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Cherringham - A Dinner to Die For

E-BookEPUB0 - No protectionE-Book
142 Seiten
Englisch
Bastei Entertainmenterschienen am01.02.20181. Aufl. 2018
When a new restaurant with a starred American chef opens in Cherringham, it seems the Spotted Pig has a worthy rival. But a series of disturbing incidents turns that rivalry into something dangerous - perhaps even fatal. Jack and Sarah get involved and soon discover dark secrets about the new chef Anna ...

Can they uncover what is really happening before both restaurants go belly-up?



Set in the sleepy English village of Cherringham, the detective series brings together an unlikely sleuthing duo: English web designer Sarah and American ex-cop Jack. Thrilling and deadly - but with a spot of tea - it's like Rosamunde Pilcher meets Inspector Barnaby. Each of the self-contained episodes is a quick read for the morning commute, while waiting for the doctor, or when curling up with a hot cuppa.

You'd like to read a Cherringham story in novel-length? The first Cherringham books DEAD IN THE WATER and THE BODY IN THE WOODS are already available. Or maybe you'd like Neil Dudgeon to read them to you? Purchase Episodes 1-18 as audiobooks!

Co-authors Neil Richards (based in the UK) and Matthew Costello (based in the US), have been writing together since the mid 90's, creating content and working on projects for the BBC, Disney Channel, Sony, ABC, Eidos, and Nintendo to name but a few. Their transatlantic collaboration has underpinned scores of TV drama scripts, computer games, radio shows, and - most recently - the successful crime fiction series Cherringham.mehr

Produkt

KlappentextWhen a new restaurant with a starred American chef opens in Cherringham, it seems the Spotted Pig has a worthy rival. But a series of disturbing incidents turns that rivalry into something dangerous - perhaps even fatal. Jack and Sarah get involved and soon discover dark secrets about the new chef Anna ...

Can they uncover what is really happening before both restaurants go belly-up?



Set in the sleepy English village of Cherringham, the detective series brings together an unlikely sleuthing duo: English web designer Sarah and American ex-cop Jack. Thrilling and deadly - but with a spot of tea - it's like Rosamunde Pilcher meets Inspector Barnaby. Each of the self-contained episodes is a quick read for the morning commute, while waiting for the doctor, or when curling up with a hot cuppa.

You'd like to read a Cherringham story in novel-length? The first Cherringham books DEAD IN THE WATER and THE BODY IN THE WOODS are already available. Or maybe you'd like Neil Dudgeon to read them to you? Purchase Episodes 1-18 as audiobooks!

Co-authors Neil Richards (based in the UK) and Matthew Costello (based in the US), have been writing together since the mid 90's, creating content and working on projects for the BBC, Disney Channel, Sony, ABC, Eidos, and Nintendo to name but a few. Their transatlantic collaboration has underpinned scores of TV drama scripts, computer games, radio shows, and - most recently - the successful crime fiction series Cherringham.
Details
Weitere ISBN/GTIN9783732545568
ProduktartE-Book
EinbandartE-Book
FormatEPUB
Format Hinweis0 - No protection
FormatFormat mit automatischem Seitenumbruch (reflowable)
Erscheinungsjahr2018
Erscheinungsdatum01.02.2018
Auflage1. Aufl. 2018
ReiheCherringham: Mystery Shorts
Reihen-Nr.28
Seiten142 Seiten
SpracheEnglisch
Artikel-Nr.2493672
Rubriken
Genre9200

Inhalt/Kritik

Leseprobe
2. A last-minute Surprise

Helen looked down as the plates arrived - all visually arresting.

Lady Repton looked up at Sam.

Sam, can you sit a bit - tell us about these amazing plates?

Helen saw him fire a look at Julie. Julie´s expression said, Go on. Sit!

He pulled up a chair.

A quick smile. Sure. Not too busy tonight, being a Monday and all. So, um, you have there...

He pointed at one plate with small circles of meat dotted with what looked like jam.

... our wild boar roulades: marinated, pan-seared then covered with a seasonal currant ´jam´ I call it.

Lady R needed no further invite to cut a slice, and pop it into her mouth.

Oh... divine. The savoury... the sweet... together! You can bring me more plates of that!

And at last Sam laughed.

Helen took a bite and - yes - truly great. This should be on the regular menu.

Oh, it will be. As soon as it´s ´premiered´ at the gala dinner.

Then she saw Sam turn, look towards the other side of the restaurant. The move - quick, nervous.

His gaze locked on the frizzy-haired waitress, her hair streaked with purple.

He shook his head.

It seemed like he might storm over there to have - Helen guessed - some unpleasant words with the server.

Julie fired out a hand to her husband´s arm.

And only then did Sam turn back, force a smile, and resume his tour of the plates.

This one here, lasagnette al basilico.

Pasta? Helen asked, thinking that the small square might not fit a gourmet tasting menu.

Another genuine smile from Sam this time. Taste it.

And, this time, Helen was first to attack the dish. The pasta - super delicate, near crepe-like. The layer of pesto mixed with just a spot of cheese, blending with a delicate sauce on top.

And once she tasted...

She didn´t know what he´d done to transform the dish into the amazing tastes it delivered - but it was simply one of the best things she had ever eaten.

Wow, Helen said - a word she rarely uttered.

Lady Repton was also digging in to the small dish. Four cuts and it was gone, and Lady Repton´s face looked genuinely disappointed.

Now that... is something.

