May contain murder

A chef-turned-food writer goes on an all-expenses-paid Atlantic cruise only to find himself caught up in the murder of the friend who invited him. Narrator Paul Delamareknows he's out of his depth from the moment he sets foot onMaldemer, the superyacht his friend Xéra de Sully, a former patisserie owner, has reserved for her post-wedding celebration. A struggling British food writer, Paul suddenly finds himself surrounded by the bride and groom's high society friends and family who are anything but his kind of people. Paul's discomfort only grows after he's wrongfully suspected of stealing an expensive necklace from Xéra's stateroom. His uneasiness turns to devastation when a cake he bakes to cheer Xéra up gets linked to her sudden death a day after the theft. Seeking justice, Paul makes several chilling discoveries that suggest not all is as it seems aboard the impossibly beautifulMaldemer. The yacht is way off course and heading toward a small volcanic island in the middle of the Atlantic. Worse still, non-British female deckhands he sees get abused by crew members live locked away at the bottom of the ship. Murrin's deft handling of the many subplots layered into this well-crafted mystery is only part of what makes the story so readable. Quirky characters (like the ship's eye-patch wearing chef, who inspires Paul to go back into the kitchen), unexpected twists (like Paul's email correspondence with a tarot-reading friend whose cards reveal just how dangerous his sleuthing will become), and a small collection of mouthwatering recipes at the end of the book work together to create a unique novel that tantalizes as it entertains. A wickedly delicious mystery spiced with unexpected secrets and intrigue. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.