Contemporary Authors

• Kale to the Queen - 2017 Crooked Lane Books, New York, NY

• Crooked Lane Books - http://www.crookedlanebooks.com/authors/nell-hampton/

  Nell Hampton
  An avid foodie and writer, Nell Hampton decided to finally combine her two loves. She lives in Richmond, VA. This is her first Kensington Palace Chef mystery.

QUOTED: "Hampton's debut mystery gets kitchen ego spot-on."

Kale to the Queen: A Kensington Palace Chef
Mystery
Publishers Weekly.
264.7 (Feb. 13, 2017): p51.
COPYRIGHT 2017 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Kale to the Queen: A Kensington Palace Chef Mystery
Nell Hampton. Kensington, $25.99 (288p) ISBN 978-1-68331-104-1
Hampton's debut mystery gets kitchen ego spot-on. No matter that jet-lagged Midwesterner Carrie Ann Cole, the new
family chef for the young duke and duchess of Cambridge, finds her assistant, Francis Deems, "toes up" under the kale
bed on morning one at Kensington Palace. And that security chief Ian Gordon imperiously moves Carrie Ann's
operation into the kitchen of palace culinary top banana, anti-American Chef Butterbottom. Driven, disciplined Carrie
Ann just washes her hands and prepares the royals an organic, locally sourced breakfast, on time--complete with fresh
blueberry ginger scones. Hampton knows British food, but her menu is heavy on red herrings sauced in strained satire.
Foodie puns and dubious characteristics include round-nosed Inspector Garrote and "swarthy" (meaning dangerous, as
in the Hardy Boys?) prep cook George Rabe, who bitterly quits on his second day. Desserts more suitable to a romance
punctuate the mains: gardener Jasper Fedman is "shockingly handsome"; "Greek god" Ian emanates "spicy cologne and
warm male." Pass the vinegar, please. Agent: Paige Wheeler, Creative Media Agency. (Apr.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Kale to the Queen: A Kensington Palace Chef Mystery." Publishers Weekly, 13 Feb. 2017, p. 51. General OneFile,
go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA482198153&it=r&asid=9c976c5d704b6a754ba3ba0da98767de.
Accessed 8 Oct. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A482198153

QUOTED: "A charming debut foodie cozy with a gutsy heroine, a neat little mystery, and the requisite appended recipes."

10/8/2017 General OneFile - Saved Articles
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MARK_LIST&userGroupName=schlager&inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&ts=1507489096531 2/2
Hampton, Nell: KALE TO THE QUEEN
Kirkus Reviews.
(Feb. 1, 2017):
COPYRIGHT 2017 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Hampton, Nell KALE TO THE QUEEN Crooked Lane (Adult Fiction) $25.99 4, 11 ISBN: 978-1-68331-104-1
A chef's dream job may be the death of her.Chicago native Carrie Ann Cole has come to Kensington Palace to work as
the family chef for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. The security is tight and the palace rules daunting, but she
quickly settles into her little suite and starts to meet the natives. Handsome Ian Gordon, head of security, greets her
warmly, but Mrs. Worth, the household manager, is made of sterner stuff. Carrie Ann's kitchen staff includes butcher
Frank Deems, prep man Michael Haregrove, and Jasper Fedman, who supplies the household with greens and herbs
from the attached greenhouse where Carrie Ann finds Deems' dead body. His murder puts the palace staff in an uproar,
for either there was a major security breach or the killer is a staff member. Carrie Ann's work is restricted to a small
area in the large kitchen run by resentful Chef Butterbottom, who thinks he should be providing food for the Cambridge
family. When Haregrove is arrested for the murder, Carrie Ann feels sure he's innocent, but all she can do is take food
to his wife, who's battling cancer, and their two young boys. Not until the greenhouse is torn down does she finally
meet Fedman, a strikingly handsome man who invites her out to dinner. Unfortunately, their goodnight kiss is
witnessed by her boyfriend, John, a rising culinary star who flew in from Chicago to propose. It was hard enough for
Carrie Ann to put their six-year relationship on a long-distance basis when he refused to move to London; now John's
moving to California, where he wants her to become his sous chef. Carrie Ann distracts herself by making inquiries
about the staff. She learns that Deems had a gambling addiction that might just provide a motive for murder, though
proving it won't be easy. A charming debut foodie cozy with a gutsy heroine, a neat little mystery, and the requisite
appended recipes.
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Hampton, Nell: KALE TO THE QUEEN." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Feb. 2017. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA479234790&it=r&asid=83fca19777d3145d30d1c1b67d5fa716.
Accessed 8 Oct. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A479234790