Helen saw Sam and Julie both smile at their reactions.

She and Michael liked this couple. Sam always working so hard in the kitchen. And Julie´s presence in the dining room: sunny, efficient, so warm; making the Spotted Pig such a special place.

Sam was about to describe the third plate - what appeared to be little eggs sitting in a small creamy puddle - but he turned to the server and shot up from his chair.

They watched as Sam went to the young girl.

Izzy - a word? he said and disappeared into the kitchen with her.

Julie, looking embarrassed, hurried over to clear the plates.

An attempt at a distraction, thought Helen.

Been a bit bumpy recently, said Julie in explanation. New server. And Sam... what with the baby coming and everything... all a bit tense.

But Helen, seeing Sam confront the girl - who must have committed some kind of front-of-the-room faux pas - had to wonder, Is that all?

Sam was so passionate about his cooking. But was there something else making him so stressed?

A few moments later he came out, again forcing a smile.

Sorry. Good staff always need, um, training.

I know exactly what you mean, Sam, Lady Repton said, breaking the ice.

So that last plate...

They look like little eggs, Helen said.

And now Sam grinned. The Spotted Pig wasn´t known for overly fussy food but she imagined with the Opera Society dinner, he had decided to set the bar high.

Baby quenelles, sitting in a classic sauce Nantua.

Lady Repton had already speared one mini-quenelle with the tiny fork provided.

Mmm... I must say, each of these plates, is better than the last. Absolutely delicious.

And Sam, having achieved his goal of wowing Lady R, stood up.

Julie gave him a quick pat on the back and Sam grinned. Now, I´d better get back to-

But then a breeze slid in from the chilly night outside, cutting off his words.

The door to the Pig flew open.

*

Sam stood, frozen, as everyone in the room turned to see the heavy curtains, designed to keep the chilly January air out, now blowing in as if a violent storm had suddenly hit the village.

Or, at least, the restaurant.

A woman in bright chef´s whites stormed through the curtains.

At first, Helen thought the woman must be one of Sam´s line cooks; perhaps an assistant sent out to pick up urgent ingredients.

She held in her hand a square wooden box. Something that fruit or vegetables might be shipped in.

But one look at Sam´s face showed that this woman was not from his kitchen.

His smile now replaced with a deep, dark scowl.

The woman didn´t say anything for a moment, just looked around.

Then she stared at Helen´s table with its appetising plates.

And took a step closer...

Baby quenelles? Looks delicious, the woman said, nodding to Helen, then all around.

Her accent... American.

Lightly poached, the Nantua sauce reduced to a demi-glace. Yes, delicious. Oh, and-

She turned to another table. A couple frozen at their meal - knives and forks mid-air.

And you there... the filet? Hint of cognac. Rainbow peppercorns, of course. Not too much cream.

She stopped and looked over the room.

Exactly how I used to prepare them, eh, Sam?

Sam - who had remained frozen, finally took a step closer to the woman in her chef´s outfit.

Helen started to put the pieces together. She looked at Lady Repton, her face tight with concern.

And Helen thought: this woman must be that new chef, at the Bayleaf.

Helen saw Julie give her husband a look - a mix of concern and, what? Confusion?

Sam kept his voice low.

But in a restaurant so small, every word could be heard.

Anna... what the hell-?

Helen thought if the other chef had been male, Sam - with his fists clenched - might have thrown a punch.

The other chef - this Anna - didn´t blink.

Instead, she looked around the room again.

Bad enough you stole my recipes... after everything... The woman made no effort to keep her voice low. But that wasn´t enough for you, was it?

She now smiled. Like someone about to reveal a nasty surprise.

No. You, or one of your... underlings... had to do your best to make sure my restaurant fails. Is that it, hmm?

Sam shook his head.

Lady Repton reached over and touched Helen´s wrist.

You think we should do something?

Good question, Helen thought.

But what exactly would that something be?

Sam - with his reputation and good name being challenged - raised his voice.

I don´t know what the hell you are talking about. Get the-

He caught himself.

His patrons watching, none eating save a tall man who dined alone, open notepad beside him, who was able both to watch the spectacle and still tuck into the meal.

I´m talking about, of course, the steps you might resort to... to make sure there was only one real restaurant in Cherringham.

And slowly... the female chef opened the wooden box. The wood creaked.

But with the box held flat by her outstretched arm, no one could see what it contained.

Until...

She reached in and pulled out - by its long, ropy tail - a massive grey rat.

Plant this in my restaurant, Sam? Are you that afraid? That desperate?

All eyes were on the - fortunately - dead rodent.

Nothing like vermin to shut a place down, isn´t that right? she said.

Now - for sure - no one, even if they still had cutlery in their hand, touched their rapidly cooling meals.

For a different, and rather powerful aroma, had filled the small dining room.

You´re crazy, Sam said.

Another step, and Julie had to come forward and take his arm.

Helen thought that, female intruder or not, Sam - whose muscular arms were well suited to breaking down a side of beef or a whole hog - might easily throw a punch anyway.

But now the climax of this show was about to commence.

Here, the woman said, making the rat swing by its tail. A little side dish for your lovely diners.

And with another swing...

... the rat went flying.

Not towards Sam.

Who, Helen guessed, could have easily dodged the rodent in mid-air.

No.

With a thump and wheeze, the rat landed in the middle of Helen´s table, right between her and Lady Repton.

Dead eyes open, and surrounded by what had once been...
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