Leslie Karst: Inspired by the Destructive Waters of Lovely Hilo #bookgiveaway

 

HALLIE EPHRON: Today we're delighted to welcome back Leslie Karst. A one-time attorney, she spends half of her time in a place most of us would call paradise -- Hilo, Hawai‘i -- and that paradise inspires her murder mysteries.

Today she's celebrating the launch of Waters of Destruction (#2 Orchid Isle mystery), and it's a stunner. The germ of the idea came to her as she was gazing out her office window... 

LESLIE KARST: My office window here in Hilo looks out toward the middle school gym behind the houses across the street, from which we hear at various times the thump of basket balls and squeak of sneakers, the rhythmic beat of taiko drumming, and the drone of a school administrator making an announcement over a tinny loudspeaker.

But a little ways behind the gym lies the Wailuku River, which makes its way from its source high upon the slopes of Maunakea, down between that dormant volcano and its sister, the active Mauna Loa, through Hilo, and out to the bay.

The Hawaiian word “wailuku” translates as “waters of destruction,” an apt name, since on average at least one person dies in the river each year. (The latest fatality was this past September.) Sure there are signs warning folks off, but the river often looks so calm and serene that many are tempted to take a dip, nevertheless.

What they don’t know is that beneath that calm surface lie hidden lava caves, which create dangerous currents that can suck a body down into the murky depths below. And once they’re trapped in one of those caves, the river is not generous about relinquishing its prize.

Stories abound of people disappearing under water, only to be spit back out days—or even weeks—later, at the whim of the river spirits.

Not only that, but flash floods caused by heavy rains in the mountains above—even when it’s sunny and clear in Hilo—can overcome the river at a moment’s notice, with no time to seek the safety of the land above.

Locals know that when they see the orange county helicopter flying up and down the Wailuku River, that means trouble.

So when I was at my desk about two years back working on what was to become Molten Death, the first in my Orchid Isle mystery series, and I spied that very helicopter behind the school gym—hovering in one place, a long rope dangling from its belly—I said to myself, “Uh-oh.”

Sure enough, they pulled a body out of the river that very afternoon. (An event which I thankfully did not witness, but read about in the paper the following day.)

So, so sad, was my thought.

But—I have to admit—the mystery author in me also said, “Ah-ha! I think I’ve just come up with the premise for book two in the series.”

The destructive waters in this new book, however, are not merely those of the Wailuku River.

Brainstorming the idea, I realized that that “waters” could also apply to alcohol.

My protagonist, Valerie Corbin, who has just bought a house in Hilo with her wife Kristen at the start of Waters of Destruction, had conveniently been learning the ropes as a bartender before moving from Los Angeles to the Big Island.

So it hit me that having her take up bartending once more in Hilo—and including a subplot about a recovering alcoholic who’s gone AWOL from the restaurant—would add another layer to the “waters of destruction” theme.

And then I remembered the paddling class my wife Robin and I had taken here some years back. I’d been captivated by beauty of being out in the middle of the Hilo Bay, with sea birds soaring above and turtles, fish, and whales (yes, one once surfaced only a hundred yards from our canoe) below. And how exhilarating was it to dig our paddles into the water as one, the salt spray splashing upon our faces and arms as the craft skimming speedily across the water.

Yes, I decided. Including this as well in the the book would be perfect. For although beautiful, the ocean of course contains many perils of her own....

Readers: Have you ever been to the Hilo or to the Big Island—or perhaps another part of Hawai‘i? Did you engage in an “water” activities—be they actual water or perhaps those with alcoholic spirits in them?

Comment for a chance to win a copy of Waters of Destruction! (US residents only.)

About Waters of Destruction:
After a vacation of a lifetime in Hilo, Hawai‘i, retired caterer Valerie Corbin and her wife Kristen have decided to move permanently to the beautiful – if storm-prone – Big Island. The couple are having fun furnishing their new house, exploring their new neighborhood and playing with their new little dog, Pua. But while they’ve made good friends with local restaurant manager Sachiko and her partner Isaac, they can’t help but feel a little lonely. So when Sachiko begs Val to fill in for a member of her bar team who’s gone AWOL, Val dusts off her cocktail shaker and happily agrees. It’s a great chance to meet more people – and learn the local gossip.

Such as about Hank, the missing bartender, who vanished after a team-building retreat at a local beauty spot a week ago, and hasn’t been seen since. Until, that is, his body turns up at the bottom of the waterfall, and the police seem very interested in where Sachiko was at the time of his death. Sachiko couldn’t have killed him . . . could she? Val dives into the murky waters of the case, determined to find out.

About Leslie:

Leslie Karst is the Lefty Award-nominated author of the Orchid Isle Mysteries Waters of Destruction and Molten Death, of the Sally Solari culinary mysteries, and of the IBPA Ben Franklin and IPPY award silver medal-winning memoir Justice is Served: A Tale of Scallops, the Law, and Cooking for RBG. When not writing, you’ll find her cooking, cycling, gardening, and observing cocktail hour promptly at five o’clock. Leslie and her wife and their Jack Russell mix split their time between Hilo, Hawai‘i and Santa Cruz, California. Leslie blogs with Chicks on the Case and Mystery Lovers’ Kitchen, and you can also find her at LeslieKarstAuthor.com. Author Photo: Robin McDuff

What’s to Love About Lava? By Leslie Karst

LUCY BURDETTE: I’ve loved all of Leslie Karst’s books, and today she’s here to celebrate the beginning of a new series, the Orchid Isle mysteries. Hurray Leslie, we’re dying to hear about your fascination with volcanoes!