• King's River Life
  http://kingsriverlife.com/05/06/kale-to-the-queen-by-nell-hampton/
  Word count: 604

  QUOTED: "This debut mystery series is at its strongest when it focuses on the fascinating and intricate details involved in working in a palace. Stringent security checks, limited secure food resources, and layers of proper hierarchy are made riveting."

  It should be impossible that an American chef, just three years out of culinary school, could ever be the family chef for the future rulers of England. What makes it possible for Carrie Ann Cole is a caterer friend getting sick, replacing her as the chef at a New York City charity event, and so impressing the duchess of Cambridge that she hires Carrie to be a chef at Kensington Palace. Her experience working at a Chicago Michelin-starred restaurant is less important to the duchess than Carrie’s emphasis on modernizing, and making healthy, traditional British cuisine. It’s a style that definitely puts her at odds with the palace’s head chef Jeffrey Butterbottom, who dominates an enormous kitchen while supervising meals for prestigious international events.

  bookCarrie has barely time to recover from jetlag before she must oversee a seven-course meal for a child’s birthday party, although with two assistants and an approved menu, it is well within her capabilities. Of course, that was before she discovered one of her assistants murdered, the other arrested for the crime, the kitchen shut down, and being forced to work out of Chef Butterbottom’s tiny test kitchen. Despite having known her assistant Michael Hargrove for barely two days, she is certain of his innocence and intent on proving it. Unsurprisingly, this puts her at odds with the proper household manager, not to mention the Sean Connery-esque palace Security Chief Ian Gordon, who is extremely frustrated with the pushy American.

  The novel follows three main plots: the death of Carrie’s sous chef, her unsatisfying love life, and the continual need to produce healthy, delicious meals for the royal family. Carrie left behind in Chicago her chef boyfriend of six years who asked for a “break,” even though she continues to insist that it’s really not one. Carrie may be intent on working on a long-distance relationship, but everyone else in the palace has an opinion that she is delusional. Her boyfriend intends to be a celebrity chef, but Carrie wants to be a chef for celebrities. It’s what makes the palace position a dream job, one that by all rights should be completely implausible and out of her grasp.

  This debut mystery series is at its strongest when it focuses on the fascinating and intricate details involved in working in a palace. Stringent security checks, limited secure food resources, and layers of proper hierarchy are made riveting. Fans of Julie Hyzy’s White House Chef Mystery series will adore this new series, where protocol, manners, and culture morays are as important as producing delectable culinary cuisine. Carrie is the epitome of the plucky heroine who refuses to take no for an answer and risks her life to help others, all the while managing to produce healthy and delicious meals.

  To enter to win a copy of Kale to the Queen, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “queen,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen May 13, 2017. U.S. residents only. If entering via email please include your mailing address, and if via comment please include your email address.

  Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & mystery short stories in our mystery section.

• Cozy Mystery Review Crew
  http://cozymysteryreview.wixsite.com/home/single-post/2017/05/05/Kale-to-the-Queen-by-Nell-Hampton
  Word count: 265

  QUOTED: "All in all, this was a very well done book and one of its biggest strengths is the strongly written secondary characters."

