Thankyou for the Arc Netgalley and publishers, I'm sorry it's taken me so long to get to this review.

This is a cosy murder mystery, set in a culinary school, the victim is a celebrity chef and old friend of our protaganist Paul, the suspects are a group of students who are on his cooking course.

I will say the culinary parts of this book didn't hit for me because I'm just not a foodie at all, I think if you are this will be great for you.

So lets instead talk about the bit I was more interested in...The mystery!

For the most part there were some good elements to the mystery, false leads and plenty of secrets to unveil, some I did figure out very quickly, others less so so kudos there. This was also, on the whole well written and easy to read which for a debut novel is impressive.

Whilst for the most part the clues were decent there were a few bits that felt very weird or forced e.g. Paul taking the pasta... from a murder scene, he says he doesn't know why he did it, I know why... So there would be more eveidence against him, so weird. Then there was the whole bit about people playing footsie under the table at dinner? What on earth?

The issue I did have was with Paul. On the whole he was a likeable protaganist, but there were definitely times he came across as very full of himself, judgemental plain stupid (like really... how long it took him to consider he might be a suspect and that the cleaver might get connected to him really? All this from a man who likes to criticise other peoples intelligence at times because they probably don't know cerryain vocabulary etc.)

That being said on the whole I enjoyed it nad something about it kept me deperate to go bacl to it, and for a debut novel? Impressive but some of the weird "clues" and the culinary stuff that is so not my thing makes me bump it down.

Thank you NetGalley for approving me to read this. A very good read that had me hooked, once started I couldn’t put it down. Highly recommend

A lighthearted culinary mystery. Chef Paul Delamare is asked to teach at an exclusive cookery school in Belgravia. Someone turns up dead killed with a cleaver from the class. Police are convinced Paul is the culprit. He sets out to clear his own name, and figure out who the killer is, and avoid being killed himself.

It's warm, funny (despite the murder!) and entertaining. Sitting somewhat in the 'cosy crime' genre. Liked it without loving.

A witty whodunnit based in the world of celebrity chefs and cooking schools. An easy read that doesn’t take itself too seriously but with maybe one or two extraneous characters.

This is such a fun premise for a murder mystery! We all love the cooking shows, and we all know and love the drama, right? And with all those knives lying around the place... who knows what can happen? And then it does.
I really had a good time trying to solve the mystery and getting caught up in the chefs and students lives and motives.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my copy of this e-arc.

This book was really intriguing and I found myself wanting to pick it up when I wasn’t readying. The plot flowed really well.

"the first rule of butchery: off with his head"

I picked this up through Netgalley, with thanks to Orlando Murrin and Transword Publishers from Penguin Random House for gifting me this e-ARC

when chef paul is asked to step is as the main lead for a cookery class in belgravia as a favour to his friend, he doesn't expect for him to end up dead on the first night. finding himself at the centre of a murder mystery, with a whole host of eccentric students - as well as his own dramas unfolding too!

rating: ⭐⭐⭐

my thoughts: i normally love the cosy crime genre, and having started The Thursday Murder Club series, and thought because of my love for masterchef, gbbo, next level chef etc this would be an amazing book to pick up!

i won't lie, during the start of this book, maybe the first 30%-ish? i was struggling with uni work and so it took me absolute months to get into it! i got really confused between all of the characters, be it the students, the family members of the owners and just everything else going on within the book - even at the end i felt lost with so many unresolved points that were mentioned multiple times throughout the book, but ended up resulting in nothing.

and the finale of the book? for such a long winded book, tell me how the big drama all wrapped up within a few pages? im getting tired of the long ass book, rushed ending at this point. and with everything falling apart towards the end of the book too, idk what went wrong in all honesty!

i feel as though i was maybe not the target audience for this, and it would do well within a slightly older demographic maybe for a holiday read or trying to get into the genre of cosy crime. it was also a difficult read for me, with language used, and little things to do with the formatting (the latter not being the fault of the authors at all!)

"Knife Skills for Beginners" by Orlando Murrin is a delectably dark culinary mystery that serves up a tantalising blend of murder and mayhem.

Chef Paul Delamare's new job teaching at an exclusive cookery school in Belgravia takes a deadly turn when a student turns up dead on the first night. Suddenly, Paul finds himself at the centre of a murder investigation, with suspicion cast upon him by both the police and his fellow students.

