The Spice Box

The Spice Box #1

by Lou Jane Temple

A delicious new mystery series that takes readers on a cook's tour of kitchens through history.

A fresh new series begins-- one which will follow a spice box--and the cooks who use it--through different historical periods, each with a mystery to solve and a handful of precious recipes.

Bridget Heaney escaped from Ireland's Great Famine to New York City, where she spent her childhood as a pickpocket, supporting herself and her younger sister. But ever since she made her first pot of soup at the orphanage, she knew she wanted to be a cook. Now, in the home of wealthy and powerful department store owner Isaac Gold, her dream is about to come true.

But on Bridget's first day of work, amidst gleaming copper pots and mighty woodstoves, she finds a body hidden inside the dough box. It is Gold's youngest son, whose whereabouts have been a mystery for several days. Bridget's courage and street sense take her from cook to crime-solver as she helps the heartbroken Gold family unravel the story of their son's fate. Justice will be served-along with a home-cooked meal.

A taste of The Spice Box's
Mustard Fruit Compote
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon dried powdered mustard
1/2-cup brown sugar
1/4 cup honey mustard
2 cups apple juice
15-20 pitted prunes, chopped
15-20 dried apricots, chopped
1-cup raisins
1-cup dried cranberries or cherries
6-8 dried figs, chopped
3 fresh pears, chopped

In a small sauté pan over medium heat, heat the mustard seed and turmeric until the seeds begin to pop, about two minutes.

Be careful not to inhale directly over the pan, as the mustard gas is strong. Remove from heat. Combine all ingredients in a large, heavy saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook until the pears are soft, about 25 minutes. Serve with ham, turkey, or a prime rib of beef or pork.

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Historical, Cozy Mystery, Historical Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Food and Drink

320 pages, Hardcover

First published May 3, 2005

About the author

LOU JANE TEMPLE, the former owner of Cafe Lulu in Kansas City, wrote about food and entertaining for Kansas City Magazine, and was the author of the Heaven Lee mysteries, a series of culinary thrillers.

Lou Jane moved to Kansas City in the late 1960s and was a 50-year resident of Kansas City, Mo., and a creative force in the city.

Reviews

[Sumi · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Spice Box is the first in series of mysteries that apparently aren't always going to have the same 'detective'.

The Spice Box starts with Bridget Heaney, a young Irish immigrant, starting as an assistant cook in the household of a wealthy Jewish-American department store owner. Practically on the first day she discovers the dead body of her employer's youngest son stuffed in the dough box.

Like all historical mysteries there's the details of period life which draw us to read them in the first place. Would an assistant cook really have had time to solve a murder and get dinner on the table? I doubt it, but that's fine. I'm not looking for 100% realism. I just enjoyed reading about the belowstairs life inbetween playing detective.

In addition to looking for a murderer, Bridget is trying to find her sister with whom she'd lost contact. So in a way, there are two mysteries for Bridget to solve.

The title refers to a wooden spice box that Bridget finds in her room. It contains recipes written in different languages and at the end of the story she decides to contribute a recipe of her own to it. One of the recipes was written in French. Since the second book in this series is going to take place in an earlier time period and in France, I think that the recipes are going to be the linking factor in this series.

[Stacey Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bridget Heaney learned how to cook in an orphanage where her sister and her spent a few years after their mother died and their father was off who knows where. This story takes place in 1864 New York City where Bridget is starting to work in a mansion. Her new boss, Isaac Gold, is the owner of a big department store with many employees there as well as at his home. Bridget soon learns that Mr. Gold is more than a good boss who treats his help fairly, he's also a good person. Bridget, a red headed, Irish, almost 20 year old quickly becomes part of the "family" under the employ of Mr. Gold.
Spoiler alert:
When Seth Gold is found dead, by Bridget no less, Mr. Gold asks for Bridget's help in finding the killer. Spending more time away from the kitchen and traveling the streets of NY looking for clues has Mr. Gold and Bridget trusting each other more and more. While searching for Seth Gold is the priority Bridget also is looking for her sister who she hasn't seen in years. The two unlikely allies work together to find answers to questions concerning family. This makes for a great read. The orphaned, poor, girl and the privileged business man both just trying to heal a pain concerning ones they love and care for. This is the first book in the Spice Box series. I will be reading the next one for sure.

[Deb · Rating 3 out of 5]

Katerina's grandmother has recently died, and when she and her mother go through her grandmother's belongings they find an antique box filled with letters and a journal, all in Armenian which neither woman can read. Katerina vacations in Cyprus where she meets an Armenian who helps her translate the journal. Through the journal, Katerina discovers the tragedy and horror her grandmother lived through during the Armenian genocide. She also discovers and claims her own heritage. It seems that a current trend in writing nowadays is switching narrators and sometimes that adds a great deal to the story. I found the technique disruptive. Not only did narrators switch, but the time periods shifted too. I also thought the ending was a little too pat. While it is good to lift up the historical time period and horrific events, I don't think this was the best effort.

