My blog post about this book is at this link. ( )

Olivia (“Ollie”) Parras is the first female White House Executive Chef. Married to her job, she is both in the background and at the center of events that affect not only the First Family but the country. The White House kitchen is understandably very busy on Inauguration Day, but a box of “favorite” wings found in the kitchen haven’t been properly logged in through security channels, so Ollie refuses to serve the treats to the first children. This sets up a power struggle between the First Lady, the Chief of Staff, the Secret Service and Ollie. Of course she’ll be proven correct, but not before she finds herself at the center of it all.

This is the 4th in the White House Chef series, and a mildly entertaining “mystery with recipes” that blends cooking and suspense. Except … there’s not all that much focus on food (the recipes are listed as a sort of afterthought at the end), and there isn’t much plot to move the story forward. There is a fair amount of focus placed on old (or potential) romances, but these aren’t fully explored either. I haven’t read any of the other books in the series, and while a prior romance (or two) might have been better explained (and the tension more plausible as a result) if I had read the earlier works, I think this worked reasonably well as a stand-alone. Hyzy kept me turning pages, which, for me, is the number one criterion for this genre.
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BWW is the fourth in the White House Chef Mystery series. I would have to rate it the best so far in the series.

A box of chicken wings delvered to the White House for the First Families children has put things in an uproar. Ollie, following procedures, refuses to give them to the children and then one the of assistant chefs gives them to some workers in the laundry room of the White House. The wings have been tainted with arsenic and some of workers go to the hospital. Soon Ollie learns that the First Family has hired a personal chef. Not sure whether she is being just replaced or if it is tied to the chiken wing episode. Frustrations run high for Ollie is the kitchen as the Secret Service is unwlling to explain to the First Family about the tainted chicken. In the middle of all this Ollie manages to spend some time with an old friend and hopefully a little romance will be in the aire for her. The book ends with an action packed finish.

A nice collection of recipes are also included with the book. ( )

The best one in the series! Buffalo West Wing was interesting from the first chapter. The plot took on a depth you don't often find in cozy mysteries, and towards the end I found myself snapping at whomever interrupted my reading. The culprits were a bit of a surprise to me, which I always enjoy, and I love the re-introduction of Gavin. He was the only male character in this series that ever pricked my interest and I hope he's back for the long haul. The romance between Ollie and Tom always left me totally flat, and I'm glad things have changed between them.

Why not 5 star? Virgil. He was immature, petulant and I don't think his presence in the storyline added anything at all to the story.

I can't wait to open the next book and see what happens next. ( )

I really enjoy this series as the White House kitchen staff and secret service interactions are fun to read. Noticed a continuity error in this book - Ollie loses her phone to Nouri, who flushed it down the toilet, and later she receives a text on her phone when she's back home! No big deal but it distracted me ;) ( )