State of the Onion
A White
House Chef Mystery with Olivia Paras
Julie
Hyzy
Berkley Prime Crime (Mass Market Paperback)
ISBN-10: 0-425-21869-4 (0425218694)
ISBN-13: 978-0-425-21869-3 (9780425218693)
Publication Date: January 2008
List Price: $7.99
Synopsis (from
the publisher): Never let them see you sweat -- that's White House
Assistant Chef Olivia Paras's motto, which is pretty hard to honor in
the most important kitchen in the world. She's hell-bent on earning her
dream job, Executive Chef. There's just one thing: her nemesis is vying
for it, too. Well, that and the fact that an elusive assassin wants to
see her fry ...
The highly-trained Secret Service agents couldn't do it. Snipers
swarming the White House grounds were no help. Only Ollie Paras was
able to stop the intruder-hitting him with a frying pan. She'd like to
wash her hands of the whole thing, but after she witnesses a murder,
there's no going back ...
Ollie's Secret Service boyfriend warns her that the killer is a
world-class assassin. And Ollie's the only person alive who can
recognize him. Still, guilt propels her to investigate, even if it
means putting herself -- and her relationship-in hot water ...
Review: Julie
Hyzy provides an inviting behind the scenes look at the life of a White
House chef in State of the Onion,
her debut mystery featuring Olivia "Ollie" Paras that ultimately proves
to be something of a disappointment.
The current Executive Chef in the White House is retiring and Ollie is
a strong contender to be his replacement. There are only two things
standing in her way: a former staff chef who is now a television
personality is also under consideration for the position, and a
potential threat against the President in which Ollie played a key
role: she knocked out an unauthorized intruder with a frying pan. But
as Ollie is drawn deeper into the assassination plot she finds her
dreams of being the first female Executive Chef slipping further away
... and her life increasingly in danger.
State of the Onion is
marketed as a cozy (it's in the "cozy" section on the publisher's
website), has a clever play on words title, and includes recipes for a
complete presidential menu. All this suggests a book that might be fun
and light-hearted with a bit of wry humor. But it's really more of a
"hard-boiled cozy" and at that, rather depressing. The problem is
squarely on the central character, Ollie. She goes on and on about how
critical the job of a White House chef is, how desperately she wants
the job of Executive Chef, and that a meaningful relationship with the
man in her life is important to her happiness. And yet she does
everything in her power to jeopardize all that and more. She constantly
states that she should be doing something (related to one of the many
things that she claims are important to her) and yet she cannot resist
doing something else. Of course that something else is in direct
conflict with everything she wants and believes in but if she didn't do
it, there wouldn't be a story. As a result of all this irresponsible
behavior, Ollie comes across as a not very likable character. And in
something of an ironic twist, the "evil" characters introduced to play
off of Ollie engender a sympathetic response in return.
Ollie aside, State of the Onion
is a well-written book with a reasonably credible plot. And the inner
workings of the White House kitchen are absolutely fascinating. It's
possible that this is simply a case of an author attempting to
accomplish too much in the first book of a new series and trying to
appeal to too wide an audience. For cozy readers to enjoy this series
the narrative needs to be lighter in tone and Ollie is advised to take
a fresh, more positive, approach towards the important things in her
life.
Special thanks to Breakthrough Promotions for providing an ARC of State of the Onion for this review.
Review Copyright © 2008 — Hidden Staircase Mystery Books — All Rights Reserved
Have you read State of the Onion? How would you rate it?
Mysteries in this series …
State of the Onion
Berkley Prime Crime (Mass Market Paperback), January 2008
ISBN-10: 0-425-21869-4 (0425218694)
ISBN-13: 978-0-425-21869-3 (9780425218693)
Omnimystery keywords for State of the Onion ...
Location(s) referenced: Washington DC.
