Chefs Kira and Dante Lucini have just spent their life savings to open a fancy new restaurant in LA, in the second installment of the Secrets and Suspense series, The Chef by Robin Mahle. Kira discovers her head chef using cocaine out in the back of the restaurant and fires him. Getting a new chef is difficult, but Marco Devaney shows up with a very promising resume and is hired on the spot. As he works in the kitchen, it’s obvious he’s very good, but as time goes on, Kira and Dante start to notice problems starting with them and the other employees. When the previous chef is run off the road and murder is suspected, suspense builds and Marco seems to be causing problems in every facet of Kira and Dante’s lives.

Mahle has done an excellent job of developing the characters. Kira is an interesting protagonist, and her marriage has suffered since the restaurant opened, and has gotten worse since Marco started, since he is a manipulator and there is chemistry between them at first. Dante is attracted to the sous chef and so both are adding to the problems. Marco as a character seems very real and most readers most likely know someone just like him. The supporting characters make the story go forward. Mahle is excellent at building suspense while telling the story in a way that puts readers on the edge. The suspense starts to build as soon as the novel begins and goes through to the end. The book is well-written and easy to follow. It is organized and flows easily.

All told, this is an excellent novel, and will inspire readers to read the previous novel in the series, and definitely pick up the next one when it comes out.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

Triple and quadruple WOW!! This UNSTOPPABLE, TAKE-NO-PRISONERS AND LEAVE READERS SPINNING Psychological Horror Thriller is incredible!! Talk about racing through the pages, I-just-can't-stop-must-finish-no-matter-what! THE CHEF blew me out of the water! Robin Mahle brings her A+-game here! Prepare for heartache, compassion, and terror in unexpected combinations! Prepare for No-Sleep! Peering over your shoulder! Trusting No One!! Prepare for unstoppable, unforgettable, "I-just-can't-get-enough!!"

This was such a fun read! I loved the original setting, the well fleshed out characters and the tension and suspense as everything ramped up. A quick and easy thriller that you won't be able to put down

I recommend this book, as I did enjoy it by the end, but it starts slow. Some of the extra details made it kind of 'meh' to get through. I like the dual POV, and watching both of their perspectives on the new chef were really interesting. Once the book picked up, it got really good!

I thought this was a fun book and appreciated the restaurant setting. It centers on married couple Dante and Kira, who realize their dream of opening a restaurant in LA, only to find out that it's a lot harder than they thought to get it off the ground. After a series of bad luck, they hire a new head chef named Marco and things are finally looking up, when all of a sudden, everything starts to go wrong. They soon realize what kind of chaos they have brought upon themselves by allowing Marco into their lives. The book is told primarily between Dante's and Kira's :POVs, with a couple chapters from Marco here and there.

This escalated pretty quickly from creepy to full-on disaster, but that kept the pace of the book moving. There is action pretty much the whole way through. I found it interesting to read about similar experiences from both Dante's and Kira's perspective, and this was done in a way that was not repetitive or boring. Although I thought they were pretty well characterized, I did have some questions, though (like why did they both drive expensive cars and live in such a nice house if they had no money to run the restaurant? Who would really hire a head chef without checking references?). The ending was sound- I did figure out one of the twists but didn't understand the reasons behind it until I read more. I thought it was all tied up very nicely.

Overall, this was a fun read in an interesting and unique setting for the genre. It was fast-paced and I'd recommend to those who like thrillers. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Enjoyed this story of a couple opening a new restaurant and how they and their business being slowly destroyed by a psychotic person looking for a revenge that is unreasonable. Having just watched The Bear ,the restaurant business was familiar and similarly stressful.

“Hiring him might be the most dangerous mistake I’ve ever made.” 🔪

In "The Chef," author Robin Mahle concocts a deliciously twisted tale of culinary chaos and psychological suspense. Set against the backdrop the bustling LA, the story follows the ambitious husband and wife duo, Dante and Kira, as they embark on their dream of opening a restaurant, only to find themselves trapped in a nightmare of their own making.

The novel delves deep into the intricate dynamics of relationships, both personal and professional, as the couple's decision to hire a head chef sets off a chain of events that unravels their carefully constructed lives. As money dwindles, tensions simmer and tempers flare in the kitchen, the once-promising venture quickly descends into a bubbly pot of deceit, betrayal and revenge.

