Lori Pollard-Johnson

TOXIC TORTE: READ, DON'T EAT!

Jess Harriet is crashing a memorial breakfast in order to write yet another obituary for her hack-reporter job at a Seattle weekly she’s come to loath. Anyone who’s ever been near the newspaper business knows that writing obits is way down there on the food chain. When Jess gets wind of the fact that the deceased was poisoned, she seizes the opportunity to write the story of her life and earn herself a position as investigative reporter at a legitimate daily. Of course, there’s just one small difficulty: To get the scoop and her man, Jess must first solve the murder.

While reading “Toxic Torte,” keep your favorite snack handy as food aromas waft throughout the novel. Ah, the tenderness of a slow-cooked rib will work your salivary glands overtime. The mere names of the tortes—Torte Chocolate avec Sauce des Framboise, Winterberry Torte, Pistachio Pudding Torte—make me long to sink my teeth into a piece of my own favorite Sacher Torte. Mit Schlag, please. But, hold on. Could this chocolaty indulgence be my last?

Lori Pollard-Johnson serves up a delightful slice of nail-biting tension and sly wit in her new Jess Harriet mystery. The author concocts each noxious character—from murderous gourmand to poisonous peer—into a perfect layer cake.

“Toxic Torte” should come with a warning label: Read, don’t eat!… (plus d'informations)