).
February 21, 2024
I fell for the title of this book and I’m very happy I did because it made me laugh out loud sometimes. When Paul, still grieving after the loss of his husband and therefore not in a steady job, somehow ends up taking over a cookery class from his old friend Christian, you know you’re in for some surprises.
And yes, there are surprises galore! The cookery class takes place in a grand old mansion in a posh part of London but sadly it transpires the owner of the school is desperate for money. She charges and arm and a leg from mainly rich people who have not so much interest in learning how to cook fancy food, as being able to say they went to this expensive course. All characters are rather quirky, not to say quite strange but Paul tries to give them a good experience and actually teaches them something.
After a dead body is found on the premises, the whole story changes. The owner of the school and the students insist Paul stays to finish the course – after all, they are staying in the mansion during the whole course too. And so he does.
This was a very skilfully written story, with lots of surprises and engaging characters. I think it would be a good book to make a film out of (Netflix, pay attention please!). And of course, the recipes woven in between the story look all very enticing.
I hope we may soon see a second book in this series!
Thanks to HarperCollins and Netgalley for this review copy.
And yes, there are surprises galore! The cookery class takes place in a grand old mansion in a posh part of London but sadly it transpires the owner of the school is desperate for money. She charges and arm and a leg from mainly rich people who have not so much interest in learning how to cook fancy food, as being able to say they went to this expensive course. All characters are rather quirky, not to say quite strange but Paul tries to give them a good experience and actually teaches them something.
After a dead body is found on the premises, the whole story changes. The owner of the school and the students insist Paul stays to finish the course – after all, they are staying in the mansion during the whole course too. And so he does.
This was a very skilfully written story, with lots of surprises and engaging characters. I think it would be a good book to make a film out of (Netflix, pay attention please!). And of course, the recipes woven in between the story look all very enticing.
I hope we may soon see a second book in this series!
Thanks to HarperCollins and Netgalley for this review copy.
April 8, 2024
Hoy os traigo una deliciosa reseña de un género que se ha puesto muy de moda en estos últimos meses, el “cozy mistery” es decir un libro que gira sobre uno o más asesinatos pero que no nos muestra lo escabroso de los crímenes. Realmente, aunque parece algo en boga actualmente es el estilo que ya marcó Agatha con su Miss Marple, así que fijaos si lleva tiempo.
Os puedo decir que Exquisitos crímenes para principiantes es uno de los que más he disfrutado hasta el momento, la mezcla entre misterio y cocina, aun no siendo muy fan de esta última me ha resultado muy original.
¿Qué os vais a encontrar?
1- Una serie de dispares personajes que acuden a una antigua casa londinense en el barrio de Belgravia para asistir a un curso de cocina con Cristian un famoso y mediático Chef al que todo el mundo adora
2- Un investigador amateur que se verá involucrado de lleno al tener que luchar por demostrar su inocencia.
3- Secretos y misterio aderezados con un toque de fino humor inglés.
4- Un final bastante trepidante para ser un Cozy mistery
5- Un escenario al más puro estilo Ágatha
6- Originales recetas con nombres más que curiosos
¿Necesitáis más para leerlo?
Pues además sabed que es la primera novela de este autor, aunque es un renombrado escritor de libros de cocina y ha sido redactor en la BBC muchos años. ¡Ah! y llegó a la final de un Master Chef de UK. Interesante ¿no?
Si os gustan estos libros sin duda os lo recomiendo, eso sí, ¡¡Leed con el estómago lleno porque se os va a hacer la boca agua!!
Os puedo decir que Exquisitos crímenes para principiantes es uno de los que más he disfrutado hasta el momento, la mezcla entre misterio y cocina, aun no siendo muy fan de esta última me ha resultado muy original.
¿Qué os vais a encontrar?
1- Una serie de dispares personajes que acuden a una antigua casa londinense en el barrio de Belgravia para asistir a un curso de cocina con Cristian un famoso y mediático Chef al que todo el mundo adora
2- Un investigador amateur que se verá involucrado de lleno al tener que luchar por demostrar su inocencia.
3- Secretos y misterio aderezados con un toque de fino humor inglés.
4- Un final bastante trepidante para ser un Cozy mistery
5- Un escenario al más puro estilo Ágatha
6- Originales recetas con nombres más que curiosos
¿Necesitáis más para leerlo?
Pues además sabed que es la primera novela de este autor, aunque es un renombrado escritor de libros de cocina y ha sido redactor en la BBC muchos años. ¡Ah! y llegó a la final de un Master Chef de UK. Interesante ¿no?
Si os gustan estos libros sin duda os lo recomiendo, eso sí, ¡¡Leed con el estómago lleno porque se os va a hacer la boca agua!!
July 28, 2023
As an avid reader of all things crime I was excited to get to read an ARC of this book. Sadly it didn’t hit the mark for me. The characters were undeveloped and one dimensional. This was particularly detrimental in the case of the protagonist who, despite being falsely accused by the police in several occasions, did not endear himself to me. The plot didn’t really fizz despite two murders and the method and perpetrator obvious. I continuously found myself making mental comparisons to the cosy crime fiction books of Rosemary Shrager and this fell short of those for me. Finally, the book begins with a recipe and I was hopeful of many more throughout the book, however a potato recipe using frozen hash browns and another for rocky road I felt patronised the reader.
I appreciate this is the author’s first published work of fiction but as a recipient of ARCs through NetGalley I have to give an honest review.
I appreciate this is the author’s first published work of fiction but as a recipient of ARCs through NetGalley I have to give an honest review.
July 6, 2025
I really enjoyed this audiobook. The narrator Sebastian Humphreys and the humor of Chef Paul Delamare reminded me of my favorite Hawthorne and Horowitz series. And for some reason, I have an affinity for cooking elements in books. There are even recipes, although they're in U.K. measurements, so not sure I could ever figure out how to make any of them.
And of course there is a murder in which Chef Paul becomes embroiled, while he teaches a cooking course, substituting for the famous chef who is the victim.
I didn't know this was part of a series until this very minute, so I'll definitely be looking for the next one.
And of course there is a murder in which Chef Paul becomes embroiled, while he teaches a cooking course, substituting for the famous chef who is the victim.
I didn't know this was part of a series until this very minute, so I'll definitely be looking for the next one.
