The Accidental Alchemist
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4.7 • 35 Ratings
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- $4.99
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- $4.99
Publisher Description
"Filled with magic, intrigue, and humor, this series is sure to delight fans of cozy mysteries and urban fantasy."―Bookriot
A chance for a new beginning in Portland, Oregon. A stowaway from Paris. Can alchemist Zoe Faust solve the mystery of an ancient book in time to save her new friend? Don't miss the first novel in the award-winning series from USA Today bestselling author Gigi Pandian!
Unpacking her belongings in her new fixer-upper house, alchemist Zoe Faust can't help but notice she's picked up a stowaway. Dorian Robert-Houdin is a living, breathing gargoyle―not to mention a master of French cuisine―and he needs Zoe's expertise to unlock the secrets of a centuries-old text. Zoe, who's trying to put her old life behind her, isn't so sure she wants to reopen her alchemical past...until a crime committed on her front porch leaves her no choice.
Includes recipes!
Praise
Winner of the Left Coast Crime Lefty Award.
"Zoe and Dorian are my new favorite amateur-sleuth duo!" ―New York Times bestselling author Victoria Laurie
"A whimsical and charming supernatural mystery."―Mystery Scene
"Mysterious, captivating, and infused with the rich history of the Northwest...fantastic." ―Portland Book Review
"This reviewer is eagerly anticipating more from this series, and a return of a cast more fun than an episode of Portlandia."―RT Book Reviews
"Pandian...launches a supernatural cozy series that hits high marks for a modern twist on an ancient practice. Amusing supporting characters and historical details solidify this engaging mystery." ―Library Journal
"[A] lighthearted supernatural mystery...Pandian sets this series apart from other fluffy paranormal mysteries with Zoe's cute nonhuman sidekick and some mouthwatering vegan recipes." ―Publishers Weekly
"Readers won't want to put this book down." ―Vegetarian Journal
"[A]n eccentric and charming cast of characters readers are going to want to spend more time with." ―RT Book Reviews Online
"A magical, whimsical cozy that will delight readers who enjoy Juliet Blackwell and Heather Weber mysteries!"―Agatha Award-winning author Avery Aames (aka Daryl Wood Gerber)
"Gigi Pandian's pen never disappoints." ―New York Times bestselling author Juliet Blackwell
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In this lighthearted supernatural mystery series launch, Zoe Faust heads to Portland, Ore., looking for a fresh start in a place where being different is okay even if you're not only a vegan and an herbalist but also 338 years old and a nonpracticing alchemist. Everything goes according to plan until the repairman who has come to remodel her fixer-upper is poisoned and stabbed on the stairs. Zoe becomes both prime suspect and chief detective. Aided by a living gargoyle and a 14-year-old thrill seeker, Zoe must discover who the real killer is before her secrets are revealed. Meanwhile, romance brews, as do so many other subplots that the story never acquires focus. Pandian (Pirate Vishnu) sets this series apart from other fluffy paranormal mysteries with Zoe's cute nonhuman sidekick and some mouthwatering vegan recipes.
Customer Reviews
Very Good!
Contains wonderfully complex characters which are very believable. Plot was good, the solution harkens back to pre-Poe mysteries, where the amateur detective isn’t smarter than the professionals, just has more information. Definitely a good choice!
Don’t try and diet while reading the book
Great recipes to go with a great story line
Un grotesque vif qui faisait de cuisine!
How’s a francophile history-loving foodie supposed to pass that by? I had a grand time reading this. I know something about alchemy already, but I’d love to see illustrations of some of the equipment Zoe uses, because aside from alembics and athanors, most of the other equipment listed (skull cup, angel tube, spirit holder, and tomb of the dead) gets mixed or useless results in a web search. Perhaps a section in her website?
I agree that Western vegan cuisine *can* leave a lot to be desired, especially in pastries. I’m not vegan, but I will try that butternut squash recipe. The best vegan scones I ever had were from Santa Cruz’s Black China Bakery—and I didn’t know they were vegan when I began eating them.
While culinary-themed cozy mysteries from print-publishers often have recipes in them, I haven’t seen them in small-press or self-published titles. It is rare for small-press or self-published titles to have no typos/autocorrect errors, wrong homonym, or punctuation/grammatical errors. This is no faint praise. I get so tired of being an aftermarket copy editor!
The characters are interesting and believable. I want to read more about them, and I will also check the other series GP (may she be cancer-free the rest of her life!) has written.