Jack Marshall has been hired to be the bartender for Horace Buttons on his private rail car. They travel attached to Amtrak trains and meet some interesting people. Horace's sister who is a politician is killed with her husband and he becomes the guardian of her daughter. Jack, Horace and Wanda (the chef) have much to learn about raising an eleven old girl but they are willing to try.

The Dining Car by Eric Peterson is a story of Jack Marshall a bartender on the "Pioneer Mother" which is a railcar owned by food critic Horace Button. Wanda is the cook aboard the railcar. Wanda and Jack share a very small room on the railcar. Once on the railcar Jack gets a crash course in fine dining from Wanda.

Every few chapters there is an article by the railcar owner, Horace Button, written on a restaurant in the town the railcar has stopped in. Jack is trying to run from the past, yet still holds on. The relationship between Jack and Wanda is interesting and grows throughout the book.

I found this book intriguing. I liked the concept of fine dining in an old railcar. The descriptions of scenes in this book are beautiful. It takes you to another place.

I think this would be a good book for anyone interested in the food industry, fine dining, and even journalism.

I acknowledge that I received this book free of charge in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion of it.