This debut mystery has all of the elements I look for when plowing through my piles of review books in an attempt to find something, anything, a bit different, a bit fun, some adventure and romance maybe, an intriguing setting and/or time, and (joy upon joy) maybe something with delicious details about cooking.
The Book of Unholy Mischief has it all. Luciano, our hero, is a poor street urchin with quick hands and a quick mind. It's 1498 Venice, and dangerous times, whether you live on the streets or in the palace of the doge, the most powerful man of Venice. Luciano is chosen as kitchen apprentice by the doge's chef. The city is abuzz over rumors of a book, a very powerful book, containing magical potions for eternal life, love spells, alchemy, and who knows what else. When Luciano learns that the book contains love spells, his interest grows, for he is a boy caught in the web of unrequited love. So while he learns the basic skills of an apprentice cook, he also learns that the chef has a mysterious box of spices and a garden of strange (magical?) plants. Could the chef be guarding more secrets than a good soup recipe? Luciano embarks on a search for the book, which he sees as his salvation, the magical road to health, wealth, and true love. But we all know that such a journey will cost dearly. I recommend this seductive novel, and suggest a bit of chocolate as a fitting accompaniment for your reading pleasure.
--LNT
