Culinary Adventures

Includes a new introduction written and read by Irvine Welsh When Chef Anthony Bourdain wrote "Don't Eat Before You Read This" in The New Yorker, he spared no one's appetite, revealing what goes on behind the kitchen door. In Kitchen Confidential, he expanded the appetizer into a deliciously...

When listeners left Ruth at the end of Tender at the Bone, she was in Berkeley, California, working as a chef at the Swallow restaurant. Comfort Me with Apples picks up in 1978; Ruth is still living in a commune with her husband, Doug, but she’s decided to put down her chef’s toque and embark on a career as a restaurant critic. After a bumpy start (at the end of her very first on-the-job dinner, her credit card is unceremoniously rejected), she is soon visiting restaurants all over the world in search of a meal to write home about.

Meg Butler sets sail on the Grand Voyager on a luxury world cruise, eager to visit 30 countries before she's 30. But she hasn't planned on running into murder! The ship is hosting a Bingo tournament for the length of the cruise. Several passengers are competing for the grand prize which is rumored to be in six figures. Meg runs into a friendly older man who boasts of being a skilled player. He has developed a fool proof strategy that is guaranteed to win him big money. Meg is warmed by his affectionate manner toward her and feels he is the father figure she has always yearned for. Disaster ...

A dream cruise. A suspicious death. And a rookie sleuth who refuses to let it go. Meg Butler thought her summer internship aboard a luxury cruise ship would be the adventure of a lifetime. Then a passenger turns up dead. Only Meg is convinced it wasn't an accident. Unfortunately, nobody believes her. Especially not her boss. As the ship sails through the spectacular waters of Alaska, Meg finds herself chasing clues, dodging trouble, and somehow getting blamed whenever something goes wrong. Can this determined amateur sleuth solve the murder before she becomes the next victim? Sail Away ...

It’s only my first day as a professional dungeon diver after quitting my old job, and I’m already off to a rough start. My assigned classes are nothing like I’d hoped, and I’ve been sent to face monsters with little more than an empty spellbook and a seemingly indestructible frying pan. But it’s not all bad. There’s a gorgeous swashbuckling catgirl and a stunning gun-crazy half-elf who both have my back. We’re going to need to work together more than ever now that all the dungeon exits have been closed off, trapping us underground with hordes of vicious creatures.

Murder at the Midnight Buffet The Grand Voyager is sailing in the Caribbean and the cruise line has planned a midnight buffet to pamper the passengers. The doors are thrown open as the clock strikes the hour where a ten foot chocolate fountain steals the show. Barely a minute later, it lists like the Titanic and crashes on the floor. Amidst the cries and confusion, Meg is the only one who notices the body on the floor, with a red blot spreading on her chest. Ship security is eager to downplay the crime. The woman had no family and so there is nobody demanding an investigation. But tender ...

Popsicle Poisons Terrible Tourist It's summer in Pelican Cove and the Boardwalk Cafe is doing brisk business. Jenny is hired to cater a party for a group of tourists. Things go downhill when one of them, a middle aged woman who looked down on everyone drops dead. Jenny's sangria popsicles are found at the scene of the crime, laced with poison. Did Jenny know the woman in her prior life and have a motive to kill her? Or did someone from the woman's group settle a score? Jenny embarks on a roller coaster ride of lies and deceit as she talks to everyone related to the dead woman. Was it the ex...

The true adventures of David Fairchild, a turn-of-the-century food explorer who traveled the globe and introduced diverse crops like avocados, mangoes, seedless grapes—and thousands more—to the American plate. “Fascinating.”—The New York Times Book Review “Fast-paced adventure...

The Bocuse d'Or is the real-life Top Chef, a biannual cooking competition in France featuring teams from 24 countries vying for the top honors. Named after Paul Bocuse, one of the greatest, most influential living chefs, the Bocuse d'Or has become the most sophisticated and closely watched cook-off in the world. Ironically, though American cuisine now rates among the best in the world, a U.S. team has never placed among the top three in the competition.

Murder And Mayhem On The High Seas Jenny King and her friends embark on the trip of their lifetime, a nine day Caribbean cruise aboard the Glamour of the Seas. It’s Betty Sue’s 86th birthday and the girls are determined to enjoy everything the ship has to offer, starting with the Sail Away party. But stormy seas lie ahead! When a high stakes poker game turns deadly, Betty Sue is detained as a suspect. A cold blooded killer lurks in the shadows under the warm tropical sun. Jenny steps up to investigate, aided by her trusted sidekicks. Can she apply her sleuthing skills to this alien ...

