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A Cyclist's Guide Mystery #1
A Cyclist's Guide to Crime & Croissants
A Cyclist's Guide Mystery
Vicariously tour the sundrenched Mediterranean Coast in this perfectly escapist new cozy mystery series starring American expat-turned-bike tour company owner in Southern France.
Perfect for fans of Donna Leon’s The Commissario Guido Brunetti Mysteries, M.L. Longworth’s Provençal Mystery series, and armchair travel!
Nine months ago, Sadie Greene shocked friends and family by ditching her sensible office job in the Chicago suburbs and buying a sight-unseen French bicycling tour company, Oui Cycle. Now she’s living the unconventional life of her dreams in the gorgeous village of Sans-Souci-sur-Mer. Sans souci means carefree, but Sadie feels enough pressure to burst a tire when hometown friends arrive for a tour, including her former boss, Dom Appleton. Sadie is determined to show them the wonders of France and cycling—and to prove she made the right move.
She hopes her meticulously planned nine-day itinerary will win them over, with its stunning seascapes, delicious wine tastings, hilltop villages, and, of course, frequent stops for croissants. When Dom drags his heels on fun, Sadie vows he’ll enjoy if it kills her. That is, until Dom ends up dead. The tragedy was no accident. Someone went out of their way to bring a permanent end to Dom’s vacation.
As more crimes—and murder—roll in, suspicions hover over Oui Cycle. To save her dream business, help her friends, and bring justice, Sadie launches her own investigation. However, mysteries mount with every turn. On an uphill battle for clues, can Sadie come to terms with her painful past while spinning closer to the truth—or will a twisted killer put the brakes on her for good?
Vicariously tour the sundrenched Mediterranean Coast in this perfectly escapist new cozy mystery series starring American expat-turned-bike tour company owner in Southern France.
Perfect for fans of Donna Leon’s The Commissario Guido Brunetti Mysteries, M.L. Longworth’s Provençal Mystery series, and armchair travel!
Nine months ago, Sadie Greene shocked friends and family by ditching her sensible office job in the Chicago suburbs and buying a sight-unseen French bicycling tour company, Oui Cycle. Now she’s living the unconventional life of her dreams in the gorgeous village of Sans-Souci-sur-Mer. Sans souci means carefree, but Sadie feels enough pressure to burst a tire when hometown friends arrive for a tour, including her former boss, Dom Appleton. Sadie is determined to show them the wonders of France and cycling—and to prove she made the right move.
She hopes her meticulously planned nine-day itinerary will win them over, with its stunning seascapes, delicious wine tastings, hilltop villages, and, of course, frequent stops for croissants. When Dom drags his heels on fun, Sadie vows he’ll enjoy if it kills her. That is, until Dom ends up dead. The tragedy was no accident. Someone went out of their way to bring a permanent end to Dom’s vacation.
As more crimes—and murder—roll in, suspicions hover over Oui Cycle. To save her dream business, help her friends, and bring justice, Sadie launches her own investigation. However, mysteries mount with every turn. On an uphill battle for clues, can Sadie come to terms with her painful past while spinning closer to the truth—or will a twisted killer put the brakes on her for good?
346 pages, Hardcover
First published May 21, 2024
310 people are currently reading
34679 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 356 reviews
May 19, 2024
This turned out to be a rather interesting fictional travelogue of France as well as a clever cosy mystery.
Sadie Greene has left a comfortable job in Chicago to take the huge step of purchasing a cycling tour company in France. This is a result of the sudden death of her best friend and the urge to do something the two of them had planned to do together.
Unfortunately there appears to be someone who does not want Sadie to be successful and accidents and even murder add up on her current cycling trip. Some of her clients seem to be out to undermine her and some are definitely on her side - or are they? Fortunately the local detective seems to be on her side and they work together to solve the crime.
I enjoyed spending some time in France and wished I could be enjoying those croissants with Sadie although I would certainly need an e-bike to get up those hills.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Sadie Greene has left a comfortable job in Chicago to take the huge step of purchasing a cycling tour company in France. This is a result of the sudden death of her best friend and the urge to do something the two of them had planned to do together.
