Murder in Aix

Maggie Newberry Mysteries #5

by Susan Kiernan-Lewis

Life is good when you’re a thirty-something expat living in an area of Provence where people would kill to live. And do. When Maggie’s best friend is arrested for murder Maggie is determined to find the real culprit. Trouble is, there are a few roadblocks in the like another best friend on the verge of divorce who’s chosen Maggie’s house to have her nervous breakdown in, an ex-paramour who has the power to make Maggie’s life miserable—and does—and a killer as warped and determined as any Maggie has encountered in her four years in France. Did I mention Maggie is nine months pregnant? Probably should have led with that. If you’re not flipping pages and gasping at every close call with Maggie in this book, I guarantee you’re not reading “Murder in Aix.” Try it! It’s cheaper than a flight to France and as much atmosphere and fun as if you did.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Ebooks, Amazon, France, Cozy

380 pages, Paperback

First published July 15, 2013

Reviews

[Allyson Abbott · Rating 5 out of 5]

I do like these books by Susan Kiernan-Lewis. Fun characters, easy to read and you learn a bit of french along the way.

[Julie Robinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first book in this series I have read. I think I would have enjoyed it more if I had read the first books in the series before reading this story. I do plan on reading the previous books to catch up on the different characters.

[Siena Harrigan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Really not that good at all lol. Only redeeming quality was that it took place in Aix so I got to read about all the places there that I love so much!!

[Cheryl A. Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable read

I have really come to enjoy reading and examining the twists and turns found in the Maggie Newberry mysteries. I look forward to the next in the series and enjoy translating the French and verifying I still can.

[Carlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book, wonderful characters, wonderful series. I want to go back to France!

Disappointed that #7 (Murder a la Mode) and #8 (Murder in the Latin Quarter) were not released in July 2015 as promised. Patience is not my long suit!

[Angela · Rating 1 out of 5]

Did nit enjoy this book. Gave up about a quarter of the way in. Just a waste of time.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 - 4 Stars

Murder in Aix is the fifth book in the Maggie Newberry Mysteries series by Susan Kiernan-Lewis.
The Maggie Newberry series of books by Susan Kiernan-Lewis turned out to be a great cozy mystery series that kept me engrossed the whole way through. Throughout the series we follow thirty-something, Maggie Newberry, an advertising copywriter who has been unlucky in love. Her ‘normal’ life gets upended when her sister, who has been missing for quite some time, turns up dead. Then to add an extra layer of complication, Maggie must now travel to France to locate her young niece that she didn’t even know existed. Arriving in France, thing take a dangerous turn when her sister’s murderer then sets his sights on Maggie and her niece. Add in a sexy Frenchman to add a little extra layer of intrigue, plenty of dramatic developments, secrets, lies, crime & investigation, and the story takes an engrossing turn.
From book #2 onwards-
Maggie’s sexy (French) boyfriend, who we met in the first instalment has inherited an ancient vineyard in a small rural village in France- so Maggie quits her job and sets off for a year abroad. But trouble soon follows, when a vicious murder takes place, thrusting them into the middle of an investigation that links to a 50year-old murder. What happens makes for intriguing reading….and so the series unfolds, with each book bringing another cozy mystery for Maggie to investigate. Sprinkled with mystery suspense, tension, drama, danger, romance, marriage, motherhood, travel, and recipes- made this series a memorable read. It is a light-hearted and enjoyable series, the ‘clean’ stories mean there are no sexy times, violence, or profanity.

Happy Reading…

Thank you, Susan Kiernan-Lewis!

[Xyra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three and a half stars! I liked it enough to want to read more in this series, but experienced a few issues with the main character.

Disclaimer 1: The eBook edition I have said there were 270 pages; there were not. It was 230.

Disclaimer 2: This is book 5 in a mystery series focused on the same characters. I do not have a full working history of character growth because I started here and not with book 1.

I LOVED Laurent! He's awesome, if a bit overprotective. But overall he is a wonderful guy.

Maggie is very interesting. Can be single-minded and self absorbed, but overall not a terrible person or main character.

The mystery was a good one. I was kept off kilter with all of Maggie's theories and possible suspects. Some seriously messed up individuals and some that are completely surprising in their kindness!

The action kept you moving along but was not super intense the entire time. The triangle was the most annoying part. There were several moments of panic during the rising conflict. The resolution satisfying.

