The Neil Flambé Capers Series by Kevin Sylvester

Fourteen-year-old wunderchef Neil Flambe can cook anything, and patrons pay top dollar and wait months for reservations at his tiny boutique restaurant. What many of Neil's patrons don't know, however, is that he's also a budding detective, code-named "The Nose." It all started when he used his knowledge of cooking and his incredible sense of smell to acquit his mother's client of murder... moreFourteen-year-old wunderchef Neil Flambe can cook anything, and patrons pay top dollar and wait months for reservations at his tiny boutique restaurant. What many of Neil's patrons don't know, however, is that he's also a budding detective, code-named "The Nose." It all started when he used his knowledge of cooking and his incredible sense of smell to acquit his mother's client of murder. Now, however, some of the best chefs in town are turning up dead, the cops are stumped, and the crime scenes aren't helping. The only real clues are a mysterious smell and some equally mysterious notes -- in Italian! -- that have something to do with the great explorer Marco Polo. As more and more chefs fall prey to the killer, and more and more notes turn up, Neil finds himself working not only to solve the murders, but to eliminate himself as the prime suspect! less

The sudden disappearance of Neil's skills in the kitchen is the real mystery in this culinary caper. Is a curse to blame?World-class chef--and royal pain in the neck--Neil Flambe is used to serving his dishes to resounding applause and overwhelming approval. And Neil's super-sensitive nose does more than enable him to cook sophisticated meals and run his own restaurant; it also allows him to help local police solve mysteries in his spare time.Then things start going wrong... moreThe sudden disappearance of Neil's skills in the kitchen is the real mystery in this culinary caper. Is a curse to blame?World-class chef--and royal pain in the neck--Neil Flambe is used to serving his dishes to resounding applause and overwhelming approval. And Neil's super-sensitive nose does more than enable him to cook sophisticated meals and run his own restaurant; it also allows him to help local police solve mysteries in his spare time.Then things start going wrong. His plates are returned. A group of critics visit the restaurant and leave completely dissatisfied. Worse yet, Chez Flambe is closed by an order of the Department of Health!Suddenly, Neil finds himself amid the cook-off of his life--and his entire reputation is at stake. Then he discovers the root of all his problems: a dark curse that has plagued Flambe chefs for centuries. Has Neil finally met a mess he can't smell his way out of?" less