An amalgamation of hypermodern satire, slushy romance and savvy cultural allusion that is as vigorously brought together as its lead character's recipes … Lavelle excels in conjuring the scenes behind the swinging doors … Aftertaste pulls together familiar elements of romance and the supernatural, adding a dash of Anthony Bourdain-style bullishness and a pinch of Davelle's own authorial smarts. I'll bet there's a run on fleur de sel right after publication day

Guardian

An imaginative blend of ghost story, culinary fiction and romance served with a generous helping of magical realism … Many will find this ghostly, gastronomic romp hard to resist

Observer

I savoured every minute reading this epic story about life, death, love and loss ... Original and addictive

Daily Mail

There's Stephen King in this novel's ancestry, in style as well as scares ... Lavelle's writing pounds with bada-boom dialogue and the kind of adrenaline found in an over-heated kitchen during service ... Lavelle evokes Bret Easton Ellis in American Psycho ... Macho chefs and hidden speakeasies abound; the East Village is still cool, and Anthony Bourdain's Kitchen Confidential very much alive

Irish Times

Aftertaste is a gourmet delight; it's highly original and hugely evocative, it definitely tugs at the heartstrings

Irish Examiner

A heart-warming read – a fascinating mix of food, romance and the supernatural

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