  All Hail Chef Carrie Ann! "Kale to the Queen" proves to be a wonderful cozy mystery that follows Carrie Ann Cole to London as she settles into Kensington Palace as chef to the royal family. Carrie Ann quickly realizes that living at Kensington Palace will be a big adjustment. Not only does she have to deal with some pretty interesting coworkers like the dramatic (and hilariously named) Chef Butterbottom, but when one of her kitchen assistants goes toes up in the palace's greenhouse, Carrie Ann knows she must get to the bottom of things.

  All in all, this was a very well done book and one of its biggest strengths is the strongly written secondary characters. The author introduced us to everyone from the gardener to the head of security to the Duchess' secretary. Not only did I enjoy meeting everyone, but they provided a great vehicle for the reader to see the inner workings of what goes on a royal palace. The mystery itself was excellent and I particularly liked how the author was sure to tie up the murder very neatly at the end. I was kept guessing as to the identity of the murderer right up until the very end of the book which is always a huge plus! There are so many different directions the author can take this series and I can't wait to see what happens to Chef Cole next!

• Writing Pearls
  http://writingpearls.com/arc-review-kale-to-the-queen-by-nell-hampton/
  Word count: 586

  QUOTED: "The characters were developed and well-defined."
  "a fun setting."

  ale to the Queen by Nell Hampton
  Published by Crooked Lane Books on April 11th 2017
  Genres: Cozy Mystery
  Pages: 288
  Source: Netgalley
  Goodreads
  Amazon
  Chef Carrie Ann Cole is about to embark on the adventure of a lifetime--an assignment as the new Personal Chef to the Royal Family at Kensington Palace. But no sooner has Carrie Ann touched down across the pond and donned her apron than a dead body crops up beneath the royal kale beds.
  With one assistant dead and the other soon under suspicion for his murder, Carrie Ann is scrambling to keep her kitchen up and running. Not to mention she gets off to an immediate bad start with the tempestuous Royal Chef Butterbottom, who has a bitter taste in his mouth since the prestigious position in the Royal Family's kitchen was given to an "over-privileged, under-educated American chef."
  But the Royal Family's appetites wait for no one, and Carrie Ann must solve the murder and still get supper on the table on time--even with the annoyingly handsome Head of Security Ian Gordon tracking her every move like an MI6 agent. Suspects abound as an American chef adds a bit of spice to the traditional royal household in the first in Nell Hampton's charming and tasty Kensington Palace Chef Mystery series, Kale to the Queen.

  Chef Carrie Ann Cole is the new personal chef to the Duchess and her family at the Kensington Palace. She left her boyfriend behind to follow her dream of being a personal chef. Following her dreams is causing her to make sacrifices she didn’t know she was going to have to. To make matters worse she finds one of her assistants dead in the garden attached to her kitchen. Her life is in shambles personally and at work. When her other assistant is accused of the murder she is bound and determined to find the real killer. All she has to do is balance her sleuthing with work and personal relationships.

  In an Oyster Shell – An entertaining cute cozy.

  The Pearls – The concept was a star for me. An American chef working in the Kensington Palace was epic. The main character Chef Carrie is out of her element. She has to prove that she’s not some over-privileged American as some of her British colleagues might think.I really enjoyed the mixing of cultures in this book. Throw in the mystery and you’ve got yourself a great story.

  The characters were developed and well-defined. I would even say that they were distinguished characters. There were quite of few characters but it was easy to know who was who. I enjoyed Carrie as the main character. I enjoyed the camaraderie that developed between some of the characters. Especially because Carrie was considered an outsider but they other let her in to help. A good example of this would be with Carrie and her assistant accused of murder. She helps him and he lets her to some degree.

  Being set at the palace was a fun setting. You got to see the inner workings of modern royalty. The Palace made for a great background to the story. Then there was London, which is always a great city to have a story in.

  The Sand – It was a good story.