LESLIE KARST: I’ve lived half-time on the Big Island of Hawai‘i for sixteen years and have been visiting the place since 1990, and one of the primary reasons I keep returning to the “Orchid Island” is the presence of two active volcanoes (three, if you count Hualālai, which looms over the tourist town of Kailua-Kona and last erupted in 1801—just yesterday, in geologic terms).

You see, I’m a bit of a volcano junkie. Which is the reason the plot of my new Orchid Isle mystery, Molten Death, revolves around hot lava.

Leslie at the 2022 eruption of Mauna Loa

So, why, you may ask, would anyone love volcanoes? Aren’t they destructive...and scary?

Yes and yes. But an active volcano is also one of the most awe-inspiring things one can ever see—and feel, hear, and smell, for that matter. Because it’s an experience that truly involves all of your senses:

The mind-boggling sight of the red-and-orange lava beast slithering down the slope towards the ocean.

The intense heat upon your skin, as if the door to a gigantic oven had been opened wide.

The sizzle of the rain on the hot lava, the crackling of the molten rock as it cools, and the explosion of methane gas when the flow overtakes and ignites a small tree.

And finally the acrid smell—and tang—of the sulfuric gas, causing your eyes to sting and your breath to catch.

One of the most memorable volcano experiences I ever had occurred during my first visit to the Big Island, when my volcano-junkie parents (yes, I come by it honestly)—who were spending several months on the island—took my partner (now wife) and me out for a pre-dawn hike to see the current lava flow. After walking for an hour or so over an arid, black landscape more reminiscent of the moon than of a tropical paradise, we spied a red glow and steam rising in the distance and cautiously approached. There at our feet was a gaping hole some ten feet wide that had opened up in the hardened rock.

It was a volcanic skylight: a view down into a lava tube in which a river of molten rock flowed immediately below us, its orange-white magma so bright that it was impossible to stare at for more than a moment. Frightened by the sight—and scalded by the searing-hot steam rising from the hole—we jumped back quickly. Would the rock we were standing upon crumble, too, and send us tumbling into the river of lava?

But the sight proved far too compelling, and as one, the four of us crept forward once again to gaze in awe down into the fiery depths, below.

Leslie and Robin at the lava tube

It was in that moment that I knew I needed to spend more time in this amazing—almost magical—place. A place where the earth is still in flux, growing and breathing before our very eyes, and where we humans bend to the will of the volcano, awed by its majesty and beauty.

Yes, the Big Island was calling out to me to make it my part-time home.

And, okay—I’ll admit it—the tropical flowers, warm, azure ocean, and balmy trade winds are pretty darn compelling, as well....

sexy pink heliconia

Readers: What’s the most awe-inspiring natural phenomenon you’ve ever witnessed? Comment below (with your email address) for a chance to win a copy of my new Orchid Isle mystery, Molten Death! (US residents only)

About MOLTEN DEATH: Retired caterer Valerie Corbin and her wife Kristen have come to the Big Island of Hawai‘i to treat themselves to a well-earned tropical vacation. After the recent loss of her brother, Valerie is in sore need of a distraction from her troubles and is looking forward to enjoying the delicious food and vibrant culture the state has to offer. 

Early one morning, the couple and their friend—tattooed local boy, Isaac—set out to see an active lava flow, and Valerie is mesmerized by the shape-shifting mass of orange and red creeping over the field of black rock. Spying a boot in the distance, she strides off alone, pondering how it could have gotten there, only to realize to her horror that the boot is still attached to a leg—a leg which is slowly being engulfed by the hot lava.

Valerie’s convinced a murder has been committed—but as she's the only witness to the now-vanished corpse, who’s going to believe her? Determined to prove what she saw and get justice for the unknown victim, Valerie launches her own investigation. But, thrown into a Hawaiian culture far from the luaus and tiki bars of glossy tourist magazines, she soon begins to fear she may be the next one to end up entombed in shiny black rock . . . 

Buy the book!

Leslie Karst is the author of the Orchid Isle Mystery Molten Death, of the Lefty Award-nominated Sally Solari series, and of Justice is Served: A Tale of Scallops, the Law, and Cooking for RBG. When not writing, you’ll find her cooking, cycling, gardening, and observing cocktail hour promptly at five o’clock. She and her wife and their Jack Russell mix split their time between Hilo, Hawai‘i and Santa Cruz, California. 

visit Leslie

Julia and Me by @LeslieKarst

LUCY BURDETTE: It's always a pleasure to welcome Leslie Karst back to the blog--it's timely for me as I'm just reading her new book! Welcome Leslie!

LESLIE KARST: In my just-released Sally Solari mystery, A Sense for Murder, the dining room manager of a restaurant/culinary bookstore is found murdered on the night of a benefit dinner, and the primary clue is the simultaneous theft of a boxed set of signed first editions of Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking.

