{"product_id":"knife-skills-for-beginners-9781420522686","title":"Knife Skills for Beginners","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Maid\u003c\/i\u003e meets \u003ci\u003eKnives Out\u003c\/i\u003e with a dash of \u003ci\u003eTop Chef\u003c\/i\u003e in the debut locked room culinary mystery set in a London cooking school by \u003ci\u003eMasterchef\u003c\/i\u003e semi-finalist and cookbook writer Orlando Murrin.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\"Some people are natural dancers, others marvelous in bed, but--not wishing to boast--I'm good with a knife. Most chefs are.\"\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Chester Square Cookery School in the heart of London offers students a refined setting in which to master the fine art of choux pastry and hone their hollandaise. True, the ornate mansion doesn't quite sparkle the way it used to--a feeling chef Paul Delamare is familiar with these days. Worn out and newly broke, he'd be tempted to turn down the request to fill in as teacher for a week-long residential course, if anyone other than Christian Wagner were asking.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eChristian is one of Paul's oldest friends, as well as the former recipient of two Michelin stars and host of \u003ci\u003ePass the Gravy!\u003c\/i\u003e Thanks to a broken arm, he's unable to teach the upcoming session himself, and recruits Paul as stand-in. The students are a motley crew, most of whom seem more interested in ogling the surroundings (including handsome Christian) than learning the best ways to temper chocolate.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eYet despite his misgivings, Paul starts to enjoy imparting his extensive knowledge to the recruits--until someone turns up dead, murdered with a cleaver Paul used earlier that day to prep a pair of squabs. Did one of his students take the lesson on knife techniques too much to heart, or was this the result of a long-simmering grudge? In between clearing his own name and teaching his class how to perfectly poach a chicken, he'll have to figure out who's the killer, and avoid being the next one to get butchered ...\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Thorndike Press Large Print","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51199811387666,"sku":"9781420522686","price":29.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_09b3a9d5-ac18-4b4c-9941-52acbdb2044b.jpg?v=1764073484","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/knife-skills-for-beginners-9781420522686","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}