Special thanks to Atria for providing our copy in exchange for an honest & fair review.

I tried this one a while back & I just couldn't get into the story. Honestly, I think it is more than my reading tastes have changed rather than anything with the writing. King's writing is very descriptive but I don't think I'm the best audience for this one.

Thank you for the opportunity to be an early reader.

Loved the book for its historical setting - Renaissance Italy - and its references to the scandalous lives of several Popes of the time and the details of the elaborate banquets served by an historical chef. The story is told by the nephew and heir of "Bartolomeo Scappi, the legendary chef to several popes and author of one of the bestselling cookbooks of all time."

I was shocked by the scandalous and corrupt behavior of the men, women, Popes, cardinals and men of the Church during this period. The book is based on the real chef, Scappi, though the author has filled in with fiction his personal life, which is not known historically. This time period, the food, and the real and fictional characters make for interesting reading.

Throughly enjoyed this dark, sensual pageturner set in Renaissance Italy. THE CHEF'S SECRET is about the world’s first celebrity chef and the mysterious double life he might have led. I especially loved reading about all the delicious banquets, When it comes to food-inspired historical fiction, Crystal King has become my go-to author!

As private chef to several of the Renaissance Popes, Bartolomeo Scappi has seen his share of illicit love affairs and court intrigue. But when Bartolomeo dies, leaving dozens of journals written in cipher, his nephew and successor, Giovanni, discovers that Bartolomeo had a far more active role in those affairs and intrigue than anyone might ever suspect. With the help of his friend Valentino and his lover Isabetta, Giovanni painstakingly decodes the journals that Bartolomeo had ordered to be destroyed, only to learn to his dismay that vendettas from the past can still break through to the present. Giovanni becomes the keeper of his uncle's razor-sharp kitchen knife, his uncle's highly sought-after recipes, and most importantly, his uncle's dangerous secrets. Who was the mysterious noblewoman with whom Bartolomeo was having an affair? What crimes did Bartolomeo dare for the sake of love? And what price will Giovanni have to pay for this forbidden knowledge?

As in her last book, Feast of Sorrow, Crystal King explores the gastronomical world of long ago. The excesses of one pope clash vibrantly against the monastic abstemiousness of the next one. Venice, in particular, comes to life with all the sights, sounds, and smells of the winding streets and ubiquitous canals.

While the atmosphere of the book is one of its best features, the storyline took a while to grab me. The opening chapter had so many names that it took me a while to untangle what was going on. Once Giovanni began his decoding, the plot thickened to an appetizing porridge.  Perhaps due to the time constraints of a dual storyline, however, it felt like many of the characters themselves were fairly flat. Bartolomeo, his mysterious Stella, and Giovanni jump from the pages as living beings, but I wanted to know more about Isabetta, Valentino, and even Cesare (Gio's jealous brother).

By the end, I found myself not really liking any of the main characters. Bartolomeo's crimes committed for love seem fated to be repeated again by Giovanni, and although the book held my interest, I finished it with a vague sense of disastisfaction. 

Disclosure: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This is a fascinating historical read's pre 1570 about a chef that was at the top of his career for his time who held many secrets. .I liked the well crafted historical significance and enjoyed the mystery throughout as the reader discovers more about his life. Thank you for the ARC. My opinion is my own.

This is the story of Giovanni is the nephew of Bartolomeo Scappi, a chef to popes who held many secrets that he kept in two chests of journals, many that contained the most ‘delicate’ of matter that he hoped would never be reveled.
The journals , a house , a fortune and even his knives and receipes were all left to his nephew Giovanni. The instructions are that the journals are to be burned and never read. As Giovanni was a apprentice to his uncle most of his young life he starts to read and uncover secrets that still hold danger to him. The mystery deepens the more he reads and soon Giovanni must uncover the deepest secrets of his Uncle.

Giovanni is now in the year of 1577 after his uncle’s death, while the journals lead us back in time fifty years before. They hold fascinating tales of explaining highlights of his life as a younger man. This is completely captivating and full of the machinations of the time its written for. I found it enthralling and enjoyed it to its completion in one sitting. Very well written story that I highly recommend.