Unfortunately there appears to be someone who does not want Sadie to be successful and accidents and even murder add up on her current cycling trip. Some of her clients seem to be out to undermine her and some are definitely on her side - or are they? Fortunately the local detective seems to be on her side and they work together to solve the crime.
I enjoyed spending some time in France and wished I could be enjoying those croissants with Sadie although I would certainly need an e-bike to get up those hills.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
May 26, 2024
A Cyclist’s Guide to Crime & Croissants by Ann Claire is the first book in the new cozy A Cyclist’s Guide Mystery series. As with most cozy mystery series each book of the series will contain it’s own fully solved mystery so one could read this as a standalone if choosing to do so. Of course there will be some character development that carries over onto the rest of the series for those that want to continue.
Sadie Greene had always considered herself the safe and sensible type having settled into a nine to five office job in her home city of Chicago. That is until one day Sadie’s world is turned upside down losing someone close to her. Sadie’s sense of adventure kicks in knowing that any day could be one’s last so she tosses her safe life aside and invests in a bicycle touring company in southern France and doesn’t look back.
Now nine months later Sadie has her cycling business up and running somewhat well when she gets word from back home in Chicago that some friends want to come tour with her. Sadie knows that no matter how meticulously she plans her tours plans can and will often change while out with a tour but what Sadie never expected to happen was a murder occur along their route. With suspicions flying Sadie vows to do what she can to figure out just went wrong and who in their small group could be a murderer.
I often enjoy a good humorous and fun cozy mystery so of course A Cyclist’s Guide to Crime & Croissants by Ann Claire caught my eye on that fact alone. However, this new series also came with the added bonus of some fun virtual traveling which is also top of my list of likes in my reading. Who wouldn’t want to tour around France with a quirky group of suspects and solve a murder? This opener was a solid read that fell in at three and a half stars for me with a lot of time spent with the touring and getting to know the series that I just wanted a bit more time with the mystery too but hopefully that all comes together in the next in the series.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
Sadie Greene had always considered herself the safe and sensible type having settled into a nine to five office job in her home city of Chicago. That is until one day Sadie’s world is turned upside down losing someone close to her. Sadie’s sense of adventure kicks in knowing that any day could be one’s last so she tosses her safe life aside and invests in a bicycle touring company in southern France and doesn’t look back.
Now nine months later Sadie has her cycling business up and running somewhat well when she gets word from back home in Chicago that some friends want to come tour with her. Sadie knows that no matter how meticulously she plans her tours plans can and will often change while out with a tour but what Sadie never expected to happen was a murder occur along their route. With suspicions flying Sadie vows to do what she can to figure out just went wrong and who in their small group could be a murderer.
I often enjoy a good humorous and fun cozy mystery so of course A Cyclist’s Guide to Crime & Croissants by Ann Claire caught my eye on that fact alone. However, this new series also came with the added bonus of some fun virtual traveling which is also top of my list of likes in my reading. Who wouldn’t want to tour around France with a quirky group of suspects and solve a murder? This opener was a solid read that fell in at three and a half stars for me with a lot of time spent with the touring and getting to know the series that I just wanted a bit more time with the mystery too but hopefully that all comes together in the next in the series.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
June 3, 2024
A CYCLIST’S GUIDE TO CRIME & CROISSANTS finds American Sadie Green leaving her humdrum office job in Chicago and heading to the South of France to buy a bike tour company. After a successful first nine months, her former boss from back home and his family book a tour, along with a few other cyclists looking to experience the French countryside on two wheels. Of course, Sadie wants everything to be perfect, but her tour plans hit the skids when her boss ends up dead, and the police say it was no accident.
The descriptions of the French scenery and landmarks, and especially the delicious food, were amazing. The book was set up in part like a travelogue in journal form at the beginning of each chapter, which I enjoyed. Sadie was a wonderful, likeable character, very dedicated to her dream business and the guests in her care. I felt bad for Sadie when everything started falling apart!
