Leslie Karst has blended her law, literature and culinary arts degrees into a new career as a mystery writer. She’s now four books into a series of foodie whodunits set in Santa Cruz, with protagonist Sally Solari, a chef and restaurateur, solving crimes when she’s not sauteeing Spot Prawns with Citrus and Harissa. Of course you’ll get hungry! But the recipes are in the back of the book.
Q: How does a lawyer pivot into a second career as a writer of culinary mysteries?
A: Dry, tedious contract interpretation versus murder with Linguine and Clam Sauce — which would anyone prefer? But truly, the switch wasn’t that far of a stretch for this ex-research and appellate attorney, as both types of writing require organization, attention to detail and — most important — the telling of a good story.
Q: Sally Solari is also a former lawyer. Do the similarities end there?
A: Not at all: Like Sally, I’m rather obsessed with food. We’re also both recreational cyclists and share the love of dogs, opera and Elvis Costello, the Giants baseball team, as well as single-barrel bourbons. Sally, however, is far braver than I. If faced with a dead body, I would run as far away as possible.
Q: You capture the essence of both old and new Santa Cruz. How do locals respond?
A: I’m happy to say the local response has been uniformly warm and positive — shout-out to Bookshop Santa Cruz, which has been a terrific supporter of my series. I’ve lived in Santa Cruz since 1974, and I think folks appreciate how I weave into my stories its transformation from a sleepy beach town — once home to Italian fishermen, farmers, retirees and vacationers — to a modern city teeming with hippies, hipsters and techies.
Q: How do you decide which recipes to develop and weave into your mysteries?
A: Ah … my favorite part of writing. When I arrive at a scene that entails food or cooking, I’ll consult lists of seasonal fruits, vegetables and fish, then brainstorm ideas and concoct the dishes in my head. Some are based on things I’ve eaten at restaurants or made myself, but others are pure fancy — meals I’d simply love to eat if I could.
Q: What’s next for Sally Solari? Which of the five senses haven’t you focused on yet?
A: The fifth book concerns the sense of smell — or rather the lack thereof, since on page one, Sally wakes up having lost her ability to smell due to a nasty sinus infection. Much of the mystery focuses on an artichoke farm up the coast whose tagline is “Thistle make you hungry!”
5 BOOK PICKS FROM KARST:
“A is for Alibi” by Sue Grafton: The book that taught me that the line between “soft” and “hard” crime fiction was fuzzy.
“The Alexandria Quartet” by Lawrence Durrell: A murder mystery in disguise, this love-letter (four, really) to Alexandria employs unique storytelling, and its vivid sense of place deliciously transports the reader to 1930s Egypt.
“Go, Dog. Go!” by P.D. Easton: Who couldn’t adore a children’s picture book about multi-colored dogs whizzing about in tiny cars and then driving to a big dog party atop a magnificent tree?
“Mastering the Art of French Cooking” by Julia Child, Louisette Bertholle, Simone Beck: I hear Julia’s booming voice in each detailed explanation of technique in this culinary masterpiece. The recipe for Cassoulet (poetically translated as “Baked Beans”) is divine.
“Ulysses” by James Joyce: Leopold Bloom is perhaps the most truly human character ever created in the world of fiction.