Overall a very good read and I do want to continue with this series. I enjoyed the setting and getting to know the different characters. I could see this one being in the Hallmark Movies and Mysteries line up; although it might be too sexy for them. :-)

[Beverly · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are some similarities between the characters in this series and the J.D. Robb Eve Dallas books. Expat Maggie, an American living in Aix, France, is married to a gorgeous rich man with a criminal past as is Eve Dallas. Both are crime solvers but go about their sleuthing in very different ways.

In this installment, Maggie is about 8 1/2 months pregnant when her second best friend is thrown in jail for allegedly murdering her former lover with poison mushrooms while her best friend shows up from the States with her 2-year-old toddler, running from a broken marriage. Maggie promises her husband that she will not question strangers and will do nothing to put herself and her child in danger. She's not completely successful in keeping either promise.

The cast of characters adds flavor to the story. Jacques, the victim, isn't likable; his cousin Florian is; his former wife is a harridan, his daughter is a complete nut job. And of course, the fairly incompetent police inspector is in love with Maggie.

A fun read, definitely not too taxing on the brain.

[Nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 5 in this cozy mystery series sees Maggie very pregnant with her and Laurent's first child, however this does not stop her from trying to clear Julia's, (her friends name) after she's arrested for the murder of her ex boyfriend Jacques.

Despite being 8 months pregnant, Maggie throws herself into the case, and comes across an old friend, Inspector Roger Bedard in the process. Will her previous encounter with Roger help or hinder her efforts?

Jacques has a vindictive ex wife and slightly crazed daughter, are they involved? Is this about his affair with Julia or something else? This is what Maggie has to find out.

Back at the vineyard an old friend, Grace, arrives, along with baby Zouzou. Grace says she's there to help Maggie after she's had the baby, so why does she arrive 3 weeks before it's due? As well as trying to clear her new friends name, she's got to help Grace through whatever she's run away from the USA from; can she do both and will she escape with her and her babys life?

I'm really enjoying this series , and with the spattering of French throughout the book, my schoolgirl French is being revived. Looking forward to book 6!

[Loraine · Rating 3 out of 5]

The main character in this book, Maggie Newberry, drove me nuts as she is so narcissistic. I can't imagine an 8 month pregnant woman getting herself and her unborn baby into some of the situations she did. Also there were almost too many slimy characters. Her husband, Laurent a vintner, was a better character and tried numerous times to get her to stop getting herself into the situations she did. But every time, she basically ignored him. Also there are quite a few French words thrown in here and there which was somewhat distracting to me as I know a little French, but would have been a real disrupter for most readers. I was almost ready to give up on the book, but kept reading to find how whom the culprit was. I'm glad I did as the second half seemed to be better written than the first half. I did enjoy the descriptions of the French area in and around Aix. I have another book in this series on my Kindle, and my give it a try sometime later.

[Pierrebleu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Farcical

A farcical story but with one good tense moment regarding Zouzou, the child of Maggie’s best friend.

Farcical in that at a vital moment Maggie’s phone battery ran out, Laurent mislaid his mobile, the landline in their home was down - yet neighbouring homes were ok.

Fed up of reading about Maggie and her stupid self centred mess. Her best friend returns to visit in obvious distress in her personal life but of course Maggie doesn’t do what good friends do, she is dismissive of her friend and doesn’t give her the help she obviously needs - the shoulder of a good friend just wasn’t there.

Really forced storyline because the author is scratching around for ideas.

Only one more of the books I bought in the series. Thankfully as I don’t think I could go through any more.

[Lori Robinett · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up, because I kept seeing it advertised in newsletters. The cover appealed to me. After I got it, I realized it was #5 in the series, but it worked quite well as a standalone. The story takes place in France. The main characters, Maggie, is an American married to a Frenchman who owns a vineyard. The characters were interesting, the setting was well-described, and the plot was intriguing. I had a bit of a tough time following who was who (perhaps not an issue if I hadn't started with book 5?) in terms of suspects and their relationship with the victim. French is sprinkled throughout the book and initially I read with google translate open, but quickly learned that it wasn't really necessary.

I enjoyed the book. If you're looking for a cozy set in France, I recommend it.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book of this authors that I have read. It was pretty good. The setting is France. Maggie is the main character (it is part of a series but I have not read any of the books before this one.) one of my main “issues” with the story is that there are so many characters ~Maggie, Julia, Lilly, Danielle, Grace, Annette, Michelle and there are the male characters ~Laurent, Florrie, Jean-Luc, Roger, Mathieu, Jacques to name a few. Julia’s ex-boyfriend Jacques is killed and Maggie, at eight months pregnant, is trying to find the killer so her friend Julia won’t spend the rest of her life in prison. It was a fairly unique story that got a little tedious at times and a little “whack-a-do” close to the end.