What sets "The Chef" apart is its masterful blend of suspense and culinary intrigue. The descriptions of mouth-watering dishes serve as a tantalizing contrast to the dark undercurrents swirling beneath the surface. Each chapter is infused with a sense tension/ suspense, keeping readers on the edge of their seats as they try to unravel the mystery behind the string of inexplicable deaths plaguing the restaurant that starts to occur once the new head chef has been hired.

At its core, "The Chef is a gripping exploration of the lengths people will go to in pursuit of their desires, and the devastating consequences that can arise when those desires turn to obsession. With its well-drawn characters and pulse-pounding plot twists, this is a thriller that will leave readers hungry for more.

Thank you Netgalley and Joffe Books for the opportunity to review this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Just wow! The Chef by Robin Mahle is a thriller I was hoping to read in one day but life got in my way as I kept wondering all the who is it and why questions when I had to put it down.

This was my first book I read by Robin Mahle and definitely interested in reading more from this author. It was a great blend of mystery and showing some backstory. I loved reading the different perspectives from multiple characters.

Thank you to NetGalley, Joffee Books and Robin Mahle for this ARC.

All reviews and opinions are of my own accord.

I recommend this! Sexy chefs, lies, deceit, food what more do you want?fun refreshing read makes you wonder what goes on in restaurants!

Thank you NetGalley & Joffe Books for this ARC!

I think anybody who appreciates mystery in books—and top chef or chopped—will enjoy reading The Chef since it was a good thriller. Amid challenges between Dante and Kira, a married couple attempting to maintain their restaurant and their marriage, they soon find themselves uniting against an eccentric chef they have hired.

Although I didn't believe this added anything especially novel to the genre, I still found a lot to keep me interested as a lover of chef programs and behind-the-scenes restaurant stories, and I really liked reading it. This one, in my opinion, is guaranteed to appeal to thriller fans.

Kira and her husband, Dante, just opened a new restaurant in Los Angeles. Things take a turn for the worse when they have to fire their head chef, after he accidentally stabs Kira's arm. Frantic to find a new chef, luck is finally on the couple's side when they find Marco. Marco is an experienced chef. Kira and Dante are instantly impressed by his skills. As soon as luck comes into the couple's hands, it is quickly taken away from them. Little did Kira or Dante know that Marco would change their lives forever.... I will keep my synopsis short, as the events that unfold in the novel are key to keeping the story suspenseful! I do not want to spoil the fun!

This was my first read from Robin Mahle. I am impressed! The Chef was a wild ride. It was hard for me to put it down because I HAD to know what was happening. There were many twists and turns and the shock level increased as the novel went on.

The story alternated between Dante and Kira's perspectives. There were also a couple Marco chapters thrown in. It was really interesting to see things from Kira and Dante's perspectives, as they were battling different issues. I felt that the alternating chapters kept the intrigue and suspense levels high. The character development was excellent!

I also really enjoyed the chef/restaurant setting! Very unique - I read tons of thrillers and have yet to come across this setting.

Thank you Joffe Books and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

The premise of this book was very different from anything I've read, and i found that to be refreshing. One of my favorite things to do is to go out to eat. I love a good restaurant, so I felt this book was screaming my name. I enjoyed the dynamics and dialogue between the characters. I had no idea who to trust. I love varying POVs in the books I consume, so i enjoyed the 3 various POVs used to tell this story. The way this story was written helped me get into the thoughts of each of the main characters. This story was fast paced, thrilling, and exciting. There were good twists weaved throughout that made this an enjoyable read.

Thank you NetGalley and Joffe Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Very good read. Some parts dragged but, the ending made up for it. Decent read. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the ARC of the book. Receiving it in this way had no bearing on my thoughts.

THIS BOOK TOO ME ON A RIDE!!! Wowwwww!!! I thought I had it allll figured out and everything. Nope. Didn’t. This was great!!! Fave of the month

thank you to joffe books, netgalley, and of course the author Robin Mahle for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

I, like many other people, do in fact judge a book by it's cover, no matter how much nobody wants to admit it.
This is a cover I've seen on many books (the Frieda McFadden Effect, as I call it), so this is a book where the cover didn't draw me in. If I had seen this book in a store, I would have skipped to the next one.

