All the President's Menus (A White House Chef Mystery)

Arrived quickly and was in condition mentioned. Thank you.

I have read all of the books in The White House Chef Series and none of them have disappointed. This most recent addition, All The Presidents Menus(title thanks to a friend of the Author) is woven with many possibilities and promises of future plot developments, but what makes this particular plot most sinister is that almost all of the crimes take place at the heart of the story, that is Olivia Para's White House Kitchen hitting far too close to home.The White House and Government are currently making do during a sequestration, which means less staff, and less entertaining on the First Family's schedule, but alas there is one event that will still happen. A State visit with dignitaries and 4 chefs from the Country of Saardisca (which could be north of Greenland or somewhere in Middle Europe with a dash of paprika for all we know)! Anyway, Ollie and Gav are now Husband and Wife, Gav is now re-entering his work life after being deemed healed from his injuries from two books in the series ago , the snarky aide de camp Margaret to Peter Sargent, now the Chief Usher to the White House. But several of Ollie's staff including Cyan, (she of the changing colored contact lenses-reflecting her moods?), has been among the furloughed. So KP is left to Ollie, Bucky and Marcel the gifted pastry chef(and first to fall ill) to work with and share insights with the 4 Saardiscan Chefs- who constantly lapse into their native tongue during sessions). Throw in a dash of potential life altering incidents/decisions, the introduction of a Female Challenger Candidate for President from the Old Country(definitely sounds like a sattelite country closer to Mother Russia) who comes to visit the White House with her beloved dog, Frosty , lives at risk and you have all the ingredients for ohmigosh, whodidit, whodunit and whose next and what will Ollie and Gav decide to do with a new option down the road that has nothing to do with the white house. Ah yes, Ollie is smack dab in the middle again, but she saves the day and we are left with new threads of potential plot lines for many more great books ahead in this series. Thank you again, Julie Hyzy, may you never run out of clever friends and readers who appreciate your gift...and carry on.

Olivia Paras' story continues with the White House Executive Chef running the kitchen with only Bucky as assistant and Marcel continuing to create his sugary confections in the pastry kitchen. The country is in the midst of a sequester so Cyan is on unpaid leave and is thinking of leaving the White House staff, much to Ollie's dismay. Ollie and Gav are now married so there are many marital conversations about government doings with Gav's return to duty with the Secret Service.This latest adventure finds President Hayden entertaining the female candidate for the Presidency of Saardisca, a fictional country in which female leadership is unheard of and where dssidents to the government, are harshly handled. Coinciding with the visit the White House kitchen is hosting four Saardiscan chefs anxious to learn the secrets of organizing and presenting State dinners efficiently. Despite her directives to speak only English while in the kitchen these men frequently revert to their own language.Two fainting bouts by Marcel and the death of the leading Saardiscan chef begin to make the hairs on Ollie's neck rise and soon, despite her best efforts, she is embroiled in an international mystery. Are these events merely the results of natural causes or is something else afoot--well,this is Ollie Paras about whom we speak. What do you think?In the meantime, Gav has the opportunity to leave the Secret Service and take over the operation of a winery currently being run by the parents of his first fiancé who was murdered before they could wed. Though no decision has been made other than to consider it for somefuture time, the introduction of the possibility creates flexibility to the author should mysteries at the White House dry up.If there was a weakness in this episode it was the fact that Saardisca is a fictional country--making it more a distraction than an exotic twist.

The White House Chef series is a favorite cozy mystery series of mine. I have followed it since 2008 with the publication of the first book. This is now the 8th book in the series.In a few of the books in the series, the story line is away from the White House kitchen. This book is almost totally set in the White House kitchen which I know will please many readers. The White House is going through a period of sequestration. Personnel have been laid off and special events have been canceled to save money.Just when it seems like Ollie is yearning for the hectic life of executive chief she has led, it is announced that four chefs from Saardisca are visiting the kitchen for several weeks. It is to be a learning and sharing time between the US and Saardisca. A candidate who is running for president of Saardisca will be joining everyone for a dinner at the Blair House in several weeks. This will wind up the Saardisca visitOllie soon find herself working and teaching four chefs who although different from each other are difficult and challenging. She soon is looking forward to the time when they complete their visit. Strange events start happening to people in the White House kitchen and Ollie's observation powers kick in. Soon she starts to get a feeling that not all is as it seems.The familiar cast of characters are back.The book read fast and held my attention. It was suspenseful. Once again Ollie takes a huge chance and puts her neck on the line. One is left wondering about possible changes in Ollie and Gav's future occupations. This was a very good book in the White House Chef Mystery Series.

I received this purchase in a timely manner and was in new condition. I am very satisfied.

great cheesy fun! weird how compelling the ending is even when you've only got one suspect left.

Très bon livre

Fast and nice read. A real cozy mystery as i like it! The stories of the kitchen of the white house are one of my favorites.