Daria Lavelle’s debut is an amalgamation of hypermodern satire, slushy romance and savvy cultural allusion that is as vigorously brought together as its lead character’s recipes ... Lavelle excels in conjuring the scenes behind the swinging doors, where head chefs hassle, sous chefs hustle and sweating waitstaff barrel in and out ... The novel is seasoned with plenty of imagination, pathos and novelty ... Aftertaste pulls together familiar elements of romance and the supernatural, adding a dash of Anthony Bourdain-style bullishness and a pinch of Davelle’s own authorial smarts. I’ll bet there’s a run on fleur de sel right after publication day.
A deliciously silly novel ... A fun romp through New York’s restaurant scene and the world of the undead—albeit sillier than the traditional haunting ... The best thing about this book is the extraordinarily detailed food descriptions.
This is an extraordinary book that seems jumbled at times, but in the end, all comes together to make perfect sense. For foodies, for lovers, for those who like a side of the supernatural.
Lavelle spins a twisty plot filled with mouthwatering descriptions of food and some very hungry ghosts. Both Maura and Viktor have dark hidden motives, and the hilarious running narration between chapters of “The Konstantin Duhovny Culinary Experience” by his best friend, Frankie (the novel’s most vivid character), in time reveals itself as another menacing element. The catastrophic opening night of Kostya’s restaurant provides a bravura climax, followed by a poignant final twist .... A tasty variation on the supernatural thriller.
