Weatherman Roker is the latest celebrity to pen a mystery thriller, and it is a surprisingly engaging one (thanks, in part, to the work of coauthor and genre veteran Lochte).The hero is Chef Billy Blessing, food anchor for the fictional morning show Wake Up America!

and owner of a very successful Manhattan bistro.After the mysterious death of one of the network’s executives, Billy’s life takes a dangerous turn.Not only is he suspected of murdering the exec with a poisoned coq au vin but it quickly becomes clear that an international assassin has his sights set on Billy, prompting the chef to do his own investigating.

Roker, with the help of Lochte, writes engagingly and, of course, knowledgeably about network television.But his other interests (in food and cartooning, for example) are also seamlessly integrated into the plot.Roker’s trademark humor is in ample evidence, but there is plenty of action, too: a car-chase scene through the Lincoln Tunnel is remarkably vivid and true to life.

Good fun for Roker’s followers and cozy fans.