This was a cute cozy with a very interesting setting. I did figure out who the murderer was halfway through the book, and I didn't feel like I got to know the characters well, but maybe in the next book they develop more.
Carrie Ann, a chef in Chicago, gets the chance of a lifetime to become personal chef to the Duke & Duchess of Cambridge (who are never identified by name.) First day on the job, one of her assistants is found dead in the greenhouse. Not a good start.
Carrie Ann, a chef in Chicago, gets the chance of a lifetime to become personal chef to the Duke & Duchess of Cambridge (who are never identified by name.) First day on the job, one of her assistants is found dead in the greenhouse. Not a good start.
This was a run read! The premise is that an American, Carrie Ann Cole, takes the job of personal chef for the Duke and Duchess and their little boy and girl in Kensington Castle. They are never referred to by their names, which I kind of liked. She has a contract for one year. Her boyfriend is back in Chicago and is a fabulous chef in a famous restaurant. He wants a break in their relationship, so she goes off to London alone. The very first full day as Chef, she finds one of her sous chefs very dead in the greenhouse off her kitchen. She's in for a bumpy ride! This was a good first book in a series. It introduced a lot of people that will continue to be in the next book. I highly recommend it.
Great read!!! I lived in England for four years and this book brought back some wonderful experiences.
This is the 1st book in a new series, an american girl moves to Kensington Palace to work for part of the royal family, cooking up some great meals, and solving a murder. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, the background, the mystery, and reading about kitchen "families".
I've bought the second book and am looking forward to another installment of Carrie Ann. Hopefully Ms. Hampton continues this series after book 2.
This is the 1st book in a new series, an american girl moves to Kensington Palace to work for part of the royal family, cooking up some great meals, and solving a murder. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, the background, the mystery, and reading about kitchen "families".
I've bought the second book and am looking forward to another installment of Carrie Ann. Hopefully Ms. Hampton continues this series after book 2.
Brenda H. (booksinvt) -
Kale to the Queen is the first installment in the A Kensington Palace Chef Mystery series featuring Carrie Ann Cole, the newly hired personal chef to the Duke and Dutchess of Cambridge. Carrie Ann has left her hometown of Chicago and moved to London to begin her dream job cooking for the Royal family, but her decision has come with some regrets as she is forced to "take a break" from longtime boyfriend, Chef John Sheridan.
Carrie Ann is finding it difficult to adjust to the Palace policies and the snooty staff including head Chef Jeffrey Butterbottom are not happy to have an American in their midst. Struggling to find her way through the corridors and adhere to the rigid protocol, Carrie Ann is grateful for the help of her two assistants, Francis Deems and Michael Haregrove.
Delighted to have an entire greenhouse full of organic vegetables to choose from, Carrie Ann's joy is quickly marred by the discovery of her assistant's dead body shoved under the kale patch. When her other assistant becomes the prime suspect in the killing, she quickly sets out to clear his name trusting her gut feeling that the man is innocent.
A fun, fast paced storyline that draws you in from the first page. A well rounded cast of characters give insight into life behind the palace walls, the struggles some are facing in dealing with a life threatening illness will tug at your heartstrings. The hint of romance can only mean many more exciting adventures for Chef Carrie Ann.
Carrie Ann is finding it difficult to adjust to the Palace policies and the snooty staff including head Chef Jeffrey Butterbottom are not happy to have an American in their midst. Struggling to find her way through the corridors and adhere to the rigid protocol, Carrie Ann is grateful for the help of her two assistants, Francis Deems and Michael Haregrove.
Delighted to have an entire greenhouse full of organic vegetables to choose from, Carrie Ann's joy is quickly marred by the discovery of her assistant's dead body shoved under the kale patch. When her other assistant becomes the prime suspect in the killing, she quickly sets out to clear his name trusting her gut feeling that the man is innocent.
A fun, fast paced storyline that draws you in from the first page. A well rounded cast of characters give insight into life behind the palace walls, the struggles some are facing in dealing with a life threatening illness will tug at your heartstrings. The hint of romance can only mean many more exciting adventures for Chef Carrie Ann.
Kale to the Queen by Nell Hampton is the first book in A Kensington Palace Chef Mystery series. Carrie Ann Cole from Chicago, Illinois has just been hired to be the personal chef to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Carrie Ann arrives to work early the next morning and enters the greenhouse attached to the kitchen to pick what she needs. In the kale section, Carrie Ann stumbles upon Frank Deems, one of her assistants. It is obvious that Frank is dead, and Carrie Ann rushes to get assistance. Ian Gordon, the security chief, swiftly arrives on the scene. Blame is quickly laid on Michael Haregrove, Carrie Ann's food prep assistant. Though she has not known Michael long, Carrie Ann knows he did not kill Frank. Carrie Ann is determined to clear Michael's name so he can return to work. Her investigation time is limited because meals still need to be cooked and served to the royal family. Carrie Ann is off to a bumpy start in Kensington Palace, and Chef Butterbottom is less than friendly. Chef Butterbottom does not like American's and is very particular about his kitchen (likes the floor to be scrubbed with a brush by hand). A further wrinkle in Carrie Ann's new life is Chicago boyfriend, John. John's cooking star is on the rise and he had no wish to relocate with Carrie Ann. But then he shows up in her quarter's one night with unexpected offer. Carrie Ann will need to make a decision. To see how Carrie Ann investigation turns out and her choice, check out Kale to the Queen.
I enjoyed reading Kale to the Queen. It has a wonderful setting, lovely descriptions of food and London, and a delightful main character. The book is well-written and has a good pace. I did find Carrie Ann a little too chatty with regard to the mystery. She should have been more discreet with her investigation. I also did not feel we needed a description of every item of food that Carrie Ann made for the royal family. I can understand some food imagery, but not every single dish (especially those made for the children). I liked how Carrie Ann evolved over the course of the story. It was nice to see her grow from her experience and face some realities about her relationship with John. I give Kale to the Queen 4 out of 5 stars. While the mystery was interesting, there was a very limited suspect pool. I thought the identity of the killer was apparent. I wish the author had made it a little more complex (added more depth/layers). There is a new love interest for Carrie Ann, and he seems to be a mysterious fellow (much better than the Chicago boyfriend). I just hope that the author develops the relationship slowly and keeps it playing softly in the background (it is a mystery not a romance novel). Kale to the Queen captured my interest right away and held it throughout the story. I thought this was a good first book in the series and I will definitely be reading the next book in A Kensington Palace Chef Mystery.
I enjoyed reading Kale to the Queen. It has a wonderful setting, lovely descriptions of food and London, and a delightful main character. The book is well-written and has a good pace. I did find Carrie Ann a little too chatty with regard to the mystery. She should have been more discreet with her investigation. I also did not feel we needed a description of every item of food that Carrie Ann made for the royal family. I can understand some food imagery, but not every single dish (especially those made for the children). I liked how Carrie Ann evolved over the course of the story. It was nice to see her grow from her experience and face some realities about her relationship with John. I give Kale to the Queen 4 out of 5 stars. While the mystery was interesting, there was a very limited suspect pool. I thought the identity of the killer was apparent. I wish the author had made it a little more complex (added more depth/layers). There is a new love interest for Carrie Ann, and he seems to be a mysterious fellow (much better than the Chicago boyfriend). I just hope that the author develops the relationship slowly and keeps it playing softly in the background (it is a mystery not a romance novel). Kale to the Queen captured my interest right away and held it throughout the story. I thought this was a good first book in the series and I will definitely be reading the next book in A Kensington Palace Chef Mystery.