A food celebrity dies and his famous recipes are coveted by potentially unscrupulous men. He leaves behind journals with strict instructions that they be destroyed upon his death. To further conceal their contents, he writes them in code. While all this sounds relatively modern, this tale is based on a real chef’s life in the 16th Century. Author Crystal King manages to weave a tale with mystery and suspense around the kitchens and bedrooms of Renaissance Italy. I found the very beginning rocky, with too many names to keep track of, but the tale begins to take shape shortly thereafter and then becomes addictive. THE CHEF’S SECRET is a very good historical novel. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Simply put, this is a good story and enjoyable read.

Bartolomeo Scappi was a legendary Italian chef to several cardinals and popes during the 16th Century. Not much is known about him other than he dedicated his still famous cookbook to his nephew and apprentice, Giovanni Brioschi. This and a few other known facts about him are incorporated into this story of food, love, loss, and intrigue that kept me fully engrossed from beginning to end.

After Bartolomeo’s death, Giovanni inherits all of his uncle’s belongings including journals that take him on a quest through the Vatican, Rome, and Venice. The story has has multiples turns that keep you turning the pages and reveals truths not only about the Uncle that Giovanni thought he knew so well but about Giovanni’s own history. Both histories are much different than anything he could have imagined.

The description of the feasts prepared by Bartolomeo and Giovanni are fun to read. The political environment of the Catholic Church and the wealthiest business leaders of that time are interesting and woven into the story. While the history is interesting, the story stands on its own. It The plot is intricate, moves at a nice pace and is never over-shadowed by the history of the period.

Thank you to Atria books for providing me with an advanced galley of this book in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 STARS

Since visiting last autumn, I've become even more obsessed with all things Italy. After spotting this book on NetGalley, I couldn't request it quick enough. Bartolomeo Scappi was a renowned chef in Renaissance Italy, but little is known about his personal life. King combines historical events along with fiction to weave a scandalous tale of murder and mystery.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. Until the last 25% or so, I would have considered it a 4 STAR read. There is a fascinating balance of historical events, recipes, and interesting characters. However, there seems to be an overwhelming number of coincidences and plot twists. It is as if everything and the kitchen sink is thrown in for the sake of dramatic themes. It deterred from the enjoyment of the beginning of the story.

King delivers a notable story, and I will definitely read her next novel.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for my advanced review copy.

The Chef's Secret is partially based on Bartolomeo Scappi, private chef to several popes of the 16th century, and author of the first famous cookbook. While details of his many feasts, meals for the popes, and his cookbook survive, very little is known about his private life. Crystal King has woven a few factual events from his life into a completely imagined journal of his life and secrets as discovered and decoded by his protégé and favorite nephew, who takes his place at the Vatican. This is an easy and entertaining read, as long as you remember it is pretty much entirely fiction. There's action, mystery, intrigue, and a little romance, all set in ancient Rome and Venice. I especially loved the look at life in Rome during that time period. I loved, loved, loved Feast of Sorrow, so was very excited to read this new book. While not quite as compelling to me as her first novel, I still found it to be quite interesting and a good read. Many thanks to Netgalley and Atria books for the e-arc. Can't wait to see what she writes next! 3.75 stars rounded up for the great writing and atmosphere.

For more reviews and bookish posts please visit: http://www.ManOfLaBook.com

The Chef’s Secret by Crystal King is a historical fiction novel taking place in Italy around the middle 1500s. This is Ms. King’s second novel.

Master chef Bartolomeo Scappi died and leaves his wealth, knowledge and even name to Giovanni, his long time apprentice. Giovanni also gets keys to Mr. Scappi’s strongboxes with explicit instructions to destroy what’s inside.

Giovanni soon stumbles on a mystery which is the chef’s past and his next of kin. Slowly Giovanni pieces together the mystery while attempting to protect the precious recipes he has been trusted with.

Books about food and food preparation, especially with historical context, are some of my favorites, second only to books about books. The Chef’s Secret by Crystal King is this type of historical fiction work and the plot has much to do with food preparation. Even though I must admit that very little of the chef’s specialties sounded appetizing.

I have never heard of Bartolomeo Scappi, and it was a big part of the reason I wanted to read this book. As it turned out, Mr. Scappi was one of the first, if not “the” first, celebrity chefs. In his monumental cookbook, Opera dell’arte del cucinare (1570), Mr. Scappi published around 1,000 recipes of Renaissance meals and techniques.