It’s no accident that I decided to use this iconic cookbook as a major piece of the story, for Julia Child has long held a special place in my heart.





Cardboard cut-out of Julia at the Smithsonian Institution

I first encountered the French Chef back in the late ’60s, when she was a regular part of the PBS lineup on TV. I’d join my mother upstairs on my parents’ bed to watch the show, and as Mom took notes on a pad of paper, scribbling down recipes for use at future dinner parties, I’d gape open-mouthed at this big, boisterous, woman slapping butter on chickens as she laughed and recounted tales of her days in Paris.

Years later, I finally bought a copy of Mastering the Art of French Cooking and started trying out the recipes for myself. (Note: Yes, her multi-page method for making coq au vin is rather time-consuming, but preparing the mushrooms and onions separately to add at the end—thereby allowing them to retain their own special flavors—makes for a truly remarkable dish.)

I credit Julia with inspiring me to go to cooking school, for it was shortly after I purchased MtAoFC when—bored with my job as a research and appellate attorney—I was searching for something to add a little spice to my life and hit upon the idea of enrolling my my local community college’s culinary arts program. Enraptured with the classes I’d started taking at night, I’d regale the attorneys at my law firm the next morning with stories of carving eye-dazzling garnishes out of carrots and radishes, deboning and stuffing chickens, and learning to prepare all five of the French “mother” sauces.





Julia Child’s diploma from Le Cordon Bleu cooking school

One of those attorneys happened to be a kindred cooking spirit, and as I was waxing poetic one day about the sauce bearnaise I’d made the night before, he asked if I was a fan of Julia Chid.

“Are you kidding?” I said. “I absolutely adore her!”

A broad cat-who-ate-the-canary smile spread across his face. “Would you like to meet her?”

It turned out that Julia Child was going to be the guest of honor at some food-related event down in Carmel Valley, where my fellow attorney lived and apparently had “connections,” and he’d been asked to be her host for the day—to pick her up at the airport, take her to lunch, and then escort her to and from the event. “You can come along with me as co-host, if you’d like,” he offered.

Needless to say, I jumped at the chance.

Alas, however, it was not to be. Just days before what would surely have been one of the most exciting experiences of my life, Julia fell and broke her arm, and had to cancel her trip up north from Santa Barbara.

But, perhaps because of all the fantasizing I engaged in leading up the the big day, part of me feels like it actually did happen—that I did indeed get to spend a full day with the French Chef, talking about food and Paris and how very much I loved her detailed recipe for coq au vin.

A few years back, I flew to Washington, D.C., a day early for the Malice Domestic mystery writers convention, so I could pay my respects to Julia by visiting her Cambridge, Mass. kitchen, which had been deconstructed and moved to the Smithsonian Museum. Staring through the plexi-glass window into the exhibit, I smiled as I imagined Julia standing at that custom-made counter (built higher than normal to fit her tall frame) whipping up egg whites for a soufflé in one the copper bowls hanging from that very same peg-board.

yours truly at the Smithsonian

How fitting, that the woman who almost single-handedly brought French cuisine to the American masses, should now have her own exhibit at “America’s museum,” don’t you think?

Readers: For a chance to win a signed copy of my new book, A Sense for Murder, answer this question in the comments below: Are any of you fans of Julia Child, or of other cookbook authors or TV chefs?



About A Sense for Murder:

It’s the height of the tourist season in Santa Cruz, California, and Sally Solari has her hands full, both juggling crowds of hungry diners at her French-Polynesian restaurant Gauguin, as well as appeasing her father, who’s distressed at the number of homeless people camped out in front of Solari’s, the family’s Italian seafood restaurant out on the historic fisherman's wharf.

Nevertheless, when Sally gets the opportunity to volunteer at a farm-to-table dinner taking place at the hip new restaurant and culinary bookshop Pages and Plums, she seizes the chance. Not only is it a fundraiser for an organization aiding the homeless and seniors, but up for auction at the event is a signed boxset of Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Sally’s hero, the renowned chef Julia Child.

But then the Pages and Plums dining room manager turns up dead—the locked cabinet containing the precious books now empty—and the irrepressible Sally once again finds herself up to her neck in a criminal investigation. She may have a sense for murder, but can Sally outwit a devious killer with a taste for French cooking before the villain makes mincemeat of her, too?

About Leslie:





Leslie Karst is the author of the Lefty Award-nominated Sally Solari mystery series and “Justice is Served: A Tale of Scallops, the Law, and Cooking for RBG.” After years waiting tables and singing in a new wave rock band, she decided she was ready for a “real” job and ended up at Stanford Law School. It was during her career as an attorney that Leslie rediscovered her youthful passion for food and cooking and once more returned to school—this time to earn a degree in culinary arts. Now retired from the law, Leslie spends her time cooking, cycling, gardening, observing cocktail hour promptly at five o’clock, and of course writing. She and her wife split their time between Santa Cruz, California and Hilo, Hawai‘i.

buy Leslie's book!

From Mystery to Memoir @LeslieKarst

LUCY BURDETTE: I love our guest Leslie Karst's culinary mysteries starring Sally Solari. But she's branched out into something almost entirely different with her newest book--I'll let her tell the story!

