Foodie Noir

by John Scheck

Suzan is an ambitious Seattle food influencer who escapes a brutal past by
reinventing herself through cooking, travel, and social media success, only to
discover that rising visibility brings danger as well as opportunity. When her growing
brand pulls her into the seductive world of Spanish cuisine, luxury travel, and
curated foodie tours, Suzan finds herself surrounded by stalkers, volatile lovers,
missing women, and a wealthy man willing to use violence to protect his status. With
its vivid food writing, glamorous international setting, and high-stakes suspense.

Genres: Thriller

275 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 30, 2026

About the author

https://www.instagram.com/johnscheck_...

John Scheck has lived in four countries on three continents. In no particular order, these include eight years in Lower Queen Anne in Seattle; the Miraflores district of Lima, Peru, during a university program; the Glyfada area of greater Athens, Greece, as part of his short and distinguished service in the U.S. Air Force; and now the Ruzafa neighborhood in sunny Valencia, Spain, is home.

His humor essays have appeared on several websites and magazines, as well as National Lampoon's Not Fit for Print. He writes crime fiction and other stuff.

Reviews

[Leftbanker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Foodie Noir is a lively, darkly comic thriller that mixes food, travel, ambition, and danger into an entertaining ride. Suzan’s transformation into the food influencer “Sue Chef” takes her from struggling beginnings to culinary adventures in Spain, where success brings excitement—and unwanted attention.

What makes the novel stand out is its unusual blend of foodie culture and noir suspense. The travel and restaurant scenes provide plenty of atmosphere and personality, while stalking, revenge, and darker characters steadily raise the stakes.

A fun, fast-moving read for anyone who enjoys culinary travel, colorful characters, and a thriller with a decidedly darker bite.

[Abibliofob · Rating 5 out of 5]

Foodie Noir is perhaps not a book I would have picked for reading based on the description. However since I have read all the other books from this author I was compelled to read this one as well. John Scheck is one heck of a storyteller and he always has a deeper thought behind his stories. This one is about food content on social media and fans on said media as well as stalking and what that can lead to. It is also great advertising for the local cuisine of Valencia, Spain. I wonder why? You should really try this author, you never know what he will come up with in his books but they are all great fun reading even though they sometimes deals with dark topics. I have enjoyed every single one so far and do recommend his work. Oh, by the way. Thanks for the book John.

[MM Suarez · Rating 5 out of 5]

"No matter what anyone has ever said, I never believed there was anything worse than dying, but some sh*t comes close."

This is not a book I would have chosen based on the first word in the title, as I would hardly call myself a foodie, but the word noir always pulls me in, that and the fact that I have read the author's previous work and you can always count on a good story. However this one is a little different, a quirky, fun blend of food and travel, a kick-ass food influencer who discovers fame can be dangerous, and a murderous ex husband who is overdue for some well deserved comeuppance.

A very enjoyable read, I have never been to Valencia but after reading this one I somehow feel like I have the descriptions are so vivid, but fair warning to all do not read this book while hungry!

[Dierregi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unfortunately I felt that the book didn’t quite deliver what the title and setup made me expect.

First and foremost, the novel presents female empowerment through physical dominance, aggression and moral certainty, while reducing its male antagonists to almost cartoonish embodiments of greed, misogyny and violence. As a result, the supposedly noirish moral ambiguity never really

Then, the culinary and travel material repeatedly becomes exposition rather than narrative, interrupting the flow of the story.

Finally, as an Italian reader, I was uncomfortable with the casual association between an Italian/Sicilian character and organised crime, particularly in a novel otherwise so careful about avoiding stereotypes and moral judgments concerning women.

This manuscript didn’t work for me. I think the main obstacles are structural and stylistic rather than the basic premise, which other readers may find more satisfactory.

[Bookster · Rating 4 out of 5]

Foodie Noir delivers plenty of action beneath its food-and-travel surface. The story moves from stalking and threats to confrontations, revenge, and dangerous encounters, keeping the tension high as Suzan’s growing celebrity puts her increasingly in the crosshairs.
The action has a gritty, unpredictable edge, with characters willing to take matters into their own hands when the authorities—or conventional solutions—aren’t enough. The result is a fast-paced noir thriller with food, travel, violence, and revenge served together.

[Birna Sigurbjornsdottir · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a female, I must first say that author John Scheck continuously writes strong, intelligent female characters who are truly interesting and driven, and remain pretty steadfast throughout the novel, regardless of the dangerous situations they may find themselves in. In other words, he does not write about the heroine who, in the end, needs her hero/savior/knight-in-shining armor to save her, quite the opposite in fact, and it is obvious that he truly appreciates such strong women.

The novel itself was a great read: full of divine food porn in descriptive form, plenty of interesting and note-worthy characters of both sexes, great dialogue, and lots of travel, intrigue, suspense, action, and . . . I won´t spoil the rest for you. ;)

I highly recommend this book!

[John Scheck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Suzan is an ambitious Seattle food influencer who escapes a brutal past by reinventing herself through cooking, travel, and social media success, only to discover that rising visibility brings danger as well as opportunity. When her growing brand pulls her into the seductive world of Spanish cuisine, luxury travel, and curated foodie tours, Suzan finds herself surrounded by stalkers, volatile lovers, missing women, and a wealthy man willing to use violence to protect his status. With its vivid food writing, glamorous international setting, and high-stakes suspense.

[J. Royal Doran · Rating 5 out of 5]

Foodie Noir is a fun, atmospheric read that blends the intrigue of noir with a genuine love of food. John Scheck brings a distinctive voice to the story, creating a world that feels both mysterious and richly textured. The culinary details add flavor without overwhelming the plot, while the noir elements keep the pace engaging. Overall, it’s an enjoyable choice for readers who like their mysteries with a sophisticated, food-focused twist.