[Boots S · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book and will most likely read the next in the series.

Maggie, and American, is married to a French winemaker. She is very pregnant, but somehow manages to get involved with a murder that her friend is accused of committing. (Although I figured out the plot along the way, the reading was still entertaining). Her husband doesn't want her to continue investigating until after the baby is born, but somehow she manages to do so.

[lynn snider · Rating 3 out of 5]

Didn't like Maggie the main character

This would have been a more enjoyable read if the main character Maggie was not a part of the story or at least not so narcissistic.. In trying to prove the innocence of her friend who has been accused poisoning her ex-lover with a mushroom omelet, she not only puts herself in harm's way but that of her unborn child and those around her.

[Grandma Mush · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked reading about all that good food in France. Fewer calories than eating it. The mystery part was pretty good but while I like women doing the adventure stuff I am not sure I like combining pregnancy and that kind of danger. I would think she'd get more hurt in reality at that stage. This was the first I read of the series. I guess I need to read more.

[Donna Engler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of twists and turns

An enjoyable read. Maggie works frantically trying to solve a murder her friend is accused of committing. Her hubby, Laurent, isn't happy watching her getting into what he is sure will be trouble. To complicate things, Maggie is close to nine months pregnant. Trouble indeed finds her and it's an exciting ending. Enjoy!

[Patricia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've read several books by MS Kiernan-Lewis and have decided that I don't like Maggie and Laurent.
She's an impulsive American who 'does her own thing' without thinking about the consequences and he's a Frenchman who is controlling (or wants to be). They have very poor communication skills! Interesting story line with several twists.

No sex
No violence

[Gabrielle Osburn · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was hard to get into this story, I think because I did not read the other books first. I got it through book bub, so I decided to try as I am always looking for new series to read. They did not touch on the character history enough to make me really like the characters and understand their history. I really enjoyed the last chapter when everything came together.

[Elaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an expat living in Provence, France, Maggie finally begins to feel at home. She has a loving husband and is expecting their first child. Unfortunately her happiness is endangered as she finds herself investigating the murder of her best friend's ex.
Lots of action and a well written plot. Her descriptions of the city of Aix is very detailed. It made me remember my trip there years ago.

[Indira · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have to agree with another reader, found Maggie's method's to be ridiculous at best. This is my first book in the series and generally I would have to say that it doesn't stand on it's own. Either it isn't well written or it assumes that the reader is reading the books in order...there isn't depth to the characters.

[Diane Wachter · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Maggie Newberry Mysteries, Bk 5, EBk-M, Kindle, @ 2013, read 2/11/21, Fiction, Mystery, France, Vineyards. Maybe if I had read these books in order, I may have felt more attached to the characters. This was the 1st of the series I have read, and it left me unsatisfied. The characters were naive, gullible and obtuse, the story was scattered. 2☆'s = Just Okay for me.

[Judi Politte-Downs · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a good book I could not put it down at three end; was late to am appointment so that I could finish the book. You think you know who the murdered was and then more info happens. I loved the French conversations and the characters were so really to me. Miss than once I found myself holding my breath as I read because of the suspense. So good, so good, so very good.

[Chanover55 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maggie's friend Julia has been accused of murder. Her best friend, Grace, has returned from Indiana with her daughter Zouzou at the break-up of her marriage. Maggie is trying to clear Julia of the charges but being 8 months pregnant doesn't work in her favor. A whole new set of crazy people for Maggie to work through!

[Georgia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Do you love France ? Read this!

This is more of a novel about marriage, having children , friendship, la belle France, and of course the "who done it" which ties together the plot. If this is your first reading in the series it may meander too much, but if you know Maggie from the past, you might enjoy these wanderings! Actually 31/2*** 🤓

[Mariah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sweet french cozies

Quaint stories about an American wanna be sleuth woman writer married to a French vineyard owner. They have a sweet home life in Provence where he grows grapes while she helps the local policeman who has a crush on her solve crimes.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Suspenciful

I found the beginning hard, I could not get into the flow. Probably,the French references. But, now, I would read the series. I could not predict the ending. Action. Well developed characters.

[Betty J Rhodes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deadly mushrooms

A great book with lots of action and intrigue. The plot twisted and curved around including many crimes and suspects all along the way. Still the ending was a surprise.

[charlene wilbanks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Murder in Aixr

I loved this book. Maggie Newberry and her Georgia roots are wonderful. She always amazes me with her love for Laurent, her children and friends. She will go to the ends of the world to solve a mystery. A real page turner as always. Please keep writing!