April 12, 2025
Knife Skills for Beginners by Orlando Murrin is such a wonderful debut that gave me all of the cozy mystery vibes! Murrin starts off with a quote from a Lisa Jewell book which right away told me I was going to love it, and indeed I did. The humor throughout made me laugh several times and I was very much a fan of our MMC Paul. This is a foodie read if there ever was one, and the story is interspersed with recipes that are real, so you can totally jot them down and make them if you would like to.
I am not completely sure what my thoughts are on the audiobook, though I did really enjoy Sebastian Humphreys’ narration when he was simply narrating Paul. He did some pretty interesting voices for the other characters, especially the women, and I have no idea if that was on purpose to be funny or if he thought it sounded good. I personally found it weird at times and hilarious at others, so it did work for me to some extent. I do wish there had been something to differentiate the recipes from the rest of the book as it got a little confusing on audio when we would go from the story into a recipe and back again.
The whodunnit was surprising and the eclectic cast of characters made the entire story come alive in the best way. I was glad Murrin included an author’s note at the end, and I was surprised by how much of the book was inspired by real people and locations. I am very curious to see where the rest of the series goes (as this is supposedly book one of the Chef Paul Delamare Mysteries series), and I hope we have not seen the last of Paul.
Read this if you are looking for: a large cast of characters, recipes, and a story that reads like it should be on TV.
Audiobook Rating: ⭐⭐⭐.75
I am not completely sure what my thoughts are on the audiobook, though I did really enjoy Sebastian Humphreys’ narration when he was simply narrating Paul. He did some pretty interesting voices for the other characters, especially the women, and I have no idea if that was on purpose to be funny or if he thought it sounded good. I personally found it weird at times and hilarious at others, so it did work for me to some extent. I do wish there had been something to differentiate the recipes from the rest of the book as it got a little confusing on audio when we would go from the story into a recipe and back again.
The whodunnit was surprising and the eclectic cast of characters made the entire story come alive in the best way. I was glad Murrin included an author’s note at the end, and I was surprised by how much of the book was inspired by real people and locations. I am very curious to see where the rest of the series goes (as this is supposedly book one of the Chef Paul Delamare Mysteries series), and I hope we have not seen the last of Paul.
Read this if you are looking for: a large cast of characters, recipes, and a story that reads like it should be on TV.
Audiobook Rating: ⭐⭐⭐.75
February 14, 2024
I’m torn with this one. For the longest time - a good 75% of the book in fact - it was a really enjoyable, twisty turny cosy mystery. And then it’s like a switch flipped, and it all went a bit preposterous. Paul roaming around the house in the middle of the night, and someone leaving their bedroom door open (who would do that, in what is effectively a boutique hotel?) so he can then rifle through their handbag for clues. Or the student who admits playing footsie under the table with what seems like half the guests. And as for the big finale show down… it was wham bam no thank you ma’am, done and dusted in a few pages.
I agree with other people’s comments about Paul’s slightly off putting highbrow way of speaking/writing, and Julie’s annoying emojis in texts (I gave up even trying to decipher them - they were minute on my phone’s Kindle app, and the message got explained by Paul anyway… all this served was to pull me out of the story each time). And what was with the dangling of Jonny as the big bad stepson, that fizzled out?
The first 75% was a fairly solid 4 stars, and a meritable debut by the author. The last 25% really let it down for me, sadly. I do hope there are more books to come though, and would definitely give the next one a go.
I received a free ARC copy of this via NetGalley and the publishers in return for an unbiased review.
I agree with other people’s comments about Paul’s slightly off putting highbrow way of speaking/writing, and Julie’s annoying emojis in texts (I gave up even trying to decipher them - they were minute on my phone’s Kindle app, and the message got explained by Paul anyway… all this served was to pull me out of the story each time). And what was with the dangling of Jonny as the big bad stepson, that fizzled out?
The first 75% was a fairly solid 4 stars, and a meritable debut by the author. The last 25% really let it down for me, sadly. I do hope there are more books to come though, and would definitely give the next one a go.
I received a free ARC copy of this via NetGalley and the publishers in return for an unbiased review.
January 11, 2025
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am amazed it is a debit novel! I hope this author continues with this as a series because I loved the main character and found him to be hilarious. Even though this was a culinary school, not a competition there was an edge between the students and it was fun to read. I loved the little culinary tips and recipes (I always tell people to keep their knives out of the dishwasher!) and I thought it rounded out the story in a fun way. I did feel that the vague lurking character of Johnny was unnecessary with all the other stuff, he didn't add anything to the story and wasn't even a particularly good red herring.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author Orlando Murrin, and Recorded Books for my copy of this audiobook.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author Orlando Murrin, and Recorded Books for my copy of this audiobook.
September 28, 2023
When I saw this book pop up on NetGalley I was immediately intrigued. I have enjoyed the cosy crime genre recently and this book fits into that perfectly. When you reach for this book, you can expect a light-hearted cosy crime novel with the added benefit of a few recipes you will be keen to try. I have written down a few I cannot wait to try. (Okay, I will be honest – baking is not my thing – I am giving the recipes to Alicia and asking her to try them for me….)
This debut novel is a light read that will leave you smiling along the way. The characters are likeable and full of surprises. The author tells an intriguing story that will keep you guessing while adding what he ‘knows’ to the story. By the time I reached the end of this book, I learnt a new trick or two to try out in the kitchen. If you enjoy cooking, you will learn a thing or two among the pages of this one.
Paul has withdrawn from the world after the loss of his husband. He is happy to stay home alone and avoid people as much as possible. When Christian, an old friend, reaches out asking for help, Paul cannot refuse – Christian does not give him the chance. Paul finds himself teaching a short cooking course in an exclusive residential cookery school in Belgravia. What Paul did not expect was to discover a dead body or to find himself being the prime suspect. If Paul cannot solve the mystery, he just might find himself in jail for murder.
I started this book with an open mind, not having any idea what to expect and quickly found myself deeply engrossed and eagerly flicking the pages to find out who was guilty. The addition of recipes and cooking tips and tricks along the way made this an easy-to-read, entertaining book that you find yourself racing through.
