Buffalo West Wing (A White House Chef Mystery #4)

Buffalo West Wing (A White House Chef Mystery #4)

by
4.1 of 5 stars 4.10  ·  rating details  ·  736 ratings  ·  93 reviews
With a new First Family, White House executive chef Olivia Paras can't afford to make any mistakes. But when a box of take-out chicken mysteriously shows up for the First Kids, she soon finds herself in a "no-wing" situation. After Olivia refuses to serve the chicken, the First Lady gives her the cold shoulder. But when it turns out to be poisoned poultry, Olivia realizes...more
ebook, 320 pages
Published January 4th 2011 by Berkley (first published December 7th 2010)
more details... edit details

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.
This book is not yet featured on Listopia. Add this book to your favorite list »

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 1,174)
filter  |  sort: default (?)  |  rating details
Book Concierge
Olivia (“Ollie”) Parras is the first female White House Executive Chef. Married to her job, she is both in the background and at the center of events that affect not only the First Family but the country. The White House kitchen is understandably very busy on Inauguration Day, but a box of “favorite” wings found in the kitchen haven’t been properly logged in through security channels, so Ollie refuses to serve the treats to the first children. This sets up a power struggle between the First Lady...more
Susan
Buffalo West Wing is the fourth book of the White House Chef mystery series by Julie Hyzy, set in modern-day Washington D.C.

Olivia Paras "Ollie" has served the First Family faithfully for several years as the White House Executive Chef, with her loyal staff members Bucky and Cyan. In previous books in the series, Ollie has placed herself "in harm's way" many times to protect the President and his family, and developed an excellent working relationship of mutual trust.

In Buffalo West Wing, a new...more
Melissa
I think this has been my favorite book of the series so far. It had the right amount of food, mystery and romance. And compared to the others, it doesn't really matter if you read this as a stand alone, although I always recommend reading a series in order.

A new President is in the white house, and for the White House staff that means they have to adjust and make him and his family feel welcome. Not to mention this President has young children, which is a new experience for them. Its the first d...more
Dlora
This White House chef mystery was back up to par, with lots of details about cooking for the White House and the presidential family. I love those behind-the-scenes details, although I'm sort of appalled by the bickering, competition, and backstabbing. In this book, a new president and First Family have moved into the White House and we see how the kitchen staff transition to serve the tastes and needs of new residents. Although, every four or eight years, the president changes but the staffers...more
Jeannie and Louis Rigod
I have been eagerly awaiting the release of this novel as I so enjoyed the last three titles in the series so much. Ms. Hyzy did not let me down. Not one iota.

This book, however, had the new perspective of adding school-aged children to the normal demands of the White House kitchen. As anyone can attest, when you add children to a situation, it becomes quite fluid. This was shown in the character, Josh. I liked Josh and became concerned for him. I had to laugh when the First Children 'told' on C...more
Marie
In Buffalo West Wing, Olivia Paras (Ollie) is the White House chef and oversees all food preparations that take place there. A new President has just been elected and the first family is moving into their new residence while getting used to the place and procedures. All of a sudden, a box of take-out chicken wings mysteriously appears in the kitchen for the children. However, since no one knows how they got there, Ollie wisely sets them aside until she can determine their origins and if they are...more
Michelle Randall
What happens to the kitchen staff at the White House when a new president takes over? Well, it may not always happen the way this book portrays, but this is a glimpse into that life. In this, the 4th book in the White House Chef series, there is a new family in the White House, which in turn means some new staff, and even new secret service personal. And although we have never seen it get this hairy, it is a good glimpse into that life.

Ollie is the first female executive chef in White House hist...more
BJ
Buffalo West Wing is the fourth installment of Julie Hyzy's White House Chef Mystery series and I love this series! Most of the cozies I've read so far this year, I've given no more than 3 stars to, I find them a little too simplistic. Ms. Hyzy however always manages to surprise me. I've read all the books in this series and can't wait for the next one. The main character, Ollie, is the executive chef at the White House and somehow she always manages to get mixed up in the latest White House mys...more
Fred
BWW is the fourth in the White House Chef Mystery series. I would have to rate it the best so far in the series.