The murder mystery wasn’t the easiest to figure out, and I enjoyed how all of the pieces of the puzzle came together in the end. I do feel like the mystery and investigation sometimes took a backseat to the descriptions of their travels. While I wish the mystery had been stronger, I still enjoyed taking this armchair trip to France with Sadie and company. I’m looking forward to seeing where the adventure takes us in the next book.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the digital ARC. Opinions are my own.
The descriptions of the French scenery and landmarks, and especially the delicious food, were amazing. The book was set up in part like a travelogue in journal form at the beginning of each chapter, which I enjoyed. Sadie was a wonderful, likeable character, very dedicated to her dream business and the guests in her care. I felt bad for Sadie when everything started falling apart!
The murder mystery wasn’t the easiest to figure out, and I enjoyed how all of the pieces of the puzzle came together in the end. I do feel like the mystery and investigation sometimes took a backseat to the descriptions of their travels. While I wish the mystery had been stronger, I still enjoyed taking this armchair trip to France with Sadie and company. I’m looking forward to seeing where the adventure takes us in the next book.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the digital ARC. Opinions are my own.
January 13, 2024
I thoroughly enjoyed this cycling tour through the French countryside. Descriptions of the scenery were vivid enough to make me feel like part of the group, and the food was superbe! Tour owner, Sadie Greene, was both savvy and relatable as she wrangled a diverse set of cyclist suspects with aplomb. I'd be happy to follow her anywhere.
November 1, 2024
“Remember to live.”
It takes a hit-and-run accident that kills her best friend Gem while she was cycling to finally get Sadie to quit her job, leave the states, and buy a cycling tour company in France. Gem’s final words to her were “remember to live,” and that is what Sadie decided to do.
But as she establishes herself and is beginning to set off on an important tour, why and who is sabotaging her business?
With a critic in tow and her former boss and his family who have also been family to her, what was in store on this tour? Could it possibly be murder?
And, what happens when Sadie becomes a suspect? As Sadie investigates to clear her own name, what truths will be unraveled?
An easy-to-read, page-turner with beautiful scenic views of France, this cozy should please any mystery and lover of taking chances reader.
It takes a hit-and-run accident that kills her best friend Gem while she was cycling to finally get Sadie to quit her job, leave the states, and buy a cycling tour company in France. Gem’s final words to her were “remember to live,” and that is what Sadie decided to do.
But as she establishes herself and is beginning to set off on an important tour, why and who is sabotaging her business?
With a critic in tow and her former boss and his family who have also been family to her, what was in store on this tour? Could it possibly be murder?
And, what happens when Sadie becomes a suspect? As Sadie investigates to clear her own name, what truths will be unraveled?
An easy-to-read, page-turner with beautiful scenic views of France, this cozy should please any mystery and lover of taking chances reader.
February 9, 2024
#ACyclistsGuidetoCrimeCroissants #NetGalley is a new book featuring Sadie Greene, an American who has relocated to France, purchasing Oui Cycle, and giving amazing bicycle tours in out of the way places.
Sadie left her old life behind after the tragic death of her best friend Gemma, the victim of a hit and run, while bicycling alone.
Sadie feels guilty about her friend's death, and journals about it throughout the book.
Sadie has an odd crew on this tour, her old bosses, their son and his girlfriend, as well as a supposed critic and another gentleman.
When random accidents turn deadly, Sadie teams up with a local policeman, hoping to save her business and herself from the disastrous trip.
I really enjoyed this book, the cycling tours is a fresh source for a cozy mystery series and Sadie is a very likable character.
I'm looking forward to reading more in this exciting, new series.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of the book.
Sadie left her old life behind after the tragic death of her best friend Gemma, the victim of a hit and run, while bicycling alone.
Sadie feels guilty about her friend's death, and journals about it throughout the book.
Sadie has an odd crew on this tour, her old bosses, their son and his girlfriend, as well as a supposed critic and another gentleman.
When random accidents turn deadly, Sadie teams up with a local policeman, hoping to save her business and herself from the disastrous trip.
I really enjoyed this book, the cycling tours is a fresh source for a cozy mystery series and Sadie is a very likable character.
