Violet Whitehouse sits down for a question-and-answer session with dru’s book musings so that we, the readers, can get to know her better. Are you ready? Violet, take it away!

---

---

What is your full name?
Violet Iris Whitehouse

How old are you?
I just turned 26

What is your profession?
I’m a trained chef. When I realized that I didn’t like the environment in a professional kitchen, I started my own catering business. I will also take a job as a personal chef on occasion.

Do you have a significant other?
Yes, my husband.

What is their name and profession?
Jake Whitehouse. He’s an author, but also is my right-hand man when catering.

Do you have any children?
Not yet but we’re trying.

Do you have any siblings?
Yes, my older sister, Greta, is a florist in the area and we help each other land jobs.

Are your parents nearby?
Yes, about half an hour outside of Austin, where Jake and I own a condo.

Who is your best friend?
For a long time it’s been Greta, but it’s quickly becoming Laurel, the bride in the wedding I catered last year.

Do you have any pets?
No, I have trouble dealing with messes.

What town do you live in?
Austin Texas. I grew up nearby, went to culinary school in San Antonio, then moved to Downtown Austin with Jake.

Do you live in a small town or a big city?
Austin has a unique feel. It’s like the smallest big city. Or maybe the biggest small town.

Type of dwelling and do you own or rent?
We live in a condo on East 5th street. It’s the condo that Jake owned before we got engaged.

What is your favorite spot in your home?
The kitchen. Even when I’m not catering, I love to pain-stakingly clean it.

Favorite meal and dessert?
I love Thai beef salad and pumpkin cake with sour cream frosting.

Do you have any hobbies?
If cooking doesn’t count (since I do it for a living) I suppose it’s cleaning.

What is your favorite vacation spot?
A pebble beach with a really clean hotel and a hot shower.

What music do you listen to?
I’m not big on music, but I suppose I like some of everything. It depends on the circumstance.

Do you have a favorite book?
Signature Dishes That Matter. It’s so interesting!

What is your idea of a really fun time?
Wiping out the refrigerator or going out to dinner.

If you were to write a memoir, what would you call it?
Clean Your Plate! Lessons from my parents, culinary school, and being a “neat freak.”

Amateur or professional sleuth and whom do you work with?
I’m definitely an amateur, but I investigate when I’m needed. But I’m slowly realizing that I love to investigate alongside the proper authorities, like our old friend, Don or Detective Donnelly, or my new friend we met on vacation, Detective Law.

In a few sentences, what is a typical day in your life like?
Usually I’ll shop, prep or cook for an upcoming catering job, then clean up, cook dinner, then cleanup some more. I also try to do one or two deep-cleaning projects every day, like vacuuming under the refrigerator or wiping the baseboards.

What is a typical day when you are on a case?
Unfortunately, both of my cases have happened while I’m right in the middle of a big catering job. I’ve had to juggle the cooking and serving with talking to people, watching everyone really closely, and checking in with whichever detective is on the case. It’s a little annoying because I have to let more of the cleaning fall to Jake.

---

A Caterer’s Guide to Holidays & Homicide, A Caterer’s Guide to Crime #2
Genre: Cozy
Release: October 2021
Purchase Link

Deck the halls. . .with a personal chef, a snowed-in lodge, and a sprinkling of murder!

“Watch the knives!”

While acting as personal chef for a friend’s mountain retreat, Violet and her husband, Jake, must set aside their stress over infertility and create a magical and delicious holiday – until tragedy crashes the party.

Being snowed in and unreachable from town, Violet and Jake end up hired for a different kind of job – finding out which of the guests committed murder and why they’re trying to frame their hostess.

Violet must find a balance between following her gut and keeping it all under control until the police can reach them, while still managing the kitchen. But can she sniff out the killer before anyone else bites the big one?

A Caterer’s Guide to Holidays and Homicide will give you a culinary holiday you won’t forget!

---

About the author
Jessica Thompson is the author of the Amazon best-selling culinary cozy mystery, “A Caterer’s Guide to Love and Murder,” and is publishing her second book of the series, “A Caterer’s Guide to Holidays and Homicide,” on October 19, 2021. She is active in her local writing community and is a member of the Writers’ League of Texas and the Storymakers Guild. She received a bachelor’s degree in Horticulture from Brigham Young University but has always enjoyed writing and reading mysteries. As an avid home chef and food science geek, Jessica has won cooking competitions and been featured in the online Taste of Home recipe collection. She also tends to be the go-to source for recipes, taste-testing, and food advice among her peers.

All comments are welcomed.