Review: A Bitter Feast

About A Bitter Feast
• Hardcover: 384 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow (October 8, 2019)

“Crombie’s characters are rich, emotionally textured, fully human. They are the remarkable creations of a remarkable writer.”—Louise Penny

~My Thoughts~

I have never read any book by Deborah Crombie, so I definitely am not familiar with this series. Therefore, I can honestly say you can absolutely read this as a standalone novel.

My favorite part about this book was the setting. Not just the town, but the feeling around this story. The pub feel, and the country estate with a slightly sinister mystery woven throughout, really grabbed me from the very beginning. I really loved curling up with this book at night.

Obviously, the star was the hidden backstory, the obvious mystery peeking through the plot events. For me, the best supporting character has to go to the food. So many different mouth watering dishes and drinks were mentioned that I got hungry nearly every time I read. I also found myself wishing, for about the 800th time, that I had a pub to go to.

The story was very well paced and easy to follow. I really enjoyed the characters and will try to go back and read the rest of the series. I love to say that books are compelling, but here I was sucked in and pulled along into Deborah’s world.

I’m adding Cotswold to my travel list because it sounds beautiful.

~Book Blurb~

New York Times bestselling author Deborah Crombie returns with a mesmerizing entry in her “excellent” (Miami Herald) series, in which Scotland Yard detectives Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James are pulled into a dangerous web of secrets, lies, and murder that simmers beneath the surface of a tranquil Cotswolds village.

Scotland Yard Detective Superintendent Duncan Kincaid and his wife, Detective Inspector Gemma James, have been invited for a relaxing weekend in the Cotswolds, one of Britain’s most enchanting regions, famous for its rolling hills, golden cottages, and picturesque villages.

Duncan, Gemma, and their children are guests at Beck House, the family estate of Melody Talbot, Gemma’s detective sergeant. The Talbot family is wealthy, prominent, and powerful—Melody’s father is the publisher of one of London’s largest and most influential newspapers. The centerpiece of this glorious fall getaway is a posh charity harvest luncheon catered by up-and-coming chef Viv Holland. After fifteen years in London’s cut-throat food scene, Viv has returned to the Gloucestershire valleys of her childhood and quickly made a name for herself with her innovative meals based on traditional cuisine but using fresh local ingredients.

Attended by the local well-to-do as well as national press food bloggers and restaurant critics, the event could make Viv a star.
But a tragic car accident and a series of mysterious deaths rock the estate and pull Duncan and Gemma into the investigation. It soon becomes clear that the killer has a connection with Viv’s pub—or, perhaps, with Beck House itself.

Does the truth lie in the past? Or is it closer to home, tied up in the tangled relationships and bitter resentments between the staff at Beck House and Viv’s new pub? Or is it more personal, entwined with secrets hidden by Viv and those closest to her?

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