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An American in Paris #1
Mastering the Art of French Murder
A new mystery set in post-WWII Paris and starring Julia Child’s (fictional) best friend, confidant, and fellow American.
As Paris rediscovers its joie de vivre, Tabitha Knight, recently arrived from Detroit for an extended stay with her French grandfather, is on her own journey of discovery. Paris isn’t just the City of Light; it’s the city of history, romance, stunning architecture . . . and food. Thanks to her neighbor and friend Julia Child, another ex-pat who’s fallen head over heels for Paris, Tabitha is learning how to cook for her Grandpère and Oncle Rafe.
Between tutoring Americans in French, visiting the market, and eagerly sampling the results of Julia’s studies at Le Cordon Bleu cooking school, Tabitha’s sojourn is proving thoroughly delightful. That is, until the cold December day they return to Julia’s building and learn that a body has been found in the cellar. Tabitha recognizes the victim as a woman she’d met only the night before, at a party given by Julia’s sister, Dort. The murder weapon found nearby is recognizable too—a knife from Julia’s kitchen.
Tabitha is eager to help the investigation, but is shocked when Inspector Merveille reveals that a note, in Tabitha’s handwriting, was found in the dead woman’s pocket. Is this murder a case of international intrigue, or something far more personal? From the shadows of the Tour Eiffel at midnight, to the tiny third-floor Child kitchen, to the grungy streets of Montmartre, Tabitha navigates through the city hoping to find the real killer before she or one of her friends ends up in prison . . . or worse.
As Paris rediscovers its joie de vivre, Tabitha Knight, recently arrived from Detroit for an extended stay with her French grandfather, is on her own journey of discovery. Paris isn’t just the City of Light; it’s the city of history, romance, stunning architecture . . . and food. Thanks to her neighbor and friend Julia Child, another ex-pat who’s fallen head over heels for Paris, Tabitha is learning how to cook for her Grandpère and Oncle Rafe.
Between tutoring Americans in French, visiting the market, and eagerly sampling the results of Julia’s studies at Le Cordon Bleu cooking school, Tabitha’s sojourn is proving thoroughly delightful. That is, until the cold December day they return to Julia’s building and learn that a body has been found in the cellar. Tabitha recognizes the victim as a woman she’d met only the night before, at a party given by Julia’s sister, Dort. The murder weapon found nearby is recognizable too—a knife from Julia’s kitchen.
Tabitha is eager to help the investigation, but is shocked when Inspector Merveille reveals that a note, in Tabitha’s handwriting, was found in the dead woman’s pocket. Is this murder a case of international intrigue, or something far more personal? From the shadows of the Tour Eiffel at midnight, to the tiny third-floor Child kitchen, to the grungy streets of Montmartre, Tabitha navigates through the city hoping to find the real killer before she or one of her friends ends up in prison . . . or worse.
259 pages, Hardcover
First published April 25, 2023
1255 people are currently reading
35241 people want to read
About the author
Colleen Cambridge
23 books1,115 followersColleen Cambridge is the pen name of Colleen Gleason, an award-winning USA Today and New York Times bestselling author.
Colleen Cambridge writes mostly historical-set mysteries with famous people as the sidekick or friend of her protagonists and has a blast doing so. She's written about Agatha Christie's (fictional) housekeeper, Abe Lincoln's (fictional) aide, and Julia Child's (fictional) best friend in Paris.
Colleen lives in the midwest United States with her family and two dogs, and is always plotting her next murder—er, book.
Colleen Cambridge writes mostly historical-set mysteries with famous people as the sidekick or friend of her protagonists and has a blast doing so. She's written about Agatha Christie's (fictional) housekeeper, Abe Lincoln's (fictional) aide, and Julia Child's (fictional) best friend in Paris.
Colleen lives in the midwest United States with her family and two dogs, and is always plotting her next murder—er, book.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,753 reviews
June 20, 2023
4 stars. Really enjoyed this "cozy mystery" title & finished it very quickly, it was a fun & really easy read, which I really appreciated. I thought there’d be more Julia & Paul Child in it than there was, but still liked their occasional presence along with the post-war Parisian setting & timeframe. The Yank MC was also a bit blah, but her two “messieurs” and their pets 🐶😻 really upped the quirky charm!
April 20, 2023
Mastering the Art of French Murder by Colleen Cambridge
An American in Paris series #1. Historical mystery, amateur female sleuth. Post WWII Paris.
Tabitha Knight has recently arrived in Paris from Detroit, Michigan in the US. She’s staying with her grandfather and learning to cook from her neighbor and friend, Julia Child. One cold December night a body is found in the basement and the knife is discovered to be from Julia’s kitchen. Tabitha had briefly met the victim after a party and feels like she needs to help investigate. The danger quickly mounts as Tabitha finds herself searching out clues before the inspector and now the killer may be after her!
🎧 I listened to an audiobook version narrated by Polly Lee. The performance was absolutely wonderful, filled with French and American accents and the voice of Julia Child that sounded to me exactly as you’d expect. The flipping between voices of male and female, French or other was seamless and sounded close to a full cast recording. The tension of suspense was clear as was Julia’s mayo frustration.
I listened to this at 1.5 which is about standard for me. On this, anything faster and the accent was lost in the jumble.
Amusing, intriguing, and a good mystery.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley and RB Media.
An American in Paris series #1. Historical mystery, amateur female sleuth. Post WWII Paris.
Tabitha Knight has recently arrived in Paris from Detroit, Michigan in the US. She’s staying with her grandfather and learning to cook from her neighbor and friend, Julia Child. One cold December night a body is found in the basement and the knife is discovered to be from Julia’s kitchen. Tabitha had briefly met the victim after a party and feels like she needs to help investigate. The danger quickly mounts as Tabitha finds herself searching out clues before the inspector and now the killer may be after her!
🎧 I listened to an audiobook version narrated by Polly Lee. The performance was absolutely wonderful, filled with French and American accents and the voice of Julia Child that sounded to me exactly as you’d expect. The flipping between voices of male and female, French or other was seamless and sounded close to a full cast recording. The tension of suspense was clear as was Julia’s mayo frustration.
I listened to this at 1.5 which is about standard for me. On this, anything faster and the accent was lost in the jumble.
Amusing, intriguing, and a good mystery.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley and RB Media.
September 26, 2022
Mastering the Art of French Murder, written by Colleen Cambridge, is a completely new author to me. I stumbled upon the book through NetGalley and appreciated the connection with Julia's Child's famous book. Plus, the cover is simply superb, so I had to give it a chance. Set in 1950s Paris, the book focuses on Julia's best friend who discovers a dead body and tries to protect Julia's sister from being arrested. Between the lovely descriptions of the city and the gorgeous details of all the food Julia's cooking, the book easily immersed me in its proverbial sauce. I enjoyed the character dynamics, and traveling back 75 years to a more admirable time (the way people acted and lived, not necessarily the missing things we have gained since then) kept me excited and nostalgic. The writing is accessible and filled with wonderful expressions and ambiance. I will definitely read the next book.
April 18, 2023
3.5 stars, rounded up
I will admit to being drawn to this book because of the cute title and cover, a take off on Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking. The book posits that while Julia was in Paris, she, along with her friend, become involved in a murder investigation. Although Julia is definitely an auxiliary character.
Dort, Julia’s sister, hosts a party in Julia’s apartment. The next morning, Julia’s maid finds a young Parisian girl who had attended the party dead in the cellar of the building, killed with one of Julia’s knives.
The story is told from the perspective of Tabitha, Julia’s friend. Turns out, the dead woman had a note written by Tabitha in her pocket. When the French detective seems to be focusing a lot of his attention on her and Julia, she decides she needs to take matters into her own hands.
This is a fun, light hearted romp. Cambridge writes in an easy straightforward style that makes it easy to envision each scene. Tabitha is a great main character. Young, intelligent, hoping to learn to cook, but failing miserably. The plot is fairly simplistic and it’s easy to see how things will play out. Still, I found it brought a smile to my face on numerous occasions.
I listened to this story, which was a mixed blessing. Polly Lee was the narrator and did a great job expressing Tabitha. She wasn’t nearly as good with the other characters. Her impression of Julia’s distinctive voice felt off. And while she could properly speak a french word or two correctly, she struggled with an authentic french accent when she had to speak multiple sentences, especially when speaking as one of the men.
My thanks to Netgalley and HighBridge Audio for an advance copy of this audiobook.
I will admit to being drawn to this book because of the cute title and cover, a take off on Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking. The book posits that while Julia was in Paris, she, along with her friend, become involved in a murder investigation. Although Julia is definitely an auxiliary character.
Dort, Julia’s sister, hosts a party in Julia’s apartment. The next morning, Julia’s maid finds a young Parisian girl who had attended the party dead in the cellar of the building, killed with one of Julia’s knives.
The story is told from the perspective of Tabitha, Julia’s friend. Turns out, the dead woman had a note written by Tabitha in her pocket. When the French detective seems to be focusing a lot of his attention on her and Julia, she decides she needs to take matters into her own hands.
This is a fun, light hearted romp. Cambridge writes in an easy straightforward style that makes it easy to envision each scene. Tabitha is a great main character. Young, intelligent, hoping to learn to cook, but failing miserably. The plot is fairly simplistic and it’s easy to see how things will play out. Still, I found it brought a smile to my face on numerous occasions.
I listened to this story, which was a mixed blessing. Polly Lee was the narrator and did a great job expressing Tabitha. She wasn’t nearly as good with the other characters. Her impression of Julia’s distinctive voice felt off. And while she could properly speak a french word or two correctly, she struggled with an authentic french accent when she had to speak multiple sentences, especially when speaking as one of the men.
My thanks to Netgalley and HighBridge Audio for an advance copy of this audiobook.
February 26, 2023
This was a very hokey book. The writing was juvenile and campy, the plot silly, and the characters trite. It is possible to write a period piece without the prose and dialogue sounding so stilted, but this author couldn't do it. She used so many words that weren't necessary, spent so much time stating the obvious, and reverted to anachronistic language that had no place in a novel set just after ww2.
October 2, 2023
I think the author got so caught up in her love of Julia Child that she forgot what time period she was writing in.
There was research for sure, but the way the words were used in the text didn't flow correctly and then would be mixed in with modern colloquial language that just sounded strange. This one definitely needed an editor that was familiar with the time period to fix things like that.
It wasn't a bad book, but it felt stilted due to the language and the pacing.
2 Stars for me.
There was research for sure, but the way the words were used in the text didn't flow correctly and then would be mixed in with modern colloquial language that just sounded strange. This one definitely needed an editor that was familiar with the time period to fix things like that.
It wasn't a bad book, but it felt stilted due to the language and the pacing.
2 Stars for me.
April 26, 2023
Check out all my reviews at: https://www.avonnalovesgenres.com
MASTERING THE ART OF FRENCH MURDER (An American in Paris Book #1) by Colleen Cambridge is the entertaining first book in this new historical mystery series set in Paris post WWII featuring a young American transplant in Paris who is the best friend of Julia Child. After reading and loving Ms. Cambridge’s historical mystery series set at Mallowan Hall with Agatha Christie as the best friend of the protagonist, I was excited to try this new protagonist and series.
Tabitha Knight grew up in Detroit, but her Grandmere was French and Tabitha grew up bilingual. With the passing of her Grandmere, she travels to post WWII Paris to stay with her Grandpere and Oncle Rafe. She is tutoring French to Americans in Paris after the war and has become friends with Julia Child. When returning from the market, Tabitha and Julia learn of a murdered girl in the cellar of Julia’s apartment building. Tabitha recognizes the victim from a party the night before and the murder weapon discovered by Inspector Merveille is one of Julia’s expensive chef knives from her kitchen.
The suspects are all from the English-speaking theater troupe Julia’s sister, Dort works for that were at the late-night party, Tabitha is determined to clear her friend’s names even with the Inspector telling her to stay out of the investigation. With some aide from her Grandpere and Oncle, Tabitha hopes to find the real killer before any of her friends are jailed or even worse.
This is an exciting amateur sleuth mystery set in an interesting time and location. Tabitha is a resourceful and brave protagonist, who also gets herself into a few dangerous situations due to her excessive curiosity. The friendship with Julia Child is a perfect setup for fun dialogue as Julia tries to teach Tabitha how to cook and shop at the local market so she can prepare dinners for her Grandpere and Oncle. I look forward to discovering more about these gentlemen, because there is definitely more than what has been yet revealed about their lives prior to Tabitha coming to live with them. The plot has plenty of red herrings and twists that kept me reading through all of Tabitha’s adventures and discoveries, but it does start out a bit slow. All plot threads come together and are satisfactorily revealed at the conclusion. I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series and learning more about all these characters.
I recommend this historical mystery with memorable characters and 1950’s Paris.
MASTERING THE ART OF FRENCH MURDER (An American in Paris Book #1) by Colleen Cambridge is the entertaining first book in this new historical mystery series set in Paris post WWII featuring a young American transplant in Paris who is the best friend of Julia Child. After reading and loving Ms. Cambridge’s historical mystery series set at Mallowan Hall with Agatha Christie as the best friend of the protagonist, I was excited to try this new protagonist and series.
Tabitha Knight grew up in Detroit, but her Grandmere was French and Tabitha grew up bilingual. With the passing of her Grandmere, she travels to post WWII Paris to stay with her Grandpere and Oncle Rafe. She is tutoring French to Americans in Paris after the war and has become friends with Julia Child. When returning from the market, Tabitha and Julia learn of a murdered girl in the cellar of Julia’s apartment building. Tabitha recognizes the victim from a party the night before and the murder weapon discovered by Inspector Merveille is one of Julia’s expensive chef knives from her kitchen.
The suspects are all from the English-speaking theater troupe Julia’s sister, Dort works for that were at the late-night party, Tabitha is determined to clear her friend’s names even with the Inspector telling her to stay out of the investigation. With some aide from her Grandpere and Oncle, Tabitha hopes to find the real killer before any of her friends are jailed or even worse.
This is an exciting amateur sleuth mystery set in an interesting time and location. Tabitha is a resourceful and brave protagonist, who also gets herself into a few dangerous situations due to her excessive curiosity. The friendship with Julia Child is a perfect setup for fun dialogue as Julia tries to teach Tabitha how to cook and shop at the local market so she can prepare dinners for her Grandpere and Oncle. I look forward to discovering more about these gentlemen, because there is definitely more than what has been yet revealed about their lives prior to Tabitha coming to live with them. The plot has plenty of red herrings and twists that kept me reading through all of Tabitha’s adventures and discoveries, but it does start out a bit slow. All plot threads come together and are satisfactorily revealed at the conclusion. I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series and learning more about all these characters.
I recommend this historical mystery with memorable characters and 1950’s Paris.
April 23, 2023
3.5★ rounded up
Completely irresistible to me with it's promise of post-war Paris, combined with sumptuous food and cosy crime, this book (first in a planned series) mostly delivered. The main characters were engaging, the food was mouth-watering, Julia was believable and the mystery itself kept me turning the pages. While it started off really strong, I felt it became a bit repetitive and drawn-out in the second half, but overall I enjoyed it very much.
Tabitha Knight has been in Paris for about nine months, living free of charge with her Grandfather and Oncle Rafe, in exchange for a little cooking and care when the twin housemaids are off-duty. Tabitha's not much of a cook, but luckily she has been befriended by Madame Julia Child, who lives in an apartment opposite with her husband Paul and sister Dort. The two women visit the local market together where Julia helps young Tabs to select the best produce, plan meals, and then instruct her on how to prepare them. On the way home from one of their market forays, they are distressed to discover that a woman's body has been found dead in the basement of Julia's building. Tabitha recognises the woman as a fellow guest from one of Dort's regular post-show parties the previous evening. Soon the young and handsome but formidable Inspecteur Merveille is on the scene, and it turns out that the murder weapon is very familiar to one of the women...
Tabitha in particular is a great character, and will be strong enough to carry the series forward if that's what happens. She is complex and has a background that supports her language skills, inquisitiveness and 'new feminism' in the era of the story. I'm not overly familiar with the Julia Child mythos other than the basics, but the author's take on her felt authentic, and the story would not have had quite the same spark without her there. Special mention must go to grand-père and Oncle Rafe, who were a delightful couple and a welcome distraction from the murder investigation.
Anyone who loves Paris, food or cosies will enjoy this book, and if you love all three you'll be delighted with it.
With thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for an eARC to read and review.
Completely irresistible to me with it's promise of post-war Paris, combined with sumptuous food and cosy crime, this book (first in a planned series) mostly delivered. The main characters were engaging, the food was mouth-watering, Julia was believable and the mystery itself kept me turning the pages. While it started off really strong, I felt it became a bit repetitive and drawn-out in the second half, but overall I enjoyed it very much.
Tabitha Knight has been in Paris for about nine months, living free of charge with her Grandfather and Oncle Rafe, in exchange for a little cooking and care when the twin housemaids are off-duty. Tabitha's not much of a cook, but luckily she has been befriended by Madame Julia Child, who lives in an apartment opposite with her husband Paul and sister Dort. The two women visit the local market together where Julia helps young Tabs to select the best produce, plan meals, and then instruct her on how to prepare them. On the way home from one of their market forays, they are distressed to discover that a woman's body has been found dead in the basement of Julia's building. Tabitha recognises the woman as a fellow guest from one of Dort's regular post-show parties the previous evening. Soon the young and handsome but formidable Inspecteur Merveille is on the scene, and it turns out that the murder weapon is very familiar to one of the women...
Tabitha in particular is a great character, and will be strong enough to carry the series forward if that's what happens. She is complex and has a background that supports her language skills, inquisitiveness and 'new feminism' in the era of the story. I'm not overly familiar with the Julia Child mythos other than the basics, but the author's take on her felt authentic, and the story would not have had quite the same spark without her there. Special mention must go to grand-père and Oncle Rafe, who were a delightful couple and a welcome distraction from the murder investigation.
Anyone who loves Paris, food or cosies will enjoy this book, and if you love all three you'll be delighted with it.
With thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for an eARC to read and review.
April 17, 2023
*3.5 stars rounded up. This is a unique cozy mystery set in Paris shortly after the end of WWII. Tabitha Knight, a young American woman from the suburbs of Detroit, has come to Paris to live with her grandfather and his partner after her job at the Willow Run bomber plant has ended. She is teaching French to other Americans living in Paris and has become great friends with a woman named Julia Child who lives across the street with her husband Paul and sister Dorothy.
The morning after a party at the Child's apartment, a woman's dead body is found in the building's basement. Tabitha recognizes her as one of the young people who were part of a theater group who had attended the party the night before. In fact, she may have been the last to see the woman alive as they came down in the elevator together that night. The last, other than the murderer, that is.