The characters in this book will keep you on your toes. It feels as if everyone is hiding something. The mystery surrounding each of the characters makes this a fun read. As each character’s story is revealed you find that everyone is there because of Christian and it is easy to think each character has a reason to commit murder.
Paul is a brilliant character; I loved his mannerisms. The way he spoke his mind, despite it not always being the right thing to say, was brilliant.
This book is a fun read that keeps you guessing and delivers a great twist at the end. If you are keen on a light, cosy crime read then you will not want to miss this book.
https://featzreviews.com/knife-skills...
This debut novel is a light read that will leave you smiling along the way. The characters are likeable and full of surprises. The author tells an intriguing story that will keep you guessing while adding what he ‘knows’ to the story. By the time I reached the end of this book, I learnt a new trick or two to try out in the kitchen. If you enjoy cooking, you will learn a thing or two among the pages of this one.
Paul has withdrawn from the world after the loss of his husband. He is happy to stay home alone and avoid people as much as possible. When Christian, an old friend, reaches out asking for help, Paul cannot refuse – Christian does not give him the chance. Paul finds himself teaching a short cooking course in an exclusive residential cookery school in Belgravia. What Paul did not expect was to discover a dead body or to find himself being the prime suspect. If Paul cannot solve the mystery, he just might find himself in jail for murder.
I started this book with an open mind, not having any idea what to expect and quickly found myself deeply engrossed and eagerly flicking the pages to find out who was guilty. The addition of recipes and cooking tips and tricks along the way made this an easy-to-read, entertaining book that you find yourself racing through.
The characters in this book will keep you on your toes. It feels as if everyone is hiding something. The mystery surrounding each of the characters makes this a fun read. As each character’s story is revealed you find that everyone is there because of Christian and it is easy to think each character has a reason to commit murder.
Paul is a brilliant character; I loved his mannerisms. The way he spoke his mind, despite it not always being the right thing to say, was brilliant.
This book is a fun read that keeps you guessing and delivers a great twist at the end. If you are keen on a light, cosy crime read then you will not want to miss this book.
https://featzreviews.com/knife-skills...
November 23, 2023
This book took me 3 months to read, I just found myself not wanting to pick it up. I did finish it eventually though but I didn’t enjoy this at all
The characters were numerous and very one dimensional. The main character was arrogant, judgemental, and an utter fool.
I chuckled at the idea of someone intimidatingly approaching while waving an electric carving knife in a figure 8 motion. I don’t think it was meant to be funny.
The recipes were an interesting choice and didn’t feel at all relevant to the book. Most of them were pretty basic and I found this rather odd until I finished the book and learned that the author is a celebrity chef (I don’t watch a lot of cooking programs). I wish them well and hope they find their stride with future books but this wasn’t the murder mystery I’d hoped it would be
I received this book from Netgalley but these opinions are entirely my own
The characters were numerous and very one dimensional. The main character was arrogant, judgemental, and an utter fool.
I chuckled at the idea of someone intimidatingly approaching while waving an electric carving knife in a figure 8 motion. I don’t think it was meant to be funny.
The recipes were an interesting choice and didn’t feel at all relevant to the book. Most of them were pretty basic and I found this rather odd until I finished the book and learned that the author is a celebrity chef (I don’t watch a lot of cooking programs). I wish them well and hope they find their stride with future books but this wasn’t the murder mystery I’d hoped it would be
I received this book from Netgalley but these opinions are entirely my own
January 9, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley, RBmedia, and Recorded Books for the ARC. It hasn't affected the contents of my review.
Yes, this book was written by a TV chef. Apparently he was on Masterchef—I’ve never seen it. But unless he used a very secret ghostwriter, he did a good job! I truly have no idea why the ratings for this book are so low coming out of the UK*, or why the cozy mystery people have not come flocking (though this isn’t a cozy, it does have strong food elements, which those noodleheads** go apeshit over)***.
*It was first published in the UK 2/1/24, but it wasn’t released in the US until 12/24/24.
**affectionate
This book follows Paul, a chef who is in mourning over the death of his partner, Marcus, ten months before. His old friend Christian, a celebrity chef now, hits him up to teach a cooking course at a stayaway cooking school in a fancy old house; Christian can’t fulfill his duties this session as he now has a broken arm and cannot wield a knife, and whatever else would be required of him whilst prepping the foods. Paul takes to teaching the class with gusto, but he and all of his students get a nasty shock when Christian is found murdered early in the week, and it seems that one of the students might be the murderer.
It’s slightly unclear why exactly Paul starts investigating everyone, poking into backstories, and delving out secrets, but he does feel betrayed by his old friend, who it seems he didn’t really know as well as he thought he did. Also, he is a suspect as well, and in a mystery, there is no better motivation for solving a murder than proving your own self innocent.
I did listen to the audio for this, and it was highly enjoyable. Sebastian Humphreys is the narrator, and he did a lovely job.
***Further investigation has unearthed that it’s a combo of people feeling that the author/character was “too highbrow” for them, or they felt “patronized to.” And that the last 25% of the book was rushed and didn’t fit the tone of the first part, which I agree with, but wasn’t a huge ding for me. These people did not have an audiobook and were reading by e-reader. I think readers who listen to this by audio will not have a hard time with either of these things (the emoji texts are completely gone, and we just get mentions that his friend Julie sends them). As for the highbrow complaint in general, some people are smarter than you, and you shouldn’t take it personally. He wasn’t being a dick, he was just being himself.
My biggest issue with this, and why it’s not getting a full four stars, is that I did feel the ending tone went a bit too thrillery for what had come before. I would have much preferred a quieter confrontation. The perilous one we got didn’t do much for the story.
This is actually going to be a series, but I’m not sure I will want to read the rest. I guess we’ll see what I do when it becomes available. (A chef not cheffing but still solving mysteries? Kinda weird. Although I would like to see how the conflict with his stepson turns out, and if he is able to move on from his grief over his partner’s death, and I’m too curious for my own good.)
[3.5 stars, rounded up]
Yes, this book was written by a TV chef. Apparently he was on Masterchef—I’ve never seen it. But unless he used a very secret ghostwriter, he did a good job! I truly have no idea why the ratings for this book are so low coming out of the UK*, or why the cozy mystery people have not come flocking (though this isn’t a cozy, it does have strong food elements, which those noodleheads** go apeshit over)***.
