Olivia Paras is an assistant chef at the White House. The current executive chef will soon be retiring and Ollie wants the executive chef position. Her competition for the job has always been her rival and there is no love lost between them. She believes that she will have to resign her position if she does not receive the appointed position. Where will she go if that happens?

As luck would have it, Ollie is on the White House lawn at the time an intruder is racing across it. The Secret Service agents are not stopping him and he is headed in her direction. Since she has a frying pan for a weapon, she decides to take matters into her own hands. She incapacitates the intruder, but he whispers something to her. Is this man really out to assassinate the president?

The more Ollie tries to get on with her daily routine, the more she wonders about the man that was on the lawn. She has been ordered to not talk about what she witnessed to anyone other than Secret Service. When things start to not add up, she mentions the inconsistencies to her boyfriend, a Secret Service agent. He tells her to forget about what happened, but she will not let it go. She investigates on her own, and ends up coming face to face with a hired assassin. She is the only person living who has actually seen the man. Will she live to be able to identify him before its too late?

Julie Hyzy serves up a delicious debut. She offers readers a fascinating perspective of the White House. It is amazing all the work and thought that goes into food prep in the kitchen. The food that is served throughout the book is divine, and there are numerous recipes in the back. Ollie has an insatiable curiosity that may be a bit dangerous in her line of work, but she is a very lovable amateur sleuth. Ms. Hyzy has created a fast paced thriller that is sure to be a hit. STATE OF THE ONION is an exhilarating mystery and an exceptional start to a tasty new series.