LESLIE KARST: As soon as the big event was over, I wrote down all I could remember of how I finagled my way into hosting an intimate dinner party for Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and her celebrated tax professor/attorney husband, Martin, as well as all the planning and preparation—and angsting and obsessing—that went along with the experience. But then there it sat on my computer for many years as I was sidetracked, first by my work as a research and appellate attorney, later by writing and promoting my Sally Solari mystery series.

Leslie and Ruth, the night of the dinner

Finally, after much egging on by my wife, Robin, and other people who knew of the document’s existence, I decided that the extraordinary story needed to be out there, for others to read. But once I opened the file and began to read what I’d written all those years earlier, I saw that I had a problem: the manuscript wasn’t ready for publication. Not by a long shot. For although I’d set down the facts—all that had happened to me along the way to finally sitting down with Ruth, Marty, Robin, and my mom and dad on that memorable evening—I’d failed to include much anything about how the experience had affected me personally. 

The issue, I realized, was that this story was a memoir, something I’d never attempted before. 

But I do have five mystery novels under my belt, I said to myself. And memoirs are similar to novels, right? Both tell a story, have a narrative arc, and tend to contain the same elements of dialogue, discrete scenes, dramatic highs and lows, and a payoff at the end. 

So what would be the big deal, switching from one to the other?

As I set out to revise Justice is Served, however, the process felt far different from writing my Sally Solari series. For this story was about me; I had to be honest about myself in a way not required of fiction. No easy feat. Although my mysteries are written in the first person (and many are convinced that Sally is, in fact, simply my far braver and riskier alter-ego), I’d never before had to delve deep within myself and then share those innermost thoughts on paper—for the world to read. 

But, of course, it is this very personal nature of memoirs that sets them apart from other writing—and what makes them so very compelling. Stories of love, loss, and lessons learned. Stories that allow the reader to peek into the one’s soul, to experience the author’s journey towards awakening, or redemption, or simply the discovery that she’s exactly where she wants to be, after all. 

the table is set for the big event

In order for my memoir to truly resonate with others, I had to be completely honest and open about my personal journey and about how the experience of cooking for RBG had affected me—as a lawyer, as a romantic partner, as a daughter, as a person. 

So I set to work. And it was only after this emotionally arduous re-write that the book came truly alive, transformed from merely the story of a fancy dinner into one of simultaneously searching for delicious recipes as well as purpose in life—and a reminder that it’s never too late to discover and follow your deepest passion. 

Readers—For a chance to win a signed advance reader copy of Justice is Served, answer this question in the comments: Are you a fan of memoirs? If so, what is it you enjoy about them?

About Justice is Served:

In this true-life Julie and Julia meets Notorious RBG mash-up, former attorney Leslie Karst recounts how finagling her way into hosting an intimate dinner party for Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg sends her on a journey of culinary discovery—and, ultimately, completely changes her life. 

Justice is Served is Karst’s light-hearted, earnest account of the journey this unexpected challenge launched her on—starting with a trip to Paris for culinary inspiration, and ending with the dinner itself. Along the way, she imparts details of Ginsburg’s transformation from a young Jewish girl from Flatbush, Brooklyn, to one of the most celebrated Supreme Court justices in our nation’s history, and shares recipes for the mouthwatering dishes she came up with as she prepared for the big night. 

The daughter of a law professor and a potter, Leslie Karst waited tables and sang in a new wave rock band before deciding she was ready for “real” job and ending up at Stanford Law School. It was during her career as a research and appellate attorney that she rediscovered her youthful passion for food and cooking, and she once more returned to school—this time to earn a degree in culinary arts. Now retired from the law, Leslie spends her time cooking, cycling, gardening, observing cocktail hour promptly at five o’clock, and of course writing. 

In addition to Justice is Served, she is also the author of the Lefty Award-nominated Sally Solari Mysteries, a “snarky cozy” series set in Santa Cruz, California. Leslie and her wife and their Jack Russell mix split their time between Santa Cruz, California and Hilo, Hawai‘i. 

Visit Leslie’s website to learn more about and purchase the book. 

Thistle Make You Hungry @LeslieKarst

LUCY BURDETTE: I loved Leslie Karst's Sally Solari mystery series, and was sad to hear no more would be published. But luckily for us, Severn House picked up the series and a brand new one is coming. Welcome Leslie!

LESLIE KARST: You may notice that the cover of my newest Sally Solari mystery, The Fragrance of Death—which releases on August 2nd—depicts artichokes. No, it’s not the murder weapon (though that’s there, too), but the noble thistle does play an important part in the story. 

Because I adore artichokes. I love plucking off the leaves one by one, dunking them in melted garlic butter, then scraping off the tender flesh with my teeth; and I love the way they cause everything you eat or drink them with taste surprisingly sweet. Given my love affair with artichokes, I decided it would be fun to include them in my new book, which revolves around both an artichoke cook-off as well as an artichoke farm up the coast from Santa Cruz, where the series is set. 

I come by this passion honestly, through both nature and nurture. As for the nurture part, I’m a second-generation Californian (almost third, as my grandparents all moved to Los Angeles in the 1920s when they were in their twenties), and artichokes could be considered the unofficial state vegetable of California. 