I'm looking forward to reading more in this exciting, new series.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of the book.
May 29, 2024
I couldn't get into the book. I liked the premise of it, but the MC seemed really chaotic and the plot was all over the place so I DNF'd it.
June 14, 2024
Dollycas's Thoughts
Sadie Green is the new owner of Oui Cycle. She purchased the French bicycling tour business unseen after leaving her job in the Chicago suburbs behind to follow a dream she had with her best friend Gemma Gooding. A year ago Gemma was riding her bike when she was killed in a hit-and-run. The driver never came forward but Gemma's last words to Sadie were encouraging her to take the day off to go cycling with her. "You'll never get this day back. Remember to live." An ad she saw on her phone had her making an offer for Oui Cycle and it was accepted. Now she is living her life in the beautiful village of Sans-Souci-sur-Mer.
Sadie is excited that her former boss, Dom Appleton, and his family have arrived in France. She has planned a nine-day tour filled with picnics, wine tasting, views of the sea and hilltop villages, and plenty of croissants as they cycle miles each day to enjoy it all. Dom can't seem to get his mind off his business but Sadie won't let his vacation be bogged down with work. But when Dom takes a detour and ends up dead the guilt Sadie feels is immense. When she finds out his death was no accident and was a cold-blooded murder she starts investigating on her own.
Sadie is cycling through the clues as the bike tour continues. Could someone in her group be a murderer? Will they come after her next?
_____
I appreciated Ms. Claire's detailed descriptions of Sans-Souci-sur-Mer and everywhere the cycling tour took her characters. Her words created imagery that made it easy to imagine the world around them and the people they met. I felt like a butterfly on Sadie's shoulder taking in all the the splendor. The biking journey is broken down into 3 stages, by the sea, across the plains, and to the mountains. It really reads like a virtual vacay with a side of murder.
I enjoyed the way the characters are introduced and how they develop throughout the story. Sadie Green is a wonderful protagonist. She is enjoying her new life and feels free. Sadie has educated herself about the local history, the flora and fauna that make up the landscapes they tour making her a great tour host. She deals with the loss of her friend every day by keeping a journal telling Gem about each day of the tour and what is happening in her life. She has good instincts and with different theories. She is joined on the tour by her former boss Dom, his wife Judith, their son Lance, Lance's girlfriend Laci, travel reviewer Nigel Fox, twin sisters, Philomena and Constance, and Manfred, a self-described digital nomad. Her co-guide Nadiya assists her in all aspects of the tours and Jordi travels with the company van to deliver luggage to each stop and he maintains the bikes. We also meet Bea and Bernard the former owners of Oui Cycle who are willing to help Sadie in any way that they can. Detective Jacques Laurent is easy on the eyes and has an interesting way of investigating.
The mysteries were very well-plotted blending all the biking elements with the murder/s. The author drops clues nicely for Sadie and us armchair sleuths. I was wavering in a couple of different directions. Let me just say Ms. Claire served up some nice red herrings. I had such a good time pulling clues together while I escaped away to the French countryside. Most of the clues fell into place for me before all was revealed but I was surprised about the depth of the crimes.
Unlike Dom, I love croissants and craved them from the first time they were mentioned and well beyond the last. All the foods mentioned made me wish I was there to take a big bite.
A Cyclist's Guide to Crime & Croissants is a charming cozy mystery that takes readers on a marvelous journey with captivated characters and a top-notch mystery to solve. I am excited to take another cycling tour with the "best little bike tour company in Sans-Souci".
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to Kensington Cozies, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.
Sadie Green is the new owner of Oui Cycle. She purchased the French bicycling tour business unseen after leaving her job in the Chicago suburbs behind to follow a dream she had with her best friend Gemma Gooding. A year ago Gemma was riding her bike when she was killed in a hit-and-run. The driver never came forward but Gemma's last words to Sadie were encouraging her to take the day off to go cycling with her. "You'll never get this day back. Remember to live." An ad she saw on her phone had her making an offer for Oui Cycle and it was accepted. Now she is living her life in the beautiful village of Sans-Souci-sur-Mer.
Sadie is excited that her former boss, Dom Appleton, and his family have arrived in France. She has planned a nine-day tour filled with picnics, wine tasting, views of the sea and hilltop villages, and plenty of croissants as they cycle miles each day to enjoy it all. Dom can't seem to get his mind off his business but Sadie won't let his vacation be bogged down with work. But when Dom takes a detour and ends up dead the guilt Sadie feels is immense. When she finds out his death was no accident and was a cold-blooded murder she starts investigating on her own.
Sadie is cycling through the clues as the bike tour continues. Could someone in her group be a murderer? Will they come after her next?
_____
I appreciated Ms. Claire's detailed descriptions of Sans-Souci-sur-Mer and everywhere the cycling tour took her characters. Her words created imagery that made it easy to imagine the world around them and the people they met. I felt like a butterfly on Sadie's shoulder taking in all the the splendor. The biking journey is broken down into 3 stages, by the sea, across the plains, and to the mountains. It really reads like a virtual vacay with a side of murder.
I enjoyed the way the characters are introduced and how they develop throughout the story. Sadie Green is a wonderful protagonist. She is enjoying her new life and feels free. Sadie has educated herself about the local history, the flora and fauna that make up the landscapes they tour making her a great tour host. She deals with the loss of her friend every day by keeping a journal telling Gem about each day of the tour and what is happening in her life. She has good instincts and with different theories. She is joined on the tour by her former boss Dom, his wife Judith, their son Lance, Lance's girlfriend Laci, travel reviewer Nigel Fox, twin sisters, Philomena and Constance, and Manfred, a self-described digital nomad. Her co-guide Nadiya assists her in all aspects of the tours and Jordi travels with the company van to deliver luggage to each stop and he maintains the bikes. We also meet Bea and Bernard the former owners of Oui Cycle who are willing to help Sadie in any way that they can. Detective Jacques Laurent is easy on the eyes and has an interesting way of investigating.
The mysteries were very well-plotted blending all the biking elements with the murder/s. The author drops clues nicely for Sadie and us armchair sleuths. I was wavering in a couple of different directions. Let me just say Ms. Claire served up some nice red herrings. I had such a good time pulling clues together while I escaped away to the French countryside. Most of the clues fell into place for me before all was revealed but I was surprised about the depth of the crimes.
Unlike Dom, I love croissants and craved them from the first time they were mentioned and well beyond the last. All the foods mentioned made me wish I was there to take a big bite.
A Cyclist's Guide to Crime & Croissants is a charming cozy mystery that takes readers on a marvelous journey with captivated characters and a top-notch mystery to solve. I am excited to take another cycling tour with the "best little bike tour company in Sans-Souci".
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to Kensington Cozies, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.
July 23, 2024
I found Ann Claire through her Christie Bookshop series, and since that one is so much fun, I knew I had to grab A Cyclist's Guide to Crime & Croissants. Not only is the title unique, but the book is also unique! I love that Claire got the idea to set a murder/mystery on a bike tour and including lots of mouth-watering croissant descriptions was icing on the proverbial cake. I really enjoyed being taken to the south of France and thought the author did a great job bringing the landscape to life. I knew from the first page I was going to enjoy this book, and I definitely did.
I listened to the audiobook which is narrated by Jeanine Bartel, and I loved her narration for Sadie. She had lots of pep in her step so to speak and was a joy to listen to. A Cyclist's Guide to Crime & Croissants is a super quick read that kept me engaged, and the twists were great! I loved each of the characters and I especially loved the inclusion of all the tour information as well as some interesting facts. It all made me feel like I was right there in the story, and I'm already excited to see where book 2 will take Sadie!
I listened to the audiobook which is narrated by Jeanine Bartel, and I loved her narration for Sadie. She had lots of pep in her step so to speak and was a joy to listen to. A Cyclist's Guide to Crime & Croissants is a super quick read that kept me engaged, and the twists were great! I loved each of the characters and I especially loved the inclusion of all the tour information as well as some interesting facts. It all made me feel like I was right there in the story, and I'm already excited to see where book 2 will take Sadie!
June 20, 2024
1 star
Pretentious characters and conversations
Happy Reading!!
Pretentious characters and conversations
Happy Reading!!
September 21, 2024
This was very ok! I would liken it to a TV show that you put on in the background while you do other things. The suspension of disbelief was a little too demanding for this storyline and there wasn’t enough character development to keep me invested in them. The setting was great though! Felt like I was in the French countryside for a moment.
July 18, 2024
I just could not get into this book. No character development and the mystery just didn’t draw me in. Took me forever to finish. I received a complimentary copy and was asked to write a review. Will have to think on it. Not much to say about this one!
April 30, 2024
The first in the author's new cozy mystery series was so much fun, with amazing descriptions of cycling the French countryside. Count me in for Book 2!
November 5, 2024
Same region of France where I studied abroad. This brings together all of my favorite things. I mostly listened as an audio and the narrator was annoying and mispronounced some French words but I enjoyed the story for sure!
August 10, 2025
3.5 - a fluffy little murder mystery that made me want pastries and to visit France. The murderer was not who I expected (points for that) but it also didn't make sense that they were the killer. For this type of book though, I don't care all that much
March 19, 2025
Fun and easy mystery read, but fairly boring writing. An okay filler book though.
March 6, 2024
I've never read a cozy about cycling until this book. Now, I can't wait to read the next book! Sadie Greene, relocates from Chicago to Sans-Souci-sur-Mer, France to run Oui Cycle and fulfill her dreams. However, dealing with vandals and murder were never in her plans.
I enjoyed the mystery with it's "twists and turns", visit to the French countryside, the delicious food descriptions and the world of cycling. The cycling info did not overwhelm the reader and blended perfectly into the mystery. A perfect cozy!
I received an ARC from Net Galley and the opinions expressed in this review are my own.
I enjoyed the mystery with it's "twists and turns", visit to the French countryside, the delicious food descriptions and the world of cycling. The cycling info did not overwhelm the reader and blended perfectly into the mystery. A perfect cozy!
I received an ARC from Net Galley and the opinions expressed in this review are my own.
March 10, 2025
Made me want to go a bike tour across the French countryside. Plot was a little bizarre but gorgeous setting.
March 1, 2025
3.5/5 stars
It was a quick, enjoyable read. When reading a mystery I enjoy following along with the clues and attempting to solve it. I found this rather hard in this book. It seemed to focus more on the travels and mishaps, with few opportunities for attempting to solve. Clues didn’t really start to show till late in the book.
Overall though I enjoyed the book and would read the sequel when it comes out.
It was a quick, enjoyable read. When reading a mystery I enjoy following along with the clues and attempting to solve it. I found this rather hard in this book. It seemed to focus more on the travels and mishaps, with few opportunities for attempting to solve. Clues didn’t really start to show till late in the book.
Overall though I enjoyed the book and would read the sequel when it comes out.
September 19, 2024
I wanted to like this more. Bicycles, France, cozy mystery: this is a book for me, but I could never swallow the premise and the characters reaction to it. Took me out of it. The descriptive geography and sprinkling of historical facts kept me reading but would have made a better travel logue or guide book in my opinion.
March 17, 2025
This one took me FOREVER to read. I just struggled to get into it, and if there’s a murder mystery, I guess I’d expect the pace to be a little faster. I was shocked at the way characters reacted to a death. I think I had to renew this one several times because it was so slow. It finally picked up around 75% through!
September 9, 2025
I received this book for free via Goodreads Giveaway. This has in no way impacted my final rating of the book.
1. The prologue reads like I missed out on the first book and I'm jumping into a sequel.
2. If my planned tour continued after a guy DIED, I would give it a one-star TripAdvisor review.
1. The prologue reads like I missed out on the first book and I'm jumping into a sequel.
2. If my planned tour continued after a guy DIED, I would give it a one-star TripAdvisor review.
July 10, 2024
This book may be cute, but the audiobook narrator had an annoying voice and pronounced most of the French words incorrectly. It made it difficult to listen to. Couldn't finish.
