@Nora Gianna - I'd be delighted if you'd give me feedback / your thoughts, as you read each chapter. Enjoy!

Last night over supper I was discussing my novel-in-progress, and its title. (It's available chapter-by-chapter here on Skool). My son-in-law came up with a brilliant alternative to A Taste of Deceit. He suggested A Taste of Blood. Which do you prefer? Here's an overview of the (second) draft: On a magnificent farm outside Johannesburg, celebrated feminist cook Serendipity Brown is ready to serve a dish of total reckoning. It has been years since her abusive, narcissistic husband, Richard, vanished without a trace, leaving her penniless but finally free. Now, to celebrate the prelaunch of her latest cookbook, she has orchestrated an intimate series of cookery demonstrations, hand-picking an audience of just four strangers. Unbeknownst to them, each guest hides a toxic connection to Richard’s corrupt past. From an arrogant ex-restaurateur to a preening food blogger, they are drawn into a masterfully arranged narrative trap. Also in attendance is Jack Sutherland, a down-on-his-luck journalist desperate for a career-saving scoop. As Jack digs into the mystery, an unexpected, fiery romance ignites between him and the magnetic chef amidst the mounting tension. But in a house built on ghosts and gaslighting, the truth cannot remain submerged forever. Equal parts culinary masterpiece, suspenseful thriller, and love story, A Taste of Deceit builds to a shocking, international climax that exposes a dark web of diamond smuggling, false identities, and a hidden inheritance. Finally revealed is the multi-layered fate of the missing husband.

Down-on-his-luck journalist Jack Sutherland has one last shot to resurrect his career: an exclusive profile on the magnetic, larger-than-life culinary queen, Serendipity Brown. Arriving at Bishops Ridge, Jack is drawn into a sensory world of vibrant flavours and deep secrets. Officially, he’s there to capture the real woman behind the famous cookbooks. Unofficially, he’s hunting for the truth behind her husband. Richard Brown had been a prominent attorney who vanished without a trace seven years ago after being disbarred for misappropriating clients' funds. As Serendipity prepares her upcoming series of food demonstrations, an eccentric and volatile circle of guests descends upon the house. Among them are Eduardo Rossi, a smug food blogger; Radha Singh, a glamorous society host with past ties to the missing Richard; and the arrogant Simpson twins. Also watching from the wings are Toby, a brilliant, non-binary tech genius, and Saffron, Serendipity’s fiercely independent, marketer and sous chef who is quietly planning her own exit from the estate. Everyone at Bishops Ridge is playing a game of observation. While Jack sifts through his initial notes in the dark study, tracking his subjects like a hawk, Serendipity is expertly pulling the strings to gather fodder for her upcoming memoir. Beneath the flowing wine, the fragrance of roasting lamb, and the rhythmic thump of the chef’s knife, a quiet game of deception is simmering. Who is hiding the truth, and what really happened to Richard Brown?

@David James! I'd be delighted if you'd give me feedback / your thoughts, as you read each chapter. Enjoy!

@James McDonald - I'm genuinely thrilled you've joined! I'd appreciate it if you would post in the community once you've read a chapter.