A box of chicken wings delvered to the White House for the First Families children has put things in an uproar. Ollie, following procedures, refuses to give them to the children and then one the of assistant chefs gives them to some workers in the laundry room of the White House. The wings have been tainted with arsenic and some of workers go to the hospital. Soon Ollie learns that the...more
Marilyn
I discovered the White House Chef Mystery Series by Hyzy perhaps a month ago. It was the title HAIL TO THE CHEF that attracted me on a shelf in front of the check-out desk in Barnes & Noble (I'm a bit of a foodie & love tv food shows). Read it while on vacation in Florida. When I got home, bought books #1&3 (CHEF was #2) and zipped thru them. Yesterday, read BUFFAL WEST WING in a day. It might be my fav so far- especially given the suspense toward the end re terrorists. Quite a reali...more
Jennifer
Buffalo West Wing is the fourth book in the White House Chef Mystery series, but it's the first I've read. Culinary cozies are a favorite of mine. I love the cooking, the menus, and the descriptions of the foods. Buffalo West Wing did not disappoint. It included three very different menus at the end of the book, each tying nicely different scenes in the book.

I particularly loved that Buffalo West Wing, and I'd assume the previous books in the series as well, mixes something most of us know at le...more
Suzanne
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
Ellie Oberth
I stayed up til 2am reading this book - couldn't put it down! Yes, the mystery was good and I enjoyed the action. Set in Washington, DC, the heroine of the story is Ollie, the White House executive chef.

The book delves into the changes due to the inaguaration of a new president.


Ollie is nervous about keeping her job. The new President and the First Lady have two young children. On Inaguaration Day, Ollie follows proper security protocol and makes an 'executive' decision that causes an immediat...more
W.s. Gager
I love Julie Hyzy's books. They are light, easy reads that won't let me put them down. This one was no exception in the White House Chef series. Ollie is at the heart of it this time with wings for the new first chilren. When she refuses to serve them, she gets in hot water with the first lady who decides to add her own personal chef. Life gets sticky for Ollie as personalities boil over and make even more heat in the kitchen. My only burning issue was there were a couple of things left hanging...more
Mysterious Ed
#4 in the White House Chef series. Winner of the 2012 Anthony Award for Best Paperback. Another cozy series that allows time to march on. In this case there is a Presidential election, and executive chef Ollie Paras has a new First Family in residence.

White House Chef mysteries - With a new First Family, White House executive chef Olivia Paras can't afford to make any mistakes. A box of take-out chicken mysteriously shows up for the First Kids and after Olivia refuses to serve the chicken, the F...more
Toni
Having just read the 4 books in this series back to back, I have to say that this was probably the best one in the series (the first book was really good too).

I think, what the first and fourth books, have in common, and what makes them my favourites in the series, is that most of it takes place at the White House and in the kitchen. The mystery (political mystery!), is not at the forefront of the story, but it's certainly the major plot point, if that makes sense. This all works quite well beca...more
Penny
I enjoyed State of the Onion so I wanted more. This was very good but it took quite a while for the action to heat up. I really enjoy the main character---Ollie Paras. She is smart and spunky and really knows her way around a kitchen. This one satisfied me with a couple of unexpected developments. The nice thing about these stories is there is always a nice mix of what is going on in Ollie's professional life, her personal life, and whatever mystery she happens to get caught up in. The character...more
Nora-adrienne
It’s always stressful having to get used to a new boss. But for Ollie and her crew this one will be a bit more stressful. A new administration always brings challenges and sometimes even danger. Ollie now has to deal with a new First Lady with young children and a new person being added to her kitchen. How will she ever survive?

This is the fourth book in the White House Chef series and it brings a new dimension to Ollie’s world I know that everyone will enjoy it as much as I did.

Source: Sent t...more
Matt
Hyzy does it again, both keeping my interest in her novel and keeping me hungry throughout. The reader can be treated to a great book of lighter fare and a well-crafted mystery, sure to sate any book appetite. Best served alongside a steaming mug of cocoa or a cold beverage on the beach, the reader will be ready to dive in and not leave a crumb left at the end. Ok, enough of the silly puns. It was a great book, on par with her others and just as exciting. Good character development and use of ne...more
Ronna
This cute, and informative cozy about the first female Executive White House Chef, Ollie Paraz continues with the fourth book in the series. Ollie has enjoyed four years as Chef to President Campbell's family, but the election has come, and now she will be welcoming a new President's family into the White House. This time, the young President comes with two young children, Abigail and Josh.

In all the changes and preparations for the new family, a box of chicken wings show up in the kitchen, with...more
Cathy
3.5 stars. I had to try just one more in the series, I already had the book from the library, I was still in the mood for a mystery, and I couldn't resist when I saw that it was about the transition to a new President. It was so timely with our nation just having gone through an election, even though our President stayed the same (2012 Obama). The glimpse into what goes on behind the scenes at the White House during a changeover and the impact it has on the employees both professionally and pers...more
Kaye
Well, Julie has done it again! She has come up with a new culinary thriller adventure featuring Ollie Paras, the White House executive chef, that not only grabbed my attention from the beginning but held it throughout the entire book.

