The Last Supper

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Manufacturer: Rosemary Shrager
Brand: Mystery, Cozy Mystery
Brew: Paperback
Steeping Time: 275 pages
Tea Service: Tea and Book Box
Strength:

Synopsis: When an old television rival, Deirdre Shaw, is found dead at the Cotswolds manor house where she was catering for a prestigious shooting weekend, Prudence is asked to step into the breach. Prudence is only too happy to take up the position and soon she is working in the kitchens of Farleigh Manor.

But Farleigh Manor is the home to secrets, both old and new. The site of a famous unsolved murder from the nineteenth century, Farleigh Manor has never quite shaken off its sensationalist past. It’s about to get a sensational present too. Because, the more she scratches beneath the surface of this manor and its guests, the more Prudence becomes certain that Deirdre Shaw’s death was no accident. She’s staring in the face of a very modern murder. . .

A century-old cold case, an even older estate, and a fresh murder all served up alongside dinner sounds like an absolutely wonderful read to me.

The Last Supper by Rosemary Shrager follows Prudence Bulstrode and her granddaughter, Suki, as they navigate the kitchens and back stairs of Farleigh Manor, as well as the tumultuous friendships of those they have come to cook for. I love the dynamic between these two. It’s also refreshing that our two main characters aren’t the typical love interest duo. Prudence feels like such a nod to the amazing and wonderful Prue Leith. If this book makes it to the big screen, it’ll be a travesty if Prue doesn’t play the role herself. I loved feeling her snark come through in the writing, and I pictured her throughout the book. Suki was a great juxtaposition to Prudence. She is young, only seventeen, and battles perfectly alongside Prudence’s old-fashioned ways with her technological know-how and youthful recklessness. They pair perfectly together like an expertly prepared meal.

I found the pace really enjoyable. Even though it wasn’t a breakneck race, I couldn’t put The Last Supper down. The characters absolutely pulled me in. Their intertwining drama and the twists of the decades-apart murders at the estate had me turning pages long into the night. The setting was also engaging and wonderfully described.

Reading a book with an aspect of food and cooking that was written by an actual chef was fascinating.

I wasn’t sure I’d enjoy that aspect of the novel, but I was thoroughly surprised at how seamlessly it folded into the storyline. Sometimes, a niche interest can overpower the story itself, taking center stage and sweeping the characters and plot under the rug. But Rosemary Shrager avoided that trap. She performed the perfect balancing act that resulted in a story and niche that folded together with ease.

As far as solving the mystery goes, I am notoriously bad at guessing these things correctly. Unsurprisingly, I didn’t guess this one either, and I don’t know if I could have in a million years. I don’t think it was impossible to solve, as there were specific clues sprinkled throughout. However, I’ve seen a few other reviews complaining about how much they didn’t see it coming. Personally, that’s the joy of a mystery to me. If I can call it from the beginning, it’s just not as fun.

I am so pleased to learn that Shrager is indeed writing a series of books starring the incredible Prudence-Suki duo.

And I’ll soon be buying the second book, The Proof in the Pudding, and preordering the third, Too Many Cooks. I hope that we get many, many more of these. If The Last Supper is any indication, I think I’ll devour these stories quicker than Rosemary Shrager can think up the next one. Fingers crossed she’s quick with her pen!

If you enjoy cozy mysteries, then The Last Supper should definitely be on your to-buy list.

Have you read The Last Supper? Leave a comment and let me know what you thought about it! Want to read it for yourself? Click here to get a copy of your own.
Cheers,
Lydia