*It was first published in the UK 2/1/24, but it wasn’t released in the US until 12/24/24.
**affectionate
This book follows Paul, a chef who is in mourning over the death of his partner, Marcus, ten months before. His old friend Christian, a celebrity chef now, hits him up to teach a cooking course at a stayaway cooking school in a fancy old house; Christian can’t fulfill his duties this session as he now has a broken arm and cannot wield a knife, and whatever else would be required of him whilst prepping the foods. Paul takes to teaching the class with gusto, but he and all of his students get a nasty shock when Christian is found murdered early in the week, and it seems that one of the students might be the murderer.
It’s slightly unclear why exactly Paul starts investigating everyone, poking into backstories, and delving out secrets, but he does feel betrayed by his old friend, who it seems he didn’t really know as well as he thought he did. Also, he is a suspect as well, and in a mystery, there is no better motivation for solving a murder than proving your own self innocent.
I did listen to the audio for this, and it was highly enjoyable. Sebastian Humphreys is the narrator, and he did a lovely job.
***Further investigation has unearthed that it’s a combo of people feeling that the author/character was “too highbrow” for them, or they felt “patronized to.” And that the last 25% of the book was rushed and didn’t fit the tone of the first part, which I agree with, but wasn’t a huge ding for me. These people did not have an audiobook and were reading by e-reader. I think readers who listen to this by audio will not have a hard time with either of these things (the emoji texts are completely gone, and we just get mentions that his friend Julie sends them). As for the highbrow complaint in general, some people are smarter than you, and you shouldn’t take it personally. He wasn’t being a dick, he was just being himself.
My biggest issue with this, and why it’s not getting a full four stars, is that I did feel the ending tone went a bit too thrillery for what had come before. I would have much preferred a quieter confrontation. The perilous one we got didn’t do much for the story.
This is actually going to be a series, but I’m not sure I will want to read the rest. I guess we’ll see what I do when it becomes available. (A chef not cheffing but still solving mysteries? Kinda weird. Although I would like to see how the conflict with his stepson turns out, and if he is able to move on from his grief over his partner’s death, and I’m too curious for my own good.)
[3.5 stars, rounded up]
January 5, 2024
[arc review]
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Canada for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
Knife Skills for Beginners releases February 27, 2024
Our main character Paul is taking over the culinary classes at Chester Square Cookery School as a favour to his good friend Christian since he has just broken his arm and is in a cast.
Chester Square Cookery School offers a residential course for amateur cooks, meaning the group of 8 will get to live on site for the entirety of the week in addition to being trained in some classical techniques.
On the second day, Paul finds Christian nearly beheaded. Who among them wanted the celebrity chef dead? And why?
I love discovering and reading debut novels, but I’m sad to say that I really struggled to get through this one.
I just found it so boring and it was so much longer than it needed to be.
Even with my extensive culinary background (which is what drew me to this title initially), there wasn’t enough to entice me.
I’ve worked with Top Chef contestants professionally, and this book is not like Top Chef at all, despite what the blurb says.
Apparently this is the first in a new series, which I probably won’t continue as I’m not fully invested in the characters.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Canada for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
Knife Skills for Beginners releases February 27, 2024
Our main character Paul is taking over the culinary classes at Chester Square Cookery School as a favour to his good friend Christian since he has just broken his arm and is in a cast.
Chester Square Cookery School offers a residential course for amateur cooks, meaning the group of 8 will get to live on site for the entirety of the week in addition to being trained in some classical techniques.
On the second day, Paul finds Christian nearly beheaded. Who among them wanted the celebrity chef dead? And why?
I love discovering and reading debut novels, but I’m sad to say that I really struggled to get through this one.
I just found it so boring and it was so much longer than it needed to be.
Even with my extensive culinary background (which is what drew me to this title initially), there wasn’t enough to entice me.
I’ve worked with Top Chef contestants professionally, and this book is not like Top Chef at all, despite what the blurb says.
Apparently this is the first in a new series, which I probably won’t continue as I’m not fully invested in the characters.
Read
July 13, 2025EDIT: Forgot to bring up an important thing that rubbed me the wrong way and I think is worth mentioning. The main character makes at least three comments about women's weight or eating habits. They are presented as endearing but to me they came across really disrespectful and unnecessary. I don't want to assume that the main character is echoing the author's thoughts here, but do want to let potential readers know that this happens. Objectification isn't a joke.
Starting this book felt like jumping in the middle of something. But not in a nice "in medias res" sort of way that starts with action and then gives you context -- more like "hello, I'm the second book in a series" when it was actually the first. I felt like I should know these characters, but I didn't.
Other than that, it was the sort of read that is nice and fast, keeps you reading.
The twist was interesting, if a tad convoluted. Didn't really hit like other mysteries I've read, but then again I think this is meant to be a cosy mystery so different rules may apply
I wasn't a huge fan of the characters, and found the main character's stream of consciousness obnoxious.
If you like old-fashioned British humour, cosy mysteries and cooking, you might enjoy this book
Starting this book felt like jumping in the middle of something. But not in a nice "in medias res" sort of way that starts with action and then gives you context -- more like "hello, I'm the second book in a series" when it was actually the first. I felt like I should know these characters, but I didn't.
Other than that, it was the sort of read that is nice and fast, keeps you reading.
The twist was interesting, if a tad convoluted. Didn't really hit like other mysteries I've read, but then again I think this is meant to be a cosy mystery so different rules may apply
I wasn't a huge fan of the characters, and found the main character's stream of consciousness obnoxious.
If you like old-fashioned British humour, cosy mysteries and cooking, you might enjoy this book
February 13, 2024
When a book can sew together a narrative that is both searingly funny and deadly serious, it’s truly a winning combination.
Set in an exclusive Cookery School in London’s posh Belgravia. We meet the recently bereaved, Paul, and his TV chef friend Christian in a trendy bar. Christian has recently broken his arm and is therefore unable to teach the class he heads at the aforementioned school. He asks Paul to step in for him and this is where the action begins.
All the ingredients (see what I’ve done there? 😜) are here to create the perfect whodunnit!
A main protagonist who oozes the sort of dark comic quippy genius that’s rarely seen in books like this nowadays alongside a story about a very gruesome killing, throw in a handful of mostly unlikeable (and therefore compulsively readable!) characters and you have the perfect confection!
