author: Jon McGoran
publisher: Forge Books
source: TLC Book Tours
"foodie" elements: yes
hard cover: 384 pages
random excerpt: Barely an hour had passed since I had left there. That wasn't much time to get in, load ninety cases of apples, and get out. Even if more than one person was working, they would have had to arrive right after I left, and leave right before I came back. They had probably been watching, waiting for the patrol car to leave.
summary/synopsis (from TLC site): When Philadelphia narcotics detective Doyle Carrick loses his mother and step-father within weeks of each other, he gains a twenty-day suspension for unprofessional behavior and instructions to lay low at the unfamiliar house he’s inherited in rural Pennsylvania.
Feeling restless and out of place, Doyle is surprised to find himself falling for his new neighbor, Nola Watkins, who’s under pressure to sell her organic farm to a large and mysterious development company, and under siege from the genetically modified crops growing nearby. He’s more surprised to see high-powered drug dealers driving the small-town roads—dealers his bosses don’t want to hear about.
But when the drug bust Doyle’s been pushing for goes bad and the threats against Nola turn violent, Doyle begins to discover that what’s growing in the farmland around Philadelphia is much deadlier than anything he could have imagined . . .
my thoughts/review: I was enthralled. McGoran flawlessly combined two of my favorite types of reads: foodie and thriller! I'm so bummed that I waited until the last minute to pick this book up and read it. July came and went in the blink of an eye (okay, faster)...and if I remember correctly, this book sat on my end table patiently throughout the entire month. Now, my tour date is today (that would be August 1st)...and I only cracked the cover yesterday.
That being said, I read, flashlight balancing on my shoulder last night, until my eyes refused to stay open any longer. And I picked it back up early this afternoon once the kids had been shuttled back and forth to their respective sports and summertime activities. Nestled in front of a window that was blowing in a relaxing breeze, I read the last page three hours later.
Drift is a fast-paced thriller packed with scary (because it could happen...if it hasn't already) GMO-laced horror stories that will definitely make you think twice about who and where you're buying your fresh produce, and reinforce the importance of organic farming. Plus, I thought that McGoran brought a lovable (and hate-able) cast of characters to the plate.
This is an exciting summer read that I recommend for foodies, and those who love to read foodie novels and thrillers.
further info: website
recipe inspired by the book: Well, obviously I did not cook up anything inspired by this book, or you'd have seen the photos by now. But that was really just an issue of poor time management on my behalf. There were plenty of inspiring tidbits strewn throughout. This is a foodie novel at the heart of it all...you can find a cold glass of iced tea sweating alongside a good turkey club (or perhaps a reuben or blt) and crunchy potato chips served at Branson's (not to mention the meatloaf and the bacon, eegs, and toast).
There's mention of Frankenfoods (aka chicken nuggets from McDonalds - but I have a non-frankenfood homemade version to counter that). And there is plenty of good home cookin' and picnic food made by Nola, such as the hypnotic-smelling Carne Guisada that Doyle and Moose eat when Moose takes Doyle to meet Nola for the "first" time, sandwiches with thickly sliced ham, thinly sliced swiss, and homegrown tomatoes.
I also thought about making a "drink-it-if-you-dare" apple moonshine in honor of Squirrel and his apple hooch. Or maybe even some good corn-smut (huitlacoche) tacos, as a nod to the mystery corn that Nola found in her garden, thanks to the mysterious goings-on around town.
But alas, I made none of those things. Yet.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in conjunction with TLC Book Tours. All thoughts and opinions stated in this post are 100% mine. This post contains Amazon affiliate links.