[M · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the overall reading experience and craft of this novel. The author incorporated a lot of minority angles which pleasantly surprised me. Most books set during the Civil War do not include Jewish or African American perspectives. Our sleuth is an Irish immigrant who is searching for her missing sister all the while solving a murder and working as a cook for a wealthy Jewish department store owner. I wish there had been more historical cooking details and that the direction of the relationship between Bridget and Isaac had been more overt. I could not tell if it was headed in a romantic direction or in the direction of a father-foster daughter relationship. Overall, an engaging read complete with included historical recipes.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

From Amazon:

Fleeing the Irish potato famine to build a new life in New York City, Bridget takes a job as a cook for the wealthy, powerful Isaac Gold, but her first day ends in tragedy when she stumbles upon the body of her employer's youngest son.

Well-written & charming, with lots of accurate details about Jewish life & the class system in New York in the mid-19th century.

[Mimi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thought this was a pretty good beginning to a series....interesting times and character, but this seems to be all there is, the second seems completely unrelated to this group of people. But even so, it's an enjoyable stand alone mystery.

[Daeny · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think my parents found this in some hotel and never returned it?

Solid three stars, good fun. The romantic interest is named Michael Murphy which was horrible because I know a real life Michael Murphy, but then luckily nothing came of that

[Barbra · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an excellent story for the first in a new series, I will certainly be looking for the 2nd. The story centers around a spice box that various chefs who own the box leave a recipe for the next owner of the spice box.

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a historical mystery that took place in New York City during the Civil War. It was really different and I appreciated the historical tidbits. Although it says this book is a series I think the second book has a different historical location with different characters.

[Eulail Huffcutt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Written in present tense which becomes completely annoying. Characters are not consistent.

[Dianne Landry · Rating 1 out of 5]

Bridget Heaney starts her first day as cook in the Gold mansion by finding the dead body o the family's youngest son in the pantry. Because she handles shock so well the owner of the home decides to use her to find out what happened. He takes her back to the Five Points area of NYC to find Katie, the previous cook and love interest of the dead man.

As a sub-story, Bridget is trying to find her sister Maggie. They fought and Maggie stormed out. Mr. Gold goes out of his way to help her. When she does find Maggie she is the owner of one of the most prestigious lingerie stores in NYC. Pretty damned good for someone who, 18 months earlier, was an opium addicted, inmate at a notorious insane asylum

The story is completely improbable. There is no way that a rich man would do the things Mr. Gold does and to think that Maggie could have turned her life around this quickly is ridiculous.

I did finish the book mainly because it was short and very easily written. I will not read more in this series.

[Scott · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ms. Temple writes a mystery where a young Irish woman wends her way through a Civil-War-era city, trying to balance the extreme cast system of her time with her own needs and her own emerging, cautious loyalties to her employers. Research was good, and the details of NY life provide the joy the reader gets. The mystery plot is crafted quite well, but the personal plot, in trying to surprise you, ends up thin and unbelievable. While Ms. Temple succeeds in inventing the outline of a book, she does not deliver on characterization (particularly of secondary characters), dialogue, or even in holding to a consistent point of view. She can jump from illuminating her protagonist (third person interior) to speaking for another character (also third person interior) within two paragraphs. Sloppy writing, which includes characters using modern language.

[Ronda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did not want to put this book down. The only thing keeping me from giving it 5 star sis that I was occasionally jarred out of the time period that, otherwise seemed so carefully set up, by some of the language use. Am I an expert on the time period portrayed? No. Was the author's use inaccurate? Don't know. Accurate or no, it was a bit disconcerting to find myself jarred back into this century. That said, I loved the characters, the plotting, and the idea of the spice box itself. I was happy to see a sequel, but a bit disappointed to realize that the stories may to follow the characters I have come to truly enjoy. Am hopeful that they will make an appearance in future installments.

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you love culinary cozies and historical mysteries, you'll love the Spice Box series by Lou Jane Temple. Twenty-year-old Bridget Heaney, poor and Irish in 1860s New York, have landed a job in the Gold mansion as a cook. From there, she discovered the dead body of their missing son. She and her boss decide to investigate the murder, while she looks for her long-lost younger sister Maggie. Every step of the way, there's lurking dangers and untrustworthy people right under from their nose. When she uncovers the truth, Bridget's life is at stake, before she reunites with her sister. A delightful mystery with yummy recipes.