  4 Pearls!

• Buried under Books
  https://cncbooksblog.wordpress.com/2017/05/25/book-review-kale-to-the-queen-by-nell-hampton/
  Word count: 739

  QUOTED: "While the book and Carrie Ann fall into some of the traps of cozy type mysteries, for the most part this is a solid first book leaving at least this reader wanting more."

  The basic plot of Kale to the Queen is this. The protagonist, Carrie Ann Cole, has an incredible bit of luck and meets the Duchess of Windsor in New York. Because of this meeting, Carrie Ann is offered the position of personal chef for the royal family in Kensington Palace. When Carrie Ann arrives jet lagged, late and soaking wet from a down pour, she finds that she is in charge of food for a children’s party that very day. So Carrie Ann is off and running in her new career without having time to catch a breath let alone settle in. Not the greatest of beginnings. Things get considerably worse when she finds one of her assistants dead in the kitchen green house and is questioned by the police. Because Carrie Ann is the protagonist, of course she starts nosing around the investigation and finds out some things that others would like to remain hidden. In the end, things work out for Carrie Ann and presumably we’ll see more of her each Spring for the foreseeable future. This is is a good thing. For while the book and Carrie Ann fall into some of the traps of cozy type mysteries, for the most part this is a solid first book leaving at least this reader wanting more.

  Kale to the Queen is the first mystery the author has written. This is an important point because there are a lot more things that can go wrong in writing mysteries versus other types of fiction. For the most part, Hampton was up to the task. In a mystery the characters, even the minor ones, need to be fairly well developed to make them believable as witnesses and potential suspects. This was done quite well. The plot needs clues for the readers to follow. The author needs to “play fair” with the readers. This was done well. Going right along with that, the plot needs some unexpected twists to keep the readers on their toes and again, this was done, though this could be improved on. Also there were red herrings, but not really enough to camouflage the solution. This left the reader with a good puzzle but maybe not a great one to solve. Hopefully, now that Carrie Ann and the supporting cast are established, there will be more details to the mystery in following books. The one truly troublesome aspect of this book is that Carrie Ann falls into the “cozy mystery trap” of telling too much to too many people. Not only could this have gotten her hurt or possibly killed, in the real world would probably have resulted in her being fired. As for the standard elements of cozies, yes there are recipes, but just three and at the end of the book, not sprinkled throughout the story. I personally MUCH prefer the recipes at the end. No, Carrie Ann does not have a pet. Yes, there is a potential love interest-both a boyfriend left behind in Chicago and some potentials in England.

  I assume I will not be the only reader who from the first page of the book looks for comparisons to Julie Hyzy’s delightful White House Chef books with Ollie Paras as the protagonist. And indeed, there are some easy comparisons to make. Both chefs cook in very high profile positions and are surrounded by tight security measures. Both have some issues with fellow staff members feeling like the chef is not quite up to the position-in Ollie’s case because she is a woman, in Carrie Ann’s case because she is an American. Both protagonists have high demand jobs so much of the action takes place in and around their jobs unlike many cozies where the protagonists seem to be free to treat their jobs more like hobbies than professions. Also, both protagonists tend to rush into things and share information that perhaps should be given only to the police. By the end of the book though, Carrie Ann has established herself and her series. I look forward to reading many more adventures of Carrie Ann Cole.

  Reviewed by guest reviewer Caryn St. Clair, March 2017.

• Dru's Book Musings
  https://drusbookmusing.com/2017/04/09/my-musing-kensington-palace-chef-1/
  Word count: 450

  QUOTED: "This was an enjoyable read. The mystery was nicely done."
  "With a slew of suspects, the author did a great job in narrowing down the list with plenty of twists and turns."

