Happy Wednesday everyone. Gosh this week is just flying by. I’ve got a great book to spotlight for you today called An Appetite for Violets by Martine Bailey. I hope to delve into this one soon myself and isn’t it a pretty cover? I really like it. Any book described as having anything to do with food, obsession, and mystery is one that certainly piques my interest and even better it’s coming out in audio soon. You all know how I love my audios now. Please take a look at what the book is about and don’t forget to enter the giveaway at the end of the post!
That’s how it is for us servants. No one pays you much heed; mostly you’re invisible as furniture. Yet you overhear a conversation here, and add a little gossip there. A writing desk lies open and you cannot help but read a paper. Then you find something, something you should not have found.
Irrepressible Biddy Leigh, under-cook at the forbidding Mawton Hall, can’t wait to settle down with her sweetheart and set up her own tavern. But when her elderly master marries the young, enigmatic Lady Carinna, Biddy is unwittingly swept up into a world of scheming, secrets, and lies.
Forced to accompany her new mistress to Italy, Biddy takes with her an old household book of recipes, The Cook’s Jewel, in which she records her observations. When she finds herself embroiled in a murderous conspiracy, Biddy realises that the secrets she holds could be the key to her survival – or her downfall . . .
AN APPETITE FOR VIOLETS is an utterly compelling story of food, obsession and mystery, introducing a brilliant new voice in historical fiction.
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Buy: Amazon, Amazon Canada, B&N
Praise for An Appetite for Violets
‘Martine Bailey writes with such easy, compelling grace, and in a fascinating new genre – best described as culinary gothic. I was hooked and enraptured.’ (Fay Weldon, author of LONG LIVE THE KING)
‘I adored this novel: a delicious addictive mix of confectionery, skulduggery and crime.’ (Maria McCann, bestselling author of AS MEAT LOVES SALT and THE WILDING)
‘An absolutely delicious novel; I savoured every page.’ (Imogen Robertson, author of INSTRUMENTS OF DARKNESS)
‘A compelling story of food, obsession and mystery.’
GOOD HOUSEKEEPING
‘In all, a charming debut and a genuinely original and insightful novel.’
COUNTRY LIFE
‘If you enjoyed Jo Baker’s Longbourn you’ll enjoy this. It’s another beautifully written 18th century servant story…An impressive debut.’
THE DAILY MAIL
It’s not often that I read a book as voraciously as this. The last was THE GOLDFINCH by DonnaTartt, so Martine is in excellent company. I just had to know how this story of deception, intrigue and passion ended. (S D Sykes, author of PLAGUE LAND)
AN APPETITE FOR VIOLETS is a feast of unique characters, suspense, passion and delicious storytelling. Martine Bailey has served up a beautifully rendered, haunting tale told by an unforgettable heroine. A novel to devour yet savor. (Karen Harper, New York Times bestselling author of THE QUEEN’S GOVERNESS)
About the Author
Inspired by eighteenth-century household books of recipes, An Appetite for Violets allowed Martine to indulge in her obsessions with food, history and travel. As an amateur cook, Martine won the Merchant Gourmet Recipe Challenge and was a former UK Dessert Champion, cooking at Le Meurice in Paris. In pursuit of authenticity she has studied with food historian Ivan Day and experienced Georgian food and fashion at firsthand with an historic re-enactment society.
Martine lives in Cheshire, England after recently returning from a 20-month stay in New Zealand. She is married with one son and is currently writing a second historical novel for Hodder & Stoughton.
Connect with Martine on her Website, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest
GIVEAWAY – OPEN TO US & CANADIAN RESIDENTS
1 Hardcover copy up for giveaway!
*CLICK HERE* and fill out the form to enter
Draw Date February 7/15
Thanks for the giveaway, Dar – I’m going to enter for my mom.
Thank you for this giveaway, Darlene! The cover is lovely, and the book sounds wonderful. The food aspect intrigues me. I will add this giveaway to my blog’s sidebar.
The mystery aspect and historical fiction are what I love about this book.
This cover has caught my attention too. Thanks for the giveaway.
This sounds like a book I would like to win. About a servant, usually always interesting. Thanks for a chance to win it.
Maxie
I would read this just based on the cover.
Thank you
How is Sammy?
This one sounds good and I like the cover too.
That is a lovely cover and the book sounds interesting as well.
I entered by mistake because I got confused by the 7/15 and thought it meant the 15th of Feb. I should looked more carefully at the “February” in front of the “7/15” :}