The French Bookshop Murder

French Village Mystery #1

by Greg Mosse

'I really enjoyed this, it felt like going on holiday... Now, I'm off to book myself a trip to the South of France' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'A warm and captivating mystery full of French fun' Vaseem Khan
'The setting deserves its own mention - cozy and vivid' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

🥐Grab a blanket, a warm mug of hot chocolate and a croissant, and get ready to join Zoe Pascal at her cozy village bookshop in the South of France. Can you help solve the mystery?🥐

Zoe Pascal has decided to live her leave England and open up a bookshop in a small village in the south of France. She wants to spend her later years in life eating croissants, reading her beloved books, and getting to know her charming new hometown.

When the body of a tourist is found inside the local church, Zoe begins to discover that something is afoot in the village of Sainte-Catherine. And as the last person to have seen the deceased alive, Zoe suddenly becomes a prime suspect in a murder investigation.

Can she prove her innocence and discover who the real murderer is, or will Zoe have to say au revoir to her French countryside dream?

Don't miss the brand-new utterly charming cozy crime series from Greg Mosse, perfect for fans of Clare Chase and Ian Moore!

Readers love The French Bookshop Murder:

'A delightful, original and cleverly plotted murder mystery with a rich sense of place that made me feel I had been transported to the quaint charm of Southern France' A.A. Chaudhuri

'A delight from start to finish' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'A murder mystery that is heartwarming, cosy and delightfully bookish' Jamie West

'With memorable characters and a rich sense of place, this book is perfect for fans of cosy whodunits' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'Combines the charm of a Provençal setting with a cleverly plotted puzzle that will keep readers guessing until the final page' Tim Stretton

'Utterly enjoyable' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'Colourful characters, a beautifully drawn location and a mystery within a mystery make this an eminently satisfying cosy' Neil Daws

Genres: Mystery, France, Cozy Mystery, Cozy

323 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 18, 2025

Reviews

[Trin ˖ . ݁𝜗𝜚. ݁₊]

DNF @20%

🔪🇫🇷 | pre-read: thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this eArc in exchange for a review :,)

I REALLLLLY try to avoid DNFing books in general, especially NetGalley titles, in fact, this is the first time that I’ve had to. I wanted to love this one (especially bc the cover is sooo cute) but I just COULD NOT stay invested. I didn’t connect with any of the characters, there were so many people introduced so quickly that it was hard to keep up, so many typos and weird segments and breaks in the chapters (yes I know this is an ARC but I just couldn’t do it.) The pacing felt overwhelmingly fast and choppy, and with so much happening but also nothing happening all at once?? I’m sure this book will work for the right reader, but unfortunately, it wasn’t for me.

[Maddy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I hadn’t heard of Greg Mosse before picking up The French Bookshop Murder, but the title, cover, and blurb instantly caught my eye. I’m so glad they did—this was a thoroughly enjoyable read, and I’ll definitely be seeking out more of his work.

Zoe Pascal decides to leave England behind and move to a French village she remembers from childhood. Book-obsessed, she’s thrilled to buy a beautiful bookshop with a flat above it. But when a tourist is found dead in the local church—and Zoe is the last person to see her alive—she suddenly finds herself at the centre of a murder investigation. As she begins to uncover the village’s secrets, strange questions arise: why are so many people carrying a children’s book? What are they searching for? And who, in this quiet place, can truly be trusted?

The French Bookshop Murder was a thoroughly enjoyable read—atmospheric, gently mysterious, and full of charm. I loved following Zoe as she navigated the twists and secrets of village life, and I’d happily return to her world again. Greg Mosse is an author I’ll be keeping an eye on.

[Mohammad Anas · Rating 4 out of 5]

[NetGalley Read #53]
3.75 ⭐️

"In a small town, disagreements can fester."

Good. A charming little story set in the French countryside.

The mystery element of the book ends up becoming less about the murder and more about the treasure hunt. And that's not a bad thing. Mainly because it's written very well. The prose is beautiful. The genre tropes are executed very well. By the end, I was more invested in the characters and their relationships than the resolution of the mystery (which was alright).