Being at loose ends and a life-long mystery reader, Tabitha can't help trying to involve herself in the investigation. Interesting characters and plenty of plot twists make this cozy mystery a quick read that keeps the reader guessing. And then there's Julia's delicious-sounding dishes to drool over! Who wouldn't want to have a friend like her?
I really enjoyed the references to the Detroit area mixed into the story: Boblo Island; Faygo pop (Which way did he go? Which way did he go? He went for Fay...go!); and of course, Vernor's. I am happy to see this appears to be the start of a new series that I'll definitely look forward to reading.
Many thanks to the author and publisher for providing me with an arc to read via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.
The morning after a party at the Child's apartment, a woman's dead body is found in the building's basement. Tabitha recognizes her as one of the young people who were part of a theater group who had attended the party the night before. In fact, she may have been the last to see the woman alive as they came down in the elevator together that night. The last, other than the murderer, that is.
Being at loose ends and a life-long mystery reader, Tabitha can't help trying to involve herself in the investigation. Interesting characters and plenty of plot twists make this cozy mystery a quick read that keeps the reader guessing. And then there's Julia's delicious-sounding dishes to drool over! Who wouldn't want to have a friend like her?
I really enjoyed the references to the Detroit area mixed into the story: Boblo Island; Faygo pop (Which way did he go? Which way did he go? He went for Fay...go!); and of course, Vernor's. I am happy to see this appears to be the start of a new series that I'll definitely look forward to reading.
Many thanks to the author and publisher for providing me with an arc to read via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.
April 12, 2023
Tabitha, a former "Rosie the Riveter" in Detroit, moves to Paris to stay with her wealthy "Grandpere" after she loses her job to men returning from war. She is fortunate to be living next door to Paul and Julia Child. Paul is an official at the U.S. Embassy and Julia is taking classes at the famous cooking school, Le Cordon Bleu. When a woman is murdered behind their building, the murder weapon is found to be Julia's own chef's knife. Knowing that someone at a party in Julia's apartment during the night of the murder had to be the killer, Tabitha begins to investigate.
I just adored this through and through. The lively personality of Julia Child draws the reader in right away. Julia is not directly involved in the investigation, but she is behind the scenes, making suggestions about the investigation, teaching the culinary-challenged Tabitha how to cook, and trying to line up eligible men for the quite single Rosie the Riveter. We also meet Julia's sister "Dort," who is staying with her at the time and partying the night away after working at the Théâtre Monceau. When Tabitha realizes the murdered woman worked at the same theater, she slowly begins to put the pieces together. The mystery is captivating and has plenty of red herrings. Also woven into the story are trips to the market with Julia and "Tabs" for fresh herbs, eggs, poultry, and gossip, plus Tabitha's quest to fix her Grandpere and her "Oncle" Rafe something tolerable to eat.
Julia is also trying to solve a smaller mystery which she lets the whole market in on. She suddenly cannot produce a successful mayonnaise. As I read this clever mystery, I also learned how to best make an omelet and roast a chicken. And I think I figured out why my homemade mayo never works.
EDIT: I tried making the omelet using Julia's instructions to Tabitha in the book, and it's by far the best one I ever made.
I received a free copy of this book from Kensington Books. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.
I just adored this through and through. The lively personality of Julia Child draws the reader in right away. Julia is not directly involved in the investigation, but she is behind the scenes, making suggestions about the investigation, teaching the culinary-challenged Tabitha how to cook, and trying to line up eligible men for the quite single Rosie the Riveter. We also meet Julia's sister "Dort," who is staying with her at the time and partying the night away after working at the Théâtre Monceau. When Tabitha realizes the murdered woman worked at the same theater, she slowly begins to put the pieces together. The mystery is captivating and has plenty of red herrings. Also woven into the story are trips to the market with Julia and "Tabs" for fresh herbs, eggs, poultry, and gossip, plus Tabitha's quest to fix her Grandpere and her "Oncle" Rafe something tolerable to eat.
Julia is also trying to solve a smaller mystery which she lets the whole market in on. She suddenly cannot produce a successful mayonnaise. As I read this clever mystery, I also learned how to best make an omelet and roast a chicken. And I think I figured out why my homemade mayo never works.
EDIT: I tried making the omelet using Julia's instructions to Tabitha in the book, and it's by far the best one I ever made.
I received a free copy of this book from Kensington Books. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.
April 28, 2023
If I was Julia Child’s ghost, I’d haunt the heck out of the person who wrote this drivel
June 14, 2023
Cambridge what a great book. Solid mystery with colorful characters and a clever Julia Childs sub plot. Easy read and look forward to the next in the series. Tabitha is an American in Paris, living across the street from Julia Child. Most entertaining and delicious as Tabitha is egged on by Julia to solve the murder of a woman found dead in Julia's building. It is centered on the murder of a member of a community theater group. Highly recommend.
April 22, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing Corp. for sending me an ARC of this novel.
I was really excited about the idea behind "Mastering the Art of French Murder." A cozy mystery set in post WWII Paris with THE Julia Child as a sidekick sleuth- magnifique!
BUT... this book was a real let down. Julia Child was hardly in the story, and when she was she was portrayed as an overbearing, obnoxiously loud, dimwitted friend of the main character. This portrayal of Julia Child is cruel and untrue. She was a spy in real life for crying out loud! Don't get me started on the main character, Tabitha. She was the dimwitted one. She literally described the room of the crime scene (a trash bin room found in the basement of apartment complexes), stating that she has one in her own building. YET, in the very next page she wonders aloud what on Earth this exact room could be used for! Through the entire novel, she collects clues despite admittedly stating that she wasn't getting involved in the investigation. She made this claim up until the end of the novel. Tabitha, I think we're past you not getting involved.. She couldn't even figure out the entire story of the crime at the end- the detective who was actually investigating had to lay it our for her. The plot itself was very thin, and the perpetrators and their motives were ridiculous. The entire crime scheme was convoluted with many loose ends.
This novel was a complete mess. I will not be continuing this series nor recommending it to anyone.
I was really excited about the idea behind "Mastering the Art of French Murder." A cozy mystery set in post WWII Paris with THE Julia Child as a sidekick sleuth- magnifique!
BUT... this book was a real let down. Julia Child was hardly in the story, and when she was she was portrayed as an overbearing, obnoxiously loud, dimwitted friend of the main character. This portrayal of Julia Child is cruel and untrue. She was a spy in real life for crying out loud! Don't get me started on the main character, Tabitha. She was the dimwitted one. She literally described the room of the crime scene (a trash bin room found in the basement of apartment complexes), stating that she has one in her own building. YET, in the very next page she wonders aloud what on Earth this exact room could be used for! Through the entire novel, she collects clues despite admittedly stating that she wasn't getting involved in the investigation. She made this claim up until the end of the novel. Tabitha, I think we're past you not getting involved.. She couldn't even figure out the entire story of the crime at the end- the detective who was actually investigating had to lay it our for her. The plot itself was very thin, and the perpetrators and their motives were ridiculous. The entire crime scheme was convoluted with many loose ends.
This novel was a complete mess. I will not be continuing this series nor recommending it to anyone.
May 1, 2024
April 2024: I read this again to prepare for the publication of the sequel and it was so fun to revisit these characters. I liked Tabitha, her grandfather and his partner, Julia, and the mysterious inspector.
December 2023: What a fun read this was! I love historical mysteries and post-war stories, especially ones that deal with France, are my favorites. Add in a potential slow burn (the slowest of slow burns) and this book checked all the boxes for me.
Tabitha is a French-America woman who was working in a factory in Detroit during the war, but has come to France to live with her grandfather and his partner (plus two pets). She lives across the street from Julia and Paul Child and befriends Julia at the market. Julia is a secondary character and is not involved in much sleuthing, which I thought was appropriate. If Julia was sleuthing and whipping up soufflés, it would be a bit much.
The mystery here is interesting and plausible. Tabitha isn’t a perfect investigator, but she’s brave and handy as a result of her work during the war.
There are two potential love interests here, but one comes out ahead. We’ll see if something develops there. At least, I hope Kensington keeps this series going so we get to see!
December 2023: What a fun read this was! I love historical mysteries and post-war stories, especially ones that deal with France, are my favorites. Add in a potential slow burn (the slowest of slow burns) and this book checked all the boxes for me.
Tabitha is a French-America woman who was working in a factory in Detroit during the war, but has come to France to live with her grandfather and his partner (plus two pets). She lives across the street from Julia and Paul Child and befriends Julia at the market. Julia is a secondary character and is not involved in much sleuthing, which I thought was appropriate. If Julia was sleuthing and whipping up soufflés, it would be a bit much.
The mystery here is interesting and plausible. Tabitha isn’t a perfect investigator, but she’s brave and handy as a result of her work during the war.
There are two potential love interests here, but one comes out ahead. We’ll see if something develops there. At least, I hope Kensington keeps this series going so we get to see!
April 12, 2023
This one started out strong. I love the idea of working with Julia Child in Paris but I found Tabitha a little annoying, especially with her need to slowly spell out details of the murder. This got tedious about halfway through and only picked up towards the end, where the ending fortunately saved it for me. Julia Child is a welcome addition but she feels added in just to give the reader something to look forward to; the sections with her, while informative, seem forced and don’t really fit in the story. The writing was easy to follow but was repetitive and overly descriptive in some places. Not sure if I will continue with the series.
I received a copy from #NetGalley and @highbridgeaudio for an honest review.
I received a copy from #NetGalley and @highbridgeaudio for an honest review.
April 20, 2023
I really like the other series that this author writes [in fact, it is one of my current favorites] and so I was really looking forward to reading this new series that features Julia Child as the good friend of the main character, Tabitha.
Sigh.
This just didn't work for me. At all. While there were moments that I liked [Faygo Pop and Boblo Island anyone?? OMG. Such memories of all my time in Livonia, a suburb of Detroit], but overall, no. Just no. Tabitha is not a very likeable MC and she has so many TSTL moments [she needs to shut that little imp in her head down right away] that I was totally surprised that she was still alive at the end [and that is not hyperbole]. The was a ton of crass language that really surprised me [though NOT from Julia Child. She was the only one who DIDN'T swear; well she would, but it was be "Julia said a vulgar word", not the actual word. Everyone else used very crass language]. It was off-putting [I am not a prude, I don't mind language, but this felt off and gratuitous, which I DO mind] The whole mystery and reveal was...meh. There wasn't anything to really keep my interest and I kept finding myself doing other things instead of listening to the book. I was really disappointed all while being relieved that the book was over. I highly doubt that I will read book 2 should there be one.
In regards to the audiobook that I received as an ARC:
1. For the love of all things holy, unless you can do a perfect mimic of Julia Child, DO NOT TRY AND DO HER VOICE. Please. She is seriously rolling over in her grave and if she was still alive, she would be singularly unimpressed. Wow. That was just awful.
2. IF a book is set in France and half of the characters are FRENCH, then one should be able to do a French accent and not make everyone sound like they were from Midwest America. IF you cannot do a French accent, then DO NOT DO VOICES. Please. Pretty sure that anyone who is French and listens to this will be offended. I am NOT French and I was offended. It was just awful.
3. I will say she did male voices well, but again, they were all French and well, see #2. Sigh.
I did not love this book and thought that some of it came from this awful audiobook - it did not. It still wasn't a great book, even when just read, but I cannot, at all, recommend this audiobook. It was just an awful listening experience for me.
Thank you to NetGalley, RB Media, and Kensington Books for providing the ARCS in exchange for an honest review.
Sigh.
This just didn't work for me. At all. While there were moments that I liked [Faygo Pop and Boblo Island anyone?? OMG. Such memories of all my time in Livonia, a suburb of Detroit], but overall, no. Just no. Tabitha is not a very likeable MC and she has so many TSTL moments [she needs to shut that little imp in her head down right away] that I was totally surprised that she was still alive at the end [and that is not hyperbole]. The was a ton of crass language that really surprised me [though NOT from Julia Child. She was the only one who DIDN'T swear; well she would, but it was be "Julia said a vulgar word", not the actual word. Everyone else used very crass language]. It was off-putting [I am not a prude, I don't mind language, but this felt off and gratuitous, which I DO mind] The whole mystery and reveal was...meh. There wasn't anything to really keep my interest and I kept finding myself doing other things instead of listening to the book. I was really disappointed all while being relieved that the book was over. I highly doubt that I will read book 2 should there be one.
