The Alcrest Mysteries Series

The Cistern   It isn’t always what’s in the dark that you should be afraid of…   When Chrys asks her brother, Spencer, for help to clean a foreclosed house for the bank, neither expects their lives to be on the line.  It’s supposed to be a simple Sunday; take pictures…clean out the house…collect the cash.  Chrys and Spencer are plunged into a fight for their lives when the house reveals unspeakable horrors.   …sometimes things in the light are even more deadly.

Was it suicide? Or was it murder? For Spencer Alcrest, accepting his friend would take her own life is something he can’t fathom. He’s desperate to uncover the truth surrounding her mysterious death and isn’t afraid to put his life on the line to find it. For Spencer’s sister Chrys, sitting at home while her brother searches for answers isn’t her idea of fun. And when the bullets start flying, it’s too late to turn back. It’s time to dive in.

When Chrys invites her brother, Spencer, and the rest of the Alcrest Gastropub crew for a midnight ghost tour, they expect tales of mystery, murder and mayhem.  They never expect to see a wind-chime hanging from a tree.  Or the breeze to pick up, the chime to turn and the milky eyes of a severed head to stare back at them.  They never expect a killer that makes wind-chimes out of the limbs and heads of the missing.  And they never expect the killer's attention to be placed on them. 

A missing young man.  A woman’s body found in a back alley.  Could the two be the connected?  Enter the Alcrests.  Spencer – the handsome chef and owner of The Alcrest Gastropub who’s struggling to keep the restaurant going and Chrys – his gorgeous and stupidly courageous foster sister who’s often blind to consequences. Chrys dives right into the mystery risking herself, her brother and her co-worker’s lives as she gets them in way over their heads.  As they deal with their personal lives they are quickly introduced to a cast of colourful characters – drag queens, terrorists, secret agents and a sadistic murderer with eyes on one of them. CHRYS ALCREST  She will never admit it, but her mother disappearing when she was 3 and being fostered to the Alcrest family was the best thing to happen to her. The half Aboriginal beauty lives her life the way she wants it. Server at The Alcrest, dance instructor...and Chrys is always in search of the next adventure whether it be in her personal life or something more. Smart, sexy, curious, fearless, foul-mouthed and often wild are the best ways to describe her. Chrys Alcrest has a yearning to solve whatever mystery comes along until she gets to that one solution which has plagued her for her entire life.  SPENCER ALCREST  Chef and owner of The Alcrest Gastropub, Spencer Alcrest has done his best to continue the legacy started by his father. He went to culinary school with big dreams of chef stardom only to return home to transform the family pub into something bigger. Beleaguered by inner fears of commitment and his foster-sister's antics Spencer struggles to keep the business in the black while keeping himself and his sister alive.  THE ALCREST GASTROPUB  With a constantly changing menu, depending on what is available from local purveyors, The Alcrest is a blast of flavor and excitement. With the open kitchen design customers are wowed by sauté pans exploding in balls of fire. A meeting place for local artisan groups it also features local entertainment on the weekends. The occasional headless body in the oven or homicides on its doorsteps should be overlooked . The fantastic food, family drama and employee antics by far make up for the murder, mystery and mayhem.  Language warning: This novel involves characters in the restaurant industry. There are swear words. I'm sorry if that is not your thing. Have a nice day.

The Alcrest Gastropub is restaurant for artists, singers, game lovers, writers and serial killers alike.  No matter what is cooking – NY striploin steaks, chicken alfredo, burgers, headless bodies – the food is always tasty and plated with style. Whether you have read The Alcrest Mystery novels you will enjoy this look behind the scenes at The Alcrest Gastropub.  Find out what goes into making the novels and hidden secrets while enjoying the collection of recipes straight from the restaurant. Author and chef, Lorne Oliver invites you into both of his worlds in this companion to The Alcrest Mysteries.