Revenge. Jealousy. Love. Money. Which is the perfect ingredient in a recipe for murder? Everybody loves the Queen of Baking, Cherry Bakewell, don’t they? Apparently not... because Cherry is found dead with a poisoned cupcake in her hand just before the Grand Bake Off competition is about to kick off. Wannabe baker and amateur sleuth Lizzie is horrified to hear of her baking heroine’s death but things quickly turn from bad to worse when she discovers Jack, the local private investigator and the man she’s dating, is being treated as a suspect in the case by the local police! As if her ...

Albert Smith might be retired, but a long career as a police detective has left him with skills that just won’t switch off. So on a walking tour of the British Isles, it doesn’t take long for his eyes to spot something he wasn’t supposed to see.

The Regan Harris Romantic Mystery Boxed Set of PROFIT AND LOSS, HERE AND GONE, and LOST AND FOUND! Regan Harris is foot loose and fancy free. She takes life as it comes and tries to enjoy every minute of it. Unfortunately, murder and mayhem seem to follow her everywhere she goes. Follow Regan as she fumbles her way through love and mystery! PROFIT AND LOSS: Regan Harris lives her life full of adventure and fun, but when her long-time love pops the question, she panics. Regan runs back to her favorite city, Chicago, seeking friends and advice only to walk into a murder investigation, ...

Woman Brutally Murdered on Cruise The luxury cruise ship Grand Voyager is headed full speed to Dubai after stops in Sri Lanka and India. Meg has just attended a big fat royal wedding and is looking forward to some relaxing sea days. Her hot dinner date is interrupted by the announcement of a passenger's death. Rushing to the spot, Meg is sad to learn it is her new friend who was celebrating her 50th wedding anniversary. Further investigation reveals the old woman was stabbed in her suite. Meg can't believe the bashful mother of two that security apprehended is capable of such a heinous ...

Skeleton Discovered In Beach House Garden When an unexpected guest turns up at Jenny King's housewarming party, the turbulent history of Seaview is finally revealed. As more and more truths about the house surface, everyone except Jenny believes her house is jinxed. Jenny’s ownership of Seaview is questioned when the prodigal heir comes knocking. Jenny is a suspect in murder! Meanwhile, the town of Pelican Cove comes together to save the ailing library. Jenny’s friends are embroiled in unexpected rivalry. As death past and present rears its head, will Jenny be able to overcome the chaos...

A heartwarming cozy mystery series about family, friendship and a crusade for justice. 5 stars - 'Expect chilling danger, unexpected surprises, gripping thrills, romance, laughter, heart touching moments and murder. ' Recently widowed Anna Butler has finally realized her lifelong dream of opening a cafe. She may even have found love. But the local mayor is still on the warpath and won't give up her vendetta against the Butlers. Anna knows the only way to shut her up is to figure out who killed John but that's proving to be difficult. Will she ever be able to discover the truth about what ...

MULTIPLE AMAZON BESTSELLING AUTHOR AND 2025 GLOBAL BOOK AWARDS SILVER MEDAL WINNER FOR A VERY STICKY MURDER NOW A 2026 GLOBAL BOOK AWARDS GOLD MEDAL WINNER FOR COZY MYSTERY — MURDER BY MERINGUE A stolen van Gogh, a dead museum owner, and a killer lurking at the ‘Taste of Amsterdam’s festival’ International food critic and amateur sleuth Darcy Finnegan is excited to spend a weekend writing about the Taste of Amsterdam. But when a priceless van Gogh vanishes and a museum owner is discovered dead, Darcy and her besties' dream of indulging in stroopwafels fade. With Mozart, her clue-...

Only two floors are left to clear until Jake and the girls reach the dungeon's exit, where the teleporter that leads back to the surface awaits them. A promise from a monstrous rival urges them to delve deeper, but is she just after a rematch, or is there something more at stake? On the other hand, now that they've joined forces with arguably the greatest diver of their generation, the rest of the dungeon should be a cakewalk.

In the quaint town of Harmony Bay, the new year heralds a frosty adventure for Francis Desmarais, Harmony Bay's beloved baker with a flair for solving mysteries. As Francis unveils her "Winter Wonderland" baking class to bring warmth to the chilly season, an unexpected winter storm sweeps through, blanketing the town in snow and secrets. Amid the icy chaos, a shocking discovery sends shivers down the spines of Harmony Bay's residents: a renowned local ice sculptor, known for his frosty creations, is found dead, entombed in his own icy masterpiece. With the storm trapping everyone in a snowy...

While most other divers are content to wait out the situation in the safe rooms, Jake and the girls are still trying to find answers as they continue to progress further into the dungeon’s depths, but trouble keeps finding them. Previously unseen and drastically overpowered monsters continue to appear, to the point where even the most battle-hardened dungeon divers need their assistance. There’s also the matter of a certain monster girl with an axe to grind against Jake specifically, but will he be able to survive long enough to see her again?