  Kale to the Queen by Nell Hampton is the first book in the NEW “Kensington Palace Chef” mystery series. Publisher: Crooked Lane Books, April 11, 2017

  kale-to-the-queenChef Carrie Ann Cole is about to embark on the adventure of a lifetime–an assignment as the new Personal Chef to the Royal Family at Kensington Palace. But no sooner has Carrie Ann touched down across the pond and donned her apron than a dead body crops up beneath the royal kale beds.

  With one assistant dead and the other soon under suspicion for his murder, Carrie Ann is scrambling to keep her kitchen up and running. Not to mention she gets off to an immediate bad start with the tempestuous Royal Chef Butterbottom, who has a bitter taste in his mouth since the prestigious position in the Royal Family’s kitchen was given to an “over-privileged, under-educated American chef.”

  But the Royal Family’s appetites wait for no one, and Carrie Ann must solve the murder and still get supper on the table on time–even with the annoyingly handsome Head of Security Ian Gordon tracking her every move like an MI6 agent. Suspects abound as an American chef adds a bit of spice to the traditional royal household in the first in Nell Hampton’s charming and tasty Kensington Palace Chef Mystery series, Kale to the Queen.

  This was an enjoyable read. The mystery was nicely done and kept me glued to all that was happening with Carrie Ann and her friends. A murder takes place and believing in her assistant’s innocence, Carrie Ann sets out to find a killer hiding in plain sight. The multi-plot story immediately became a page turner as I couldn’t put this book down until I knew the outcome of this well-executed whodunit. The mystery was executed with flair that kept me engaged in this fast-paced and action-packed drama. With a slew of suspects, the author did a great job in narrowing down the list with plenty of twists and turns, until there was only one person standing – the killer. Carrie Ann is likable and the supporting cast kept me entertained with their antics, even Chef Butterbottom. This was a fun read and I look forward to more adventures with this group in the next book in this delightfully charming new series.

  FTC Full Disclosure – I received a digital ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.

• Night Owl Suspense
  https://suspense.nightowlreviews.com/v5/reviews/cozmicbookishjunkie-reviews-kale-to-the-queen-by-nell-hampton
  Word count: 537

  QUOTED: "This was an excellent start to a new series. It has everything a good cozy mystery needs: a great, relatable heroine, fun and likable secondary characters, an engaging and unpredictable mystery and plot and an ending that will shock you."

  "Kale to the Queen" is the first book in the Kensington Palace Chef Mystery series. It's about Carrie Ann, a chef who relocates to London to become the private chef to the duke and duchess, but while working, she stumbles upon the dead body of her assistant.

  I have to say that this book was phenomenal! I love cozies, but this is by far one of my favorites! Seriously, I loved this book and everything about it.

  Carrie Ann, the main character, was amazing! I loved her personality, especially her drive and determination. I found her very relatable and spunky, and I loved that she went after what she wanted, even when deterred. The other characters were all delightful and well-developed. Each one was uniquely crafted and like-able.

  The mystery itself was beautifully executed and amazingly well-plotted. All the pieces fit together just right, and all the twists and turns were shocking and kept me engaged.

  My favorite thing about this book was the ending. I did not see it coming. Some cozies have a habit of being predictable, but this wasn't. Far from it. I'm great at guessing the bad guy and this one threw me for a loop, and I loved it.

  Overall, this was an A+ book! This was an excellent start to a new series. It has everything a good cozy mystery needs: a great, relatable heroine, fun and likable secondary characters, an engaging and unpredictable mystery and plot and an ending that will shock you. I highly recommend this book to all cozy lovers and anyone who loves a good mystery.

  Book Blurb for Kale to the Queen

  Chef Carrie Ann Cole is about to embark on the adventure of a lifetime--an assignment as the new Personal Chef to the Royal Family at Kensington Palace. But no sooner has Carrie Ann touched down across the pond and donned her apron than a dead body crops up beneath the royal kale beds.