It's inaguration day at the White House and Ollie and her staff, not to mention the secret service, are run off their feet. It's a big production when the new president and his family move into the White House. This time it's a little different as the new family, th...more
Elizabeth Benducci
Another fun one. Ollie has a new First Family to cook for and everything starts off on the wrong foot when she discovers a delivery of buffalo wings that no one seems to know where it came from. The First Lady is upset that the kids were not allowed to have it but when it turns out to be filled with arsenic, it seems like Ollie made the right choice. The First Family rbings in theirown personal chef who is out for Ollie's job. The First Son get kidnapped and Ollie is there to help. fun to read.
Lisa
Looking back over these books, there's an alarming anti-Middle East sentiment that runs through the series that smacks of racism and anti-Muslim sentiments. I enjoy having mysteries set in the White House and all the intrigue that goes with that, but Dorothy St. James's White House Gardener series is much better at achieving this without resorting to trite plotlines and Middle Eastern stereotypes.
Theresa
First of the series that I have read and found it very entertaining. Anybody else thing there should be a new sub-genre of mystery books that encompasses the foodie mysteries? There are so many authors writing in the recipe mystery genre.

I loved that Ms. Hyzy added enough backstory that somebody(like me) coming into the series so late could catch up without throwing the loyal readers off. Ollie is a great heroine and I look forward to keeping up her acquaintance

Nancy
New first family in the White House. Ollie intercepts chicken wings for first kids - won't let them be eaten since they didn't come from the White House kitchen. First family mad at her. Ollie does career day for first boy and they are kidnapped. She gets info to FBI so they can be rescued. White House presidential protection man is the bad guy. Ollie has no relationship with Tom any longer, but she is developing one with Leonard Gavin, Tom's boss.
Li
Feb 19, 2011 Li rated it 3 of 5 stars  ·  review of another edition
Recommended to Li by: Loved the first book
So, the bad first: Some of the secondary characters are very black and white, and really become very annoying in a frustrating way, as they appear to have no redeeming characteristics at all. I suppose this could be viewed as a plus point - the writing is good enough to actually have the characters annoy you?

I'm still loving the White House backdrop and the whole Presidency transition thing reminded me of Ellen Emerson White's President's Daughter series, except from the other side of the fence,...more
Andrea

I really like Ollie and I can't wait to read more stories about her! There are terrorists and food contamination in this one. Plenty of twists and turns as a new President takes office and Olivia Paras and her team are in peril. As the White House Chef who has an eye for danger and a good instinct for trouble, Olivia finds herself at the center of a very dangerous group of people who will stop at nothing to have their demands met! Bravo Julie, this is the best of the series yet.
Julie H.
Buffalo West Wing is the best in the White House Chef series to date. A new administration arrives and Ollie's job is endangered on several fronts. Former boyfriend and secret service agent Tom is an uber-ass, so I was delighted in having previously written him off as an A-1 jerk. Ollie digs deep, stands up for herself, and it's fun to watch. As usual, there is some interesting behind-the-scenes trivia--most notably the fact that the First Family is invoiced for its personal grocery bill. It's l...more
Susan
When the new First Family moves into the White House, there's speculation that Ollie's about to lose her position as chief executive chef, especially when they bring their personal chef on board. However, it's Ollie, not Virgil, that saves the day--once again thwarting terrorists set on kidnapping the children. I love Ollie and I'm glad that with the series' end, she has a happy one!
« previous 1 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 39 40 next »
There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Be the first to start one »
Buffalo West Wing (A White House Chef Mystery, #4)
Buffalo West Wing (A White House Chef Mystery #4)
Buffalo West Wing (Hardcover)
Buffalo West Wing (A White House Chef Mystery #4)
Buffalo West Wing (A White House Chef Mystery #4)

1020232
Author of the White House Chef Mystery series, including the 2009 Anthony and Barry Award-winning STATE OF THE ONION. Also in the series: HAIL TO THE CHEF, EGGSECUTIVE ORDERS, and BUFFALO WEST WING.

Also author of the Manor House Mystery series, including GRACE UNDER PRESSURE and GRACE INTERRUPTED.


Visit:
www.juliehyzy.com
or check out my blog:
http://juliehyzy.blogspot.com/
More about Julie Hyzy...
State of the Onion (A White House Chef Mystery, #1) Grace Under Pressure (A Manor House Mystery, #1) Hail to the Chef (A White House Chef Mystery, #2) Eggsecutive Orders (A White House Chef Mystery, #3) Affairs of Steak (A White House Chef Mystery, #5)

Share This Book

Your website