To Kill a Cook

by W.M. Akers

Tender at the Bone meets Finlay Donovan is Killing It in this hilarious, fast-paced mystery about a feisty food critic in 1970s NY who finds her chef friend murdered and realizes she might be the only one to find the killer.

Nobody in Manhattan eats better than Bernice Black. It’s 1972, and she is the city’s busiest restaurant critic, juggling her fiance and his two young sons with demands of fine dining. Bernice talks fast, walks faster, has a razor-sharp wit and no patience for anything--or anyone--that gets in her way.

When she stops by the famed restaurant of her favorite chef and mentor, Laurent Tirel, early one morning, she stumbles across a horrific scene in the Laurent's severed head, perfectly preserved in a flawless mold of jellied aspic.

Her meeting with the cops assigned to the case proves only one thing–they know nothing about food or the seedy underworld that BB Black has made her home. With layoffs looming, Bernice makes the gamble of her career—she promises her editor she can catch Laurent’s killer before the week is out. 

To Kill a Cook is a delicious, witty, fast-paced mystery with a lovable, unforgettable protagonist at it center.

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Adult

352 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication February 3, 2026

About the author

W.M. Akers is a novelist, playwright, and game designer. He is the author of the mystery novels Critical Hit, Westside, and Westside Saints; the creator of the bestselling games Deadball: Baseball With Dice and Comrades: A Revolutionary RPG; and the curator of the history newsletter Strange Times. He lives in Philadelphia, but hasn’t traded in his Mets cap yet. Learn more about his work at wmakers.net.

Reviews

[Ricarda · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just wrote a review where I said that I usually love food-centered horror or thriller novels and then I promptly read one that I didn't like at all. Just my luck. The book started out promising, though. Of course I am intrigued when the main character finds a severed head in aspic in the very first chapter. The 1972 New York setting sounded interesting too and I was ready for a historical, culinary murder mystery starring a food critic turned investigator. But well, I liked nothing about it in the end. Not the characters, not the humor, not the writing. Especially not the writing. It was kinda messy and vulgar, constantly referencing things that I didn't understand and often switching topics from one sentence to the next. Maybe that's the authentic New York way of speaking, but I wouldn't know and it was not enjoyable to read. It also made me despise the main character, Bernice Black. I guess she was supposed to be a strong, independent woman doing whatever she wants in 1972, but she was honestly just annoying. It's also impossible to forget the year, because it's mentioned multiple times throughout the book and it's always people thinking to themselves that this is the year 1972 or talking to someone else about how the year is 1972. I honestly don't know either. It was also rather unnatural how long passages about Bernice's parents or friends were thrown in at random times. After I was so turned off by the writing and the main character, I wasn't able to care at all for the murder mystery that started out promisingly. Bernice finds the body of a famous chef and good friend of hers and I'm told that she is sad and grieving, but the writing doesn't transport these emotions at all. It's supposed to be a humorous book, fair, but don't tell me that she is upset when she decides right away to make some money off his death. Bernice starts to investigate the murder and wants to write about it, and by investigate I mean that she speaks to a bunch of characters that feel like caricatures. I really didn't care which one would turn out to be not only over-the-top and silly, but also a murderer. The book was overall way too unserious for me. Every time the author tried to handle more serious topics, like sexuality or grief, the whole discussion totally fell flat. I'm sure that it can be an enjoyable book for other readers, but I kinda got off on the wrong foot with it and never really recovered during the entire time I was reading it.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Putnam for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Helen Downey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This ARC was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. It comes out February 2026.

It is 1970’s New York and the underbelly of the restaurant industry is an ugly place. Bernice Black is struggling to juggle her new self appointed role as “Greatest Stepmom in the World”, being a supportive finance, as well as chasing her dreams to be the best food critic in NYC when she accidentally discovers one of her favorite chef’s dead body. His severed head actually. Preserved in what seems to be the perfect aspic.
Meanwhile Bernice learns her job is on the line and in order to save it she may just have to solve not one but two murders in the NY chef scene and deliver the cover story to the failing magazine she currently works for. As she uses her culinary knowledge,and sometimes Brooklyn street smarts, to put together the pieces of the puzzle hilarity and danger ensue.
Bernice definitely gives Finnelay Donavan vibes toting a toddler in a stroller with her at times. Feisty, dramatic, and witty….but I was missing the sorrow or grief over the death of a close friend. Overall I flew through the book and was invested in finding the killer with her. And now I want to do a food tour in NYC. Although I’ll skip the aspic.

