Whew. It’s been a long day, but everyone is finally gone. Managing the Bonaparte House, a Greek restaurant located in a bustling tourist town along the St. Lawrence River in New York State, means I work from morning till close to midnight during the summer season, attending to my various duties. Chopping vegetables, assembling moussaka and pastitsio and gyro and other delicious Greek food, writing menus, ordering supplies, scheduling our wait and kitchen staff, processing payroll and receipts, I do it all. If necessary, I can even take over for our cook, Dolly, and crank out the evening’s dinners. (Note to self: Is it Dolly’s birthday yet? She has more than one every year and I give her presents for all of them)
Why do I do it? Yeah, I’ve been asking myself the same question lately. You see, my mother-in-law, Sophie, owns the Bonaparte House. I’ve been married to Spiro for twenty years, and we have a daughter who’s away at university in Greece and whom I miss desperately. My marriage has been…unconventional for a while now. Spiro disappeared a few days ago, with no word to anyone, and although he’s done it before, I have to wonder if he’s finally left me for good.
Oh, I’ve sort of expected this was coming, but if it turns out to be true, it will leave me in a tough spot. I only manage the Bonaparte House, I don’t own it, and I live upstairs with Sophie and Spiro. So if he asks me for a divorce, I won’t only be out of a marriage, I’ll be short a job in the family business as well as a home. And after twenty years, I don’t know how to do anything other than run a restaurant.
And it’s not just any restaurant. The Bonaparte House is two hundred years old and built of solid blocks of limestone. Way back when, a group of French aristocrats got together and hatched a plot to spring Napoleon from exile and bring him here, to what was then the wild lands of Northern New York State along the Canadian border. And they built a house for him to live in while he planned his return to power—not that he ever made it here. This house is big, and drafty in the winter, and full of wonky corners and antiquated plumbing. There’s even a rumor about a treasure hidden somewhere within its rocky walls. I’ve come to the conclusion that that part of the story is just a legend. Believe me, I’ve looked. Still, I can’t help thinking there’s something weird going on here just the same.
So why do I stay? I love my job, and I love this place, that’s why. If I have to leave, I haven’t got a clue where I’ll go or what I’ll do. I hope it doesn’t come to that.
But I’ll think about all this tomorrow. Right now, it’s time to put my feet up for a little while. Hmmm. Where’s that bar of dark chocolate I keep in my desk drawer?
You can read more about Georgie in Feta Attraction, the first book in the new “Greek To Me” mystery series, published by Berkley Prime Crime.
GIVEAWAY: Leave a comment by 6 p.m. eastern on January 16 for the chance to win a copy of Feta Attraction. The giveaway is open to U.S. residents only.
Meet the author
Susannah Hardy thinks she has the best job in the world: making up stories and inventing recipes to go along with them. A native of northern New York, where she attended St. Lawrence University, Susannah now lives in Connecticut with her husband, teenage son, and Elvira the Wonder Cat. Feta Attraction, Book 1 of the Greek to Me Mysteries published by Berkley Prime Crime, is her first novel. You can visit her online at:
So many new series lately…thanks for the giveaway!
I know! I love all the new series coming out. And the old ones too, LOL!
Thanks for the giveaway! Stories and food are some of my favorite things too!
Yup–Stories, food, and friends and family–what more do you need?
Eager to read this book even though I don’t like feta.
Ha, ha! You don’t need to like feta to enjoy Feta Attraction. I hope you like it!
Another fun series to add to my TBR pile. Congrats
Thanks! I had such fun writing it–I hope you have fun reading it!
Thanks for the giveaway! Sounds wonderful!
Good luck with the giveaway, and thanks!
Another new author for me. Feta Attraction sounds like a delightful read. Thank you for the giveaway. 🙂
This is my first book ever, Jen. Let me know if you like it!
This looks like it would be eerie for the house,mysterious for the missing husband and stressful for the job, making it a very interesting book. Would love a copy.
