I remember walking into Copperfield’s Bookstore in Santa Rosa, CA years ago and I went straight to the cooking section. As I wrapped myself around their bookshelves, I came upon this book, Cooking for Ghosts by Patricia V. Davis. The cover and title completely caught my eye. I think I needed that book at that time to bring some excitement to my evening life, which had become a typical working mom’s routine lifestyle. I would go to work, run errands, run kids to and from their fun activities, feed the family, attempt some chores and homework.
Opening the pages to this paranormal, historical fiction laced with romance and mystery was just the right evening escape needed.
Now, thinking back, I want to say that this was my first Food Fiction Read!
I loved the description of their special Indian spices, recipe testing process, the development of their signature dish and simply the hustle and bustle of starting up a new restaurant in partnership. Through each of the main characters, you experience their excitement, fear, joy and sadness, as you follow them through times of painful memories and the making of a new life. With intervening spirits, that have their own insufferable tragedies bounding them to the Queen Mary, our heroines are able to discover more about themselves as they learn more about the co-habiting souls. This story, the first of The Secret Spice Café Trilogy, celebrates sisterhood, friendship, and feminism as four women friends come together growing stronger in their independence as they learn to forgive and stand up for themselves.