Artichokes are thought to be one of the oldest foods, and the plant likely originated in the Mediterranean region. Historians believe they were cultivated by North African Moors beginning about 800 A.D. and that the Saracens then introduced the plant to Italy. This would explain how the Arabic al-qarshuf—meaning “thistle”—became articiocco in Italian and eventually “artichoke” in English. They were first brought to California by the Italians (such as the Solari family featured in my books) who emigrated to the Golden State back in the late 1800s.

In 1922, Andrew Molera, a landowner in the Salinas Valley, decided to lease to Italian farmers the land he’d previously dedicated to growing sugar beets, encouraging them to try growing this “new” vegetable—the artichoke. His reasons were economic, as artichokes were fetching high prices and farmers could pay him triple what the sugar company did for the same land. And it paid off.

Now, one hundred years later, Central California, with its Mediterranean-like climate, produces virtually 100% of the artichokes sold in the US, and of that, more than 80 percent come from Castroville, the self-proclaimed “artichoke center of the world.” (Fun fact: Marilyn Monroe was crowned the very first “Artichoke Queen” of Castroville at age 22 in 1948, two years before she hit the big time with All About Eve and Asphalt Jungle.)

So artichokes are a big deal in California. And they’re also far less expensive here than in other locales. It’s not uncommon to see those baby artichokes on sale for as little as twenty-five cents each at roadside stands. 

As for the “nature” part of my artichoke obsession, this comes from my mother, who was born and raised in Pasadena, California. Till her dying day, Mom was passionate about artichokes, and even at age 91 when I’d bring them to her at her assisted care facility—steamed with a side of mayonnaise, another one of her passions—she would devour them greedily. 

Mom loved to tell a fun story about artichokes. My older brother was born at the Ohio State University hospital, during my father’s tenure as a law professor at OSU. As was the norm back in 1954, Mom stayed the night at the hospital, even though the birth was uneventful. That evening, the hospital cafeteria for some bizarre reason had steamed artichokes on the menu for dinner, and all the new mothers were presented with half of a large artichoke, over which melted butter had been poured. 

Now, this is most certainly not the proper way to serve artichokes (one pulls off the leaves and dips them in a separate bowl of butter), and the Midwestern women were unanimously repelled by the strange, ugly, and messy vegetables they had been presented with for dinner. 

Except Mom—the home-sick Californian who hadn’t set eyes on an artichoke for years. The other women gladly gave all theirs to her, and my mother forever claimed that she ate every single artichoke served in the maternity ward that evening, gorging herself until she nearly popped. 

Readers: Are you a fan of artichokes? When was the first time you tried one of the noble thistles, and what did you think? Leave a comment to be entered in the drawing for Leslie's first book, DYING FOR A TASTE.

About The Fragrance of Death: Restaurateur Sally Solari is a champion, both in the kitchen and on the case, but after getting mixed up in one too many murders, her nonna’s friends have taken to crossing themselves every time they meet. Sally’s determined to stay out of trouble and focus on her cooking. It’s too bad the food scene in Santa Cruz is cut-throat—sometimes literally.

When a head cold knocks out Sally’s sense of taste and smell, at the same time her old acquaintance Neil Lerici is murdered at the annual Artichoke Cook-Off, her powers of investigation are once again called into action. Could Neil have been killed by the local restaurant owner who took his winning spot at the competition? Or maybe by one of his siblings, who were desperate to sell the family farm to a real estate developer?

Sally plunges headfirst into the case, risking alienating everyone she knows – including the handsome Detective Vargas, who finds her sleuthing both infuriating and endearing. And soon it’s not just her restaurant and her tentative new relationship that are on the line—it’s her life . . .

About Leslie: Leslie Karst is the author of the Lefty Award-nominated Sally Solari culinary mystery series. The daughter of a law professor and a potter, she waited tables and sang in a new wave rock band before deciding she was ready for a “real” job and ending up at Stanford Law School. It was during her career as a research and appellate attorney in Santa Cruz, California, that Leslie rediscovered her youthful passion for food and cooking and once more returned to school—this time to earn a degree in culinary arts. Now retired from the law, Leslie spends her time cooking, cycling, gardening, singing alto in her local community chorus, and of course writing. She and her wife and their Jack Russell mix split their time between Santa Cruz and Hilo, Hawai‘i. 

My Dinner with Ruth @lesliekarst

 LUCY BURDETTE: When Ruth Bader Ginsburg died last week, I thought instantly of my friend Leslie Karst. I remembered that she knew RBG and has written a memoir about cooking dinner for the Ginsburgs. (I've read it, it's excellent, and I hope we'll see it out in the world soon!) Leslie agreed graciously to write a post about this for us.

LESLIE KARST: History will remember Ruth Bader Ginsburg for many things, including her tireless and passionate work with the ACLU as an advocate for women’s rights, her thirteen years on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit, her twenty-seven years as justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, and, recently, her rock-star status as the “Notorious R.B.G.,” inspiring “I dissent!” tattoos and jewelry in the shape of her famous lace collars. 

But to me, she was also a family friend.

