Book Review: Murder on the Gravy Train

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

Murder on the Gravy Train     Amazon US PB Amazon US HC Amazon Canada PB Amazon Canada HC
Phyllis Richman
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Culinary   Amateur Sleuth
Series: Chas Wheatley # 2
HarperCollins, 1999, $23.00, 243 pp.

Her boss provides Washington Examiner food critic Charlotte “Chas” Wheatley with her own column. Feeling lucky, Chas decides to try a blind date after the recent breakup with the newspaper’s star reporter. Chas turns to the paper’s personal ads as her source. Her blind date with Ottavio Rossi, computer design operator of range suites, is a disaster ending when he simply walked out on her in the restaurant. Chas did find her interest peaked when he discussed his work on various expensive restaurant kitchens that ultimately means shamming the customer with outrageous bills.

When Chas realizes that a noted restaurant gouges her bill with their tactics, she decides to investigate the practice before writing an expose column. Chas begins to learn the subtle tricks restaurants use to increase the costs to the customer. However, her boss leaks out that Chas is making inquiries into the restaurant business. Soon corpses appear and an attempt on Chas’ life occurs. What started out as a simple investigation has turned into a life threatening situation.

The second Chas Wheatley tale is an enjoyable culinary mystery. The story line starts at a slow simmer. However, once heated the plot becomes a gourmet’s delight. The insider’s look at restaurants will leave many diners wondering why they eat at these places. Chas is an entertaining amateur sleuth who struggles with her weight, her age (her daughter is over twenty), and lack of a boy friend. The support cast adds depth, especially her boss who acts like a raging bull in a computer repair shop. Phyllis Richman cuts to the chase by reducing the sidebars from THE BUTTER DID IT, which leaves readers with the delicious MURDER ON THE GRAVY TRAIN.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner