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Follet Valley Mysteries #2
Death and Fromage
Richard is a middle-aged Englishman who runs a B & B in the Val de Follet. Nothing ever happens to Richard, and really that's the way he likes it. Until scandal erupts in the nearby town of Saint-Sauver, when its famous restaurant is downgraded from three Michelin stars to two. The restaurant is shamed, the town is in shock, and the leading goat cheese supplier drowns himself in one of his own pasteurization tanks. Or does he? Valérie d'Orçay, who is staying at the B & B while house-hunting in the area isn't convinced that it's a suicide. Despite his misgivings, Richard is drawn into Valérie's investigation, and finds himself becoming a major player in solving the crime. After all, the French do take their cheese quite seriously and it's quite clear there's nothing gouda happening in the close-knit, small village that Richard calls home.
320 pages, Paperback
First published July 7, 2022
301 people are currently reading
7215 people want to read
About the author
Ian Moore
13 books321 followersBest-Selling author Ian Moore is also a stand-up comedian and conference host in the UK, and husband, father of three boys, farmhand, chutney-maker and Basil Fawlty impersonator in France. Since doing less stand-up, he's stopped taking himself so seriously.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 294 reviews
March 30, 2024
Death and Fromage is the second book in the Follet Valley Mystery series by Ian Moore. It is the first I’ve read but that didn’t interfere with my enjoyment of the story and I did enjoy it a lot. Richard Ainsworth, English ex-pat, ex-professor and lover of all things cinema, and now owner of a b&b in fictional Follet Valley, France finds his happy quiet life disrupted by a scandal when a famous restauranteur is savaged by a food critic after *gasp* goat cheese is substituted in a signature dessert, followed by the suicide of the cheese supplier by throwing himself head first into his cheese vat. But Veronica, bounty hunter and friend who is staying at the b&b, is not convinced it’s suicide and she and Richard set out to investigate followed quickly by mayhem and hilarity.
This is one fun, fast, laugh-out-loud cozy with an interesting mystery, plenty of twists and turns, quirky characters, witty dialogue, and a chihuahua named Passepartout. When you’re in the mood for is an entertaining read, what more could you ask for?
Thanks to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review
This is one fun, fast, laugh-out-loud cozy with an interesting mystery, plenty of twists and turns, quirky characters, witty dialogue, and a chihuahua named Passepartout. When you’re in the mood for is an entertaining read, what more could you ask for?
Thanks to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review
November 25, 2023
Richard, an English expat in his fifties, runs a bed and breakfast in a small town in France noted for its cheesemaking and fine dining. When there are several murders, Richard and his mysterious friend Valerie decide to investigate. It's hard to keep track of all of the characters, especially since most of them are obnoxious, and I found the appearance of 3 American Jewish tourists who were compared to the Three Stooges somewhat disturbing. The intended humor of this novel fell flat for me--I was hoping for a food related mystery with a French setting like the Bruno series by Martin Walker, but no such luck. This is the start of a series, but I have definitely had enough. Edelweiss and the publisher provided an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
October 16, 2022
I promise that my dislike of a book with the word ‘cheese’ in it has only very little to do with my recent stint in trying to take up eating cheese again (after more than a year of living vegan) which resulted in some of the worst cramps and bloating I’ve experienced in a while.
Unfortunately, “Death and Fromage” is all about cheese and even though vegan cheese plays a crucial role in it, I couldn’t bring myself to neither care for nor be interested in whatever was going on in Ian Moore’s follow-up novel to “Death and Croissants”.
The second book in the Follet Valley Mysteries series delivers more of the same flat, nonsensical murder mystery absurdity that readers were forcefully acquainted with in book #1 of the series. Richard, the owner of a B'n'B in the Vallée de Follet, a rural region in France, seems to be completely unchanged by the events of the first book. He is still reluctant to leave the comforts of his home whenever something comes up, he still pines for Valérie d’Orcay who remains but a hot cardboard cut-out of a “female bounty hunter” and who is sadly only interested in a platonic relationship and whenever life gets too much, Richard still likes to withdraw to his projector room and watch old Hollywood films he occasionally babbles nonsense about to other people.
The death of a local cheese supplier becomes the peg on which the entire story hangs. And it’s stupidly un-funny. I didn’t have a single laugh-out-loud moment, not even a little giggle. And that even though the author was trying SO HARD to make his book the quirkiest shit you have ever read. Cold take: it isn’t.
The British BDSM couple Genie and Martin were already a faux-pas in the first book, but Moore just won’t stop using them as his punching bag for crude jokes and awkward scenes. There is nothing inherently funny about BDSM and Richard’s constant disgust of the couple’s hobby feels unfit and very unbecoming.