With a twist you won’t see coming and a third act you’ll want to reread for the sheer comic value but also the nail bitingly tense action.
Cannot wait for book two!
Set in an exclusive Cookery School in London’s posh Belgravia. We meet the recently bereaved, Paul, and his TV chef friend Christian in a trendy bar. Christian has recently broken his arm and is therefore unable to teach the class he heads at the aforementioned school. He asks Paul to step in for him and this is where the action begins.
All the ingredients (see what I’ve done there? 😜) are here to create the perfect whodunnit!
A main protagonist who oozes the sort of dark comic quippy genius that’s rarely seen in books like this nowadays alongside a story about a very gruesome killing, throw in a handful of mostly unlikeable (and therefore compulsively readable!) characters and you have the perfect confection!
With a twist you won’t see coming and a third act you’ll want to reread for the sheer comic value but also the nail bitingly tense action.
Cannot wait for book two!
April 24, 2024
Decepcionante podría ser la palabra, aunque la lectura en sí es fácil, me ha resultado todo demasiado obvio. Si os gusta la novela negra o incluso el "cozy crime", no leáis este libro buscando misterio, en serio, yo sabía ya quién era "el asesino" desde antes de la mitad de libro, y eso que soy muy ingenua y a mí me engaña un tonto.
Poco más os puedo contar, que el personaje principal, Paul, me ha caído fatal, va de sobradete y le he cogido asquito. Que hay muchos personajes pero, no sé cómo decirlo, les falta algo descriptivamente, no están completos. Que hay una historia por detrás de los personajes, pero que no llevan a nada. Es como si os digo "pues mi hijo abandonado apareció y me rompió la ventana", pero después no sabes qué pasó con él, o por qué hizo eso... En fin, un megaplof de manual.
Poco más os puedo contar, que el personaje principal, Paul, me ha caído fatal, va de sobradete y le he cogido asquito. Que hay muchos personajes pero, no sé cómo decirlo, les falta algo descriptivamente, no están completos. Que hay una historia por detrás de los personajes, pero que no llevan a nada. Es como si os digo "pues mi hijo abandonado apareció y me rompió la ventana", pero después no sabes qué pasó con él, o por qué hizo eso... En fin, un megaplof de manual.
January 28, 2025
3.5 stars.
I was impressed that this was a debut mystery novel for this author. It's clear his cooking experience (and writing cookbooks) came in handy when writing his main character, Paul Delamare. Paul is depressed over the death of his partner, and is convinced, grudgingly by his estranged friend Christian, a celeb cook and entrepreneur, to take on teaching classes for him as Christian has broken his arm.
Paul is an unemployed cook and food stylist, so teaching how to make the curriculum's dishes is not difficult, and he's demonstrated techniques before large audiences, so again, that's not what has him concerned. Christian glosses over important details about the assignment, such as Paul's pay for substituting, and Paul knows he's needs to nail down numbers with Christian, or the man, whose previous businesses have failed repeatedly because of Christian's boredom or messing with staff, may duck out of paying Paul.
Paul also has a vindictive stalker, who trails him, and attempts to damage his reputation and professional life by making malicious calls to his employer.
Paul takes his knife roll to class, and introduces himself; the students are understandably disappointed, as they registered so they could learn from Christian, but Paul gradually wins them over through his steady manner and expertise.
The next morning before class, Paul decides to speak to Christian again about his pay, and arrives at Christian's flat to find broken glass, an unlocked door, and most horrifying, Christian almost decapitated in his kitchen with what looks a lot like Paul's cleaver. Paul faints, and understandably, since he was first on scene, becomes the police's prime suspect.
Paul's best friend Julie (musician, food stylist, and true-crime lover) urges Paul to find evidence pointing away from him, so that the police don't focus on his years ago drug-related arrest and somewhat difficult relationship with Christian. So he begins digging into the backgrounds of the students (as he discovers some may have had a grudge against Christian) and into Christian's recent past.
He finds lots of little negative things about the students, but the police remain focused on him, and his time as a free man may soon vanish unless he can figure out who killed Christian.
I enjoyed this much more than I expected to, and liked Paul, despite his doing and saying things that kept the police interested in him. His depression and slight smart aleckiness work against him frequently, but he's also surprisingly able to piece together the disparate clues he finds and solves the murder, though not without great danger to himself and his best friend.
I listened to this and quite liked Sebastian Humphreys' voicing of Paul. His skill at conveying Paul's emotions, whether grief, regret, anger or humour, came through well, and I liked how he differentiated each student. Humphreys' skill kept me listening for hours, eager to get to the mystery's resolution.
Thank you to Netgalley and to RBMedia for this ARC in exchange for my review.
I was impressed that this was a debut mystery novel for this author. It's clear his cooking experience (and writing cookbooks) came in handy when writing his main character, Paul Delamare. Paul is depressed over the death of his partner, and is convinced, grudgingly by his estranged friend Christian, a celeb cook and entrepreneur, to take on teaching classes for him as Christian has broken his arm.
Paul is an unemployed cook and food stylist, so teaching how to make the curriculum's dishes is not difficult, and he's demonstrated techniques before large audiences, so again, that's not what has him concerned. Christian glosses over important details about the assignment, such as Paul's pay for substituting, and Paul knows he's needs to nail down numbers with Christian, or the man, whose previous businesses have failed repeatedly because of Christian's boredom or messing with staff, may duck out of paying Paul.
Paul also has a vindictive stalker, who trails him, and attempts to damage his reputation and professional life by making malicious calls to his employer.
Paul takes his knife roll to class, and introduces himself; the students are understandably disappointed, as they registered so they could learn from Christian, but Paul gradually wins them over through his steady manner and expertise.
The next morning before class, Paul decides to speak to Christian again about his pay, and arrives at Christian's flat to find broken glass, an unlocked door, and most horrifying, Christian almost decapitated in his kitchen with what looks a lot like Paul's cleaver. Paul faints, and understandably, since he was first on scene, becomes the police's prime suspect.
Paul's best friend Julie (musician, food stylist, and true-crime lover) urges Paul to find evidence pointing away from him, so that the police don't focus on his years ago drug-related arrest and somewhat difficult relationship with Christian. So he begins digging into the backgrounds of the students (as he discovers some may have had a grudge against Christian) and into Christian's recent past.