[Kari Mccrory · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun cozy mystery set during the civil war. A good book to read when you need some down time. The story of an Irish immigrant girl trying to make her way in New York who finds a job in a big house as a cook. On her first day she finds the murdered son of the master of the house stuffed in a box in the kitchen. She maintains her composure and gains the confidence of those around her for having a good head on her shoulders. She then proceeds to help the master find those who murdered his son and in return he helps her search for her sister.

The book even has recipes at the end. They look too time consuming for me, but would be fun to try on a cold wet day with nothing to do.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

THE SPICE BOX by Lou Jane Temple
RATING: 4.5/B+
GENRE/PUB DATE/# OF PGS: Mystery, 2005, 306 pgs
TIME/Place: 1864, NYC
CHARACTERS: Bridget Heaney, cook; Isaac Gold/Bridget's employer & owner of Gold's Dept Store.
COMMENTS: 1st in the Spice Box series. On her 1st day at her new job she finds the body of Seth Gold, the missing son of her employer. She assists Mr. Gold in finding out who murdered him as well as searcing for her missing sister, Maggie.

[Ladiibbug · Rating 5 out of 5]

#1 Spice Box culinary historical mystery series

19th Century NYC is the setting - Bridget is a bright Irish immigrant who gets out of the slums when she's hired as a cook by a wealthy Jewish family.

Rich in historical detail - super enjoyable read. Stayed up way late reading :-)

I read #2 Death du Jour last month, not realizing it was a series. No info anywhere on more in this series ... which I'll snap up in a heartbeat if/when it comes out!

[Trisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

An historical mystery - with authentic recipes of 19th century New York city.
This is the 1st Spice Box mystery - Bridget Heaney, an Irish orphan gets a job as cook in one of the "big houses" in New York.
But on her first day, she discovers a dead body in the pantry - it is her employer's son, who disappeared a few days before she arrived at the house.
Bridget sets out to solve the murder, and also track down her sister,who disappeared some years back.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Culinary, historical mystery set in NYC at the Civil war. I wanted to like this one, but I think the author needed another draft. The conclusion was very hasty, and the main character seemed to have more of a modern voice. At one point she's wishing her boots had better arch support. The main character is an Irish cook who finds a dead body on her first day on the job at a mansion. Of course she gets involved with the mystery. It comes with recipes at the end, so I may try some of them.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't love this book, but I didn't hate it either. The mystery moved pretty slowly. There were lots of little tangents that I thought would end up coming together in the end, but they turned out to be completely unrelated. I appreciate the author's attempt at mixing historical facts into the book. However, much of the information seemed forced into the story rather than actually being a part of it.

The idea was good and the characters were fun albeit fairly one-dimensional.

[Gina Boyd · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of those books that makes you wish the writer weren't committed to a single genre; I enjoyed the mystery, but I enjoyed Bridget, her fellow characters, the mansion, and the 19th century New York setting even more. If Temple wrote mainstream fiction, she could have a Downton Abbey-style series on her hands, and I would be madly in love.

[Kristie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Months later, I'm still not sure what it was about this book that I loved so much, but I read it in less than 24 hours, which is a sure sign that the story just really grabbed me and didn't let go until it was over.

[Lynne · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed the descriptions of downstairs life far more than the actual plot. The plot was way too contrived. I don't need absolute realism in a light mystery, but the main character is unbelievable. In sum, it reads like an episode of "Murder She wrote" set in 1860's New York.

[Mandy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This new mystery series by Lou Jane Temple is full of fascinating culinary tidbits about historic New York and Paris, but the story is not very compelling. I would read it for its historic info, but not if you want a deep read.

[Becky · Rating 2 out of 5]

This started out OK, I thought I would like it more than I did. Most of it was highly unbelievable for the era it took place in, the story line was OK. The best part was reading about icons in NYC which where new or being built during this time period....I won't read others in this series

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Liked this book, particularly from a historical point of view. Learning about Kleindeutschland (Washington Square area!!) and the other old NY neighborhoods was particularly interesting. Life sure was different, even in NYC, around the Civil War. I certainly hope their police force has improved!!

[Rachel Carr · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked this fun little mystery. For a light read, the character development was good and the mystery kept me interested. As someone who loves to cook, I really liked the cooking descriptions throughout and the recipes at the end.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was intrigued by the mix of mystery, history and cooking. The overall story is interesting but written in such a pedantic fashion that it almost marrs the story. I liked it enough to also start to read the second one but it hasn't grabbed me enough to continue.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked this book, but I only gave it 3 stars as I kept getting distracted by what I think are historical inaccuaracies.

[Cathy Berry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed Book 2,so had to read Book 1.The culinary thme is a fun hook for this series.