Of ghosts and gastronomy

By rochelle baker
Oct 12 2006

You might well wonder what tarot cards, French food, and murder have in common, but they all come together in a spicy tale of murder and mayhem written by Susan Smily (daughter of West Vancouver artist Elizabeth Smily) and Honora Finkelstein.

The two authors will host a book signing at the Silk Purse tonight (Oct. 12) for the Canadian launch of their book The Chef Who Died Sautéing.

The novel's main character, Ariel Quigley, is a young English teacher who reads tarot cards, communicates with ghosts and has precognitive dreams that help her unravel mysteries.

A self-described psychic detective and ghost psychologist, Quigley also employs plain old-fashioned deduction skills in a mystery that finds her dealing with thwarted bombing, a suspicious death, a car accident that is no accident, and a hurricane. As if she wasn't busy enough, she also discovers the truth about the death of a slave who perished before the Civil War - from the ghost herself.

Talking to the authors, it's not difficult to see where the eclectic mix of ingredients in the book are derived from.

Both Smily and Finkelstein have a long-running interest in metaphysical subjects, ghosts, and spirituality.

In fact, both the authors possess a bit of the "gift" themselves and at the event they're giving a free tarot card reading to anyone who buys the book.

Smily will read a deck she and Finkelstein created called the spiral circle cards, based on the hero's journey and the sacred circle of the Indian medicine wheel.

"We both consider ourselves to somewhat psychic and very intuitive," Smily said.

"People can learn to read cards, but for them to really make sense you have to connect with the person you're reading for."

In addition to murder and the metaphysical, food plays an integral part in the pair's novel.

A key setting in the story is a fine French restaurant. Quigley's best friend Bernice Wise - a Jungian psychologist - loves to cook and always has something stewing on the stove.

Smily said food is a huge part of the novel because of her love of food, fine dining and restaurants.

"I incorporated food because it's an important part of life and because people relate to one another over food."

Smily said at book signings and conventions people were always asking the authors if The Chef Who Died Sautéing was some sort of cookbook.

Smily and Finkelstein gave it some thought and decided it wasn't a bad idea and created one.

Out next month: Killer Cook Book Volume #1: Recipes to Accompany The Chef Who Died Sautéing, features a recipe for every dish or food mentioned in the book.

Food is such a theme that Smily and Finkelstein sign books in chef outfits.

So if you attend the event and the tarot cards aren't quite enough to identify the authors, just look for the towering white hats.

The book signing place Oct. 12, 7:30-9:30 p.m. at the Silk Purse Arts Centre, 1570 Argyle Ave., West Vancouver. For more information call 604-925-7292.