In regards to the audiobook that I received as an ARC:
1. For the love of all things holy, unless you can do a perfect mimic of Julia Child, DO NOT TRY AND DO HER VOICE. Please. She is seriously rolling over in her grave and if she was still alive, she would be singularly unimpressed. Wow. That was just awful.
2. IF a book is set in France and half of the characters are FRENCH, then one should be able to do a French accent and not make everyone sound like they were from Midwest America. IF you cannot do a French accent, then DO NOT DO VOICES. Please. Pretty sure that anyone who is French and listens to this will be offended. I am NOT French and I was offended. It was just awful.
3. I will say she did male voices well, but again, they were all French and well, see #2. Sigh.
I did not love this book and thought that some of it came from this awful audiobook - it did not. It still wasn't a great book, even when just read, but I cannot, at all, recommend this audiobook. It was just an awful listening experience for me.
Thank you to NetGalley, RB Media, and Kensington Books for providing the ARCS in exchange for an honest review.
May 6, 2023
Mastering the Art of French Murder: An American in Paris Mystery by Colleen Cambridge is a quick read and cozy mystery set post WWII when life is working back to appreciating the finer things while coffee is still rationed and intrigue remains in the shadows. Julia Child, husband Paul, and sister Dort are friends and neighbors of the American protagonist, Tabitha who recently moved to Paris after a Rosie the Riveter contribution to the war effort and broken romance give her reason and confidence for an enhanced outlook that makes for an interesting read. #goodreadsgiveaway.
November 3, 2025
Loved this murder mystery! It had great friendships, intense scenes, the hint of a future romance possibly, and wrapped up well for me. I loved the post WWII setting and the descriptions of Paris and the food. Of course it was great that Julia Child was one of the characters as the play on the Title made me hope. I had such a fun time reading this cozy mystery and look forward to reading more from this author and this series.
April 2, 2025
Well… this was not good.
First of all and I mean it as constructive and not pure criticism. I’m French and reading that book was painful to me.
-too many mistakes in French: le banque (it’s la banque), le inspecteur (it’s l’inspecteur), le champ de Mar (it’s le champ de Mars like the planet or the God, same in English? 😭) or the use of ma mie (this is really really old found in old old novels or plays, but even in the 40s it wasn’t used?). There are others but those are the ones that I remember
-the FOOD. I’m very sorry but piperade is not a sauce but a dish from the Basque Country. Scallops are VERY tricky to cook and you do NOT cook them with shrimps. There’s also mustard in mayonnaise, I’m pretty sure Julia Childs knew that 😉
So for the next books in the series, I hope the author or the editor gets a French person or a French culture specialist to proof read this. I’m very happy my culture gets interest, and I would say the same to a French person writing about American culture.
Apart from that, I didn’t enjoy the writing so much (too many useless descriptions) and I thought the plot was meh.
First of all and I mean it as constructive and not pure criticism. I’m French and reading that book was painful to me.
-too many mistakes in French: le banque (it’s la banque), le inspecteur (it’s l’inspecteur), le champ de Mar (it’s le champ de Mars like the planet or the God, same in English? 😭) or the use of ma mie (this is really really old found in old old novels or plays, but even in the 40s it wasn’t used?). There are others but those are the ones that I remember
-the FOOD. I’m very sorry but piperade is not a sauce but a dish from the Basque Country. Scallops are VERY tricky to cook and you do NOT cook them with shrimps. There’s also mustard in mayonnaise, I’m pretty sure Julia Childs knew that 😉
So for the next books in the series, I hope the author or the editor gets a French person or a French culture specialist to proof read this. I’m very happy my culture gets interest, and I would say the same to a French person writing about American culture.
Apart from that, I didn’t enjoy the writing so much (too many useless descriptions) and I thought the plot was meh.
July 7, 2024
So I really did enjoy this, but I guessed several things before they happened and I was hoping to be super surprised!! I did like the Julia Child spin as it was a fun aspect, but there was a lot of talk about the good. Especially mayonnaise… I know, weird right?!?! Mayo was a large topic in the book and I feel like we could have gone without it.
Otherwise, it was well written and the characters were fun. Tabitha was a cute main character and I liked her tenacity and urge to solve the murder. I also liked the inspector even though he was a bit cold. He was still fun to read about and I am hoping he has a larger part in the next book. Honestly I think he’d be good as a love interest, but that may just be me.
So I do recommend this, as it is a short and easy read that is fun. But don’t expect to be super surprised about the ending and who the killer is. You may guess long before the end. Otherwise, enjoy!!
Otherwise, it was well written and the characters were fun. Tabitha was a cute main character and I liked her tenacity and urge to solve the murder. I also liked the inspector even though he was a bit cold. He was still fun to read about and I am hoping he has a larger part in the next book. Honestly I think he’d be good as a love interest, but that may just be me.
So I do recommend this, as it is a short and easy read that is fun. But don’t expect to be super surprised about the ending and who the killer is. You may guess long before the end. Otherwise, enjoy!!
May 17, 2023
Boooooo hisssssss
Ugh the description had me HOOKED - Decadent cooking and a mysterious murder. But I quickly realized this book was not going to make it to the top of my list. The writing was extremely juvenile. The author used about 3 adjectives every time she described something. The main character referred to her “internal sprite” as the reason she was poking around in a murder investigation about 5 too many times. The author told you exactly what to think and what was happening instead of leading and making the reader feel a certain way. The murder was just as bland as Julia Child’s failed mayonnaise which was consequently the only cooking we really got to hear about. I mean…seriouzly…? Yuhk.
Ugh the description had me HOOKED - Decadent cooking and a mysterious murder. But I quickly realized this book was not going to make it to the top of my list. The writing was extremely juvenile. The author used about 3 adjectives every time she described something. The main character referred to her “internal sprite” as the reason she was poking around in a murder investigation about 5 too many times. The author told you exactly what to think and what was happening instead of leading and making the reader feel a certain way. The murder was just as bland as Julia Child’s failed mayonnaise which was consequently the only cooking we really got to hear about. I mean…seriouzly…? Yuhk.
April 8, 2023
Mastering the Art of French Murder is a deliciously good, Agatha Christie like who-done-it with the added and I must say most enjoyable addition of Julia Child as the sidekick! It mixes a wonderful murder mystery with a few good food mysteries as well as delicacies from Child’s own book, Mastering the Art of French Cooking.
