Knife Skills - (Shadows of Chicago Mystery) by Wendy Church (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Sagarine Pfister is a great cook but has been blacklisted by almost every restaurant in Chicago. She gets her chance at Louie's, a below-average restaurant, the only place that will give her a job. Things change when she finds head chef Louie Ferrar dead in the walk-in freezer of his restaurant. But instead of closing the place down, the owner, Russian gang boss Anatoly Morzov, not only offers her Louie's job, but also the position as his personal chef. Sagarine agrees, and while she knows she's playing with fire, the chance to turn out extraordinary food at both the restaurant and for Morzov's extravagant private parties is just too tempting. While the Chicago P.D. searches for Louie's killer, the FBI pressures Sagarine to inform on the gang. She has no choice, but things take another dangerous turn when she falls for one of Morzov's lieutenants. As Sagarine becomes more deeply involved with the gang and with her lover, the FBI's demands put her at increased risk of discovery. She has to make a decision about where her loyalties lie as she finds herself running for her life"--

Book Synopsis

"Dizzying . . . Audiences who wished the TV series The Bear had made room for Russian mobsters are in for a treat" Kirkus Reviews Starred Review

Sagarine Pfister is a great cook but has been blacklisted by almost every restaurant in Chicago. She gets her chance at Louie's, a below-average restaurant, the only place that will give her a job.

Things change when she finds head chef Louie Ferrar dead in the walk-in freezer of his restaurant. But instead of closing the place down, the owner, Russian gang boss Anatoly Morzov, not only offers her Louie's job, but also the position as his personal chef. Sagarine agrees, and while she knows she's playing with fire, the chance to turn out extraordinary food at both the restaurant and for Morzov's extravagant private parties is just too tempting.

While the Chicago P.D. searches for Louie's killer, the FBI pressures Sagarine to inform on the gang. She has no choice, but things take another dangerous turn when she falls for one of Morzov's lieutenants. As Sagarine becomes more deeply involved with the gang and with her lover, the FBI's demands put her at increased risk of discovery. She has to make a decision about where her loyalties lie as she finds herself running for her life.

Review Quotes

A riveting, entertaining read that will appeal to fans of Janet Evanovich-- "Booklist"

Dizzying . . . Audiences who wished the TV series The Bear had made room for Russian mobsters are in for a treat-- "Kirkus Reviews Starred Review"

With brisk pacing and dynamic characters, Church keeps readers enthralled as her plot spins into violent territory, and successfully conceals a doozy of a twist that sends the series in an unexpected direction-- "Publishers Weekly"

An action-packed debut that's as funny as the heroine is unstoppable. I loved it!-- "Nora McFarland, author of the Lilly Hawkins Mysteries on Murder on the Spanish Seas"

Church has penned a whip-smart, sarcastic, amateur sleuth and a tightly plotted story that's perfect for fans of Ruth Ware, Catriona McPherson, and Darynda Jones. Readers will want to see Jesse again.-- "Library Journal on Murder on the Spanish Seas"

Clever, transportive, and laugh-out-loud funny . the perfect book to read poolside-just not on the deck of a luxury ocean liner. I can't wait to read more from this wickedly entertaining new voice.-- "Andrea Bartz, New York Times bestselling author of We Were Never Here on Murder on the Spanish Seas"

Fans of Janet Evanovich will enjoy meeting the freewheeling Jesse, and this debut gives an enticing hint of more adventures to come.-- "Booklist on Murder on the Spanish Seas"

About the Author

Wendy Church, PhD, is the author of the Jesse O'Hara mysteries, the first of which, Murder on the Spanish Seas, was named by Booklist as a Top 10 Debut Mystery & Thriller of 2023. She's also authored a variety of non-fiction works, including a PhD dissertation in bioresource engineering, a few textbooks and book chapters on global issues, and a number of inappropriately long Facebook posts about navigating gluten free pizza, and the relationship between yoga and Lord of the Rings. She lives in Seattle, Washington with her partner and several animals.