Lord of the Pies: A Kensington Palace Chef Mystery

A well-crafted plot with plenty of surprises drives Hampton’s sequel to 2017’s Kale to the Queen. American-born Carrie Ann Cole, who has been working for the duke and duchess of Cambridge for three months at London’s Kensington Palace, still feels the need to prove herself as a chef. Her task becomes harder when the body of Wentworth Uleman, a fellow staff member, is found early one morning in the Orangery kitchen lying face down in a lemon pie. It appears the pie was poisoned. The authorities know it’s her pie because the pan is inscribed with the duke and duchess’s initials. Temporarily relieved of her duties, Carrie Ann anxiously attempts to clear her name while avoiding pushy tabloid reporters and juggling two potential suitors, who may not be quite as eligible as they appear. Fans of TV’s The Crown will appreciate Hampton’s well-researched picture of the mammoth job of running a royal residence housing numerous families. This contemporary cozy is as light and delectable as one of Carrie Ann’s meringue toppings. Agent: Paige Wheeler, Creative Media Agency. (Apr.)