The Proof in the Pudding

Rosemary Shrager is well known through her memorable fingers in the public pie as a celebrated chef, her TV series, her appearance in I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here and many more. Now she has brought her skills to crime writing. The Proof in the Pudding is the second in the acclaimed Prudence Bulstrode series, after the best-selling The Last Supper.

In her new encounter with murder, the indomitable Prudence sets out to provide a winter banquet for the Yorkshire village of Scrafton Busk with the help of her granddaughter Suki. Every single one of its 100 villagers is eagerly awaiting the feast. But the wait for her famous figgy pudding is longer than they expected. It’s winter, it’s snowing and Prudence is in residence at the village preparing the food and checking her beloved puddings after their six- week maturing period. All is ready to go. And then she looks through the window and senses something odd which she can’t quite pin down. This worries her, and later a scream outside brings her rushing to see what’s wrong. The worry was justified. An arm hangs limply out of the snowman on the village green.

The body proves to be that of a local vagabond Terry Chandler. Prudence is on the case – but it’s the night of the feast she has so lovingly prepared. Which to attend to first? A difficult situation arises as the reason for Terry’s death is by no means simple. Why the snowman? And what are the Mystery Hills? No one seems to know, but Prudence is a determined lady and solve these conundrums she will.

The Proof in the Pudding has an intricate plot and a gripping one, although I felt that the opening of the book had a little too much food and too few signals of trouble ahead. But that’s a small grouse (no pun intended in this food-loving novel) compared with the joyousness of Prudence Bulstrode. I’m booking a table for the next feast to come.