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sayantani_guha's review against another edition
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
caitibeth's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Paul Delamere is grieving the recent death of his partner Marcus, and is having some financial difficulties as well. When an old friend, celebrity chef Christian, breaks his arm and can't run an upcoming class at the expensive cooking school he works at, he asks Paul to step in at short notice. Paul agrees. At first, there's just the awkwardness of the school owner dodging discussion of Paul's fee, and the amateur culinary students being vastly diappointed they don't get charismatic celebrity Christian as their teacher. But when someone turns up dead, Paul's going to have to solve the murder to clear his own name...
Picked this up from the library new books section, and glad I did. I don't normally read contemporary mysteries, but this one was pretty good.
I liked the obvious insider knowledge the author brought from his experience in both the cooking and magazine worlds - that part of the setting felt very authentic. I also liked Paul's platonic BFF Julie (though the emoji texts were cringe), and the way there wasn't a romance shoehorned in. Paul's grief for his partner was an important part of the book, and if the series continued I'd definitely want it to wait a little while before giving him a new romantic interest.
The pacing was sometimes a little bit uneven, and the stepson subplot didn't really work for me. It either needed to be cut or reworked. But overall this was a good debut and I enjoyed it. :)
Picked this up from the library new books section, and glad I did. I don't normally read contemporary mysteries, but this one was pretty good.
I liked the obvious insider knowledge the author brought from his experience in both the cooking and magazine worlds - that part of the setting felt very authentic. I also liked Paul's platonic BFF Julie (though the emoji texts were cringe), and the way there wasn't a romance shoehorned in. Paul's grief for his partner was an important part of the book, and if the series continued I'd definitely want it to wait a little while before giving him a new romantic interest.
The pacing was sometimes a little bit uneven, and the stepson subplot didn't really work for me. It either needed to be cut or reworked. But overall this was a good debut and I enjoyed it. :)
carolsnotebook's review against another edition
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
Paul, still grieving after the loss of his partner and not in a steady job, takes over a cookery class from his old friend, Christian, who has broken his arm. It’s a residential cooking school held in an old mansion in Belgravia, just a short walk from Paul’s own house. Paul is not thrilled with the situation, not only because he has no idea what he’ll be paid, but all of the students are major Christian fans and are disappointed that Paul has taken his place. And then he discovers Christian’s body, clearly murdered, and Paul becomes one of the main suspects.
The mystery’s good enough. Each of the students and even the cooking school owner have secrets and possible motives for wanting Christian dead. We have several clues and a few red herrings. It’s a bit like a house party mystery, especially when Paul ends up having to stay there too. The suspects are limited to those in the house at the time and all the individuals are only loosely connected. I like Paul. He was funny and real. I also liked his best friend, Julie, who works for a lifestyle magazine and sends him daily horoscope texts. The other characters are appropriately quirky.
This is a culinary mystery, so you might pick up some skills, bits or trivia or even a recipe you want to try out. Paul finds Christian’s diary and the entries contain details about his life and several of his recipes. It’s a good way to get to know Christian better and gives a bit of variety to the narrative.
Towards the end, it did go off the rails a bit. And the wrap up, with Paul telling Julie everything that happened was sooo long and detailed. I was listening to the audio – the narrator does an excellent job – and the book ended up finishing at 106% so that might have thrown off my expectations too.
I think this is the first in the series. I will definitely pick up the second when it come out.
kishab's review against another edition
3.0
This is billed as top chef meets knives out and it really intrigued me since I love both. I didn't really feel like it was a locked room mystery but it was close. I also didn't feel like the cooking aspect was super relevant to the story. It was there to include recipes and a setting but didn't contribute to the story as much as I would have expected. The mystery aspect was really interesting, I kind of predicted the solution but it all panned out in an unexpected way which was interesting. There were a lot of characters but we didn't get a full view of them since most of them were just here to be additional suspects. I felt there were a few loose ends that weren't wrapped up but I wasn't so invested that I felt let down by this. Overall it was a fun read and the mystery aspect was good but don't go in expecting a lot of character development.
Thanks to Netgalley, Orlando Murrin and Kensington Publishing and RB media
erinelissabaum's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
cokie's review against another edition
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
trivial_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.5
"Knife Skills for Beginners" by Orlando Murrin is a captivating culinary mystery centred on Paul, a grieving chef who steps in to teach a course at a prestigious cooking school. Things take a dark turn when his friend Christian—who encouraged him to fill in—is found murdered. Suddenly, Paul is not just teaching knife skills; he's trying to solve a murder while keeping himself out of trouble.
The premise of a chef turned amateur detective is refreshing, and the plot is engaging. It begins as a cozy culinary drama but quickly evolves into a tense whodunit. At first, Paul's motivations for getting involved in the investigation seem unclear. Still, they become more logical as the stakes rise, and he becomes a suspect.
The characters are generally well-developed. Paul stands out with his emotional baggage and grief, adding depth to his character. However, I wish the students in the cooking class were more fleshed out, as they mainly serve to advance the plot. On a positive note, the setting is superb: the cooking school, housed in an old, atmospheric building, creates a perfect blend of cozy and ominous.
Murrin's writing is smooth and engaging. While the pacing is good, some scenes—particularly Paul's interactions with the students—drag a bit. Streamlining these sections would improve the overall flow. Themes of grief and trust are present but could be explored more deeply; I am hopeful that future books will flesh them out further.
Sebastian Humphreys delivers an excellent performance in the audiobook narration, infusing it with personality and maintaining the tension throughout. His voice work significantly enhanced the listening experience for me.
If you enjoy culinary mysteries infused with emotional depth and a side of suspense, this book is definitely worth a read. It's a solid start to what promises to be an exciting series!
This book is now available for purchase! Thank you to Orlando Murrin, RBmedia, Recorded Books, and NetGalley for the ARC!
The premise of a chef turned amateur detective is refreshing, and the plot is engaging. It begins as a cozy culinary drama but quickly evolves into a tense whodunit. At first, Paul's motivations for getting involved in the investigation seem unclear. Still, they become more logical as the stakes rise, and he becomes a suspect.
The characters are generally well-developed. Paul stands out with his emotional baggage and grief, adding depth to his character. However, I wish the students in the cooking class were more fleshed out, as they mainly serve to advance the plot. On a positive note, the setting is superb: the cooking school, housed in an old, atmospheric building, creates a perfect blend of cozy and ominous.
Murrin's writing is smooth and engaging. While the pacing is good, some scenes—particularly Paul's interactions with the students—drag a bit. Streamlining these sections would improve the overall flow. Themes of grief and trust are present but could be explored more deeply; I am hopeful that future books will flesh them out further.
Sebastian Humphreys delivers an excellent performance in the audiobook narration, infusing it with personality and maintaining the tension throughout. His voice work significantly enhanced the listening experience for me.
If you enjoy culinary mysteries infused with emotional depth and a side of suspense, this book is definitely worth a read. It's a solid start to what promises to be an exciting series!
This book is now available for purchase! Thank you to Orlando Murrin, RBmedia, Recorded Books, and NetGalley for the ARC!
kdela's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5