Hi friends! I’m kicking off the week with a giveaway of a new historical mystery novel that sounds like a lot of fun! An Appetite for Violets is author Martine Bailey’s debut and it’s described as “a literary feast for lovers of historical fiction.” It’s about a cook who wants to fly under the radar but gets caught up in her new mistress’s schemes. They travel to Italy and Biddy documents all the nefarious goings on in her trusty recipe book. Food, adventure, and intrigue- sounds good, right?
Read more about it:
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.
Find the book: Goodreads * Amazon * B&N * IndieBound
Meet the author: Blog * Twitter *Facebook * Pinterest
Intrigued? St. Martin’s Press is offering one hardcover copy of An Appetite for Violets to one lucky reader. Giveaway is open to US residents age 18 and up.
To enter, just fill out the rafflecopter below:
Such a tough question! I think Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follet is my favorite historical fiction because it was the first epic historical fiction I picked up and read cover to cover in my youth.
I’m going to say Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys.
[…] An Appetite for Violets by Martine Bailey – This historical fiction book is about an under-cook in England who gets caught up in a murderous conspiracy. (Check out a giveaway!) […]
My favorite historical fiction novel is The Other Boleyn Girl.
That’s a difficult question! Right now it’s The Accidental Empress.
My favorite historical fiction novel is Mr. Rosenblum Dreams in English by Natasha Solomons.
I’ve been wanting to read this. And I don’t know that I could name just one favorite novel!