Oh, yeah, poor Georgie has her hands full! I wish there really was a Bonaparte House so I could snoop around in all the nooks and crannies.
I love this title. it sounds like something I need to read. Thank you for the chance.
Marilyn ewatvess@yahoo.com
Good luck, Marilyn!
Sounds like this will be a good read!
I hope so, Stephanie! I love Georgie and the rest of the strange and wonderful characters that inhabit Bonaparte Bay.
I’m reading this now but the recipes in the book sound awesome, would love a hard copy!
Omigosh, Sarah, thanks! Let me know if you try any of the recipes.
Oh my; your blogs make the books come alive , well done ,just love the way your enthusiastic reviews have made me determined to read more.
Kind Regard Kathy.
Thank you so much, Kathy! I could not be happier with the reviews Feta Attraction is getting, and I am so grateful for everyone who has taken time out of their lives to read and review. It means so much to me!
Cozies with food, YUM 🙂
Hi, Gram! The food-related cozies are what I read most of too. What’s your favorite series?
Please, please, please, I want this one. I’ll have to spend money again if I don’t get lucky and win it.
Thanks, Amy! I hope you win so you can spend your money on something else–like some Greek pastry!
This series sounds like fun – and this review made me hungry for my Greek pasta.
Greek pasta? Is that pastitsio (a personal fave) or do you have another recipe? Can you share?
Looks great, thank you for the chance to win 🙂
Thanks, Lisa! Isn’t the cover beautiful? I cried when I first saw it.
Love the witty title!! Can’t wait to see what the titles of this series’s books will be….
Thanks, cyn. OK, I can’t reveal the title of book 2 yet because it isn’t absolutely confirmed by the publisher. But I can tell you it’s another pun based on a common Greek food…
Sounds great. Thanks for the chance to win.
Thanks! I hope you enjoy Georgie’s first adventure.
Sounds yummy! Would love to win this one! Thank you/!!
Good luck, Mary! I wish everyone could win, I really do!
Sounds like my type of book.
I hope so! It was so much fun to write.
Can’t wait to read it
Thanks, JJT! Let me know what you think!
This sounds quite tempting.
The story, the recipes, or all this talk of Greek food? All tempting, I hope!
Cozily delish.
Thanks, Kicha! Now I have a mental picture of the leprechaun from the Lucky Charms box saying “Magically delicious,” LOL!
Yummy, Greek food. Interesting twist for a mystery.
As far as I know this is the only Greek-themed mystery out there. I hope you enjoy it!
Sounds like an interesting book that I’d like to read.
Thanks, Marylou! I’d like to have you read it too, LOL!
Looks like a fun and yummy book, just my type.
Thanks, Patricia! Good luck!
This really caught my attention & held my interest. I wa headed to Greece when our train was stopped, & we were sent back to Yugoslavia (still named that then) as martial law had been declared in Greece (no year given to protect the aged). I sill want to go there, but I’d settle for a Greek to Me book now. Enter me please for a chance for Feta Attraction.
I also trained through Yugoslavia and Greece back in the day it was still called Yugoslavia, which was kind of a scary place. I want to go back to Greece soon. I hope Feta Attraction will tide you over till you can go back too!
Thank you for the chance to win. I’ve really been looking forward to this one!
Thanks, Lisa! I hope you get to read it soon!
Sounds like a great new series.
I hope so, Rita. It was so much fun to write.
Sounds like a great book-love the title. Thank you for the contest!
Thanks, Betty! I love making up titles for cozy mysteries. I’ve even helped some other authors (who shall remain nameless, LOL!) with their titles 🙂
This looks like a really good one. Thanks!
I sure hope so! Thanks for stopping by today, and good luck!
Looking forward to reading this one. Thanks for the chance to win a copy.
Good luck! I hope you like it.
I’m interested in learning about the missing husband.
Well…I don’t want to give anything away, but Spiro is in some trouble, LOL!
Sounds like a great read
Thanks! Let me know if you enjoy it!
I would love to win this book so I could read it!!!
Good luck, Anita!