Valérie is still hot, is still this gorgeous femme fatale figure who always has everything figured out, doesn’t take a ‘no’ from anybody, can do ANYTHING and always looks good doing it. This character could have SO MUCH potential but instead, she’s walking around with this huge “woman written by a man” sign that just makes me shudder.
Richard is still one of the most boring and least interesting main characters I have ever come across. Why the author thinks readers would be compelled to spend more time seeing the world through Richard’s eyes is beyond me. If he were real, you could offer to pay me real money to spend time with him and I still wouldn’t do it.
Like its predecessor, this book eschews all pretence of creating an intriguing murder mystery in favour of spending more time with the town’s quirky characters, raising their peculiar manners and unconventionality to new heights, presumably to coax at least a few laughs out of the readership. The multiple deaths (murders) occurring throughout the story are thus met with a kind of composure and nonchalance that is so relaxed, it’s baffling. For a town in which nothing ever happens, least of all multiple murders, the villagers never seemed to be in the least surprised when a new body turned up. Not even the victims’ family members seemed to be perturbed about their loved ones going down like ninepins.
This book proved to be a massive let-down regarding pretty much every aspect. There are too many characters (probably meant to fill in for the plot’s lack of excitement) to keep track of, character development is non-existent, the two main protagonists remain either a male author’s wet dream of a stereotypical ‘strong’ female character or a constantly befuddled, slightly dumb middle-aged man going through not one but several mid-life crises, and simply not enough vegan cheese.
Unfortunately, “Death and Fromage” is all about cheese and even though vegan cheese plays a crucial role in it, I couldn’t bring myself to neither care for nor be interested in whatever was going on in Ian Moore’s follow-up novel to “Death and Croissants”.
The second book in the Follet Valley Mysteries series delivers more of the same flat, nonsensical murder mystery absurdity that readers were forcefully acquainted with in book #1 of the series. Richard, the owner of a B'n'B in the Vallée de Follet, a rural region in France, seems to be completely unchanged by the events of the first book. He is still reluctant to leave the comforts of his home whenever something comes up, he still pines for Valérie d’Orcay who remains but a hot cardboard cut-out of a “female bounty hunter” and who is sadly only interested in a platonic relationship and whenever life gets too much, Richard still likes to withdraw to his projector room and watch old Hollywood films he occasionally babbles nonsense about to other people.
The death of a local cheese supplier becomes the peg on which the entire story hangs. And it’s stupidly un-funny. I didn’t have a single laugh-out-loud moment, not even a little giggle. And that even though the author was trying SO HARD to make his book the quirkiest shit you have ever read. Cold take: it isn’t.
The British BDSM couple Genie and Martin were already a faux-pas in the first book, but Moore just won’t stop using them as his punching bag for crude jokes and awkward scenes. There is nothing inherently funny about BDSM and Richard’s constant disgust of the couple’s hobby feels unfit and very unbecoming.
Valérie is still hot, is still this gorgeous femme fatale figure who always has everything figured out, doesn’t take a ‘no’ from anybody, can do ANYTHING and always looks good doing it. This character could have SO MUCH potential but instead, she’s walking around with this huge “woman written by a man” sign that just makes me shudder.
Richard is still one of the most boring and least interesting main characters I have ever come across. Why the author thinks readers would be compelled to spend more time seeing the world through Richard’s eyes is beyond me. If he were real, you could offer to pay me real money to spend time with him and I still wouldn’t do it.
Like its predecessor, this book eschews all pretence of creating an intriguing murder mystery in favour of spending more time with the town’s quirky characters, raising their peculiar manners and unconventionality to new heights, presumably to coax at least a few laughs out of the readership. The multiple deaths (murders) occurring throughout the story are thus met with a kind of composure and nonchalance that is so relaxed, it’s baffling. For a town in which nothing ever happens, least of all multiple murders, the villagers never seemed to be in the least surprised when a new body turned up. Not even the victims’ family members seemed to be perturbed about their loved ones going down like ninepins.
This book proved to be a massive let-down regarding pretty much every aspect. There are too many characters (probably meant to fill in for the plot’s lack of excitement) to keep track of, character development is non-existent, the two main protagonists remain either a male author’s wet dream of a stereotypical ‘strong’ female character or a constantly befuddled, slightly dumb middle-aged man going through not one but several mid-life crises, and simply not enough vegan cheese.
July 30, 2024
Ideāla vasaras lasāmviela, viegla, ar humoru. Šoreiz skandāls Mišelin restorānā - tiek pasniegts vegānais kazas siers, kam seko sieradarītāja slepkavība, bet cheese must go one, tāpēc pie izmeklēšanas ķeras amatieru izmeklētāju pāris.