RBG and me

My father and “Ruth,” as he always referred to her, became close back in the 1960s, when he was teaching at the Ohio State Law School and she was teaching at Rutgers and later at Columbia. They had both been involved in comparative law—Dad with Latin American land reform issues, and Ruth with Swedish civil procedure. (Yes, you read that right: Did you know that as a young lawyer, RBG learned Swedish and then helped translate the Swedish Code of Civil Procedure into English?)

The two stayed in touch over the years, and I grew up hearing stories about Ruth, as she and my father both moved on from comparative law to civil rights as their areas of study and advocacy—and she, eventually, on to the federal judiciary.

And then came the chance of a lifetime. Dad told me he’d invited Ruth to come speak at the UCLA Law School, where he now taught, and she had accepted. Only half-serious, I suggested that I come down to Los Angeles and cook dinner for Ruth and her husband Marty at my parents’ house. 

I’d expected Dad to merely laugh, in that “ha-ha, that’s a ridiculous notion” kind of way, but instead he cocked his head and looked at me, then said quite seriously, “That sounds like a great idea.” 

What had I gotten myself into?

I spent the next nine months planning and fretting, as I worked out the menu for a Supreme Court justice and her world-renowned tax law professor husband—both of whom I knew to be devout foodies. 

And when the evening finally arrived, I sat in my parents living room shaking in my boots. 

But I needn’t have worried. Ruth—though taciturn and serious, as was her wont—was absolutely lovely. And even more so as the evening wore on and the six of us (my parents; the Ginsburgs; my wife, Robin; and me) consumed all six of the bottles of wine I’d purchased for the dinner. 

Ruth, my dad, and me

And Marty was as charming as could be, enthusiastically digging into the food I’d prepared while regaling the table with hilarious stories—some regarding his wife, who simply smiled and nodded in response. Here are a few tidbits we learned that evening:

Ruth would routinely consume fourteen cups of coffee a day.

She once got her car stuck atop a bollard which had risen up as she tried to enter the DC Circuit Court parking lot after another car without waiting her turn.

The purse she carried (at least that night) was very heavy—weighing at least five pounds.

I’ve written a memoir of my experience planning, cooking, and attending the dinner—tentatively entitled Cooking for Ruth—which I hope will be published some time soon. But in the meantime, here’s a peek at the menu I served:

Seared Sea Scallop with Ginger-Lime Cream Sauce

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Brown Butter

Garnished with Crème Fraîche, Chopped Walnuts, and Walnut Oil

Baby Spinach Salad with Blood Orange, Red Onion, Dried Cranberries, 

Pine Nuts, Gorgonzola Cheese, and Dijon Vinaigrette Dressing

Blackened Ahi Coated in a Dry-Rub of Spices and Black Sesame Seeds

Served with Wasabi Mashed Potatoes and Snow Peas

A Selection of Pastries from Amandine Patisserie in Los Angeles

Robin and I saw Ruth several times after the big dinner. Whenever we were in Washington, DC, she’d invite us to the Supreme Court, and after watching the day’s arguments we’d chat with the justice in her chambers. (My attendance at Malice Domestic was twice the occasion for such visits with Ruth.)

RBG bobblehead in her chambers

The last contact I had with Ruth was last summer, to let her know that my father had passed away. She recorded a beautiful testimonial for his memorial service at the UCLA Law School, which you can watch here:  

I will miss you Ruth. Thank you for dedicating your own life to bettering ours. 

About Leslie:

The daughter of a law professor and a potter, Leslie Karst learned early, during family dinner conversations, the value of both careful analysis and the arts—ideal ingredients for a mystery story. Putting this early education to good use, she now writes the Sally Solari Mysteries (Dying for a Taste, A Measure of Murder, Death al Fresco, Murder from Scratch), a culinary series set in Santa Cruz, California. An ex-lawyer like her sleuth, Leslie also has degrees in English literature and the culinary arts. 

Visit Leslie at lesliekarstauthor.com 

Leslie blogs at chicksonthecase.com and mysteryloverskitchen.com 

About Murder from Scratch:

Sally’s life is already plenty complicated, what with running the popular and bustling Gauguin and dealing with irate cooks, scheduling headaches, and other staffing issues. So when her dad convinces her to take in a blind relative, Evelyn, whose mother has just died of a drug overdose, she’s none too happy. Sally’s cousin, however, turns out to be not only highly competent, but also lots of fun. And she’s a terrific cook, to boot—taught at an early age by her chef mom, Jackie. 

When moved objects around her house cause Evelyn to suspect that Jackie’s death was not the accident or suicide the police believe it to have been, she and Sally decide to investigate on their own. And Sally soon learns that Evelyn’s blindness makes her more attuned to her other senses, allowing her to discover clues that Sally would easily have missed. The cousins’ sleuthing takes them into the world of pop-up and Southeast Asian restaurants, macho commercial kitchens, and the cut-throat competitiveness that can flame up between chefs—especially when stolen recipes are at stake. 

“Karst seasons her writing with an accurate insider’s view of restaurant operation, as well as a tenderness in the way she treats family, death and Sally’s reactions to Evelyn’s blindness.”

Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine

A sniff of subtext & a touch of murder from Leslie Karst #bookgiveaway

THIS WEEK'S WINNERS: Congratulations Flora Church, Liz Milliron M, Cynthia, go to the CONTACT page on Hallie's web site and email her your mailing address to get your book!

HALLIE EPHRON: Leslie Karst is an author after my own heart. There's homemade PASTA on her web site! She came to writing culinary mysteries by way of a career in law, of course, that forked into culinary arts. Reviewers call her Sally Solari mysteries sharp and smart and spicy. Murder From Scratch is the fourth in the series.

LESLIE KARST: Those of you familiar with my Sally Solari mysteries know that they all share a culinary theme, as Sally’s family runs two restaurants: Solari’s, her father’s old-school Italian seafood joint, and Gauguin, the trendy French-Polynesian place she inherits from her aunt in book one.

But what you might not realize is that the series has a secondary subtext as well (perhaps so very “sub” that you would miss it if I didn’t tell you), in that each book also concerns one of the five senses. The first, Dying for a Taste, concerns (duh) taste; the second, A Measure of Murder—in which Sally joins a chorus singing the sublime Mozart Requiem—involves the sense of hearing; and the third, Death al Fresco, which has Sally taking a a plein air painting class, deals with the sense of vision.

In the fourth book, Murder from Scratch, I decided to address the sense of touch. But, I wondered, how could I make “touch” an important part of the story or, better yet, a key to how Sally solves the murder?

It so happened that while I was musing on this question and coming up with the plot for this latest book in my series, I spent the afternoon with a blind friend, Herman. While hanging out with him at his house that day, I was struck by how easily he located whatever he needed in his home—be it that jar of orange marmalade in the fridge, a specific CD he wanted to play for me, or the right colored shirt to match his green slacks.

How much more reliant on their other senses a blind person must be to get along in the world, I realized. And how very organized their life needs to be, compared to someone who can simply rely on their vision to get by. And then it hit me, what a perfect setup this would be for my new mystery—a blind character who, by virtue of her heightened sense of touch, is able to discover clues the sighted sleuth, Sally, misses.

And so I created Evelyn, Sally’s estranged blind cousin, who comes to stay with Sally after Evie’s mother is found dead of an overdose. Or was it murder?

When the police appear convinced the death was an accident, the two cousins set out to learn the true story and discover the identity of the killer. But along the way, they discover also how very much they share in common—including a love of food, cooking, and hand-rolled pasta.

Nothing Beats Your Nonna’s Homemade Pasta

I was initially a little nervous about including a blind side-kick in my book. After all, how could a sighted person possibly create a realistic character who has gone her entire life without the ability to see? So I asked Herman if I could come stay with him for a full weekend, in order to hang out with him, pick his brain, and try to get a better understanding of his life. Not only did he happily agree, but he informed he that he now had a roommate—a thirty-year-old blind gal who was also excited to spend time with me and to help breathe life into Evelyn.

Then, after finishing the manuscript, I asked several beta readers who were blind to provide me with comments and advice as to the story and my rendering of a blind character, and I revised it accordingly. The early reviews of Murder from Scratch are approving of my portrayal of Evelyn, which makes me very glad. Because—like Sally—I’d come to think of her as a close friend by the time I finished the book.

HALLIE: So brave, writing a character whose experiences, day to day, would have to be so different from your own.  Have you ever had to go, even for a short period of time, without one of your senses?? I get why Leslie started with taste... for a culinary mystery series.

Today Leslie is giving away a copy of MURDER FROM SCRATCH to one lucky commenter.

About Murder from Scratch:

Sally’s life is already plenty complicated, what with running the popular and bustling Gauguin and dealing with irate cooks, scheduling headaches, and other staffing issues. So when her dad convinces her to take in a blind relative, Evelyn, whose mother has just died of a drug overdose, she’s none too happy. Sally’s cousin, however, turns out to be not only highly competent, but also lots of fun. And she’s a terrific cook, to boot—taught at an early age by her chef mom, Jackie.

When moved objects around her house cause Evelyn to suspect that Jackie’s death was not the accident or suicide the police believe it to have been, she and Sally decide to investigate on their own. And Sally soon learns that Evelyn’s blindness makes her more attuned to her other senses, allowing her to discover clues that Sally would easily have missed. The cousins’ sleuthing takes them into the world of pop-up and Southeast Asian restaurants, macho commercial kitchens, and the cut-throat competitiveness that can flame up between chefs—especially when stolen recipes are at stake.

When Friends Become Rivals: Leslie Karst and Ellen Byron

JENN McKINLAY: Three years ago at Left Coast Crime in Phoenix, I was sitting outside the Sheraton with my pal, Kate Carlisle, when we were joined by two other authors whose books I'd read and loved. The four of us ended up talking for hours and much hilarity ensued, because of course it did - look who I was with! Those writers were Leslie Karst and Ellen Byron. So, when the Lefty noms came out and I saw they were both nominated, I had to ask...so how's that feel going up against a bestie? And here they are to talk about it. Welcome, Leslie and Ellen.

