#MidweekMystery: The Fragrance of Death by Leslie Karst

Restaurateur Sally Solari has a nose for trouble, but when her sense of smell goes missing, it’s not just her career on the line . . . it’s her life.
The Fragrance of Death
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After getting mixed up in one too many murders, Sally Solari has noticed her nonna’s friends have taken to crossing themselves when they see her in the street. Adding to her woes, a sinus infection has knocked out her sense of smell, making cooking on the hot line difficult, indeed. Nevertheless, Sally is determined to stay out of trouble and focus on her work. But then her old acquaintance Neil Lerici is murdered at the annual Santa Cruz Artichoke Cook-Off, and her powers of investigation are called into action once more. Could Neil have been killed by the local restaurant owner who took his winning spot at the competition? Or maybe by one of his siblings, who were desperate to sell the family farm to a real estate developer? Sally plunges headfirst into the case, risking alienating everyone she knows – including the dapper Detective Vargas, who finds her sleuthing both infuriating and endearing. And soon it’s not only her restaurant and tentative new relationship that are on the line – it’s her life . . .

Review

Lawyer-turned-chef Sally Solari has already solved several murders, starting with the death of her Aunt Letta (who kicked off Sally’s culinary career by bequeathing her the trendy restaurant Gaugin). But Sally has no intention of dwelling on murder, or reveling in her notoriety as an amateur sleuth. Instead, she’s focused on making a good showing at the upcoming Santa Cruz Artichoke Cook-Off –and perhaps showing up her competitive restaurateur father in the bargain.

But just as Sally’s culinary career seems back on track, her sense of smell is knocked out by a sinus infection–and a competitor is knocked out of the cook-off by murder.

At first Sally is reluctant to get involved in the investigation. But new clues turn up and a relationship starts to develop with a dashing detective. Sally finds she can’t resist the chance to help Detective Vargas find the killer, prevent an injustice, and dig into some of her own family secrets along the way.

I read The Fragrance of Death from cover to cover on a trans-Pacific flight, and the hours seemed to, well, fly. The story is enriched with details about the Italian fishing families who established the still-thriving restaurant ecosystem that thrives to this day, the realities of the legal system, the surprising importance of our sense of smell, and the hectic but rewarding life of a restaurateur. The characters are compellingly human. Sally is accomplished and smart, but she can make a misstep when curiosity gets the better of her. Sally’s friends, family, and potential love interests can be indecisive, prickly, prideful, insecure, forgiving and kind.

The Fragrance of Death is a smart, funny, skillfully plotted mystery, with a bonus: Leslie Karst is a trained chef. In The Fragrance of Death she shares some of the recipes for the delicious dishes mentioned throughout the book. You’ll want to try them all, but to whet your appetite, read on!

From Leslie: Spaghetti alla Carbonara with Artichokes

I’m a huge fan of artichokes, a trait I inherited from my mother, who, if given the chance, could eat a half dozen of the glorious thistles in one sitting. And because my Sally Solari mysteries take place in the country’s primary artichoke growing region (Central California, with its Mediterranean-like climate, produces virtually 100% of the artichokes sold in the US, and of that, more than 80% come from Castroville, just a half-hour’s drive from Santa Cruz), I decided to highlight this local vegetable in the newest book in my Sally Solari culinary mystery series, The Fragrance of Death. (Yep, you can see a pair of artichokes on the cover.)

So to celebrate the release on August 2nd of this fifth book in the series, what could be better than a recipe featuring the fabulous thistle?

One of my sleuth Sally Solari’s favorite dishes to whip up for company is spaghetti alla carbonara. Not only is it about as simple as it gets to make—thus allowing Sally the luxury of enjoying pre-dinner cocktails along with her guests—but the combination of pancetta, olive oil, butter, cheese, and eggs makes this pasta sinfully rich and delicious. (Don’t be alarmed by the use of raw egg; the hot pasta heats it enough to cook, and the result is a silky, custardy sauce.)

The origin of this dish’s name is hotly disputed, but most folks agree that it likely has something to do with the Italian word carbone (charcoal). Some claim the dish was invented by coalminers; others argue it was originally cooked over a charcoal flame; and still others assert that the name derives from a kind of charcoal-cooked ham that was once used for the pasta.

Serve the pasta with a green salad or fagiolini al burro (baby green beans sautéed in butter), and a loaf of warm, crusty bread for a simple, weeknight dinner. Whatever its history, this delectable dish from Rome makes for a terrific, quick-to-prepare meal. And in this non-traditional version (inspired by a New York Times recipe I came across recently), the addition of artichokes to the spaghetti provides an extra flavor layer that wonderfully compliments the richness of the other ingredients.

Ingredients

1 pound spaghetti

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

½  pound pancetta or bacon, cut crossways into ½” strips

12 oz. can/jar drained, or 8 oz. package frozen artichoke quarters

4 eggs

1 cup finely grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese

1 tablespoon chopped Italian (flat-leaf) parsley

salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Directions

Bring a large (at least 4 quart) pot of water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and 1 tablespoon salt, and cook over high heat until al dente (still slightly firm in the center, 8-10 minutes), stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.

While the pasta is cooking, heat the butter and oil in a heavy skillet. Add the bacon and fry over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until starting to brown. Add the artichokes to the skillet and cook until warmed through. (This can be done in advance, but reheat before service if the oil and butter have hardened.)

In a serving bowl large enough to hold the pasta, beat the eggs with ¾ cup of the grated cheese.

Reserving 1 cup of pasta water, drain the cooked spaghetti and immediately dump the hot pasta—without rinsing—into the serving bowl. Toss until the pasta is coated with the egg and cheese mixture.  Add ¼ cup of pasta water, and toss again.

Add the pancetta/bacon and artichokes (along with all the butter and oil), and toss again. Add more pasta water, a little at a time, until the sauce is smooth and creamy.

Serve garnished with the parsley and freshly ground pepper.

About the Author


Leslie Karst is the author of the Lefty Award-nominated Sally Solari culinary mystery series. The daughter of a law professor and a potter, she waited tables and sang in a new wave rock band before deciding she was ready for “real” job and ending up at Stanford Law School. It was during her career as a research and appellate attorney in Santa Cruz, California, that Leslie rediscovered her youthful passion for food and cooking and once more returned to school—this time to earn a degree in culinary arts.

Now retired from the law, Leslie spends her time cooking, cycling, gardening, singing alto in her local community chorus, and of course writing. She and her wife and their Jack Russell mix split their time between Santa Cruz and Hilo, Hawai‘i.

Author Links

Website http://www.lesliekarstauthor.com/

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