July 3, 2023
Abandoned at somewhere around 60%
Loved the main characters (this is book two in the series), loved the style and flow, but this old brain got confused with the amount of different characters.
I know what you’re thinking. That this says more about me than the book, but you’d be wrong!!
Actually no, you’d be right on the money. 😁
Loved the main characters (this is book two in the series), loved the style and flow, but this old brain got confused with the amount of different characters.
I know what you’re thinking. That this says more about me than the book, but you’d be wrong!!
Actually no, you’d be right on the money. 😁
June 3, 2024
I tried really hard to get through this book but it was agonising, the characters, the plot and the execution was just so tedious… to the point I question why I am even reading this. I didn’t finish it in the end, it really didn’t captivate me enough and it’s my first time to read this author’s book and I’m afraid I will be steering clear of others in the future.
May 20, 2023
This was better than the first installment in the series, maybe because I now knew what I was getting myself into.
I couldn't guess the murderer. But somewhere in my mind I might have been sneeking around in the neighborhood this time. Some of all the plot twists at the end I actually had guessed beforehand. But the majority was news to me.
Again this is a very British cosy crime. It feels a bit like the story is held back by something compared to Swedish cosy crime where I feel that the authors more often goes all in.
With all that said it's still a fun story to read and just go along with. If you are a Agatha Christie fan I think that you would really like this.
I couldn't guess the murderer. But somewhere in my mind I might have been sneeking around in the neighborhood this time. Some of all the plot twists at the end I actually had guessed beforehand. But the majority was news to me.
Again this is a very British cosy crime. It feels a bit like the story is held back by something compared to Swedish cosy crime where I feel that the authors more often goes all in.
With all that said it's still a fun story to read and just go along with. If you are a Agatha Christie fan I think that you would really like this.
June 2, 2025
This was painfully bad.
I kept checking to see if this was historical, but it's contemporary. The writing is so stilted, but both DOWNTON ABBEY and THE AVENGERS are mentioned. Repeatedly. I am confused.
This is boring. I don't care about who dies. I don't care about who kills. I definitely don't care about vegan goat cheese.
And while I very much enjoy random italicized Vietnamese in Vietnamese diaspora novels, I very much don't enjoy random French in British novels. We get it. You took a class in school. C'est super!
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press
I kept checking to see if this was historical, but it's contemporary. The writing is so stilted, but both DOWNTON ABBEY and THE AVENGERS are mentioned. Repeatedly. I am confused.
This is boring. I don't care about who dies. I don't care about who kills. I definitely don't care about vegan goat cheese.
And while I very much enjoy random italicized Vietnamese in Vietnamese diaspora novels, I very much don't enjoy random French in British novels. We get it. You took a class in school. C'est super!
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press
February 3, 2024
This is not my first book from Ian Moore and I must admit that I’m a big fan. We follow Richard, a middle-aged Englishman that run’s a B&B in France. His life is quiet and peaceful just as he likes it until a scandal comes to life. Fabrice, a goat-cheese supplier is found dead. And Richard wonders, was it suicide or murder? He’s quite drawn to discover the cause of death.
The characters we are presented to throughout the story are quirky and there’s a lot of funny moments that make this book an amazing cozy mystery. It has a good pace and it’s full of mysteries and intrigues. We have jokes, twists, and a lot of references to movies.
I recommend it to everyone that enjoys cozy mysteries with a bit of humor on them. It was such a delightful read, it made me laugh out loud a few times and it made me feel like I was eating French gourmet food.
The characters we are presented to throughout the story are quirky and there’s a lot of funny moments that make this book an amazing cozy mystery. It has a good pace and it’s full of mysteries and intrigues. We have jokes, twists, and a lot of references to movies.
I recommend it to everyone that enjoys cozy mysteries with a bit of humor on them. It was such a delightful read, it made me laugh out loud a few times and it made me feel like I was eating French gourmet food.
November 18, 2023
I really really like Richard, he felt so real to me. He likes his quiet life, his hens, and old films starring Olivia de Havilland. He also has a crush on Valerie, a mysterious and alleged bounty hunter who is his total opposite. When a local goat cheese farmer ends up dead, by apparent suicide, Richard and Valerie are roped into the investigation. Then who shows up but Richard's estranged wife Clare, and then more deaths happen in this quiet part of France.
The mystery was alright. I found the story to be slow but I also really liked all the characters, especially the Martin and Gennie running joke about their swinging B&B. There was some humorous dialogue as well, and jabs at English culinary tastes. I will say - this book felt less like a mystery than simply a story about the people who live in the Follet Valley.
At the end, after three deaths have occurred, there is a dramatic reveal orchestrated by Valerie, but it is tough to get excited about it because it all revolves around a culinary dessert and cheese. The stakes feel... low. And I thought the resolution of whodunnit was confusing and a little underwhelming. I'm still not sure of what exactly happened.
I might read more books about Richard and Valerie, especially since they seem to be about to open up a detective agency together and I enjoy their relationship, but I hope the mystery is a bit more interesting.
Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to read and give an honest review!
The mystery was alright. I found the story to be slow but I also really liked all the characters, especially the Martin and Gennie running joke about their swinging B&B. There was some humorous dialogue as well, and jabs at English culinary tastes. I will say - this book felt less like a mystery than simply a story about the people who live in the Follet Valley.
At the end, after three deaths have occurred, there is a dramatic reveal orchestrated by Valerie, but it is tough to get excited about it because it all revolves around a culinary dessert and cheese. The stakes feel... low. And I thought the resolution of whodunnit was confusing and a little underwhelming. I'm still not sure of what exactly happened.
I might read more books about Richard and Valerie, especially since they seem to be about to open up a detective agency together and I enjoy their relationship, but I hope the mystery is a bit more interesting.
Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to read and give an honest review!
May 12, 2023
After reading the first of this series I couldn’t resist pushing the second instalment to the top of my TBR pile. So glad I did.
I love the Richard - Valérie dynamic so much I have a girl crush on the latter! As the saying goes ‘behind every great man…’ Valérie is the backbone the bumbling Richard needs.
He is still running his Fawlty Towers-esque chambre d’hôte until a plan to remove him is revealed. Meanwhile murders abound in the world of gastronomy and with the help of some sage advice from Joan Crawford, the unlikely pairing once again get to the bottom of the drama again.
Martin and Gennie add their own bit of ‘spice’ to the proceedings - lookout for the line ‘You’re not disturbing us, we’re about to watch countdown.’ Hysterical!
How fortunate that Valérie is looking to move to the area in time for a third outing due this summer, I for one cannot wait.
I love the Richard - Valérie dynamic so much I have a girl crush on the latter! As the saying goes ‘behind every great man…’ Valérie is the backbone the bumbling Richard needs.
He is still running his Fawlty Towers-esque chambre d’hôte until a plan to remove him is revealed. Meanwhile murders abound in the world of gastronomy and with the help of some sage advice from Joan Crawford, the unlikely pairing once again get to the bottom of the drama again.
Martin and Gennie add their own bit of ‘spice’ to the proceedings - lookout for the line ‘You’re not disturbing us, we’re about to watch countdown.’ Hysterical!
How fortunate that Valérie is looking to move to the area in time for a third outing due this summer, I for one cannot wait.
April 12, 2024
Thank you to the author, Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. My apologies for the delay in posting, time got away from me.
This is the second in a series, and the first book I have read by this author. This mystery centers on an Englishman of a certain age who is running a B&B in France, and the death first of a celebrated local cheesemaker, and next of a local chef. There are lots of complications, lots of "quirky" characters and all of it fell fairly flat for me. The main character is boring as all get out, the quirky bits are irritating rather than humorous and the aftermath of several murders in a small town rings anything but true. These events are met with an equanimity that is nothing short of miraculous, and how a resolution is arrived at is also more of a miracle than anything else, and neither funny nor engaging.
This is the second in a series, and the first book I have read by this author. This mystery centers on an Englishman of a certain age who is running a B&B in France, and the death first of a celebrated local cheesemaker, and next of a local chef. There are lots of complications, lots of "quirky" characters and all of it fell fairly flat for me. The main character is boring as all get out, the quirky bits are irritating rather than humorous and the aftermath of several murders in a small town rings anything but true. These events are met with an equanimity that is nothing short of miraculous, and how a resolution is arrived at is also more of a miracle than anything else, and neither funny nor engaging.
March 27, 2024
TITLE: DEATH AND FROMAGE
SERIES: A Follet Valley Mystery Book 2
AUTHOR: IAN MOORE
PUB DATE: 03.05.2024
REVIEW: In the serene town of Val de Follet is a B&B ran by Richard Ainsworth, and nothing ‘gouda’ happens in this small French town until a famous restaurant loses a Michelin star and the cheese supplier is found dead in his own pasteurizing tank. Richard‘a peace and quiet is disrupted when he is dragged into the investigation. I loved how funny and clever this one is plotted.
READ THIS IF YOU LIKED: The Thursday Murder Club series, The Marlow Murder Club, or The Dublin Trilogy.
SERIES: A Follet Valley Mystery Book 2
AUTHOR: IAN MOORE
PUB DATE: 03.05.2024
REVIEW: In the serene town of Val de Follet is a B&B ran by Richard Ainsworth, and nothing ‘gouda’ happens in this small French town until a famous restaurant loses a Michelin star and the cheese supplier is found dead in his own pasteurizing tank. Richard‘a peace and quiet is disrupted when he is dragged into the investigation. I loved how funny and clever this one is plotted.
READ THIS IF YOU LIKED: The Thursday Murder Club series, The Marlow Murder Club, or The Dublin Trilogy.
April 18, 2025
A fun read, one that I’m sure middle aged people would love whilst sitting in the sun
August 22, 2025
Auch der zweite Teil ein Genuss :)
May 15, 2025
Auch der zweite Teil isr vergnüglich :)
✨🔎🧀🌱✨
✨🔎🧀🌱✨
March 9, 2024
Dollycas's Thoughts
The French take their cheese very seriously and Richard Ainsworth takes his quiet life seriously too. When he becomes involved in a cheese scandal in the nearby town of Saint-Sauver and a local cheese supplier is murdered or was it suicide, he is not happy. Then his wife comes to town with some plans of her own. Richard just wants to relax and spend a little time with his chickens but the murders keep stacking up. Can he cheese out what the heck is going on and get back to his quiet life? or will the murders and mayhem continue?
___
I really enjoyed the 1st book in this series, Death and Croissants. It was laugh-out-loud funny with crazy situations. But Death and Fromage missed the mark for me.
Femme fatale Valérie d'Orçay returns and pulls Richard into another strange case. Richard's wife, daughter, and son-in-law arrive for a visit in the middle of all the drama with some interesting plans to shake up Richard's life. Plus we are introduced to way too many people connected to the cheese world. Sadly, all the characters felt flat and like they were just going through the motions. No one stood out to get me engaged in the story. Genie and Martin, the unique couple that brought laughs in the last book when Richard met them added nothing to the story this time. Their proclivities are no longer surprising or humorous.
The mystery has multiple deaths in a small town but no one seems to be put out about them, it is all about the dreaded vegan cheese, male egos, other "investments", and someone who felt wronged. I feel this could have been an interesting mystery but the author kept trying to insert humor in the wrong places and he brought way too many characters into the story that weren't developed.
I do like the premise of Richard and his B&B in Val de Follet. I love that he loves old movies that he escapes to watch several times throughout the story and that he names his chickens after legendary ladies of Hollywood. He and Valerie working together has worked so it should be able to work again.
Death and Fromage was cheesy and not in a good way. I kept reading hoping that the qualities I enjoyed in the first book would appear, but sadly, they did not. In the last line of my review of Death and Croissants, I wrote "I don’t know how the author would top this story". He sure didn't do it in Death and Fromage. I know there are more books in this series so I hope this book was just a fluke.
The French take their cheese very seriously and Richard Ainsworth takes his quiet life seriously too. When he becomes involved in a cheese scandal in the nearby town of Saint-Sauver and a local cheese supplier is murdered or was it suicide, he is not happy. Then his wife comes to town with some plans of her own. Richard just wants to relax and spend a little time with his chickens but the murders keep stacking up. Can he cheese out what the heck is going on and get back to his quiet life? or will the murders and mayhem continue?
___
I really enjoyed the 1st book in this series, Death and Croissants. It was laugh-out-loud funny with crazy situations. But Death and Fromage missed the mark for me.
Femme fatale Valérie d'Orçay returns and pulls Richard into another strange case. Richard's wife, daughter, and son-in-law arrive for a visit in the middle of all the drama with some interesting plans to shake up Richard's life. Plus we are introduced to way too many people connected to the cheese world. Sadly, all the characters felt flat and like they were just going through the motions. No one stood out to get me engaged in the story. Genie and Martin, the unique couple that brought laughs in the last book when Richard met them added nothing to the story this time. Their proclivities are no longer surprising or humorous.
The mystery has multiple deaths in a small town but no one seems to be put out about them, it is all about the dreaded vegan cheese, male egos, other "investments", and someone who felt wronged. I feel this could have been an interesting mystery but the author kept trying to insert humor in the wrong places and he brought way too many characters into the story that weren't developed.
I do like the premise of Richard and his B&B in Val de Follet. I love that he loves old movies that he escapes to watch several times throughout the story and that he names his chickens after legendary ladies of Hollywood. He and Valerie working together has worked so it should be able to work again.
Death and Fromage was cheesy and not in a good way. I kept reading hoping that the qualities I enjoyed in the first book would appear, but sadly, they did not. In the last line of my review of Death and Croissants, I wrote "I don’t know how the author would top this story". He sure didn't do it in Death and Fromage. I know there are more books in this series so I hope this book was just a fluke.
October 23, 2024
I like Valerie and Richard's relationship and enjoy Richard's narration, however I felt that the whole murder mystery resolved itself out of our knowledge. Most of the information was gathered by Valerie and we didn't know any of it. It felt like it was just jammed together in a very staged reveal.
I also didn't enjoy how Valerie took it upon herself to hijack Richard's interview with Cambridge. He had already made the decision beforehand that he didn't want it and he needed to be the one to take control of his life. Valerie just assumed he didn't want the job and then proceeded to injure, embarrass and then arrest him????
I also didn't enjoy how Valerie took it upon herself to hijack Richard's interview with Cambridge. He had already made the decision beforehand that he didn't want it and he needed to be the one to take control of his life. Valerie just assumed he didn't want the job and then proceeded to injure, embarrass and then arrest him????
October 25, 2022
Ok gosh this was trying to be humorous yet failing. Why do English authors think they can make la vie française funny and throw in about cheese or food to make it appetising. Boring and I didn't care much for the characters. No time wasted here DNF.
April 2, 2024
Similar to the first, got so confused by all the French names though
March 22, 2024
Death and Fromage by Ian Moore is the second book of four, set in the imaginary Follet Valley in France.
I hadn't read the first book, but easily caught up as to who was who. Brit Richard Ainsworth runs a B and B in Follet Valley and likes his routines. He also likes his customers - especially Valérie. They have 'worked' together on a previous 'case'. And it looks like they've got another whodunit to look into.
It starts with a food critic and 'a bland imposter' - vegan goat cheese! The nerve. Then comes the death by suicide of the goat cheese supplier. And that sets the tone for the rest of the book. Moore skewers Michelin ratings, foodies, chefs and more in Death and Fromage - especially cheese.
Moore's dialogue is full of gems. Mostly from Richard. Veronica as well, but her's is a little sharper. The two of them make for wonderful amateur detectives. Veronica has an edge as she is also bounty hunter. Of course! The town is full with wonderfully quirky supporting characters. Again - lots of comedic situations and dialogue.
I adore cosy mysteries and this is a perfect choice. I'd be happy to read the other books in this series.
I hadn't read the first book, but easily caught up as to who was who. Brit Richard Ainsworth runs a B and B in Follet Valley and likes his routines. He also likes his customers - especially Valérie. They have 'worked' together on a previous 'case'. And it looks like they've got another whodunit to look into.
It starts with a food critic and 'a bland imposter' - vegan goat cheese! The nerve. Then comes the death by suicide of the goat cheese supplier. And that sets the tone for the rest of the book. Moore skewers Michelin ratings, foodies, chefs and more in Death and Fromage - especially cheese.
Moore's dialogue is full of gems. Mostly from Richard. Veronica as well, but her's is a little sharper. The two of them make for wonderful amateur detectives. Veronica has an edge as she is also bounty hunter. Of course! The town is full with wonderfully quirky supporting characters. Again - lots of comedic situations and dialogue.
I adore cosy mysteries and this is a perfect choice. I'd be happy to read the other books in this series.
September 10, 2024
I can't help but continue to find this series delightful. These mysteries set in France's Follet Valley have become the perfect laugh-out-loud popcorn reads for me. Even though I found the mystery more sophisticated in Death and Croissants, this series remains a solid 4 stars all around. The relationship dynamic between Richard and Valérie reminds me of Death in Paradise's Richard Poole and Camille Bordeaux, and not simply because we have a British man and French woman working alongside each other. Valérie is good for Richard, and she encourages him to get outside his comfort zone while appreciating him for who he is.
In this second installment, the two return to stick their noses where they likely shouldn't be. When a famous restaurant is downgraded from three Michelin stars to two, the incident reeks with scandal and family drama. Coincidentally, or possibly linked, the leading goat cheese supplier is discovered drowned in one of his own pasteurization tanks. Valérie is convinced that the initial declaration of suicide is wrong, and she recruits Richard to help her uncover the truth. Full of humorous mishaps and witty dialogue, a return of many enjoyable characters from book 1, and the introduction to Richard's estranged wife...this book is just good fun.
Actual Rating: 4.0 stars
Original Pub Date: 5 March 2023
Reading Format: audio
PREVIOUS BOOKS IN THE SERIES:
Death and Croissants—4 stars
Thank you NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press, and Sourcebooks for an E-ARC copy in exchange for this honest review!