He finds lots of little negative things about the students, but the police remain focused on him, and his time as a free man may soon vanish unless he can figure out who killed Christian.
I enjoyed this much more than I expected to, and liked Paul, despite his doing and saying things that kept the police interested in him. His depression and slight smart aleckiness work against him frequently, but he's also surprisingly able to piece together the disparate clues he finds and solves the murder, though not without great danger to himself and his best friend.
I listened to this and quite liked Sebastian Humphreys' voicing of Paul. His skill at conveying Paul's emotions, whether grief, regret, anger or humour, came through well, and I liked how he differentiated each student. Humphreys' skill kept me listening for hours, eager to get to the mystery's resolution.
Thank you to Netgalley and to RBMedia for this ARC in exchange for my review.
May 12, 2025
3.5 rounded up. I loved our snarky main character but the other characters didn’t do much for me. I really liked the storyline through the first half but it kind of tapered off and it was hard to keep focused on it. Overall it was ok. Thanks to NetGalley for a chance to review!
May 30, 2025
3.5 stars rounded up. This dragged at times, but there were a few good twists and turns.
March 14, 2024
A solid debut! Good mystery, intriguing main character, and I really enjoyed all the culinary info! I'll be reading book 2!
ARC Provided by NetGalley
ARC Provided by NetGalley
November 13, 2024
Thankyou for the Arc Netgalley and publishers, I'm sorry it's taken me so long to get to this review.
This is a cosy murder mystery, set in a culinary school, the victim is a celebrity chef and old friend of our protaganist Paul, the suspects are a group of students who are on his cooking course.
I will say the culinary parts of this book didn't hit for me because I'm just not a foodie at all, I think if you are this will be great for you.
So lets instead talk about the bit I was more interested in...The mystery!
For the most part there were some good elements to the mystery, false leads and plenty of secrets to unveil, some I did figure out very quickly, others less so so kudos there. This was also, on the whole well written and easy to read which for a debut novel is impressive.
Whilst for the most part the clues were decent there were a few bits that felt very weird or forced e.g. Paul taking the pasta... from a murder scene, he says he doesn't know why he did it, I know why... So there would be more eveidence against him, so weird. Then there was the whole bit about people playing footsie under the table at dinner? What on earth?
The issue I did have was with Paul. On the whole he was a likeable protaganist, but there were definitely times he came across as very full of himself, judgemental plain stupid (like really... how long it took him to consider he might be a suspect and that the cleaver might get connected to him really? All this from a man who likes to criticise other peoples intelligence at times because they probably don't know cerryain vocabulary etc.)
That being said on the whole I enjoyed it nad something about it kept me deperate to go bacl to it, and for a debut novel? Impressive but some of the weird "clues" and the culinary stuff that is so not my thing makes me bump it down.
This is a cosy murder mystery, set in a culinary school, the victim is a celebrity chef and old friend of our protaganist Paul, the suspects are a group of students who are on his cooking course.
I will say the culinary parts of this book didn't hit for me because I'm just not a foodie at all, I think if you are this will be great for you.
So lets instead talk about the bit I was more interested in...The mystery!
For the most part there were some good elements to the mystery, false leads and plenty of secrets to unveil, some I did figure out very quickly, others less so so kudos there. This was also, on the whole well written and easy to read which for a debut novel is impressive.
Whilst for the most part the clues were decent there were a few bits that felt very weird or forced e.g. Paul taking the pasta... from a murder scene, he says he doesn't know why he did it, I know why... So there would be more eveidence against him, so weird. Then there was the whole bit about people playing footsie under the table at dinner? What on earth?
The issue I did have was with Paul. On the whole he was a likeable protaganist, but there were definitely times he came across as very full of himself, judgemental plain stupid (like really... how long it took him to consider he might be a suspect and that the cleaver might get connected to him really? All this from a man who likes to criticise other peoples intelligence at times because they probably don't know cerryain vocabulary etc.)
That being said on the whole I enjoyed it nad something about it kept me deperate to go bacl to it, and for a debut novel? Impressive but some of the weird "clues" and the culinary stuff that is so not my thing makes me bump it down.
February 29, 2024
Cuando vi este libro, me intrigó de inmediato. Últimamente he estado atenta a las novedades del género cozy mystery y este libro encaja perfectamente en él. El autor cuenta una historia intrigante que te mantiene adivinando quien es el asesino al estilo Agatha Christie mientras está salpicada de pequeños consejos e ideas culinarias transmitidas por varios personajes.
Comencé este libro con la mente abierta, sin tener idea de qué esperar y rápidamente me encontré profundamente absorta y pasando las páginas con entusiasmo para descubrir quién era el culpable. Los personajes de este libro te mantienen alerta, y parece como si todos estuvieran ocultando algo. A medida que se revela la historia de cada personaje, descubres que todos están ahí gracias a Christian y es fácil pensar que cada personaje tiene una razón para cometer un asesinato. Sin embargo, sentí que los personajes necesitaban más desarrollo. Paul está bastante desarrollado, pero le vendría bien desarrollar una personalidad más sólida. Y la trama real del misterio del asesinato también es buena y bastante retorcida para mí, aunque admito que tengo algunas dudas sobre la resolución, no me ha gustado mucho.
Ha sido una lectura divertida que te mantiene adivinando y ofrece un gran giro al final. Si te gusta una lectura policiaca ligera y acogedora, este es el libro perfecto.
Comencé este libro con la mente abierta, sin tener idea de qué esperar y rápidamente me encontré profundamente absorta y pasando las páginas con entusiasmo para descubrir quién era el culpable. Los personajes de este libro te mantienen alerta, y parece como si todos estuvieran ocultando algo. A medida que se revela la historia de cada personaje, descubres que todos están ahí gracias a Christian y es fácil pensar que cada personaje tiene una razón para cometer un asesinato. Sin embargo, sentí que los personajes necesitaban más desarrollo. Paul está bastante desarrollado, pero le vendría bien desarrollar una personalidad más sólida. Y la trama real del misterio del asesinato también es buena y bastante retorcida para mí, aunque admito que tengo algunas dudas sobre la resolución, no me ha gustado mucho.
