Set
in the bitter Edinburgh winter, Nocturne in Bleu tells the oddly amusing
and moving story of twice Michelin-starred chef Charlotte Brown. Battling
the addictions that drive her; sex, cannabis and the quest for gastronomic
excellence, Charlie has beaten all the odds to reach the very pinnacle
of her profession at the age of twenty-seven.
'CHEFS,
EDINBURGH, PARIS, SEX, FOOD, DRUGS, A WHIRLWIND NOVEL WHICH KEPT ME INTERESTED
THE WHOLE WAY THROUGH.'
Jean-Michel Gauffre – Cook and Owner of La Garrigue
retaurant.
Charlie
finds release in the final instalment of the long-running Alison Gorry
novels, as the SOE agent once again replaces morality with practicality
to pit wits with the Nazi SS during the last months of the oppressive
WWII occupation of Paris. This time racing to save the future of France
and the life of Charles de Gaulle.
And
then there is Stanley Hume, Charlie’s best-friend and a descendant
of the Scots philosopher David Hume, who, in the age of global warming,
the war against terror and eBay, is struggling just to hold on.
‘A
TRULY OUTSTANDING DEBUT NOVEL FROM A VIBRANT NEW SCOTTISH AUTHOR’
But for the first time in Charlie’s life, the constant pressure is beginning to bear down. While the world she has worked hard to forge remains controllable, the sweetness of running Scotland’s favourite restaurant is beginning to fade to an unpalatable, salty aftertaste.
Filled with intensely vivid characters, Nocturne in Bleu sees Charlie, amid the nuisances of celebrity, dependency and Christmas Festivity, facing the greatest challenge ever of her career. Charlie has to decide what, through the haze, she has truly been working towards for the past ten years.
'A glaring realism radiates from the pages of Nocturne in Bleu, the human struggles, the situations, the characters find themselves in and dialect they speak all reflect modern Scotland. It may not be the prettiest of pictures, but its one that had been painted with an obvious love from both the culture and the setting.'
.Mark James, 'This is.'
'Charlie is very well portrayed. Dean Scott had created a milieu at the top end of the catering industry and the dialogue is lively and believable.'
.Elspeth Brown, 'Markings'
'Interweaving various stories involving chefs, 
nightclubs and assassinations, Nocturne in Blue is a enthralling read from beginning to end. As a chef myself the detail of food as well as the brilliant 'great chef' Vincent Dussollier were particular highlights. Indeed detail is an area the book is leaps and bound above many works from new and established authors alike. The book revels in this gritty realist style showcasing the harsh reality of addiction but at the same time offering up dark humour and a story that flows with a consistent and entertaining tempo. Nocturne in Blue is an extremely accomplished work from a new author who will surely go on to greater things. Like an extra serving of pudding, this book is a real treat.'
.Amazon.co.uk
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