Eggsecutive Orders (A White House Chef Mystery)

by Julie Hyzy

Book Overview

Chef Olivia Paras has too many eggs in one basket-and is feeling like a basket-case... When NSA big shot Carl Minkus dies right after eating the dinner Olivia Paras's staff had prepared, all forks... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0425232034
• Release Date: January 2010
• Publisher: Berkley
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 0.44 lbs.
• Dimensions: 6.7" x 0.9" x 4.2"

Customer Reviews

third outing for White House chef/amateur sleuth

In this third adventure for White House executive chef Ollie Paras, we find our protagonist preparing for the annual White House Easter Egg Roll, an event everyone enjoys. But almost immediately Paras and her team are told to leave the kitchen -- indefinitely. A dinner guest is dead, and the evidence points to poison. Of course Ollie must plunge in where others cannot tread; even with relationship troubles and visiting relatives, Ollie manages to become embroiled in the investigation. Why doesn't the Secret Service just recruit her?! If you enjoyed the first two books in the series (State of the Onion, Hail to the Chef), you will like this as well. Ollie's visiting mother and nana liven things up, and we learn a little more about series regulars. My only complaint in this, as in so many cozy mysteries, is the title. Ouch.

Great fun!

A lively and engaging heroine in a lively and engaging mystery. The secondary characters are sharply drawn and the world - D.C., the White House, the White House kitchen - is wonderfully compelling. HIghly recommend!

An "Eggcellent" Addition to a Strong Mystery Series

Julie Hyzy won the Anthony and Barry Awards for Best Paperback for her first White House Chef mystery, State of the Onion, but the third book in the series, Eggsecutive Orders, is also the best. That's no "eggsaggeration." White House Executive Chef Ollie Paras should be on top of the world. It's time for her staff to get ready for the Easter celebration, the dinner and the Easter Egg Roll, and her mother and grandmother are finally coming to visit. She should be anticipating her family's visit to the White House, and the fun of Easter. Instead, on the morning her family is due to arrive, she's escorted to the White House by the Secret Service, and her entire kitchen staff is suspended from their duties. It's only then that she learns a guest died at dinner the night before. Until the cause of death can be determined, the food, and the staff, is suspect. Her mother and nana came to visit Ollie, and she could look at the suspension as the perfect vacation time. But, she feels responsible for her staff and the kitchen, and she has a hard time sitting on her hands. But, it's not just her job and her staff that is threatened. Her boyfriend's job on the Presidential Protection Detail is also threatened, and Tom has been warned to keep an eye on Ollie, and prevent her from interfering in the investigation. But, when she becomes a target for a newspaper columnist, and her mother shows an interest in a man who is connected to the dead White House guest, it's just too much for Ollie. Somehow, she has to get back into the kitchen, and find a killer. Although I enjoyed both of the previous books, and Ollie's work in the kitchen, it was refreshing to see her out of her element. By forcing Ollie to stay home, Hyzy added another element to Ollie's life. We met her family, enjoyed a little bit of Washington as she showed them around, and learned more about the personal life of Bucky, the irascible chef. There's also the fascinating "locked White House" mystery. Not too many people would have had access to the dead guest. Top it off with a climax at the annual Easter Egg Roll, and Eggsecutive Orders is another "eggcellent" mystery feast served up by Julie Hyzy.

Eggsactly what I wanted!

After reading Ms. Hyzy's first two White House chef mysteries, I could hardly wait for this one, and I wasn't disappointed. Ollie is really coming into her own and taking charge of her kitchen - and her life - is this latest installment. Great characters, solid plotting, and a strong voice make for a fast, enjoyable read!

White House Chef meets Easter Bunny

Julie Hyzy adds another strong cozy mystery to her White House chef series which began with State of the Onion(Anthony award winner). A guest (and special agent) has died right after a White House dinner. Was he poisoned? Suspicions point to someone in the White House kitchen. Executive Chef Ollie is forced to defend herself and her staff but Secret Service boyfriend Tom is getting in the way of Ollie's investigation. Can she clear her name, save her staff,keep her boyfriend and make sure that the annual Egg Roll goes on? Hyzy added in Ollie's delightful mother and grandmother to create a souffle that is equal parts mystery and comedy. Don't miss it!