Dispatched by London's premier restauranteur to find the ultimate Italian chef, the Gourmet Detective heads for Italy undercover. Accompanied by a seductive guide, he sets out to savor the delicacies-and plumb the secrets-of the three top contenders. But while sampling the region's gustatory delights, the Gourmet Detective discovers that his secret mission is public knowledge. Who spilled the beans? Are the culinary competitors ready to kill for the job? And when an agricultural magnate is found marinating in a swimming pool, and a killer monk tries to pare him to the core, the Gourmet Detective isready to give a murderer his just desserts...