Captain Avery has come to London from his rural estate to help his old friend Blake. Blake has ended up in debtor's prison, the infamous Marshalsea, not because he really owes a debt but because he has refused a case from a man high up in government. Avery tries to get Blake to change his mind and be released but to no avail.

Avery is invited to dinner with the renowned chef, Monsieur Soyer at the Reform Club. Avery and Blake had managed to get their friend, Matty, a place in the kitchens there and she is doing well. But all is not well at the Reform. A man sickens after the dinner and Avery stays to help as it appears to be cholera and he had experience with that in India. The man dies and it turns out to be arsenic. The club asks Avery to stay and look into the death as there is soon to be a major diplomatic dinner there. Avery knows that Blake is the real detective in their partnership but agrees to do what he can.

Things get worse with more deaths. Blake escapes and comes to help Avery. Can they solve the case before more people die and Chef Soyer loses his reputation?

This is the third and final book in the Blake and Avery series and I'm sorry to see it come to an end. I love the time period in the mid 1800's and the world of men's dining clubs and the Victorian era. The two men are similar to Sherlock and Watson, although Blake is definitely not a refined Victorian gentleman but much closer to the streets. The friendship between the two men was forged during their time serving in India and while they seem an unlikely pair for friendship, it has been forged in danger and they have admiration for each other. This book is recommended for mystery readers.

The third installment of Blake & Avery has arrived (with another gorgeous cover!). I really enjoyed The Strangler Vine, the first book of this very early Victorian amateur sleuth series. The Strangler Vine is set in India at the dawn of the Victorian era and is a true adventure wrapped around a mystery. The following book, The Infidel Stain, took our British duo to London a few years later but didn’t quite enthrall me in the same way. For Feast, we remain in London, in the lanes and squares but also into the finest kitchens and private clubs of the age, where gentlemen are being poisoned. French celebrity chef and inventor Alexis Soyer, known perhaps only to food historians today, but quite real, plays a starring role in this newest book.

It comes as no surprise the history and details come across so richly from the pen of author M. J. Carter. Carter has previously written and published non-fiction history as Miranda Carter and her work is well regarded. Her research is thorough and it shows, but I know that’s not every novel reader’s favorite part of a good mystery.

I was very glad to see a new installment of the Blake & Avery series and hope for more. The second book didn’t quite capture me the way the first did, but this third book was better than the previous, but still not quite as captivating as Vine. One distinct criticism I have in this adventure is that we see far too little of Jeremiah Blake in this book. He has a couple of very brief cameos before finally coming forward for the final third. It was in this final third as a reader I sat up and paid attention.

RECOMMEND
If you love food history, the early Victorians, or just a good British mystery, get The Devil’s Feast and the earlier Blake & Avery books. I received an advanced reader copy of this ebook via NetGalley in exchange for my review.

About the Author: Benjamin L. Clark writes historical mysteries and works as a history museum curator.

Drawn in by the cover and held in by the writing, I was pleasantly surprised to find that this was in fact the third in a series. Though the first book seems to have been set in India, this one is held in Victorian-ish London and I really enjoyed it. It stood very well on the strength of its own writing and was able to get away with the few leaning bits that it did have. As someone who loves a good food story and a decent mystery, I found M.J. Carter’s book a great thrill. There are a few characters that I really didn’t connect to and I believe that may be do to my lack of previous knowledge rather than a blight on Carter’s writing.
That all being said and I must say I did enjoy the story once I was able to immerse myself, I have to admit that I found that there was quite a lot of detail that I didn’t need. It reminded me of Dickens and some of the other authors of that time period who were being paid by the word. I understand that the author must have put considerable amounts of research into her story and it seemed as if she pushed all of it into this story. I love finding out little bits and things the author has come across in their research but I think there were definitely times when I could have used less in order to speed things along. I’m looking forward to going back and adding the first two of the series to my TBR list, and would recommend this to fans of the genre and Carter’s following.

*This eBook was provided by NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam in exchange for honest feedback*

It is 1842 and Captain William Avery has traveled from his home in Devon to try to reason with Jeremiah Blake. Blake is languishing in Marshalsea Debtor's Prison on a trumped up charge because of his stubborn refusal to take on an investigation for Her Majesty's Government in the person of Sir Theo Collinson. Blake and Collinson loathe each other, but Collinson finds Blake useful and wants him bent to his will. Captain Avery is unsuccessful in persuading Blake and decides to visit Matty Horner, a girl he rescued from the streets in a previous book. Matty is working in the kitchen of the Reform Club, whose famous chef, Alexis Soyer, is a friend of Blake. He is invited to a dinner given by Soyer for some friends and other chefs, a lavish affair resulting in the horrible death by poisoning of one of the guests. The Club is desperate to keep the death quiet and approach Avery to investigate. There is to be a huge banquet for an Egyptian potentate at the Club which must go on and as more men die after eating at the Club it becomes clear that the poisonings come from Soyer's kitchen. Even Matty comes under suspicion. We meet the poisoner in the opening pages of the book and he is a true monster...but who is he and how can he be stopped?