  With one assistant dead and the other soon under suspicion for his murder, Carrie Ann is scrambling to keep her kitchen up and running. Not to mention she gets off to an immediate bad start with the tempestuous Royal Chef Butterbottom, who has a bitter taste in his mouth since the prestigious position in the Royal Family's kitchen was given to an "over-privileged, under-educated American chef."

  But the Royal Family's appetites wait for no one, and Carrie Ann must solve the murder and still get supper on the table on time--even with the annoyingly handsome Head of Security Ian Gordon tracking her every move like an MI6 agent. Suspects abound as an American chef adds a bit of spice to the traditional royal household in the first in Nell Hampton's charming and tasty Kensington Palace Chef Mystery series, Kale to the Queen.

  Night Owl Reviews May, 2017 5.00

• This Is My Truth Now
  https://thisismytruthnow.com/2017/03/18/review-kale-to-the-queen/
  Word count: 712

  QUOTED: "You’d think it would be a bit tedious dealing with all of the rules in the palace. But it’s woven together in such an easy way, you find it believable. And kinda fun, trying to figure out how Carrie Ann would adapt to the barricades set around her entire day."

  My rating: 4 of 5 stars to Nell Hampton‘s Kale to the Queen, the first book in the new “Kensington Palace Chef” mystery series. I thoroughly adored this book and am very excited to see how this new series does in the coming years. A definite read for cozy fans, especially those who love a mystery set in England.

  Story

  Carrie Ann, a mid-20s American chef from Chicago, has a chance meeting with the English Duchess, and finds herself with an invite to become the royal family’s new personal chef. She moves to London and sets up shop in Kensington palace, where she serves the future King of England, in her own kitchen with two assistant chefs. After meeting several colleagues, and finding a few a bit too snooty and some with a grudge against her already, Carrie Ann settles in; however, she soon finds one of her assistants dead on her kitchen floor. She gets to know 5 or 6 key staffers at the palace, deciding for herself who to trust and who to steer clear of. After several days of minor sleuthing, trying to clear her second assistant who is accused of murdering the first assistant, Carrie Ann finds herself embroiled in quite a mess of black market gambling. As she learns the ways of the palace, she gets to know the victim’s family, learning his wife was in love with someone else and sick with cancer. When she comes closer to solving the case, and putting her job in jeopardy, Carrie Ann unwittingly stumbles upon the killer and finds a way to escape with little harm. Along the course, her boyfriend of 6-years, whom she took a “break” from at his suggestion when she moved to London, tries to maintain their relationship, but she’s finding others she might be attracted to in her new role. How will she get out of this dilemma? Just you wait…

  Strengths

  1. From the moment I picked up the book until the end, I found every page easy to read, every character interesting and each plot line solid. It’s a strong opening cozy. Not once did I stop to think “which character was that?” as each one is clear and memorable. And there are at least 10 supporting players to keep track of. Nice work, Miss Hampton!

  2. You’d think it would be a bit tedious dealing with all of the rules in the palace. But it’s woven together in such an easy way, you find it believable. And kinda fun, trying to figure out how Carrie Ann would adapt to the barricades set around her entire day, from no men in the bedroom quarters, to home by 11pm or sleep elsewhere, to not speaking unless spoken to when near the duchess. Craziness!

  3. The relationships between everyone are so fun! Carrie Ann battles with almost everyone on different levels, but she also bonds with everyone at some point, too. I can’t decide who I want her to end up with… the gardener, the royal chef, the head of security, the gardener’s brother! It’s a feast of options.

  Suggestions

  The ultimate culprit and plot were fine, but possibly a little weak. I’d have liked to see a few more layers of complexity thrown in. It was good, and I enjoyed it, but I think it could have been a little better. For example, maybe there were some different red herrings that led us further astray. Or maybe the family connections were a little more surprising.

  Final Thoughts

  I’m really surprised at how much I loved this cozy. It certainly wasn’t perfect, but it was very strong for a new series, and I’m a bit sad I’ll likely have to wait a whole year before the next one. Noooo!!!