Tabitha Knight has come to Paris via Detroit to take care of her grandfather and adopted “uncle”. There she accidently meets Julia Child who lives across the street and the two become very close friends. Julia in fact is trying to get the skittish cook, Tabitha, to start preparing more difficult foods.
So, when Tabitha is invited to Julia’s to a dinner party with a group of Theater people who work with Julia’s sister Dort whom Paul and Julia live with, she jumps at the chance. As the party begins to wind down, Tabitha decides to leave and takes the elevator to the ground floor with another female guest. They said their goodbyes and Tabitha went home while the woman waited for a cab.
The next day as she’s going to see Julia, she discovers there had been a murder right outside Julia’s building and to her shock, the dead woman is the same one she left the building with! They soon find out the murder weapon was one of Julia’s own kitchen knives. No one can believe this has happened, but Tabitha and Julia seem to be sure it must have been one of the guests who attended the party.
Tabitha soon decides she must try and figure out what happened. As she develops clues, much to the angst of the Inspector in charge of the investigation, she becomes a suspect! There was a piece of paper in the dead woman’s pocket with Tabitha’s name and phone number. And it was in Tabitha’s own handwriting.
Most of her suspects seem to be the workers from the Theater. Dort asks her and she accepts the position of coat checker, the same job the woman held. Unfortunately for Tabitha the agreement could possibly be a deadly mistake. Her own!
Then as Tabitha is biking, she is suddenly almost hit and killed by a car who seemed intent on hitting her. She must be getting close!
At the same time, Julia herself has quite the culinary mystery on her hands. Her mayonnaise has gone bad. To say, she can’t seem to make the recipe anymore without it failing. As you can imagine, Julia is beside herself.
As Tabitha begins to put the pieces of the puzzle together, she truly could be the next dead body. The ending is quite the surprise.
Mastering the Art of French Murder is a brilliant idea! It’s filled with suspense, wit and Julia Child’s famous voice in your head. As you read this enchanting story, you will continuously smile and eat up the mystery! Hopefully Tabitha and Julia will be back for more. Bon appetite!
Thank you #NetGalley #KensingtonBooks #ColleenCambridge #MasteringtheArtofFrench Murder for the advanced copy.
Tabitha Knight has come to Paris via Detroit to take care of her grandfather and adopted “uncle”. There she accidently meets Julia Child who lives across the street and the two become very close friends. Julia in fact is trying to get the skittish cook, Tabitha, to start preparing more difficult foods.
So, when Tabitha is invited to Julia’s to a dinner party with a group of Theater people who work with Julia’s sister Dort whom Paul and Julia live with, she jumps at the chance. As the party begins to wind down, Tabitha decides to leave and takes the elevator to the ground floor with another female guest. They said their goodbyes and Tabitha went home while the woman waited for a cab.
The next day as she’s going to see Julia, she discovers there had been a murder right outside Julia’s building and to her shock, the dead woman is the same one she left the building with! They soon find out the murder weapon was one of Julia’s own kitchen knives. No one can believe this has happened, but Tabitha and Julia seem to be sure it must have been one of the guests who attended the party.
Tabitha soon decides she must try and figure out what happened. As she develops clues, much to the angst of the Inspector in charge of the investigation, she becomes a suspect! There was a piece of paper in the dead woman’s pocket with Tabitha’s name and phone number. And it was in Tabitha’s own handwriting.
Most of her suspects seem to be the workers from the Theater. Dort asks her and she accepts the position of coat checker, the same job the woman held. Unfortunately for Tabitha the agreement could possibly be a deadly mistake. Her own!
Then as Tabitha is biking, she is suddenly almost hit and killed by a car who seemed intent on hitting her. She must be getting close!
At the same time, Julia herself has quite the culinary mystery on her hands. Her mayonnaise has gone bad. To say, she can’t seem to make the recipe anymore without it failing. As you can imagine, Julia is beside herself.
As Tabitha begins to put the pieces of the puzzle together, she truly could be the next dead body. The ending is quite the surprise.
Mastering the Art of French Murder is a brilliant idea! It’s filled with suspense, wit and Julia Child’s famous voice in your head. As you read this enchanting story, you will continuously smile and eat up the mystery! Hopefully Tabitha and Julia will be back for more. Bon appetite!
Thank you #NetGalley #KensingtonBooks #ColleenCambridge #MasteringtheArtofFrench Murder for the advanced copy.
July 3, 2023
I received this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. ARC provided by HighBridge Audio.
As Paris rediscovers its joie de vivre, Tabitha Knight, recently arrived from Detroit for an extended stay with her French grandfather, is on her own journey of discovery. Paris is not just the City of Light; it is the city of history, romance, stunning architecture and food. Thanks to her neighbor and friend Julia Child, another ex-pat who’s fallen head over heels for Paris, Tabitha is learning how to cook for her Grandpère and Oncle Rafe.
Between tutoring Americans in French, visiting the market, and eagerly sampling the results of Julia’s studies at Le Cordon Bleu cooking school, Tabitha’s sojourn is proving thoroughly delightful. That is, until the cold December day they return to Julia’s building and learn that a body has been found in the cellar. Tabitha recognizes the victim as a woman she would meet only the night before, at a party given by Julia’s sister, Dort. The murder weapon found nearby is recognizable too—a knife from Julia’s kitchen.
Tabitha is eager to help the investigation, but is shocked when Inspector Merveille reveals that a note, in Tabitha’s handwriting, was found in the dead woman’s pocket. Is this murder a case of international intrigue, or something far more personal? Tabitha navigates through the city hoping to find the real killer before she or one of her friends ends up in prison or worse.
First off, I love that the title, Mastering the Art of French Murder, is a play on Julia Child’s famous cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking. I loved the idea of working with Julia Child in Paris but I found Tabitha a little annoying, especially with her need to slowly spell out details of the murder. This debut had such promise but fell short for me. Tabitha is too willing to put herself in dangerous situations. Julia is a charming supporting character but I wish there were recipes in the book. Overall, a decent read for a new start to a new series.
As Paris rediscovers its joie de vivre, Tabitha Knight, recently arrived from Detroit for an extended stay with her French grandfather, is on her own journey of discovery. Paris is not just the City of Light; it is the city of history, romance, stunning architecture and food. Thanks to her neighbor and friend Julia Child, another ex-pat who’s fallen head over heels for Paris, Tabitha is learning how to cook for her Grandpère and Oncle Rafe.
