The Last Supper
It’s February, it’s cold, it’s dark… it’s still winter, but never Christmas, so banish those blues by tucking into this delicious debut novel from celebrity chef and national treasure Rosemary Shrager.
A lifelong fan of crime fiction, whether in books or on TV, during lockdown Rosemary wondered whether she had it in her to write a crime novel… and it seems she has! The Last Supper is the result and it features retired celebrity chef Prudence Bulstrode (a character not unlike Rosemary herself) and her long-suffering sous-chef and granddaughter Suki (a character not unlike Rosemary’s real life granddaughter, Suki).
Part Agatha Raisin, with a splash of Midsomer Murders and a squeeze of Richard Osman thrown in for added zest, Prudence is a former chef who is now spending her retirement as a private cook, driving around the British countryside in her campervan, staying in fabulous locations and solving the inevitable country house murder mystery. And the first of these adventures, The Last Supper, is set at Fairleigh Manor in the Cotswolds, where murder is very much on the menu.
Unsurprisingly, Rosemary has already had a storm of praise rain down on her; Jo Brand says, ‘think bolshy Mrs Beeton meets Miss Marple… witty, warm and so enjoyable’ while Miriam Margolyes rates it as ‘a great yarn’. Why not take a read for yourself and chase away the winter blues with a hearty and satisfying murder mystery!
Krystyna Green
'A great yarn - Shrager knows her food and she's cooked up a storm. . . Rosie can write and Prudence Bulstrode is here to stay' Miriam Margolyes
'Think bolshy Mrs Beeton meets Miss Marple, our rambunctious heroine, Prudence, hilariously stomps her way through a riotous and unpredictable plot. Witty, warm and so enjoyable' Jo Brand
'A Golden Age classic for the modern era - Rosemary Shrager has come up with a recipe to die for' Anton Du Beke
'True to form, this recipe is a real killer!' Alan Titchmarsh
'Rosemary is one of the most positive and resilient people I know. I love her spirit as I love her cooking. Now, I have to admire her writing too' Pierre Koffman
The irresistible debut novel from celebrity TV chef Rosemary Shrager where cosy crime and cookery collide!
When an old television rival, Deirdre Shaw, is found dead at the Cotswolds manor house where she was catering for a prestigious shooting weekend, Prudence is asked to step into the breach. Prudence is only too happy to take up the position and soon she is working in the kitchens of Farleigh Manor.
But Farleigh Manor is the home to secrets, both old and new. The site of a famous unsolved murder from the nineteenth century, Farleigh Manor has never quite shaken off its sensationalist past. It's about to get a sensational present too. Because, the more she scratches beneath the surface of this manor and its guests, the more Prudence becomes certain that Deirdre Shaw's death was no accident. She's staring in the face of a very modern murder. . .
Praise for The Last Supper
'A great yarn - Shrager knows her food and she's cooked up a storm. Murder is the main course but the side dishes fascinate. A fascinating conclusion - Rosie can write and Prudence Bulstrode is here to stay. I look forward to more in this series.' Miriam Margolyes
'I've long admired Rosemary as a woman of many talents. I just hadn't realized that writing is one of them. The Last Supper has pace and style and a very interesting cast of characters' Richard Vines
'Rosemary Shrager has created a welcome addition to the ranks of female amateur sleuths. The Last Supper is a witty, light-hearted mystery, in which the author has served up a tasty treat' Simon Brett
'The Last Supper is a charming, hugely entertaining book. Retired chef Prudence Bulstrode is cranky, stubborn and insightful; an utterly brilliant creation. I can't wait to see what she gets up to next' M W Craven
'Discover how a Michelin-starred Miss Marple displays the skills of a bloodhound as she sniffs out the scent of a killer in this thriller that rises to a conclusion like a perfect souffle.' Nick Ferrari
'A light-hearted, fun mystery, combining cookery and crime - what's not to love?' Woman's Weekly
'Shrager, herself a kitchen whizz on TV, has a natural talent and deft touch for exactly this kind of gentle fun' The Sun
