A Cookbook Conspiracy by Kate Carlisle is the 7th book in the “Bibliophile” mystery series. Publisher: Obsidian, June 2013
It’s a recipe for disaster when bookbinder Brooklyn Wainwright is asked to restore an antique cookbook.
Brooklyn has always been a little obsessed with food, but it was her sister Savannah who became a chef, graduating from the prestigious Cordon Bleu school in Paris. She and her classmates all went on to successful careers, but none of them achieved culinary superstardom like Savannah’s ex-boyfriend Baxter Cromwell.
When Baxter invites the old gang to participate in his new restaurant’s gala opening in San Francisco, Savannah looks forward to seeing her friends, and even asks Brooklyn to restore a tattered cookbook—an old gift from Baxter—as a present for him. But Brooklyn immediately recognizes that the book, which has strange notes and symbols scrawled in the margins, is at least two hundred years old. She thinks that it probably belongs in a museum, but Savannah insists on returning it to Baxter.
Shortly after receiving the gift, Baxter is found dead, with Savannah kneeling over him, bloody knife in hand, and the rare cookbook has disappeared. Brooklyn knows her sister didn’t kill him, and she suspects the missing cookbook might lead to the real villain. Now Brooklyn will have to turn up the heat on the investigation before Chef Savannah finds herself slinging hash in a prison cafeteria.
This is such a great series with Brooklyn and her family. This time we spend time with Savannah when she becomes the primary suspect in the murder of her fellow chef. Knowing that her sister is innocent and with the help of lovable Derek, Brooklyn dabbles and stirs up the pot to catch a killer among friends. I loved the way the book flowed and how the author presented the back story to help guide us towards a killer. Brooklyn is at her best in this delightfully charming whodunit and I can’t wait to see where we wind up next. The best part is the joy on Brooklyn’s face when she achieved satisfaction. You’ll have to read the book to know what is is.