OBSERVER: Written On Stone
What would you expect to see on a gravestone? Perhaps a heartfelt message of love for the deceased, along with the usual dates and names.
Queensland author Julie Holland (pictured) has a different take on gravestones, having discovered the American tradition of gravestone recipes, and that tradition takes centre stage in her latest novel, Written On Stone.
Lucy Ingram is a food and lifestyle journalist who has spent three years navigating the grief of losing her beloved husband, Charlie.
Due to her grief, her enthusiasm for writing about haute cuisine is as flat as an undercooked souffle so she seeks solace in a unique assignment blending community cooking with heartfelt remembrance.
Lucy discovers the poignant tradition of recipes etched on gravestones and becomes privy to not only the stories of those who have passed but also their connection to those still living.
But all is not smooth going, as to fulfil a promise made to Charlie, Lucy must also confront her formidable mother-in-law and the Ingram family secrets.
Then a charming local publican enters her life and middle-aged Lucy faces an unexpected dilemma – will she let love simmer once more, or will the thought of loving again serve as a stubborn barrier?
Set on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, Written on Stone is a heady mixture of good cooking and the promise of second chances.
The eternal themes of loss and renewal, mature romance and second chances, a sense of place, community, cooking and food are combined to entrance any reader looking for a feel-good story that is a little quirky.
And there is the bonus of lots of gravestone recipes from the author’s friends for the reader to try, as Julie Holland asks if a woman’s quest for community cooking can lead beyond the grave to happiness and love.
Julie Houghton