The Avery and Blake Mysteries have become an eagerly awaited series for me. Blake is as stubborn, irascible, slovenly and brilliant as ever. Avery is the very picture of country gentry, a Tory "born and bred", a little dim and priggish, but a true friend to Blake. The wealth of historical detail and political intrigue might be a little off-putting to some, but I enjoy it greatly. The description of Soyer's dinner goes on for pages and is stomach churning in its excess. Especially when one considers the dire poverty and hunger of much of London at the time. Alexis Soyer and the coroner, William Wakley are real historical figures whose personalities appear to be captured exactly here by Carter. Both men were progressive thinkers and deserve to be better remembered than they are.

While I do somewhat miss the "ripping yarn" feeling of the first Avery and Blake, The Strangler Vine, The Devil's Feast does not disappoint. I highly recommend the series for historical mystery fans and history geeks in general. I received a digital advance copy from Penguin Books and NetGalley. The opinions are my own.

RATING- 5 Stars

In this third Blake and Avery historical mystery, Blake is in a pickle, and this means that young Captain William Avery must be in charge of the investigation at the Reform Club-- something that goes quite against Avery's grain since he is politically conservative. Once again M.J. Carter has created a rich, layered mystery that's even more savory than the dishes that Chef Soyer (an actual person) was known for. The Devil's Feast kept me guessing from first page to last because it takes Avery a very long time to ascertain the true focus of the deaths. Are men being poisoned because of their politics? Is it because of that important dinner? Or does it have something to do with London's first celebrity chef, Alexis Soyer? Avery finds that puzzle very difficult to solve-- especially since he's in danger of being poisoned himself.

And while Avery is trying to solve this mystery, he's trying to help Blake, and he's also being forced to deal with an increasingly difficult wife. Fortunately Avery does have the help of young Matty, the girl readers first met in The Infidel Stain. She not only provides Avery with a great deal of help (risking her own future to do so), she is a mirror in which readers can see the true Victorian London, a city with debtor's prisons and a great divide between the haves and the have-nots. Matty and Blake (who has more of his childhood exposed) are teaching Avery valuable lessons in the true ways of the world.

But The Devil's Feast is no mere fascinating Victorian exposé. Foodies will love the insights into cooking for a prestigious gentlemen's club, and the fast-paced mystery will delight all those who enjoy solving a cracker jack of a puzzle. Carter's Blake and Avery series started out strong and it's getting stronger with each entry. I can't wait to see what's in store next!

First of all, thank you so much to the publishers and netgalley for this wonderful book!
I find comfort in murder mysteries, an odd statement I know. When I'm finding myself in a bit of a reading slump I always go from crime, especially Historical/golden age of crime.
This was an absolute pleasure to read.
Wonderful settings; I actually found myself thinking I was a background character watching Alexis and William.
I simply loved it. It was comforting. I found myself changing my mind at points of the stories, one point I was sure I knew what was happening and the next moment I was second guessing myself. To me, that is the mark of a good mystery.
A fantastic story.

Featuring the first celebrity chef, Alexis Soyer, this mystery brings to life the kitchen and cooking life of 1842 London. I found myself chuckling at the hell's kitchen type of drama and was generally surprised by the whodunit. This was my first M. J. Carter novel, I'll definitely be reading the previous two now!

I wonder if I would have enjoyed this more if I'd read the previous book(s) that featured these characters. It wasn't terrible, by any means; the immersion in a 19th century kitchen serving 300 or more was fascinating. The mysterious Blake was truculent and difficult. Avery, the first-person main character, was all right, if a bit dim at times. His dependence on Blake reminded me of a child separated for the first time from his mother, constantly seeking reassurance.

It was somewhat annoying to have Avery's CV regurgitated as often as it was. Medals in Afghanistan, saved a maharajah, was with Mountstuart before he died, etc. – it seemed like every person meeting him for the first time got the rundown. At least the same wording wasn't used each time.

