BLOG TOUR: A Bitter Feast by Deborah Crombie @deborah.crombie @tlcbooktours @williammorrowbooks #abitterfeast #tlcbooktours #bookreview

For those who don’t like anything too dark out of their mystery/thrillers, Deborah Crombie’s newest mystery A Bitter Feast is sure to delight you! With a fascinating mystery but not too much darkness, this is a great October read! What appears to be a vehicular accident leads to the uncovering of a murder (or two) in the quaint setting of Cotswold village.

About the Book

New York Times bestselling author Deborah Crombie returns with a mesmerizing entry in her “excellent” (Miami Herald) series, in which Scotland Yard detectives Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James are pulled into a dangerous web of secrets, lies, and murder that simmers beneath the surface of a tranquil Cotswolds village.

Scotland Yard Detective Superintendent Duncan Kincaid and his wife, Detective Inspector Gemma James, have been invited for a relaxing weekend in the Cotswolds, one of Britain’s most enchanting regions, famous for its rolling hills, golden cottages, and picturesque villages.

Duncan, Gemma, and their children are guests at Beck House, the family estate of Melody Talbot, Gemma’s detective sergeant. The Talbot family is wealthy, prominent, and powerful—Melody’s father is the publisher of one of London’s largest and most influential newspapers.

The centerpiece of this glorious fall getaway is a posh charity harvest luncheon catered by up-and-coming chef Viv Holland. After fifteen years in London’s cut-throat food scene, Viv has returned to the Gloucestershire valleys of her childhood and quickly made a name for herself with her innovative meals based on traditional cuisine but using fresh local ingredients. Attended by the local well-to-do as well as national press food bloggers and restaurant critics, the event could make Viv a star.

But a tragic car accident and a series of mysterious deaths rock the estate and pull Duncan and Gemma into the investigation. It soon becomes clear that the killer has a connection with Viv’s pub—or, perhaps, with Beck House itself.

Does the truth lie in the past? Or is it closer to home, tied up in the tangled relationships and bitter resentments between the staff at Beck House and Viv’s new pub? Or is it more personal, entwined with secrets hidden by Viv and those closest to her?

Reflection

I looked up Lower Slaughter in Gloucestershire, particularly after a character comments on the name and asks if it means what it sounds like (it doesn’t actually, it is apparently derived from the word “slough” which means wetland), and I seriously recommend googling it. It is one of the quaintest, photogenic fairy tale towns I’ve seen and I enjoyed the book much more after seeing it, because the great descriptions came to life in that context. It even has a road that was named the most romantic street in Britain in 2011. How adorable!

It just so happens that the detectives are in Lower Slaughter at the home of Melody’s wealthy parents, and they come across a case. I though Melody’s worries about how she might be perceived differently by her colleagues after they knew the wealthy background she was raised in was an interesting element. In many fields, this wouldn’t be a negative. However, many people in the law enforcement profession are of more humble means than Melody. They do the job because they are passionate about it, not because they think it will bring great wealth.

This is the first I’ve read in the series, but it is actually 18^th in the line up. I did think there were a lot of characters, but I got to know them quickly and I had no trouble jumping in. Honestly if I was told this was a standalone, I’d believe it! The mystery is solely contained within these pages, and it’s a good one!

While headed into town, Duncan and Gemma are involved in a vehicular crash that leads to an unexpected murder investigation. There are two victims dead following the crash, and one may have been dead prior to the accident. Quite a puzzle!

One is Fergus, the former boss of Viv, the former chef at his Michelin-star restaurant in Chelsea. Viv is not created the most delectable sounding, high-quality pub food at Lamb, a pub in Lower Slaughter (seriously, mouth-watering descriptions of food). The other victim is Nell, a patron of Lamb who stops to pick Fergus up after she sees him walking down the road sick (at first she thinks he may be drunk).

When it appears that Fergus may have been poisoned prior to the crash, Duncan and his wife Gemma (both detectives), help investigate even though they don’t really have jurisdiction. As the case unfolds, another murder comes to light.

I loved the flashbacks to Viv’s time working in Fergus’s restaurant over a decade earlier. I learned a lot in terms of respect for what it takes to work in such a high-end, fine dining establishment. Those Michelin ratings don’t come easy!

The settings in general were so fun, from the sprawling Beck House (owned by Melody’s parents), to the gardens, the quaint streets, the pub where Viv works, and even the flashbacks to the big city restaurant. Deborah Crombie certainly draws a good setting!

Expect some good gossip into the back story of these characters and their relationships, some delectable food descriptions, an intricately-plotted story, and smooth as butter transitions as we keep up with each character. I loved this mystery!

Thank you to TLC Book Tours and William Morrow for my copy. Opinions are my own.

HarperCollins | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

About the Author

Deborah Crombie is a New York Times bestselling author and a native Texan who has lived in both England and Scotland. She now lives in McKinney, Texas, sharing a house that is more than one hundred years old with her husband, three cats, and two German shepherds.

Find out more about Deborah at website, and connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.