In this second installment, the two return to stick their noses where they likely shouldn't be. When a famous restaurant is downgraded from three Michelin stars to two, the incident reeks with scandal and family drama. Coincidentally, or possibly linked, the leading goat cheese supplier is discovered drowned in one of his own pasteurization tanks. Valérie is convinced that the initial declaration of suicide is wrong, and she recruits Richard to help her uncover the truth. Full of humorous mishaps and witty dialogue, a return of many enjoyable characters from book 1, and the introduction to Richard's estranged wife...this book is just good fun.
Actual Rating: 4.0 stars
Original Pub Date: 5 March 2023
Reading Format: audio
PREVIOUS BOOKS IN THE SERIES:
Death and Croissants—4 stars
Thank you NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press, and Sourcebooks for an E-ARC copy in exchange for this honest review!
November 3, 2023
The second installment in a fun and light cozy mystery series.
I liked the first book in the series better than this one, but the vibes are the same and Richard remains a likable protagonist.
The quality of the mystery here is significantly lower than the first. It’s unnecessarily convoluted and the whole “cheese scandal” aspect of it just seemed stupid rather than (as I expect was intended) clever and cheeky.
But for the most part the humor is there, and the setting and sense of place remain excellent. I’m a bit over the whole obstacle of the estranged wife, but I do like Valérie and can’t help but think these books will be more enjoyable once Richard fully moves on.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
I liked the first book in the series better than this one, but the vibes are the same and Richard remains a likable protagonist.
The quality of the mystery here is significantly lower than the first. It’s unnecessarily convoluted and the whole “cheese scandal” aspect of it just seemed stupid rather than (as I expect was intended) clever and cheeky.
But for the most part the humor is there, and the setting and sense of place remain excellent. I’m a bit over the whole obstacle of the estranged wife, but I do like Valérie and can’t help but think these books will be more enjoyable once Richard fully moves on.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
April 3, 2024
This was a good follow up to Death and Croissants and I enjoyed being back in the Follet Valley with Richard and Valerie.
This book's central mystery involves celebrity chefs, cheese makers, food critics, family drama, and a new chicken. As in the first book, Richard is a sort of bumbling amateur detective (relatable) who happens to stumble into the case head on.
A lot of things were going on in this book. From the murders, Richard's family visiting, and his (maybe??) relationship with Valerie, I got confused quite a bit what was going on. And honestly, I'm not even sure I completely understand the murderer and their motive haha. If you don't really care about solving the mystery, the book is chaotic and fun. A perfect cozy read if you are looking to have a good time.
Pub Date: Out Now!
This eARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
This book's central mystery involves celebrity chefs, cheese makers, food critics, family drama, and a new chicken. As in the first book, Richard is a sort of bumbling amateur detective (relatable) who happens to stumble into the case head on.
A lot of things were going on in this book. From the murders, Richard's family visiting, and his (maybe??) relationship with Valerie, I got confused quite a bit what was going on. And honestly, I'm not even sure I completely understand the murderer and their motive haha. If you don't really care about solving the mystery, the book is chaotic and fun. A perfect cozy read if you are looking to have a good time.
Pub Date: Out Now!
This eARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
September 18, 2025
Morte e Fromage é um livro de leitura rápida que nos entretém e prende até ao fim, mas, para além disso, não existe mais nenhum ponto positivo que lhe possa atribuir.
A explicação para as 2 estrelas é simples: Humor, a meu ver, forçado e a tradução que li deixou muito a desejar (provavelmente o mesmo se aplica ao texto original, que me pareceu já de si um tanto "mediano", tirando algumas coisas que são próprias da tradução). Atrevo-me ainda a dizer que todas as personagens desta história se comportam como personagens-tipo, tornando-se em marionetas previsíveis, ou até esquecíveis, pelas quais o leitor não consegue criar uma conexão de empatia ou outro sentimento semelhante.
A explicação para as 2 estrelas é simples: Humor, a meu ver, forçado e a tradução que li deixou muito a desejar (provavelmente o mesmo se aplica ao texto original, que me pareceu já de si um tanto "mediano", tirando algumas coisas que são próprias da tradução). Atrevo-me ainda a dizer que todas as personagens desta história se comportam como personagens-tipo, tornando-se em marionetas previsíveis, ou até esquecíveis, pelas quais o leitor não consegue criar uma conexão de empatia ou outro sentimento semelhante.
November 6, 2024
I can't believe I forgot how funny this author was - fantastic reading and I can't wait until BBC/ITV pick these up for a series
August 5, 2024
3.5/5
Um cozy mystery que mistura mistério e humor. Ambientado numa região rural da França, a história segue os passos de Richard, um inglês peculiar dono de um B&B.
