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All information in this post is courtesy Megan Rudloff of Simon & Schuster.
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Celebrating The Release Of:
Advanced praise for THE CHEF'S SECRET:
“A veritable feast for the senses, The Chef's Secret is
part mystery, part love story, and all sumptuous sixteenth century
Italy. This tale of one of the world's first
celebrity chefs—Bartolomeo Scappi, a DaVinci of Renaissance
cuisine—sent me on a quest to know more, and to my kitchen to
experiment—a sign of a great historical novel. Readers will delight in a
plot as juicy as Scappi's braised beef!”
—Heather Webb, author of Last Christmas in Paris
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“Crystal King’s The Chef’s Secret is
a fabulous immersion in the world of Renaissance Italy, full of
passion, intrigue, secrets, danger, and of course food. Come hungry!”
—Melodie Winawer, author of The Scribe of Siena
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“In The Chef’s Secret,
Crystal King serves up a delectable read stuffed with passion, danger,
and a plot worthy of Dan Brown. This fast-paced, engrossing novel brings
Renaissance Rome and the Vatican to life through the eyes of a famous
papal chef. You won’t be able to put it down.”
—Stephanie Storey, author of Oil and Marble
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“The Chef’s Secret is
a sumptuous buffet, serving up a love story (two of them!); mystery and
suspense so thick you could cut it with, well, a chef’s knife; and such
a vibrant panorama of Ancient Rome you’ll feel you’ve walked its
streets and inhabited its kitchens. Anyone who loves history, food, a
great story—read this novel! Warning: it will make you hungry.”
—Jenna Blum, New York Times and international bestselling author of Those Who Save Us and The Lost Family
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About The Book:
The Chef’s Secret
by Crystal King is a captivating novel of Renaissance Italy detailing the mysterious life of Bartolomeo Scappi, the legendary chef to several
popes and author of one of the bestselling cookbooks of all time, and the nephew who sets out to discover his late uncle’s secrets—including the identity of the noblewoman Bartolomeo loved
until he died.
When Bartolomeo Scappi dies in 1577, he leaves his vast estate—properties, money, and his position—to his nephew and apprentice Giovanni. He also gives Giovanni the keys to two strongboxes and strict instructions to burn their contents. Despite Scappi’s dire warning that the information concealed in those boxes could put Giovanni’s life and others at risk, Giovanni is compelled to learn his uncle’s secrets. He undertakes the arduous task of decoding Scappi’s journals and uncovers a history of deception, betrayal, and murder—all to protect an illicit love affair.
As Giovanni pieces together the details of Scappi’s past, he must contend with two rivals who have joined forces—his brother Cesare and Scappi’s former protégé, Domenico Romoli, who will do anything to get his hands on the late chef’s recipes.
With luscious prose that captures the full scale of the sumptuous feasts for which Scappi was known, The Chef’s Secret serves up power, intrigue, and passion, bringing Renaissance Italy to life in a delectable fashion.
When Bartolomeo Scappi dies in 1577, he leaves his vast estate—properties, money, and his position—to his nephew and apprentice Giovanni. He also gives Giovanni the keys to two strongboxes and strict instructions to burn their contents. Despite Scappi’s dire warning that the information concealed in those boxes could put Giovanni’s life and others at risk, Giovanni is compelled to learn his uncle’s secrets. He undertakes the arduous task of decoding Scappi’s journals and uncovers a history of deception, betrayal, and murder—all to protect an illicit love affair.
As Giovanni pieces together the details of Scappi’s past, he must contend with two rivals who have joined forces—his brother Cesare and Scappi’s former protégé, Domenico Romoli, who will do anything to get his hands on the late chef’s recipes.
With luscious prose that captures the full scale of the sumptuous feasts for which Scappi was known, The Chef’s Secret serves up power, intrigue, and passion, bringing Renaissance Italy to life in a delectable fashion.
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About the Author:
Her writing is fueled by a love of history and a passion for the food, language, and culture of Italy.
She has taught classes in writing, creativity, and social media at several universities including Harvard Extension School and Boston University, as well as at GrubStreet, one of the leading creative writing centers in the US.
A Pushcart Prize–nominated poet and former co-editor of the online literary arts journal Plum Ruby Review, Crystal received her MA in critical and creative thinking from UMass Boston, where she developed a series of exercises and writing prompts to help fiction writers in medias res.
She resides in Boston but considers Italy her next great love after her husband, Joe, and their two cats, Nero and Merlin. She is the author of Feast of Sorrow.
*Photo Credit*
Wayne Earl Chinnock
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Crystal
King is an author, culinary enthusiast, and marketing expert. Her writing is fueled by a love of history and a passion for the food, language, and culture of Italy.
She has taught classes in writing, creativity, and social media at several universities including Harvard Extension School and Boston University, as well as at GrubStreet, one of the leading creative writing centers in the US.
A Pushcart Prize–nominated poet and former co-editor of the online literary arts journal Plum Ruby Review, Crystal received her MA in critical and creative thinking from UMass Boston, where she developed a series of exercises and writing prompts to help fiction writers in medias res.
She resides in Boston but considers Italy her next great love after her husband, Joe, and their two cats, Nero and Merlin. She is the author of Feast of Sorrow.
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GIVEAWAY:
Sounds so good...and I love the cover!
ReplyDeleteIt does sound good.
DeleteOh yes...the cover is gorgeous.
Thanks for commenting, Laurel.
This book is so good! My review will be posted on Thursday.
ReplyDeleteOooo...wonderful to know.
DeleteThank you for commenting and for letting everyone know, Laura. :)