The Menu: A Mysterious Journey Through Food

by J.R. Baude

Shrouded in mystery, an anonymous invitation arrives, leaving its recipient, Trevor Fontaine, swirling in intrigue. The offer, harmless enough, is an entry into a competition to develop a menu for a forthcoming restaurant. Recently unemployed and the prize money too generous to ignore, he cautiously accepts the invitation, unable to imagine the extent of the challenging journey ahead.

Any thoughts he’d harbored of a career in gastronomic pursuits had been left behind years before, ending in an abrupt, bitter departure from culinary school under dubious circumstances. And although the contest is merely a temporary endeavor, there is a chance it may awaken some unresolved issues from his past.

A global gastronomic voyage ensues, bringing with it eye-opening adventures but also resurrecting unsettled darkness from his earlier days, testing his resolve through agonizing confrontations with those damaged by deliberate acts at the hands of his own family, eventually culminating in unforeseen danger.

Throughout, stark questions arise about why he was chosen for the contest and the exact motivations of the puppet master conducting it. How does this anonymous person seem to possess an eerie depth of intimate knowledge regarding Fontaine’s past? As events unfold, questions arise about whether the contest is one designed to heal him or, instead, devastate him.

But, as Fontaine's quest for the prize progresses, he learns that “victory” may take form as something he never could have imagined when it all began.

A tale spun both for foodies and non-foodies alike, The Menu is one sure to feed your heart and your appetite with recipes included.

324 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 26, 2024

About the author

After a creative life in musical pursuits culminating in a CD titled “When The Sun Goes Down…”, the muses shifted J.R's passion to writing. "I wanted a new canvas and a venue that would allow my works to be directly accessible to an audience." Fiction writing seemed the perfect answer to that call. In 2011, he self-published his debut novel “The Unremarkable Uneventful Life of Harvey Henderson”. The book has since received a collection of four and five-star reviews (Amazon, Goodreads).

“The Lazarus Chain”, his second novel, was released in April 2020 and is a suspenseful tale packed with intrigue woven into a fabric of cutting-edge genetic science, religion, and the consequences of eternal physical life.

His latest release, "The Menu: A Mysterious Journey Through Food", was inspired by his culinary passions and desire to share them as the basis for a moving story of renewal and redemption.

Learn more about his creative pursuits on Instagram at @mrbaude and @jrbaude.creative.

Reviews

[Bill Howe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book. The style is fun and the mysteries are intriguing. The morning after I finished this tale, I found myself lying in bed, comtemplating the multidimensional experience. Next, I picked up the book and started over, just to savor the craft.

[Alexis Sofo · Rating 4 out of 5]

It kept me turning pages, and it was a simple easy read that was entertaining throughout. Loved the sprinkling of culinary knowledge throughout! Would definitely recommend.