Publication Date: June 9, 2026
In nineteenth-century France, a young woman with a magical sense of taste saves a duc from poison, and her new role as poison taster thrusts her into the world of the nobility, where secrets and danger lurk around every corner.
Minha is born on the backstreets of late nineteenth-century London, the daughter of an Indian spice merchant and an English prostitute. She has a remarkable gift: an incredible sense of taste. She can taste the earth in which potatoes were grown or the tree on which fruits have ripened. She can smell each ingredient—and identify a single false note. But Minha’s gift and her mixed-race heritage provoke mistrust and rejection, even within her own family.  Escaping alone to France, Minha chances upon work in the Château de Bellefalaise, where for the first time her strange abilities are lauded.
As official poison taster for Duc Nicolas, Minha must taste every morsel of food that will pass his lips. Others in the household are hostile to her, but when she discovers a man hiding in the stables, their unexpected meeting turns into the first true connection she’s felt since arriving in France.
But mystery and paranoia continue to swirl around the château, with the Duc’s poisoner unidentified and antagonism toward Minha growing. She knows it’s only a matter of time before fingers begin pointing her way. Will she run again, or is this the time to stand and fight?
A thoroughly addictive novel about food, possession, race, love, and a young woman fighting to build a fulfilling life against all odds, this is a gorgeously written debut by author Catherine Kurtz.
Ostracized because of the color of her skin, a young woman creates a new life through her special skills.
Author Catherine Kurtz takes readers to late-19th-century France, where Minha, the daughter of an Indian spice merchant and an English prostitute, seeks a new beginning. Feast offers an intriguing story about Minha’s unusual abilities regarding taste and smell.
To illustrate Minha’s sensory talents, the author uses descriptive language about the lavish dishes she encounters at Château de Bellefalaise. A series of events propels her to the role of poison taster, which brings its own challenges.
Straddling a world of nobility and a resentful staff, Minha must determine if this is the life she truly wants.
Feast delivers a story that captures the senses while exploring the significance of belonging.
Catherine Kurtz was born in Cambridge, was brought up in London and now lives in Kent. She completed an art foundation at Wimbledon School of Art before studying fine art at Chelsea School of Art. Upon graduating, Kurtz was made artist-in-residence at the Royal Ballet School. She is a painter represented by The Redfern Gallery, a member of the Guild of Food Writers, and grand jury member of the International Chocolate Awards. Her journalism has been published in a variety of publications including the Spectator’s Scoff, Harvest, ckbk and Celebrated Living. In her fiction she explores the female experience, her mixed-race heritage and the power of creativity. She has an MA in creative writing from West Dean College and is currently working on her next exhibition and her next novel.