August 5, 2024
I wanted to like this one, but in the end I forced myself to finish it. None of the characters were likable, the unveiling felt very anti-climate and overall I was just bored.
August 18, 2025
I listened to this book on audiobook. The narrator had a lot of energy in her narration!
I don’t have any experience personally, doing a bike tour in another country so that part was very interesting. How the business worked that the main character was running was also interesting behind the scenes. It reminded me of bus tours in foreign countries with tour guides and different stops throughout the day with itinerary which I have done. I just rode the bus instead of cycling!
I took French in high school and did a report on France. It was fun to have France being the main country that they are cycling through. I have been to Paris, France. I enjoyed envisioning the countryside and the different places they visited. Made the story interesting.
The descriptions are enticing and so is the food! The mystery itself was intriguing. I actually had no clue. I thought it was a well done mystery.
First books can be hard to get into as new characters and setting are introduced for the beginning of a series. This one I thought was fairly easy to get into. Since there was a large group of people who were cycling together, keeping track of each one and wondering if they were the murderer was a nice challenge.
This book would make a nice movie with the setting and the food. Also some of the family dynamics. You also get a feel for the main character’s personal history and why she moved to France to do something different than what she was doing in America.
I don’t have any experience personally, doing a bike tour in another country so that part was very interesting. How the business worked that the main character was running was also interesting behind the scenes. It reminded me of bus tours in foreign countries with tour guides and different stops throughout the day with itinerary which I have done. I just rode the bus instead of cycling!
I took French in high school and did a report on France. It was fun to have France being the main country that they are cycling through. I have been to Paris, France. I enjoyed envisioning the countryside and the different places they visited. Made the story interesting.
The descriptions are enticing and so is the food! The mystery itself was intriguing. I actually had no clue. I thought it was a well done mystery.
First books can be hard to get into as new characters and setting are introduced for the beginning of a series. This one I thought was fairly easy to get into. Since there was a large group of people who were cycling together, keeping track of each one and wondering if they were the murderer was a nice challenge.
This book would make a nice movie with the setting and the food. Also some of the family dynamics. You also get a feel for the main character’s personal history and why she moved to France to do something different than what she was doing in America.
March 9, 2024
Solid cozy mystery. This is the second series I have read by this author. Although I prefer the other due to literary connections, I guess you could say this has culinary connections - including a recipe in the back. At times the mystery takes a back seat to characterization - and croissants. For the record, I didn’t guess the culprit. 🧐 This is for fans of the “enclosed characters” with a finite suspect pool dwindling down. Also liked the lack of a romantic storyline. There is a set up for future installments which I will also read. Has me obsessing over all things French. Book releases in May. Keep your eyes and noses ready! Off to get a croissant now…
Read
September 15, 2024too much going on
August 1, 2025
I enjoyed it a good summer read! Exactly what I needed a little escape
August 5, 2025
A little slow. I had to return it and get it again in order to finish it.
March 9, 2024
*I received a copy of this book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this opportunity*
Pack your bags (and your bicycle helmet) because this utterly charming cozy mystery will take you all around some of the most beautiful parts of the French countryside! Be prepared to stop for: croissants, historical features, and an unexpected murder (or two). I loved everything about this book (not just the sumptuous descriptions of French food), the main character was clever without being pompous, the murders were intriguing and kept me guessing the entire book, and the cast of characters were exceptional!
If you're craving a European vacation without the budget, and also don't mind a little mystery thrown in, THE CYCLIST'S GUIDE TO CRIME & CROISSANTS is the perfect choice!
Pack your bags (and your bicycle helmet) because this utterly charming cozy mystery will take you all around some of the most beautiful parts of the French countryside! Be prepared to stop for: croissants, historical features, and an unexpected murder (or two). I loved everything about this book (not just the sumptuous descriptions of French food), the main character was clever without being pompous, the murders were intriguing and kept me guessing the entire book, and the cast of characters were exceptional!
If you're craving a European vacation without the budget, and also don't mind a little mystery thrown in, THE CYCLIST'S GUIDE TO CRIME & CROISSANTS is the perfect choice!
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