He’s also found time to write two books on fatherhood and two cookbooks. The Morning Show Murders is the first in what is being promised as the Billy Blessing mystery series. It is the latest in a never-ending number of culinary mysteries. In Roker’s defense, he has written cookbooks, co-hosted the Bocuse d’Or USA culinary cook-off, and done regular cooking segments on the “Today Show.” Besides, Willard Scott (with Bill Crider) has already published a weather mystery series.  

Celebrity chef Billy Blessing is a culinary enterprise. He owns the highly popular and critically rated New York restaurant, Blessing’s Bistro. His weekly show, “Blessing’s in the Kitchen,” is on the Wine & Dine Cable Network. He’s got a series of cookbooks, the latest of which is a New York Times bestseller. “Better supermarkets” carry Chef Blessing’s line of frozen prepared meals. The centerpiece of his mini-empire is his work as a regular on the morning news show “Wake Up, America.”  

The bane of his existence is the morning show’s executive producer Rudy Gallagher whose idea for morphing “Blessing’s in the Kitchen” into something called “Food School 101” – an “American Idol in the Kitchen” concept to capture the youth demographic. When Rudy is found dead in his apartment, take-out coq au vin from Blessing’s Bistro is determined to be the murder weapon. Billy’s empire is further threatened when the restaurant is closed while the police investigate and his segments on “Wake Up, America” are reassigned. The police investigation is lethargic, at best, since Billy is the prime suspect. The chef sets out to clear his name and resurrect his livelihood.  

Roker has used his behind-the-scenes knowledge of television production and food to craft an entertaining whodunit. The novel’s plot contains elements of the morning television format to move the story along. There are on- and off-camera machinations played out in the mystery, but The Morning Show Murders does not appear to be a roman à clef.  The one exception is that Roker claims to be the inspiration for Chef Blessing, a rounder and jovial cross between Eddie Murphy and Denzel Washington.  

Roker has collaborated with award-winning mystery writer Dick Lochte in his first mystery. Lochte has published under his own name and joined with O. J. Simpson prosecution team member Christopher Darden to produce four mysteries, including the Nikki Hill series. (The Mystery Reader has reviewed The Trials of Nikki Hill.)  

Roker and Lochte have made a good start with the series and I’m looking forward to the next installment.

--Gwen Osborne