Matthew Gentry 
Flavors of Deception [EPUB ebook] 
A Culinary Alchemist’s Reckoning

In the realm of Avenlore, taste is truth, and culinary alchemy is the very lifeblood of the kingdom.  Here, a simmering pot can summon a summer storm and a pinch of spice can rewrite a king’s decree.  Orin Draeke, a young chef cast out from the Royal Academy, finds his dreams of culinary greatness soured.  Toiling in a tavern kitchen, he masks his disappointment with biting wit and a dedication to perfecting even the humblest dish.  But his ambition still smolders, a hidden ember waiting for a spark.
That spark ignites with the gruesome discovery of a murdered chef, an invitation to the legendary Feast of a Thousand Tastes clutched in his lifeless hand. This macabre ticket plunges Orin into a cutthroat competition to become Avenlore’s next Archmagus of Taste, a position of immense power. Within the opulent Crystal Palate, chefs wield whisks and knives like wands, conjuring shimmering illusions and manipulating the very elements with their culinary sorcery.
Guided by the eccentric food critic Elara Thistlewick, whose palate can discern truth from deception, Orin navigates the Feast’s perilous trials. He discovers the forbidden spice, Whispersilk, a shimmering thread capable of binding souls to recipes and manipulating memories.  He forges an uneasy alliance with Lady Isolde Thorne, a cursed noblewoman whose very touch taints food, and together they uncover a conspiracy that reaches the highest echelons of Avenlore’s power.
As the competition intensifies, Orin must master not only the art of flavor but the alchemy of emotion, infusing his dishes with intention and unlocking the true potential of his palate. He faces a terrible choice: embrace Whispersilk’s corrupting influence to seize victory or risk everything to expose the Feast’s dark secret and reclaim the true flavors of Avenlore. With each dish a perilous step closer to the truth, Orin must decide if his ambition is worth the price of his soul, or if a single, honest bite can shatter a kingdom’s carefully crafted illusions.