Despite the cover being so basic, this book's contents were unique and thrilling.

I love the fact that it's set it in a restaurant, as I'm a HUGE fan of books like this and am always on the hunt for more books with tasy-sounding food descriptions. This book had plenty of them! I could feel myself drooling every time the cooks were described making a dish. I wish this restaurant was real so I could go and eat everything on the menu.

While I guessed "the shocking twist" from pretty early on, it was mainly a lucky guess and I'm sure many people reading this will be shocked by these twists and on the edge of their seat the entire book. I didn't find it really "thrilling" and there weren't many moments that had me biting my nails as I turned the pages in anticipation - but the characters and the setting made it worth it. I loved sweet Naomi, the young chef who needs to stop letting people walk all over her! and I loved Kira and Dante, who I know run their restaraunt like the damn Navy but care so much about their employees.

As soon as I opened the first page of The Chef, I knew I was going to like this book by Robin Mahle.

The novel centers around a crazy chef and the couple who are forced to deal with him. Not many books I read take place in a restaurant, so I appreciated the setting. The characters, pacing, and plot were all perfectly balanced and I liked the twists and turns the book took here and there.

This seemed long, it took me a few days to finish it, but I was glued to the pages to see what happened next. Solid suspense!

Here is the plot:

Hiring him might be the most dangerous mistake I ever made . . .

I started as a server in a New York restaurant. That’s where I met my husband, Dante.

Now we’re opening our own restaurant in Los Angeles. It’s our dream come true.

But it’s turning into a nightmare. We’re nearly out of money. I had to fire our head chef after he ‘accidentally’ stabbed me. And now I’ve caught my husband flirting with a waitress. He used to flirt with me like that.

Then Chef Marco shows up. The answer to our prayers. He’s cooked in top restaurants all over Europe. He also has the most stunning green eyes. We hire him on the spot.

That’s when the nightmare really begins . . .

This was such a good read and I was entertained from start to finish! The Chef is out now.

I was pleasantly surprised with how much i enjoyed this book! Thrillers don’t normally come with multiple POVs and that definitely made this one stand out. The multi POVs helped the suspense and tension throughout the story. There was so many twists, turns and surprises throughout each page of this book. I was so intrigued to find out what the heck was going on - all the characters had MAJOR flaws and so much depth. You hated them and rooted for them all at the same time.

Definitely a quick, tense, enjoyable thriller.

After leaving the Big Apple, Kira and Dante moved to sunny LA to manage a high-quality Michelin-starred restaurant. However, they came to the wrong place because of financial problems, and Dante's promotion to the sous chef did not help their relationship.
The worst came in when Kira was accidentally stabbed by the head chef, who was fired due to drugs. Kira and Dante hired a new head chef, Marco, to have the restaurant up and running, hoping for some long-awaited good fortune. Hiring him might be the most dangerous mistake I ever made...
And now I've caught my husband flirting with a waitress. He used to flirt with me like that.
The answer to our prayers. He's cooked in top restaurants all over Europe. He also has the most stunning green eyes. We hire him on the spot. That's when the nightmare really begins...


This was such an interesting book and loved it as much as I have loved all of her other ones. I can’t wait to read more from her!!!
Definitely a must read who loves a good book.

3.75 ⭐️⭐️⭐️.75 stars! Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. Dante and Kira are a married couple that have recently opened their restaurant. A food critic visited their restaurant and gave them rave reviews, with the help of their head chef, Eric. Kira discovers that Eric has an addiction issue and fires him, and now they need to replace their head chef.

Kira is walking in the area one day and sees that another restaurant is opening in the area and peeks in the window to see what their set up, and while she is doing this the “owner”, Marco shows up behind her. She mentions that she is looking for a head chef and if he knows of anyone to send them her way. Dante and Kira set up interviews and Marco is one of the candidates, and Kira is confused because she thought he was the owner of the new restaurant that would be opening. They decide to hire Marco, even though Kira is a little leery about him because he has great credentials and can really cook.

Marco starts working for them and bad things start happening, to the employees, their family and eventually them. But why are they happening and will they survive. This was a fast-paced thriller that I enjoyed and I recommend it.

I found this all a bit predictable and to be honest I didn't really like any of the main characters which made it hard to care what happened to them. I have read so much better from this author.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book