I liked the fact that the economic situation of everyone is kept in mind. Within the confines of the club and its kitchen was a range of people, men and women and even a few children, ranging from the wealthiest men in England to people grateful for leftovers to bring home for hungry families, from men who would be financially damaged if the club were closed to people who would be destroyed if the club went down and their jobs with it.

I was left intrigued by Avery's relationship with his wife. She's back home; he guiltily prolongs his stay in London, guiltily puts off letting her know, and then upon seeing her again has absolutely no idea how to behave toward her. He still cares for her; he tries; but he has no clue why she reacts the way she does and is stymied because, not knowing what he's done wrong, he doesn't know how to fix it. Her obvious mental illness is well handled in the setting.

On the whole, though, it all felt like it took a bit too long, and Avery's ineptitude and extreme insecurity were a bit tiresome. And Blake was a bit too mysterious, truculent, and difficult. It would be interesting to read an entry in the series where the two of them work together; I might look into that one of these days.

The usual disclaimer: I received this book via Netgalley for review.

List of food in this book:
http://sam-can-shout.blogspot.com/2017/03/Food-in-Books-The-Devil-s-Feast.html

Oh Gawd, the food in this book! So many and so awesomely described. This is a book I WILL be rereading every now and then just because I so thoroughly enjoyed it!!!

You don't believe a historical detective fiction can outshine chick-lits or general fictions that are supposedly all about restaurants, kitchens, cafés, teashops, or whatever places you cook food? Do go click the link provided on the top of this review to see the whole list of what was mentioned in this book. And one would think that, then perhaps it's the historical and mystery part that would in turn suffer, due to the obvious generous portion of food, food, FOOD! But NOPE, it didn't happen. At least not to me.

I want to make it extra, EXTRA clear that I've basically never read any historical mysteries (nope... never read any Sherlock, and the one and only Arsène Lupin I've read was definitely an annotated/simplified version, of which I read it like I was in my 6th grade), so reading this book was like taking a leap of faith. I was pretty certain I was gonna fall down hard and crash and burn, but it turns out that I did fall, but I've fallen in love with this series. It was so ridiculously true, btw.

I'm not gonna lie, it took me a while to get used to it. Like I said before, because I really don't have things to compare it with, I'm going to say that I do feel the "authenticity" in this book, meaning, the colloquial definitely felt "aged", like, the opposite of how modern people talk. lmao. See, I have no idea how to describe it, possibly "Victorian"? (Then again, I have no real clue what "Victorian" sounds like) So, excuse me if I'm way off the mark.

As a complete amateur when it comes to British history, I'm completely convinced, which, isn't saying much, BUT, I think it is a lot better than some of the more well known works that are supposedly set in that era (alternate or not), which I've seen various reviews stating how the characters talk were just totally too contemporary thus making them not in the slightest bit believable. If you are someone sensitive on the matter, please let me know what you think about the writing of this book, so I can also get a better idea lol.

My first strong impression of this book (besides the food, that is,) was that it is EDUCATIONAL. I've shared some of the quotes on GR I personally find supremely memorable, some of which that totally made me blanched while reading, and couldn't believe what I was reading and had to reread the passages several times to make sure I was understanding it correctly. I am hundredfolds more thankful to be born in this era. Gawd... "chalk and alum have been added to bread... etc." It gives me the shiver.... No wonder people don't live long back in the days... And then there's this:

***

‘[...] Did you also know that [arsenic] provides a colour pigment called Scheele’s green, which is found in paint, upon wallpaper and even on cloth?’

I said I did not.

‘Some years ago a young woman died after wearing a green tarlatan dress to a party. She was overcome by the fumes from the arsenic dye on her skirts. Frankly, it is a scandal, one I myself have taken pains to expose, thus far to very little effect. The authorities, with their corrupt vested interests and their criminal apathy, do nothing.’

***

I was LingMAO while reading, yet horrified at the same time, because green happens to be my effing favorite color lol. What a way to die... But yeah, like I said, this book is unexpectedly educational, and I've been sharing this odd piece of info ever since. xP

Character wise... We are following the story through Avery's POV and Avery mostly being someone I'd really like to bash on the head; it is so odd precisely because of my dislikes towards Avery, yet through his lenses, I was still able to become so attached and passionate on the matter. Make no mistake, he truly irritates me to no end (to the point that I actually felt smug when he embarrassed the heck out of himself for jumping to the wrong conclusion), but somehow his helplessness and frustrations when it comes to the case, his emotions felt so real, and even though I'd like to punch him from time to time, I can't help feeling sympathy towards him in his shoe.

