Hardback: In this delightful sequel to the best-selling comedic novel My Italian Bulldozer (2016), Paul Stuart’s travels take him to a French village, where the local restaurant’s haute cuisine leaves a lot to be desired.
Renowned food writer Paul Stuart, renewed and refreshed from his time in Tuscany, has returned home to work on his new book, The Philosophy of Food. Writing, though, is complicated by Paul's changed domestic circumstances. His editor and new girlfriend, Gloria, has moved in with him, and she has brought along her two vocal and very demanding cats. With his daily routine turned upside down, Paul seeks counsel from his charismatic older cousin, the five-times-married Chloe.
When Chloe suggests Paul spends the summer with her in her rented country house in France, Paul jumps at the chance. However, quelle horreur, once he arrives in the picturesque village of Saint Vincent de la Colline, he is quickly caught up with the petty quarrels and enmities of the local villages and the travails of their infamous and accident-prone restaurant. Can anything be done about this restaurant? Is it really the second worst in France?
Amidst the struggles of the kitchen and his growing suspicions of a darker side to Chloe's colourful past, Paul is caught up in intrigues he can barely comprehend. Life in rural France may be idyllic on the surface, but beneath it some very strange events are brewing.
In this original and highly entertaining story, the tastes and textures of France are on the menu, as are issues of love and adventure. The chef recommends this delightful plat du jour.
The Second Worst Restaurant (2019) is the second book in the Paul Stewart series.
About the author: Alexander McCall Smith, often referred to as ‘Sandy’, is one of the world’s most prolific and best-loved authors. His various series of books have been translated into forty-six languages and become bestsellers throughout the world. These include the highly successful The No 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series, the popular 44 Scotland Street novels, the Isabel Dalhousie novels, the von Igelfeld series and the Detective Varg novels. He also writes stand-alone novels, children's fiction and libretti for short operas.
Alexander has received numerous awards for his writing and holds twelve honorary doctorates from universities in Europe and North America. In 2007, he received a CBE for services to literature and in 2011 was honoured by the President of Botswana for services through literature to the country. In 2015, he received the Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize for Comic Fiction and in 2017, The National Arts Club (of America) Medal of Honor for Achievement in Literature.
Rating: 5/5
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