by Julie Hyzy
Publishers Weekly In Hyzy's diverting if preposterous fourth White House Chef mystery (after 2010's Eggsecutive Orders), nothing goes well for Olivia "Ollie" Paras, the White House's first female executive chef, on the arrival of the newly inaugurated U.S. president, Parker Hyden, and his family. First, Ollie stops a box of take-out chicken wings of unknown origin from reaching the Hyden children, 13-year-old Abby and nine-year-old Josh, much to the new First Lady's annoyance. The five White House staff members who eat the chicken wings, however, wind up violently ill in the hospital, where terrorists later take them hostage. To add to Ollie's woes, the Hydens' egotistical personal chef expects to be the boss in the kitchen. Ollie befriends Josh, and their developing bond, reinforced during a kidnapping incident, is one of this cozy's highlights. Recipes include a kid-friendly chicken meal. (Jan.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved. (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved Book list Hyzy's White House executive chef Olivia Paras puts in another appearance. She has just become comfortable with one First Lady when the vicissitudes of the American electoral process install a new chief executive in the West Wing. During the general tumult surrounding Inauguration Day, a box of chicken wings from a popular restaurant chain suddenly appears in the White House kitchen. Shunted off to staffers, the wings promptly sicken them. When it becomes apparent that these chicken wings were meant to surreptitiously poison Abigail and Josh, the presidential children, the Secret Service moves into high gear to uncover the mystery, and matters quickly spread far beyond the White House mess. Paras fears for her professional future when the neophyte First Lady holds her responsible for this threat to her offspring. So it's up to Paras to get to the root of the mystery.--Knoblauch, Mark Copyright 2010 Booklist From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission. |
