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A review by dollycas
Foreign Éclairs by Julie Hyzy
5.0
Dollycas's Thoughts
Most times we don't know that a book series is ending or has come to an end. The author is informed and sometimes they have the option of continuing the series on their own, but most of the time the reader is left in the dark. Social media has changed that some, in that the authors can stay in touch with their readers and give us a heads up. Even when we get a heads up the characters/authors are usually left without a chance to wrap up their stories.
Julie Hyzy blogged back in December that Foreign Eclairs would be the last book in this series and explained why. This is one of my very favorite series so I was sad, but after reading her post I am thankful for the nine adventures we did have with Ollie.
Hyzy does not have Ollie leave us quietly either. This cozy crept right into the suspense/thriller genre and when I reached the final word all I could say was WOW!!!
The story started with a bomb explosion in Wisconsin so I was immediately on high alert. From there I just held on tight.
In D.C. Ollie and head usher, Peter Everett Sargeant, are holding interviews for a new chef, first son, Josh isn't visiting the kitchen as much, and Gav is off on assignment. Then Ollie is attacked on her way home, she is okay, but her purse was stolen. Then a White House staffer is found dead after she was clearly tortured. Agent Neville Walker, the new head of the Secret Service, thinks the two events may be connected. Another bombing solidifies his thinking. After a little investigating it is determined the Armustanian terrorists are to blame and Ollie may be the target. Ollie doesn't have much time for cooking this time as she is trying to save her life and maybe others. She also needs to figure out what is going on with Josh. Definitely not a woman with time on her hands.
The story starts with a slow build but soon we are going at breakneck speed just hoping our protagonist is alive at the end. I started this story in the evening. Thankfully I found the perfect stopping point so I could sleep. Good thing too, because when I picked it up the next day there was no putting it down. Things got really intense and the pages just flew. There were the normal things we come to expect in this mystery series, Bucky and Ollie in the White House kitchen planning meals, Ollie butting heads with Sargeant over the way the kitchen should be run, and Ollie and Gav still adjusting to married life and him being gone so much. But this being the last installment written by Hyzy, she had to tie things up but still leave the door open a crack just in case someone else is hired to continue the series. She did it in an amazing way and true fans will understand. I hope this is that last we see of Ollie as I don't think anyone else could do this character justice.
So we say good bye to our behind the scenes access to the White House and I say thank you to Julie Hyzy for giving us so many wonderful stories and some truly memorable characters.
This book gets my first Paradise Rating of 2016!
Most times we don't know that a book series is ending or has come to an end. The author is informed and sometimes they have the option of continuing the series on their own, but most of the time the reader is left in the dark. Social media has changed that some, in that the authors can stay in touch with their readers and give us a heads up. Even when we get a heads up the characters/authors are usually left without a chance to wrap up their stories.
Julie Hyzy blogged back in December that Foreign Eclairs would be the last book in this series and explained why. This is one of my very favorite series so I was sad, but after reading her post I am thankful for the nine adventures we did have with Ollie.
Hyzy does not have Ollie leave us quietly either. This cozy crept right into the suspense/thriller genre and when I reached the final word all I could say was WOW!!!
The story started with a bomb explosion in Wisconsin so I was immediately on high alert. From there I just held on tight.
In D.C. Ollie and head usher, Peter Everett Sargeant, are holding interviews for a new chef, first son, Josh isn't visiting the kitchen as much, and Gav is off on assignment. Then Ollie is attacked on her way home, she is okay, but her purse was stolen. Then a White House staffer is found dead after she was clearly tortured. Agent Neville Walker, the new head of the Secret Service, thinks the two events may be connected. Another bombing solidifies his thinking. After a little investigating it is determined the Armustanian terrorists are to blame and Ollie may be the target. Ollie doesn't have much time for cooking this time as she is trying to save her life and maybe others. She also needs to figure out what is going on with Josh. Definitely not a woman with time on her hands.
The story starts with a slow build but soon we are going at breakneck speed just hoping our protagonist is alive at the end. I started this story in the evening. Thankfully I found the perfect stopping point so I could sleep. Good thing too, because when I picked it up the next day there was no putting it down. Things got really intense and the pages just flew. There were the normal things we come to expect in this mystery series, Bucky and Ollie in the White House kitchen planning meals, Ollie butting heads with Sargeant over the way the kitchen should be run, and Ollie and Gav still adjusting to married life and him being gone so much. But this being the last installment written by Hyzy, she had to tie things up but still leave the door open a crack just in case someone else is hired to continue the series. She did it in an amazing way and true fans will understand. I hope this is that last we see of Ollie as I don't think anyone else could do this character justice.
So we say good bye to our behind the scenes access to the White House and I say thank you to Julie Hyzy for giving us so many wonderful stories and some truly memorable characters.
This book gets my first Paradise Rating of 2016!