Table of Contents
Praise for HAIL TO THE CHEF
A gourmands delight... Julie Hyzy balances her meal ticket quite nicely between the glimpses at the working class inside the White House with an engaging chefs cozy.
Midwest Book Review
The story is entertaining, the character is charming, the setting is interesting... Fun to read and sometimes that is exactly what hits the spot. Ive found all of Hyzys books to be worth reading and this one is no different.
Crime Fiction Dossier (Book of the Week)
[A] well-plotted mystery... The White House Chef Mystery series is a must-read series to add to the ranks of culinary mysteries. The Mystery Reader
Praise for
STATE OF THE ONION
Pulse-pounding action, an appealing heroine, and the inner workings of the White House kitchen combine for a stellar adventure in Julie Hyzys delightful State of the Onion.
Carolyn Hart, author of Dare to Die
Hyzys sure grasp of Washington geography offers firm footing for the plot. Booklist
Topical, timely, intriguing. Julie Hyzy simmers a unique setting, strong characters, sharp conflict, and snappy plotting into a peppery blend that packs an unusual wallop.
Susan Wittig Albert, author of Wormwood
From terrorists to truffles, mystery writer Julie Hyzy concocts a sumptuous, breathtaking thriller.
Nancy Fairbanks, bestselling author of Turkey Flamb
Exciting and delicious! Full of heart-racing thrills and mouth-watering food, this is a total sensual delight.
Linda Palmer, author of Kiss of Death
A compulsively readable whodunit full of juicy behind-the-Oval-Office details, flavorful characters, and a satisfying side dish of red herringsnot to mention twenty pages of easy-to-cook recipes fit for the leader of the free world.
Publishers Weekly
Praise for the novels of Julie Hyzy
Deliciously exciting.Nancy Fairbanks
A well-constructed plot, interesting characters, and plenty of Chicago lore... A truly pleasurable cozy.
Annette Meyers
[A] solid, entertaining mystery that proves her to be a promising talent with a gift for winning characters and involving plots... Likely to appeal to readers of traditional mysteries as well as those who enjoy stories with a slightly harder edge. Chicago Sun-Times
The fast-paced plot builds to a spine-chilling ending.
Publishers Weekly
A nicely balanced combination of detective work and high-wire adventure. Kirkus Reviews
Riveting... A twisty, absorbing, headline-current case. First rate.Carolyn Hart
A well-crafted narrative, gentle tension, and a feisty, earthbound heroine mark this refreshingly different mystery debut. Library Journal
Berkley Prime Crime titles by Julie Hyzy
STATE OF THE ONION
HAIL TO THE CHEF
EGGSECUTIVE ORDERS
For my daughters, and in memory of my mom
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Sincere thanks to the great people at The Berkley Publishing Group, especially Natalee Rosenstein and Michelle Vega. And to copyeditor Erica Rose. And to the folks at Tekno, especially Marty Greenberg, John Helfers, and Denise Little.
A big and special thank-you to my daughter Sara, who always reads first.
Its great to have experts to turn toand my sincere gratitude to Diane Springer whobetween VJA marching band competitionshelped me come up with an efficient way to kill a character. Any and all errors with regard to this method, and its subsequent discovery, are mine.
Thanks to reader Barbara Czachowski for her catch in State of the Onion. Ollie greatly appreciated Barbaras kind correction and made note of it in this adventure while she and her family toured the National Mall.
Thanks to Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and Thriller Writers of America for camaraderie and support, and thanks especially to wonderful readers who take the time to let me know what they think of Ollies adventures.
CHAPTER 1
THE PHONE RANG WHILE I WAS BRUSHING MY teeth. Phone calls at four in the morning usually mean one thing: bad news.
I quickly swished water in my mouth to clear away residual foam, and hurried to my bedroom to stop the unnerving jangle.
As executive chef at the White House, I make it a point to get to work every morning before the sun comes up, so I reasoned that this might be one of my staff catching me at home to call in sick. Either that, or my mom and nana were having trouble getting to the airport. Despite the fact that our kitchen had a lot to do before the Easter Egg Roll next week, I sorely hoped this was, indeed, a staffer calling in. I didnt want to think that my mother and nana might cancel their plans to visit me.
I reached for the handset. A split second before I answered, I glanced at the Caller ID.
Not my mom. Not a staffer.
The display read simply: 202.
The White House was calling me.
Olivia Paras here, I said as I picked it up.
Ollie, its Paul. Paul Vasquez, the White House chief usher, wouldnt call me at home unless it was a dire emergency.
What happened? I asked.
Theres a car waiting for you downstairs.
Downstairs, here? I asked. Although Id been awake for nearly an hour, my brain was slow to comprehend. Downstairs where I live?
Thats right, he said slowly. Two agents will escort you to the residence today.
Why? What happened?
Youll be briefed when you get here. Just hurry. Theyre waiting for you now. Follow their lead.
But
Ollie. His tone forced me to focus.
Yes?
For Gods sake, dont say anything to anybody.
He hung up before I could ask what he meant.
Two Secret Service agents were waiting for me in the lobby when I came out of the elevator. Both male, both large, they were clad in nearly identical outfits of navy pants and gray sport coats, and wore similar buzz-cut hair. In a more chipper situation, I may have asked them if they were Tweedledee and Tweedledum, but I didnt recognize either of these guys, and neither wore an expression that encouraged levity.
The one closest to me nodded solemnly. Ms. Paras?
I nodded back.
This way, he said. He started for the front doors, gesturing for me to walk directly behind him. I couldnt see around his broad back, and was about to step aside when his twin came in close behind, effectively making an Ollie sandwich.
I started to ask, Why all the
But shouts from outside drowned out my question. There she is!
I still couldnt see much, but just as the damp morning air hit my skin, the sound of agitated scuffles reached my ears. A crowd rushed up, encircling us. Stark bright lights silhouetted the agent in front of me. I winced at the intensity and at the sharp shouts: Ms. Paras, Ms. Paras!
In an effort to see better, I started to move around Agent Number One, but Number Two placed a restraining hand on my shoulder. Keep moving.
Half-turning, I started to ask what was going on, but the agent gripped harder, urging me forward.