Com um feitio muito especial e com uma vontade de tranquilidade, Richard vê a sua paz albaroada por uma série de eventos tumultuosos e momento algo cómicos.
Este funcionou um pouco melhor para mim do que o primeiro, no entanto o meu santo e o do Richard ainda não combinaram. A minha personagem favorita é a Valérie que traz leveza e perspicácia ao mistério.
Continuo a achar que há momentos lentos e aborrecidos, algumas descrições em exagero e algumas personagens que pouco acrescentam para a história.
Uma leitura para quem gosta de mistérios leves e bem-humorados, com um toque pitoresco do charme francês.
Um cozy mystery que mistura mistério e humor. Ambientado numa região rural da França, a história segue os passos de Richard, um inglês peculiar dono de um B&B.
Com um feitio muito especial e com uma vontade de tranquilidade, Richard vê a sua paz albaroada por uma série de eventos tumultuosos e momento algo cómicos.
Este funcionou um pouco melhor para mim do que o primeiro, no entanto o meu santo e o do Richard ainda não combinaram. A minha personagem favorita é a Valérie que traz leveza e perspicácia ao mistério.
Continuo a achar que há momentos lentos e aborrecidos, algumas descrições em exagero e algumas personagens que pouco acrescentam para a história.
Uma leitura para quem gosta de mistérios leves e bem-humorados, com um toque pitoresco do charme francês.
August 19, 2024
This review was originally posted on my blog https://booksare42.com/
I went into Death and Fromage with relatively high expectations because I really enjoyed Death and Croissants. Unfortunately, Death and Fromage did not reach my expectations and I was kind of disappointed with this book.
What I enjoyed about Death and Fromage was the twisty mystery. I liked that the list of suspects kept changing and I enjoyed trying to piece together how everyone was connected. I also liked how many layers there were to the mystery because it left a lot of potential motives behind the murders. I also enjoyed the scene near the end where the criminal was revealed to the town, it reminded me of a scene from a Poirot novel.
What bothered me about Death and Fromage was Richard. I don’t want to spoil anything, but his lack of backbone really irritated me. It bothered me that he was seemingly incapable of standing up for or making decisions for himself. In Death and Croissants he was clueless, but it was slightly endearing because he had been unwillingly thrown into the world of crime solving. In this book, his cluelessness was more irritating than endearing.
As far as the other characters so, I did enjoy seeing Valerie again. She’s a whirlwind and a mystery. I enjoyed learning a bit more about her, though I still have dozens of questions about her. I also enjoyed seeing Madame Tablier, I appreciate her no-nonsense attitude.
As far as humour goes, Death and Fromage had a few amusing moments. Overall though, I found that a lot of the humour fell flat for me.
Overall, I didn’t love Death and Fromage and I’m not sure if I’m going to continue with this series. While the mystery aspect of the book was entertaining, not being a fan of the main character made this a difficult book to get through.
I went into Death and Fromage with relatively high expectations because I really enjoyed Death and Croissants. Unfortunately, Death and Fromage did not reach my expectations and I was kind of disappointed with this book.
What I enjoyed about Death and Fromage was the twisty mystery. I liked that the list of suspects kept changing and I enjoyed trying to piece together how everyone was connected. I also liked how many layers there were to the mystery because it left a lot of potential motives behind the murders. I also enjoyed the scene near the end where the criminal was revealed to the town, it reminded me of a scene from a Poirot novel.
What bothered me about Death and Fromage was Richard. I don’t want to spoil anything, but his lack of backbone really irritated me. It bothered me that he was seemingly incapable of standing up for or making decisions for himself. In Death and Croissants he was clueless, but it was slightly endearing because he had been unwillingly thrown into the world of crime solving. In this book, his cluelessness was more irritating than endearing.
As far as the other characters so, I did enjoy seeing Valerie again. She’s a whirlwind and a mystery. I enjoyed learning a bit more about her, though I still have dozens of questions about her. I also enjoyed seeing Madame Tablier, I appreciate her no-nonsense attitude.
As far as humour goes, Death and Fromage had a few amusing moments. Overall though, I found that a lot of the humour fell flat for me.
Overall, I didn’t love Death and Fromage and I’m not sure if I’m going to continue with this series. While the mystery aspect of the book was entertaining, not being a fan of the main character made this a difficult book to get through.
October 1, 2022
Not worth your time!
To convoluted and disjointed to make it an enjoyable read. To many characters fighting for a place in the storyline made it difficult to make any sense of the plot. A big disappointment!
To convoluted and disjointed to make it an enjoyable read. To many characters fighting for a place in the storyline made it difficult to make any sense of the plot. A big disappointment!
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