I enjoyed the way the author described the era, life, extravagant meals (for the rich, of course), and even some techniques for good measures. The romance in the book worked well without slipping into the realm of romance novels (which worked fine for me).

I found it interesting that the author chose to make her protagonists somewhat bad folks, or she simply make them murder for reasons which I didn’t really believe. This is such a clever book, and the author obviously did a lot of research, I thought that she could have come up with a better way to solve those dilemmas. After all, she freely admitted that she manipulated a few facts from the era (which is fine, I expect that in my historical fiction).

This was an engaging and creative story, using crafty story-telling to weave a tale of intrigue and romance. I enjoyed learning about Bartolomeo Scappi, a man who was very influential but I knew little about.

Crystal King has a knack for writing about food that leaves you salivating and hungry for snacks at every turn and I absolutely love her second novel which is set in 1577.

Bartolemeo Scappi, papal chef to Pope Gregory dies and his nephew and apprentice, Giovanni, takes his place in the Vatican’s kitchens. Giovanni inherits everything from his uncle including his job and his journals and letters. From there a mystery unfolds revealing past secrets of his family, dramatic love affairs, mysterious murders and plots for revenge.

Alternating between Bartolomeo’s story which begins in 1523 present day story of Giovanni, who is unsure of his abilities in the kitchen and even more uncertain about the title he has just inherited. In attempting to unravel his uncles rich and sordid past he develops his own set of guilty secrets and vendettas. A great historical read which will take you to Venice, Rome and the secret hallways of the Vatican. 5 stars.

Thank you to Atria Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.

A sumptuous novel with a delicious plot! People often say they're hungry after reading King's books and I get it. Her knowledge of Italy and Italian cuisine is exquisite. A fun read!

Crystal did such an amazing job with this book!! I love historical fiction but don't get to read a lot about 1700's Italy. She took me inside a world I didn't want to leave. Her love of Italy, it's history and food is evident throughout the book!!

The Chef's Secret by Crystal King is a bit mystery, a bit romance, a bit history tossed in with a potful of a cook's life making it a wonderful book to read. I won't give away the plot except to write if you love history and cooking you will love this book. You will also love this book if you loved reading Feast of Sorrow, written by King, and a book I adored too.

Recommend.

Review written after downloading a galley from NetGalley.

The Chef's Secret is aptly titled. The chef, Bartolomeo Scappi, had quite a few skeletons in his closet, to be uncovered by his apprentice/nephew, Giovanni, after Scappi's death. The novel is told in both men's POVs, allowing us to experience Scappi's scandals as they happen and also as Giovanni unravels a lifetime of his uncle's secrets. The result is gripping --and Crystal King's knowledge of Renaissance Italy was evident on every single page, creating a story lush with details. Brava!

This was such a fun read. Filled with lots and lots of food. So interesting to read about the menus of the 1500s and how incredibly elaborate the feasts were. On top of this, the story has a great story line with a really good mystery that is presented and solved through journals that have been coded. Also, prevalent - The Great Comet of 1577! Who knew there was such a thing? So much interesting material in this book and I really felt like I learned so much about a place and time of history that I didn't know much about.

I chose to read this book because I’ve lived extensively in Italy, I’ve read Crystal King’s The Feast of Sorrow and enjoyed her approach to food. The Chef’s Secret did not let me down. The descriptions of food were enough to make me salivate remembering the pasta and other delights I ate there. 

Written in dual points of view alternating between Bartolomeo Scappi, the private chef to multiple popes, and his protegé/nephew Giovanni. Scappi was a famous chef and wrote on of the best-selling cookbooks of all times. Much of the book is divulged as Giovanni reads his uncle’s diaries. Giovanni must first solve the riddle of the coded sections then piece together his uncle’s life and the name of Scappi’s one true love.

The book seemed well-researched, the Italian accurate as well as the descriptions of Rome and Venice. In the 16th century, if you’ve seen the TV programs about the Medici, the Sforzas, and the Borgias, apparently poisonings, swordplay, treachery, and infidelity were rampant. This book combines all that—part romance, part mystery, part intrigue—and delightful, sensual descriptions of food. It is a quick, fun read.