Between tutoring Americans in French, visiting the market, and eagerly sampling the results of Julia’s studies at Le Cordon Bleu cooking school, Tabitha’s sojourn is proving thoroughly delightful. That is, until the cold December day they return to Julia’s building and learn that a body has been found in the cellar. Tabitha recognizes the victim as a woman she would meet only the night before, at a party given by Julia’s sister, Dort. The murder weapon found nearby is recognizable too—a knife from Julia’s kitchen.
Tabitha is eager to help the investigation, but is shocked when Inspector Merveille reveals that a note, in Tabitha’s handwriting, was found in the dead woman’s pocket. Is this murder a case of international intrigue, or something far more personal? Tabitha navigates through the city hoping to find the real killer before she or one of her friends ends up in prison or worse.
First off, I love that the title, Mastering the Art of French Murder, is a play on Julia Child’s famous cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking. I loved the idea of working with Julia Child in Paris but I found Tabitha a little annoying, especially with her need to slowly spell out details of the murder. This debut had such promise but fell short for me. Tabitha is too willing to put herself in dangerous situations. Julia is a charming supporting character but I wish there were recipes in the book. Overall, a decent read for a new start to a new series.
July 29, 2022
Mastering the Art of French Murder by Colleen Cambridge is a great cozy mystery that is the first book in a new series: An American in Paris Mystery.
This is a great first book in a new series. The author does a great job blending the traditional cozy murder/mystery plot with historical fiction, and fun characters.
Adding the iconic Julia Child to the fictional narrative and with the main character, Tabitha, is just so creative. It was also great to have it all set amongst Paris.
I was thoroughly engaged and entertained.
4.5/5 stars
Thank you NG and Kensington Publishing for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 4/25/23.
This is a great first book in a new series. The author does a great job blending the traditional cozy murder/mystery plot with historical fiction, and fun characters.
Adding the iconic Julia Child to the fictional narrative and with the main character, Tabitha, is just so creative. It was also great to have it all set amongst Paris.
I was thoroughly engaged and entertained.
4.5/5 stars
Thank you NG and Kensington Publishing for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 4/25/23.
July 25, 2022
Native Michigander Tabitha finds a new home, new friends, and a murder mystery when she moves to Paris after WWII to stay with her grandfather. With the encouragement of her fellow ex-pat and friend, Julia Child, she works to solve the crime -- and perfect her roast chicken -- in this engaging cozy, hopefully the first in a new series. Its vibrant post-war Parisian setting (including real-life characters such as Child), clever mystery, and mouth-watering food descriptions set it apart. If only recipes were included.
*Thanks to Edelweiss and Kensington for providing an e-galley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
*Thanks to Edelweiss and Kensington for providing an e-galley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
June 15, 2023
Typical cozy mystery plot: Young woman is in vicinity of a murder; inexplicably decides to conduct own investigation; does silly things that no one else would do like hiding evidence from the police; someone maybe tries to kill her but fails; continues investigations despite being warned by police; finds piece of paper with names written in Russian; spies!!; goes to empty building where spies show up; etc.
Plus Julia Child.
Plus Julia Child.
April 5, 2024
I enjoyed the premise more than the book itself, post war Paris in the 50s with Paul and Julia Child. The rest wasn't as exciting, the characters or the plot weren't impressive either.
The banter was so forced that it was painful to read, I was waiting for any tiny bits of delightment or pleasure but I didn't get any.
3 stars, this book is leaning towards cozy mystery but the characters need to shine in order to be a pleasant read.
The banter was so forced that it was painful to read, I was waiting for any tiny bits of delightment or pleasure but I didn't get any.
3 stars, this book is leaning towards cozy mystery but the characters need to shine in order to be a pleasant read.
June 17, 2023
This didn’t work for me AT ALL. The characters, the story the writing style. I didn’t like any of it. The same information was repeated over and over. It felt like the story just slogged along at a snails pace. I quite frankly didn’t care who killed Therese. Wouldn’t recommend.
April 15, 2024
A fun mystery! The co-protagonist being Julia Child made it even more intriguing to me, the author seemed to have researched Julia well. It included history of Paris in that era, as well as the cooking aspect to enhance the murder mystery plot. Looking forward to book 2 in the series!
May 28, 2023
I didn't realize Colleen Cambridge was a pseudonym for another author OR that she is also the author of the Phyllida Bright series. Now that I have read and enjoyed Mastering the Art of French Murder so much, I know I will love her other books as well! I had no idea this book featured Julia Child as one of the main characters and that was a pleasant surprise. The story itself is told entirely through Tabitha's POV who just so happens to be friends with Julia, and I love the world that the author created here. While Tabitha is fictional, the author does note that she used the actual address Julia and her husband lived at, and Tabitha was like many of the women in the time period (the 1950s). I was really happy that there was a historical note at the end of the book, and it helped put things in perspective a little more.
I absolutely adored the audiobook, and I thought Polly Lee was the perfect narrator. She was especially amazing when she was doing Child's voice and exactly what I was hearing in my head for her. She also nailed it as Tabitha, and if you like audiobooks I certainly recommend going that route with Mastering the Art of French Murder. I would say there is definitely a cozy mystery air to the book as opposed to being a straight-up mystery, and though the author gave us hints, I was still very surprised by the end. There is also a decent amount of talk about food and cooking (because duh, Julia Child), and this book made me hungry with all the mouthwatering descriptions. The “messieurs” cracked me up, and I loved the blend of humor, murder mystery, and hint at a possible budding romance. This is only the beginning since it is the first book of a series, and I will definitely be buying a copy to add to my shelf.
I absolutely adored the audiobook, and I thought Polly Lee was the perfect narrator. She was especially amazing when she was doing Child's voice and exactly what I was hearing in my head for her. She also nailed it as Tabitha, and if you like audiobooks I certainly recommend going that route with Mastering the Art of French Murder. I would say there is definitely a cozy mystery air to the book as opposed to being a straight-up mystery, and though the author gave us hints, I was still very surprised by the end. There is also a decent amount of talk about food and cooking (because duh, Julia Child), and this book made me hungry with all the mouthwatering descriptions. The “messieurs” cracked me up, and I loved the blend of humor, murder mystery, and hint at a possible budding romance. This is only the beginning since it is the first book of a series, and I will definitely be buying a copy to add to my shelf.
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