It is odd because, I don't think anyone can disagree that Avery is THE sidekick in the duo, but through him we unfold the story. Like I said, I've not read Sherlock, so I didn't have a clue if it's normal to watch the case mainly through Watson's eyes. It's just not something I would be expecting. And yes, do feel free to laugh at my ignorance, for I've just looked it up on Wikipedia right after I wrote this section, and found out the first part of A Study in Scarlet is apparently indeed narrated by Watson. See just how unfamiliar I am with detective fictions? Point is, it's still not gonna change the fact that I personally wasn't expecting it. Perhaps it's because I was used to following Edogawa Conan around that I just never thought I'd be reading from the less-of-a-detective character's POV. (And yes, 名探偵コナン is kinda the only detective-ish thing I read/watch, and not much even)

Oh, you've probably realized I haven't talked all that much about the plot. Considering this is about solving crimes, this would be one of the few moments I absolutely don't want to spoil anything. And to be frank, I just want EVERYONE to read it themselves lol.

That being said:
‘Would you rather be hungry or dead?’

This is probably one of the only time I actually completely agree with Avery. I have to say, during this scene, I was so pissed off at the mob of angry people. Like seriously, poor people, I know you are effing hungry, but the soup is poisoned; you want to die? Feel free to eat that damn soup. It got on my nerve so badly that I honestly felt that Blake and Avery should have just let one of the persistent people to try at their own risk, once someone actually falls ill (or comes close to dying), perhaps the rest of them could THEN CHILL THE F*CK OUT. Man, even thinking about this scene makes me angry lol.

Last but not least, thanks to this series, I've discovered the talented illustrator Dan Funderburgh (official site: http://cargocollective.com/DFgamma) , who designed the jaw-droppingly gorgeous cover for the books!

I have really enjoyed this series so far and The Devils Feast was no different. I find these very smart and interesting reads, highly recommended!

In this book, Avery and Blake investigate the deaths of several men who dined at an exclusive men's club in London. The kitchen is run by celebrity chef Alexis Soyer who is not only an incredible chef but the inventor of many kitchen innovations. I learned from the afterword that Soyer was a real person.

I didn't have a problem with the mystery plot, but the book was so over burdened with details that I found it tedious to read. The author obviously did a lot of research and insisted upon fitting all of it into the book. I wasn't interested in a list of every dish that Soyer cooked (including all ingredients) or of every vendor who supplied his pantry. There were also detailed descriptions of the clothing worn by all of the male characters (and there were a lot of them). Much of the book consisted of questioning people repeatedly, including every single person on the kitchen staff. I managed to finish the book, but I skimmed a lot. It was also unfortunate that Blake, who is by far the more interesting of the pair, was absent for a good deal of this book. In addition, Avery is in an unhappy marriage with a mostly missing wife, and I saw no reason at all to include her or their strained relationship in this book. Further, be warned that the book begins with a scene of gruesome animal experimentation.

This was all really disappointing since I loved the first book in this series. It was a wonderful adventure set in India. However, setting Avery and Blake in London has not resulted in scintillating story telling. This book could be read as a standalone, but if I had started with this book I doubt that I would have continued with the series.

If there is a fourth book, my suggestion is that the author kill off the unseen wife and child and send a grief stricken Avery and Blake back to India where the story started. I also think Blake should recover from whatever it is that kept him sickly throughout this book. His illness was not a useful or entertaining plot device.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.

4 stars

Okay, let me start with this. Any book that starts out with animal torture immediately slips to a “1” on my scale. (Only because that’s as low as the scale goes.) Needless to say, the book then has a very long hike to get much of a score out of me.

Jeremiah Blake is locked in debtor’s prison because he won’t give in to Theophilius Collinson’s demands any longer.

While visiting Matty, and seeing her doing quite well at the club where she works, Captain Avery is witness to a man dying of what is apparently cholera. Asked by the club’s patrons to investigate the situation, Captain Avery discovers that the victim was poisoned.

The importance of this is brought home by the fact that in four days, the club is hosting Ibrahim Pasha, who is representing Mehmet Ali Pasha, the king of Egypt. This is a very important dinner and is to be kept secret from political rivals in the city.

I really like the way Ms. Carter has combined the culinary delights to be found at the club, designed and cooked by Chef Soyer with the politics and personalities of the day.

This is a very well written book, the language is appropriate to the era and the denouement is thrilling and exciting. Very well done, Ms. Carter!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Group/Putnam for forwarding me this delightful book to read.