[Claudia, Cmarie927 · Rating 3 out of 5]

So I wanted a good murder mystery, and the synopsis seemed to catch my interest, so I grabbed this one.

The first few chapters certainly held my interest, but I started to become less and less attached to Bernice as the pages turned. If her good friend and "mentor" shows up deceased in the gruesome way she found him, I would have expected more emotion, less clinical reporting/investigating/ digging from her - and my feelings for her kept moving south from there. Add to that, unfortunately (for me) I am not a lover of NYC, and this is very city based. I think if you love the city and it's boroughs and energies (and you are a foodie at heart) you might really get attached to the settings in this one. I didn't really follow the storyline well, and called it quits around 75%. Additionally, I found the sentences and chapter structures not to my liking, and labored to turn the pages.
All of this is absolutely a ME problem, but in the interest of honesty, I probably shouldn't have selected this read. I am not the reader for this writer.

I do appreciate the opportunity to read this, thank you Netgalley for my ARC, and my opinions are my own.

[Lisa Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

In 1972 New York City is filthy and crime-ridden, but to restaurant reviewer Bernice Black it is heaven. Until the terrible day she finds her friend's decapitated head encased in aspic, her job about to go down the tubes and her personal life falling apart. If she can just find the murderer among the city's chefs maybe she can pull it all together. Great fun and full of real insight into NYC in the '70s and into the dark underbelly of the restaurant biz. Loved it!

[Megan Beech · Rating 3 out of 5]

As much as I love a food based mystery, whether of the cozy variety or just suspenseful, I had a difficult time getting into this story. I love that this takes place in New York during the 1970s but for some reason, it just isn't the right story for me. Nothing against the writer but it just wasn't the right fit.

I would like to thank the author, publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC book in exchange for an honest review.

[LittleRead · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up this book because it mentioned Finlay Donovan is killing it and you know what? It was a wise decision. The story started with a bang right out of the gate and kept me engaged and hooked the entire way through. I definitely have a new series added to my list of must read authors. I absolutely adored this one.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A pleasing and satisfying read. This novel was delectable, clever and fun. Absolutely one of the best novels I have been given the opportunity to read this year. Thank you NetGalley for the Advanced Readers Copy of To Kill a Cook. These thoughts are my own and freely given.

[Rainy]

Thank you NetGalley and Putnam for this eARC and exchange for my honest opinion.

I found this to be a fun and clever read. It was a refreshing take within the mystery genre. Overall I enjoyed this book.

[FL · Rating 3 out of 5]

A crazy romp through the food scene in the '70s. An entertaining fast read. However, there were too many characters and none really developed, so the who done it part of the story left me not caring who the murderer was.

[Likestotravel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Difficult for me to follow and enjoy. The gappy, stream of consciousness writing style is not my preference but may appeal more to others who prefer a looser, less structured story.

Thanks to NetGalley and Putnam for the opportunity to read this ARC.

[Lesley · Rating 3 out of 5]

A gritty but funny story set in the NYC restaurant in the 1970s. Overall a fun listen, just felt they could have pulled back a bit on all the different directions/ elements pulling on the main character.

[Viviana]

I received a NetGalley widget today from Sofie Parker at G. P. Putnam's Sons and Penguin Random House for winning a Shelf Awareness Giveaway.

[J R · Rating 4 out of 5]

fun murder mystery with a fun plot that felt a hair repetitive at times but culminated in a fantastic killer reveal. 4 stars. tysm for the arc.

[Barbi · Rating 3 out of 5]

The premise of the book was interesting, the large cast of characters was interesting. The story started ok and just fades somewhere along the way. I did enjoy the descriptions of the food and the cooking and the restaurants, but by the end, I didn't really care who the killer was.

Thanks for the ARC Netgalley.