Murrin's storytelling is as sharp as a chef's knife, delivering a gripping plot filled with twists and turns that will keep readers guessing until the very end. As Paul races to uncover the truth behind the murder, he must also navigate the treacherous world of haute cuisine, where secrets simmer beneath the surface like a perfectly reduced sauce.

"Knife Skills for Beginners" is a deliciously dark tale that will leave readers hungry for more. Murrin's vivid descriptions of food and cooking add flavor to the narrative, creating a rich and immersive reading experience. With its blend of suspense, humour, and culinary flair, this novel is sure to satisfy the appetites of mystery lovers and foodies alike.

I got about 20% into the book and realised I couldn't get into it. This does not mean it is a bad book but that personally it is just not for me

This novel is well written and there are lots of twists and turns in the plot that keep you want to keep reading. Good holiday read

This was light-hearted, funny and very entertaining! I especially loved the setting, like a closed-door mystery, which really increased the tension.

Lots going on in this debut novel, although very easy to keep track of it all. Quite the mystery with a murder at the heart of it and numerous suspects. I found this to be quite an easy read and thoroughly enjoyed it.

This was a strange story at times. It is based around a cookery school with a last minute chef being brought in to teach. The original teacher is killed and the police don't make a very good job of finding the killer. I love these stories when everything comes tumbling down at the end.

I love a cosy mystery.

This debut novel is well written and there are lots of twists and turns in the plot that keep you want to keep reading on.
Characterisation was good and there is a good range of oddballs and slightly strange characters in this book, its was nice to see as in a lot of books they are all similar.
Definite homage to some of Agatha Christie's stories with this one being set in a large multi story house, a group of individuals there for a week long cookery course and a brutal killing.
This is an entertaining murder mystery and a great debut. I will keep my eyes open for the next book in this series.

I really enjoyed main character Paul’s narrative voice in this cosy mystery – it reminded me a little of the snarky, self-aware style of Horowitz in the Hawthorne and Horowitz mystery series, but with the character background experience of a chef rather than an author.

In fact, all of the characters were good fun here and I thoroughly enjoyed reading about them as learner chefs as well as murder suspects! I did feel a little as if I was missing some backstory between Paul and his good friend Julie, as if there had been a prequel that established their relationship before this outing, but as far as I am aware that isn’t the case and this is their first and/or only mystery investigation.

It was very clear throughout that the author was writing what he knows and loves (cheffing, not murder!) and I could have easily guessed his profession without checking, based solely on the fun he has here with the cooking aspects of the plot. Plus, of course, the recipes included with the story are a nice bonus feature!

The mystery plot kept me guessing throughout and, while the climactic showdown and big reveal were a little farfetched (a pinch or two of salt required!), the whole story is a quick and tasty treat for both mystery and cooking-fiction fans. And I could definitely manage one or two more of these…!

This genre is my favourite - a light-hearted murder mystery. It's well written with some interesting characters and a great story. The ending seemed a little rushed but that does not detract away from the cosy read it is. A great debut and I look forward to reading the next book.

Light and entertaining murder mystery starring a professional chef who agrees to help an injured friend teach a residential cookery course.

The course takes place at a prestigious central London address, not far from where Paul lives in the house he had shared with his recently deceased lover.

When the friend is found gruesomely murdered, Paul finds not only that he knew very little about his friend after all, but also that the police have him under suspicion

Certainly a bit different from my usual crime fiction. The combination of murder and learning cookery skills is a first for me. Enjoyable read. Didn’t blow me away but interesting enough to hold my attention and complete the book . Quite a clever storyline which kept me guessing along with a nice twist at the end. I even discovered an easier way of lifting a chicken from a roasting tin using a wooden spoon. It actually worked and they say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks.

A good read, and much lighter and more funny than the suggested genres would indicate.
A great story, in many ways, with careful plotting, and some clever twists. Quite a few characters, but they are well-drawn and interesting.
I did like the biggest twists, both of method and personalities. I guessed the method, and had a pretty good idea of at least one of the people involved, but I don't think all readers will do so, and it was nice and twisty, not revealing all at once.
As well as crime readers, cooks will also enjoy this, not only for the recipes but a lot of background information was revealed in these pages.
I would definitely be interested in any more books by this intriguing author.

Lovely cosy crime which is the first of this series. It’ll make you laugh, then copying down recipes and the next marvelling at the plot that is all linked so well. Great read.