Ha sido una lectura divertida que te mantiene adivinando y ofrece un gran giro al final. Si te gusta una lectura policiaca ligera y acogedora, este es el libro perfecto.
August 7, 2023
This is a sort of cosy murder mystery and was an OK read. There seems to be a lot of authors trying to be like Richard Osman – but they will never succeed! Nothing in the book made me laugh out loud like I’d hoped, and I got a bit confused at times with all the characters. There were just too many of them to fully understand their relationships and what was going on. I did enjoy the recipes and learning a few knife skills, and would recommend this as an easy holiday read. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this electronic copy.
Read
September 9, 2024El peor libro de mi vida, que TORTURA. Hasta literalmente los ultimos 2 capitulos es todo repetitivo y paja sin sentido ni interés. Llega el final y te intentan cuadrar todo en 2 caps sin ningun tipo de sentido ni trama. Horroroso
January 24, 2025
This is a fun and slightly humorous, cozy mystery set at a cooking school, Chester Square Cookery School in London. The cooking school is an old, very impressive mansion. This is somewhat of a locked door mystery with a lively cast of wealthy, predictably difficult characters in the cooking class. I loved the participants in the class and found their antics mostly hilarious.
Chef Christian has made a name for himself in the culinary world and on his cooking show, Pass the Gravy. Due to an injury, he is unable to keep this commitment at the cooking school for this exclusive class and asks Paul to teach in his place. Paul is still grieving his husband's death and dealing with his own complicated stalking situation. Normally, he wouldn't have agreed to teach a last-minute cooking class in this situation, but kinda feels like he has to accept Christian's offer for a variety of reasons. Paul and Christian have a competitive 'friendship'. Christian is also a bit of a character, as is the cooking school owner.
The story has charm, humor, and the typical cozy mystery characters. The victim felt obvious, but that's standard in cozy mysteries. I'd also say the first half of the novel had a few pacing issues. Despite that, the story was enjoyable, and I found myself rushing to get back to it. I think the narrator, Sebastian Humphreys, definitely helped with that. His voice perfectly embodied Paul's character. I think the narrator made this story as enjoyable as the author did.
Honestly, cozy mysteries tend to be somewhat one note, so I don't want to give away too many details. The character who was murdered felt obvious, but the culprit was not. This was stacked with the usual multiple suspects with multiple motives but played out quite well. I'd definitely read another novel by this author.
I didn't watch the author's season on MasterChef, but I thought he did a decent job for a first-time writing fiction. This is a cute story that doesn't take itself too seriously. I rather enjoyed Paul and hope he may get another book. I'd be interested in his further adventures at the cooking school or wherever, especially with the addition of Julie as his partner/helper.
If you like cozy mysteries and cooking shows, this unique blend of both is not to be missed. Definitely chose the audiobook for this one. It's pure perfection.
Thank you to Orlando Murrin, RBmedia/Recorded Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to and review this audiobook. All opinions and viewpoints expressed in this review are my own.
Chef Christian has made a name for himself in the culinary world and on his cooking show, Pass the Gravy. Due to an injury, he is unable to keep this commitment at the cooking school for this exclusive class and asks Paul to teach in his place. Paul is still grieving his husband's death and dealing with his own complicated stalking situation. Normally, he wouldn't have agreed to teach a last-minute cooking class in this situation, but kinda feels like he has to accept Christian's offer for a variety of reasons. Paul and Christian have a competitive 'friendship'. Christian is also a bit of a character, as is the cooking school owner.
The story has charm, humor, and the typical cozy mystery characters. The victim felt obvious, but that's standard in cozy mysteries. I'd also say the first half of the novel had a few pacing issues. Despite that, the story was enjoyable, and I found myself rushing to get back to it. I think the narrator, Sebastian Humphreys, definitely helped with that. His voice perfectly embodied Paul's character. I think the narrator made this story as enjoyable as the author did.
Honestly, cozy mysteries tend to be somewhat one note, so I don't want to give away too many details. The character who was murdered felt obvious, but the culprit was not. This was stacked with the usual multiple suspects with multiple motives but played out quite well. I'd definitely read another novel by this author.
I didn't watch the author's season on MasterChef, but I thought he did a decent job for a first-time writing fiction. This is a cute story that doesn't take itself too seriously. I rather enjoyed Paul and hope he may get another book. I'd be interested in his further adventures at the cooking school or wherever, especially with the addition of Julie as his partner/helper.
If you like cozy mysteries and cooking shows, this unique blend of both is not to be missed. Definitely chose the audiobook for this one. It's pure perfection.
Thank you to Orlando Murrin, RBmedia/Recorded Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to and review this audiobook. All opinions and viewpoints expressed in this review are my own.
February 9, 2025
The Chester Square Cookery School in the heart of London offers students a refined setting in which to master the fine art of choux pastry and hone their hollandaise. True, the ornate mansion does not quite sparkle the way it used to—a feeling chef Paul Delamare is familiar with these days. Worn out and newly broke, he would be tempted to turn down the request to fill in as teacher for a week-long residential course, if anyone other than Christian Wagner were asking.
Christian is one of Paul’s oldest friends, as well as the former recipient of two Michelin stars and host of Pass the Gravy! Thanks to a broken arm, he is unable to teach the upcoming session himself, and recruits Paul as stand-in. The students are a motley crew, most of whom seem more interested in ogling the surroundings (including handsome Christian) than learning the best ways to temper chocolate.
Yet despite his misgivings, Paul starts to enjoy imparting his extensive knowledge to the recruits—until someone turns up dead, murdered with a cleaver Paul used earlier that day to prep a pair of squabs. Did one of his students take the lesson on knife techniques too much to heart, or was this the result of a long-simmering grudge? In between clearing his own name and teaching his class how to perfectly poach a chicken, he will have to figure out who is the killer, and avoid being the next one to get butchered.
Knife Skills for Beginners was a solid debut. It was so well written and I was impressed. There were some good elements to the mystery, false leads and plenty of secrets to unveil. The premise is engaging, but the pacing sometimes feels uneven. The first third of the book details a lot of cooking techniques and student interactions, making me kind of forgotten that I was reading a murder mystery. The middle section does pick up as secrets emerge and suspicions deepen, but the final part of the book feels somewhat rushed and relies on coincidence. There were, however, a large number of characters, which I was not the biggest fan of. If you are remotely interested in cooking, this book has a handful of recipes with some tips and tricks and you will probably definitely enjoy this cozy mystery. I would probably still read the second book in the series when it comes out.