The Chef's Secret is a story of mystery and food, obviously. A former chef to the Pope and Cardinals leaves journals. His nephew reads them instead of burning them as instructed. It's an interesting read with some history, family and culinary aspects. It's not my favorite, but it's not bad, either. Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

What a wonderfully delectable novel! You know those books you enjoy so much that they just linger with you? The mere mention of them, of the author, the slightest memory of the characters or the cover, just makes you feel all squiggly-happy inside? That is how Crystal King's novel "Feast of Sorrow: A Novel of Ancient Rome" is for me, and so I was delighted to learn she has a new book! As much as I wanted to read it, I was also ambivalent, worried that Ms. King couldn't possibly write another novel I would enjoy as much as her previous book. I didn't want to be disappointed, but how could I possibly resist reading this new one?? No way, no how, could I resist!

Thankfully, "The Chef's Secret" proved to be just as brilliant and enjoyable. The novel is loosely based on the life of Bartolomeo Scappi, chef to several popes in the 16th century, of whom not much is known. With exquisite prose, Crystal King delivers a tale of passion and romance, murder and intrigue. Upon Bartolomeo's death, his nephew and apprentice Giovanni inherits the majority of his estate: Position and money, his recipes, his chef's knife -- and a secret that will change Giovanni's life forever. Bartolomeo has left instructions for Giovanni to destroy his journals which are written in code. Unable to do so, Giovanni sets out to decipher these journals, setting him on an unforgettable journey. From the vast kitchens of the Vaticano to the canals and palazzi of Venezia, we follow Giovanni as he uncovers a dangerous story, one which will shake the very foundation of Giovanni's life.

This book is difficult to put down, and is full of everything you could possibly want in historical fiction. Romance, mystery, an illicit affair, danger, intrigue, revenge. I love that Crystal King calls the cities by their Italian names. They are more beautiful than the anglicized versions we English-speakers use and add authenticity to the story.
Crystal King, having now written two unforgettable books, has made it to my list of favourite authors. I look forward to reading much more of her work in the future! If you love historical fiction, you must read Crystal King's books!

I was invited to read The Chef's Secret by the publisher and given a free galley version. In return I have given my honest and unbiased review. Grazie mille to Crystal King and Atria Books. Thank you for giving me such a wonderful reading experience!

Giovanni is the nephew of Bartolomeo Scappi, a chef to popes and a man of many secrets. So many secrets that he had two chests of journals, many written with insets of cipher that contained the most ‘delicate’ matters, all left to the nephew Giovanni, along with a house, a small fortune, recipes and a knife, with instructions that he burn all of the journals before curiosity encourages him to read them. An apprentice to his uncle since the age of 19, the now thirty-year-old Giovanni is unable to simply ‘burn’ the journals, and starts to read and uncover secrets that still hold danger for those he knows and loves.

King has created a story that is rich in two separate times: Giovanni is describing the now in the year of 1577 after his uncle’s death, while the journals lead us back in time as the first was penned some fifty years earlier, explaining the days and highlights of Barto’s life as a younger man on his way to making a mark on the world. Honestly, I wasn’t sure how this story would unfold or read, and to my delight it was wholly captivating and full of the intrigue, gossip, machinations and maneuvers that one would expect, particularly knowing, if in brief, the history of the popes and the ‘nobility’ of Italy. Remember, Bartolomeo’s story is happening just after the Borgia pope Alexander VI, father of Lucretia. Now can you see the ‘dangers’ and jostling that was needed for survival as a chef, and to thrive – it required even more.

Most interesting is Giovanni’s relationships that have changed with both the inheritance and his uncovering secrets of his own birth, the lengths to which his uncle Bartolomeo went to protect his own love and secrets, and the unmasking of secrets on the way to finding a new and perhaps more secure and bright future. As little is known factually about Bartolomeo, King’s use of imagination and some clearly well-researched materials brought a story that feels plausible, is studded with many references to real people, places and situations, and ends in ways that feel both possible and affirmative for the resolutions and decisions that Giovanni comes to throughout his discovery of the uncle he thought he knew.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Review first appeared at <a href=”https://wp.me/p3OmRo-ahj/” > <a> I am, Indeed </a>