Troublemakers and how: Ellen and Leslie

Ellen and Leslie: When the Left Coast Crime award nominations were announced a few weeks ago, it wasn’t surprising that our first impulse was to call each other. After all, not only had we been pals ever since meeting at the California Crime Writers conference back in 2015, but we also share the same publisher (Crooked Lane Books), andwe’re both members of the fabulous Chicks on the Case blog. Which makes us almost like sisters, right? 

And now we’d been nominated for the exact same award—the coveted Lefty, for Best Humorous Mystery—for our recent books, Mardi Gras Murder (Ellen) and Death al Fresco (Leslie). Would the competition strain our friendship? Read on, for a word-for-word transcription of our phone conversation the very morning we received the news:

LESLIE KARST: Ohmygod, Ellen! I had to read that email like six times to make sure it said what it did. Can you believe it? Both of us nominated? In the same category? And Cynthia and Kellye, too! Dang. It’s a veritable Chicks-fest!

ELLEN BYRON: I AM SO EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!! I AM SO EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!!! Can I share a room with you at LCC? Because I’m excited, but also cheap.

Leslie:[Laughs.] Absolutely, let’s be roomies! It’ll be super fun! We can have big parties in our room every night after the bar closes! Oh, hey—and that way, I’ll be assured that you won’t even consider knocking me off to lessen the competition, since then you’d be stuck with the entire bill. 

Ellen: Damn, there goes Plan A. 

You know, it should feel weird that we’re competing in the same category but it doesn’t. I love you too much. Same with the other Chicks, Kellye and Cynthia. So that leaves Catriona and Tim. I am taking them DOWN! 

But back to our relationship. Honestly, I would be totally thrilled if you won, Leslie. I’ll never forget when you came running up at CCWC and threw your arms around me in the biggest hug ever. You know how you instantly feel someone is a friend soulmate? That’s how I felt the instant we met.

Leslie: Same for you, girl. Remember how your first book, Plantation Shudders, was coming out in like two months, and I’d only just turned in my manuscript for Dying for a Taste to Crooked Lane? I knew diddly-squat about publishing and peppered you with all these newbie author questions, but you patiently explained to me all the crazy stuff I’d have to navigate over the next year. I swear, you immediately became like my big sister that day. 

Oh, and speaking of books, Mardi Gras Murder SO deserves that nomination! I love how you include all that fascinating Louisiana history about the Orphan Train in the story, but it’s still laugh-out-loud funny at the same time. Must be all that TV writing you have under your belt. Hey, ya wanna maybe give me some lessons, some day?

Ellen: Hah! Like you need lessons. I’ve been a fan of your series ever since I cracked open Dying for a Taste. I love how you weave different arts into all your books, like Sally joining a chorus in A Measure of Murder and taking up painting in Death al Fresco. The series is so smart and funny. And your recipes are to die for! I swear, recipes are the hardest part for me. In my next book, Fatal Cajun Festival, I finally gave up on one. Instead I wrote “R.I.P. Sweet Potato Pralines,” and explained that no matter how hard I tried, I could not come up with a decent recipe. I had to do something, because I make such a big deal about sweet potato pralines in the book.

Leslie: Dang, that sounds good. I love pralines! Maybe I should make a batch to bring up to Vancouver for LCC. We can keep them in our hotel room as snacks for our after-the-bar-closes parties. [A pause.] Come to think of it, maybe I should bring up allof my own food and keep it locked up away from you in our hotel room safe. Wouldn’t want you to get any ideas about poisoning my poutine...

Ellen:[Sighs.] Oh well, there goes Plan B.

JENN: And the nominees are (which I highly recommend):  

 

To celebrate their exciting news, Ellen and Leslie will each give away a copy of their Lefty-nominated book to one lucky person who comments on this post below! 
 Thanks so much for joining us, Leslie and Ellen. So, Reds and Readers, have you ever been up against a pal for an award? How did you handle it? 

Ellen Byron’sbestselling Cajun Country Mysteries have won Best Humorous Mystery Lefty awards and been nominated for multiple Agathas. Mardi Gras Murder,the newest addition to the series, garnered Ellen her fourth Lefty nomination. Writing as Maria DiRico, she’ll debut a second series, The Catering Hall Mysteries, in 2020. Her TV credits include Wings, Just Shoot Me, and Fairly OddParents.Fun fact: she worked as a cater-waiter for Martha Stewart.

http://www.ellenbyron.com/

https://www.facebook.com/ellenbyronauthor/

https://twitter.com/ellenbyronla

https://www.instagram.com/cajuncountrymysteries/

https://www.bookbub.com/books/mardi-gras-murder-a-cajun-country-mystery-by-ellen-byron

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/23234.Ellen_Byron

The daughter of a law professor and a potter, Leslie Karstlearned early, during family dinner conversations, the value of both careful analysis and the arts—ideal ingredients for a mystery story. Putting this early education to good use, she now writes the Sally Solari Mysteries (Dying for a Taste, A Measure of Murder, Death al Fresco),a culinary series set in Santa Cruz, California. An ex-lawyer like her sleuth, Leslie also has degrees in English literature and the culinary arts. The next in the series, Murder from Scratch, releases April 9^th.

http://www.lesliekarstauthor.com/

https://www.facebook.com/lesliekarstauthor/

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/leslie-karst

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14220589.Leslie_Karst