Christian is one of Paul’s oldest friends, as well as the former recipient of two Michelin stars and host of Pass the Gravy! Thanks to a broken arm, he is unable to teach the upcoming session himself, and recruits Paul as stand-in. The students are a motley crew, most of whom seem more interested in ogling the surroundings (including handsome Christian) than learning the best ways to temper chocolate.
Yet despite his misgivings, Paul starts to enjoy imparting his extensive knowledge to the recruits—until someone turns up dead, murdered with a cleaver Paul used earlier that day to prep a pair of squabs. Did one of his students take the lesson on knife techniques too much to heart, or was this the result of a long-simmering grudge? In between clearing his own name and teaching his class how to perfectly poach a chicken, he will have to figure out who is the killer, and avoid being the next one to get butchered.
Knife Skills for Beginners was a solid debut. It was so well written and I was impressed. There were some good elements to the mystery, false leads and plenty of secrets to unveil. The premise is engaging, but the pacing sometimes feels uneven. The first third of the book details a lot of cooking techniques and student interactions, making me kind of forgotten that I was reading a murder mystery. The middle section does pick up as secrets emerge and suspicions deepen, but the final part of the book feels somewhat rushed and relies on coincidence. There were, however, a large number of characters, which I was not the biggest fan of. If you are remotely interested in cooking, this book has a handful of recipes with some tips and tricks and you will probably definitely enjoy this cozy mystery. I would probably still read the second book in the series when it comes out.
August 21, 2025
I bought this book at a Red Lion Books soirée, attended by the author Orlando Murrin who signed my copy with a drawing of a knife dripping blood! He pointed out that the book has the added bonus of recipes - so a murder mystery and cookery book in one!
The book is set in an upmarket Belgravia cookery school. Paul Delamare is persuaded by a friend to teach an upcoming residential course on basic cookery skills - Christian is a well known chef who oozes charm and has many female admirers, and when the seven students find out that it is not Christian but Paul who is teaching them, they are very disgruntled! Then there is a murder and the police think that Paul is the culprit ....
I enjoyed Knife Skills for Beginners very much. It is written in the first person from Paul’s perspective. This is an effective way of telling the story as Paul turns investigator in order to clear his name. I found him to be a likeable character with an interesting back story. His interviews with the police don’t go well at first, mainly because Paul tends to say what he thinks and is sure the police will realise that they are mistaken. This leads to antagonism and doesn’t help his case - but I found the way he reacted very believable. It becomes clear to him that someone is trying to frame him.
The students all have secrets of their own and plausible motives which are revealed as their back stories come out. This drives the story to an exciting climax. I didn’t guess who the murderer was. I also enjoyed the detail of the cookery classes and the recipes. Death by Rocky Road sounds very tempting! It is also an amusing book, particularly in the descriptions of the characters, some of whom go in for very vibrant clothes. And the food provided is decidedly un-luxurious, despite the high prices charged for the course - the descriptions were very funny, with slimy fish pies and a fluorescent prawn cocktail.
This was an easy to read page turner and I am pleased to see that it is the first in a series. I will look forward to reading the next in the series.
The book is set in an upmarket Belgravia cookery school. Paul Delamare is persuaded by a friend to teach an upcoming residential course on basic cookery skills - Christian is a well known chef who oozes charm and has many female admirers, and when the seven students find out that it is not Christian but Paul who is teaching them, they are very disgruntled! Then there is a murder and the police think that Paul is the culprit ....
I enjoyed Knife Skills for Beginners very much. It is written in the first person from Paul’s perspective. This is an effective way of telling the story as Paul turns investigator in order to clear his name. I found him to be a likeable character with an interesting back story. His interviews with the police don’t go well at first, mainly because Paul tends to say what he thinks and is sure the police will realise that they are mistaken. This leads to antagonism and doesn’t help his case - but I found the way he reacted very believable. It becomes clear to him that someone is trying to frame him.
The students all have secrets of their own and plausible motives which are revealed as their back stories come out. This drives the story to an exciting climax. I didn’t guess who the murderer was. I also enjoyed the detail of the cookery classes and the recipes. Death by Rocky Road sounds very tempting! It is also an amusing book, particularly in the descriptions of the characters, some of whom go in for very vibrant clothes. And the food provided is decidedly un-luxurious, despite the high prices charged for the course - the descriptions were very funny, with slimy fish pies and a fluorescent prawn cocktail.
This was an easy to read page turner and I am pleased to see that it is the first in a series. I will look forward to reading the next in the series.
February 26, 2025
A humorous and easy to read cozy murder mystery.
It's written from Paul's perspective and there were a lot of good one liners, my favourite was probably;
"And don't underestimate the personal sacrifice I'd made myself, when I discovered I'd fallen in love with a man who hated garlic"
All loose ends were tied up at the end.
What's preventing me from giving the fifth star was that I'd worked out culprit, motive and means very early on and I do like a twist.
There is a second one coming out, but I'm not sure I'll rush to get it as this works as a stand alone
It's written from Paul's perspective and there were a lot of good one liners, my favourite was probably;
"And don't underestimate the personal sacrifice I'd made myself, when I discovered I'd fallen in love with a man who hated garlic"
All loose ends were tied up at the end.
What's preventing me from giving the fifth star was that I'd worked out culprit, motive and means very early on and I do like a twist.
There is a second one coming out, but I'm not sure I'll rush to get it as this works as a stand alone
July 3, 2025
I really enjoyed this, the only reason I didn’t give 5 stars was that I guessed the culprit maybe 75% in and then got a bit bored as I thought it had been given away. I was only 50% right though and there was a twist I didn’t expect so back up to 4 stars!
Won’t rush to buy the second but if I come across it I would buy it 🙂
Won’t rush to buy the second but if I come across it I would buy it 🙂
April 9, 2025
Simpa cozy misterijica! Moglo je na manje strana i da se malo brže neke stvari objasne, ali sve u svemu mi se dopalo i čekam sledeću knjigu u serijalu.
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