Coral Gables’ beloved literary sanctuary, Books & Books, will host an author whose work blends the surreal with the sensual, the tragic with the tender on Wednesday evening, May 28. Daria Lavelle, in conversation with mystery writer Raquel V. Reyes, will discuss her debut novel Aftertaste—a genre-defying work that navigates grief, love, and the mystical power of food.

Presented by Books & Books and the Books & Books Literary Foundation, the free event begins at 7 p.m. at the bookstore’s flagship location at 265 Aragon Avenue. Seating is limited, and while tickets are free, organizers are encouraging RSVPs in advance. Lavelle’s book, published by Simon & Schuster, will be available for purchase on site.

Sensory ghost story

At first glance, Aftertaste might appear to be a culinary novel. The protagonist, Konstantin “Kostya” Duhovny, is a young man navigating the chaotic New York restaurant world—a familiar setup for fans of fiction like Sweetbitter. But Lavelle’s vision veers quickly into the supernatural. Kostya has a peculiar affliction: when ghosts are near, he can taste their favorite meals, even those he’s never consumed. This synesthetic haunting—flavor as presence—becomes the gateway to a magical skill: Kostya discovers he can cook dishes that summon the spirits of the dead for one final meal with their loved ones.

The novel’s hook is irresistible, but Aftertaste is more than just a well-executed concept. What follows is a story at once whimsical and wrenching, a tale of closure and consequence. As Kostya channels his ghost-driven gift into a high-stakes culinary career, Lavelle layers the plot with romance, grief, and the emotional weight of unresolved love.

The result is a book that has already drawn comparisons to Under the Whispering Door and earned praise from high-profile culinary figures. Food personality Nigella Lawson called the novel “a haunting evocation of pain and pleasure, and the power of food.”

About the Author

Lavelle is no stranger to dual worlds. Born in Kyiv, Ukraine, and raised in the New York metro area, she brings a cross-cultural sensibility to her storytelling. Her prose shifts easily between the mystical and the mundane, drawing on her Eastern European roots, American upbringing, and literary training at Princeton University and Sarah Lawrence College.

Her previous short stories—published in speculative outlets like The Deadlands and The Dread Machine—often dealt with themes of identity, otherness, and uncanny experiences. In Aftertaste, Lavelle extends those fascinations into a novel-length exploration of what it means to be haunted—by loss, by love, and by the meals that linger long after the last bite.

Lavelle lives in New Jersey with her family and goldendoodle and says on her website that she “loves a great meal almost as much as she loves a great story.”

Conversation with Raquel V. Reyes

Joining Lavelle on stage will be Reyes, author of the Caribbean Kitchen Mystery series. Reyes, whose debut Mango, Mambo, and Murder is in production for television under the title Miami Spice, is known for crafting Latina protagonists and weaving Miami’s multilingual, multicultural texture into her work. Her presence promises to bring an added layer of richness to the evening’s discussion—one that spans genres, identities, and cultural contexts.

Reyes and Lavelle will delve into the novel’s themes, its culinary underpinnings, and its emotional architecture. They are expected to discuss the broader implications of grief storytelling, the catharsis of final meals, and how fiction can provide imaginative avenues for closure.

Night for the senses—and the soul

An Evening with Daria Lavelle is more than a standard author talk. It’s a chance to experience a story that asks a profound question: What if food could bring back the dead—not just as memory, but as presence?

The evening offers readers the opportunity to reflect on how we process grief, the rituals we attach to food, and the unspoken dialogues we wish we could still have. Lavelle’s work sits at the crossroads of literature, philosophy, and culinary art—a rare feat for a debut novelist.

The event is free and open to the public, but attendees are urged to RSVP via the Books & Books website. Books will be available for signing and purchase.