This sounds great, thanks for the chance to win.
Good luck, Debbie!
A new author for me to look for.
Yes, I’m brand new to the author biz! I hope you like Feta Attraction.
Poor Georgie. I hope Spiro comes back, but he’s probably been murdered.
Sounds like a great new series.
Well, I don’t want to give anything away, Cozynookbks, but that is entirely possible…
The history of Bonaparte House is interesting. Can’t wait to read more about Georgie. Thanks for the chance to win.
There is some real history underlying this story, holdenj. As soon as I have a free moment I’m going to create a page on my website so Super History Nerds such as myself can read all about it!
Thanks Dru for the intro on this new series! It sounds like a good read!
I hope you like it, Sandy!
This sounds like a great new series.
Thanks, Dotty! Good luck with the giveaway!
I’m wanting to know more about this strange marriage arrangement. I’d love to win this book.
suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com
Well, I’ll just say that Spiro and Georgie have an unconventional marriage…
I haven’t read any books by this author, but this one sounds really good. Thanks for having this giveaway.
Nope, you couldn’t have read anything by me, Anita, because this is my very first book! I hope you like it, and good luck with the giveaway.
As another northern New York native, I agree that it’s easy to love the place! The book sounds wonderful and fun and intriguing–a perfect mix!
Bonaparte Bay is an amalgamation of several of the tourist villages along the St. Lawrence, Amy, so if you read Feta, some things will look familiar and some will look completely different.
Love Greek food, love history and I love mysteries. All in one book sounds wonderful!!
Me too! I love all those things so I wrote about them. Good luck, Bev!
Ank you for the chance to win.
Good luck, Patti!
Definitely looks like a hit! All the things I love in a cozy. Would love to win! 🙂
Thanks, Stacie! I hope it’s a hit. Good luck!
I would love to read this book—thanks for the opportunity to win a copy!
Read a few reviews for this book and it looks promising. Love the chance to read it. 🙂
Sounds like an interesting new series, can’t wait to dive into it. Thanks for the chance to win.
Sounds awesome! Thank you for this chance!
Sounds like a great book! Definitely on my “to be read” list!
Sounds like a great new series…can’t wait to read it!
Love new series! Especially culinary ones. Can’t wait to read this! Thanks for the heads up & giveaway.
Happy New years!! thanks for the chance to win
Wow! This series sounds like fun! I am going to have to check it out!!
Thanks for the chance! I would love to read this! I am dying to know what happens next!
I went to college with a boy from Greece. He was a friend of my boyfriend, and was my partner in square dance class. He was in the archaeology club but I don’t think that was his major. I guess as much as anything, because of Costa [couldn’t pronounce his full name] I’ve always been interested in anything pertaining to Greek. And of course, a cozy mystery is just the best.
Good luck to everyone!
Greek to me sounds like it will be an enjoyable series!
I’ve been following this one for a while. I’m excited to read it. Thanks for the opportunity to wins copy.
Sounds good. I know there are some cozies with an Italian theme such as food, and now there’s a Greek one!
Sounds interesting! A Greek restaurant with a French name in America? Yes! (Any chance of getting a recipe for spanikopita?)
Sounds like a great new series that I’m looking forward to reading. Thank you for the chance to win.
wow thought I had left a comment already. But this sounds so wonderful I am glad to leave another one. Love Feta so this is perfect for me, lol
Looks like a lot of us are curious how this one will turn out.
This sounds delicious!
I love to read
Love saying the name of your book. My husband, the punster, shudders.
A mystery, food and a 200 year old home…. sounds like my kind of book.
Reading a good cozy is like eating comfort food curled up in a favorite old chair.
Yum – I love pastitsio! Comfort food at its best! Add a good cozy mystery and I’m all set for a winter weekend.
I love trying new series especially when I catch them at the first in the series. Thanks for the giveaway opportunity.
My favorite cozies revolve around food !
Thanks for giveaway!!!
Thanks Susannah for commenting and interacting with my readers.
Contest is closed.