This is my first book by this author and I haven't read the series about the oft-mentioned Maisie Cooper. Despite that, the references to Zoe's past and her relationship with Maisie didn't bother me that much. It was done in a way that doesn't make you feel that you're missing some huge chunk of character history if you haven't read the other series. It's intriguing enough without being annoying. It's Zoe's story and there was enough information given about her past and herself that makes her a good protagonist. Her desire to fit in from the start of the story is given some emotional depth by the revelation about her past and her interactions with the Day family.
Supporting cast is also quite good. Whether it's the antagonistic Napoléon Etienne, the charming Caroline and Julien, the mysterious Antoinette, or Simouno Simone with her motorbike (I loved the 'Eight Hackberries' chapter), the characters are all kinds of odd, weird, goofy, and lovable. And, of course, a special mention to Russell.

The 'About Author' section at the start mentioned that the author is also a playwright. And it's something that's noticable throughout the story, whether it's the Cast of Characters mentioned at the start, the structure of the story, and even some of the lines felt like they belonged in a play. I haven't read many 'Cosy' mysteries, but this aspect already makes this series unique for me.
I write down the character names and their relationships in my notes when I'm reading a book so I can keep track of 'who is who' (especially if I'm reading something after leaving it for a while), so the Cast of Characters listed at the start, like a play, is much appreciated.

It's a shortish length book (330+ pages). Well paced. Easy to read. There are a few French words, obviously, here and there. But all of them translated almost immediately.

Recommended. 👍

[Avigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

Firstly, I would like to thank Netgalley & Hodder & Stoughton for the opportunity to receive a complimentary copy of The French Bookshop Murder by Greg Mosse. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own, and I also want to apologize for reviewing the book after its publication date.
Cozy mysteries are a palate cleanser when I’m reading several books at once that deal with heavier subjects. I especially enjoy bookish cozy mysteries, which usually offer a comforting atmosphere and an easy escape. However, this time, I didn’t enjoy the book as much as I expected, even after reading the summary. I appreciated the charming small-town setting in the south of France and the intriguing “Vulture” scavenger hunt, both of which had the potential to create a warm, engaging mystery. The premise itself was appealing, and the idea of uncovering secrets through puzzles added a fun twist.

On the other hand, I felt the story had too many characters, making it difficult to keep track of everyone and weakening the emotional connection I usually look for in a cozy. The abundance of descriptions also slowed the pace and sometimes pulled me out of the atmosphere that a cozy mystery relies on. Instead of settling into the comforting, immersive world I hoped for, I often found myself distracted by the extra details. While the book had elements I genuinely liked, the overall reading experience didn’t fully deliver the cozy escape I was looking for.

[holly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was excited to read this because the premise of the book sounded interesting, however it fell flat for me. It was very slow and all the different characters and POVs made it a bit confusing. I did enjoy the descriptions of the settings though, which helped to set the tone of the story.

Thank you NetGalley for the early copy!

[A Dreaming Bibliophile · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for providing me with an eARC.

It was a decent cozy mystery. I loved the setting of the village and the bookshop. Zoe's interactions with her neighbours and them warming up to her was nice to read. But given that this was supposed to be a mystery, the pacing was extremely slow, even for a cozy mystery. There was no investigation until 60% of the book and even after that, it was all over the place. I was a bit confused about what the whole Vulture situation was for most of the book, maybe it's in the Maisie Cooper books. That ending was extremely predictable but the interactions were wholesome. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a low-stakes cozy novel set in a French village.

[Charlotte ✨ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Hodder & Stoughton and Greg Mosse for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I really enjoyed the premise and setting of the novel, a cosy crime/mystery set in Paris. As Zoe settles into her new life as bookshop owner in a small French village, she finds herself in the middle of a long treasure hunting mystery and the murder of a customer.

These were all great elements to build a story, but I did find that it was very slow paced and repetitive in parts, particularly towards the end as Zoe was piecing everything together. There were many minor characters in this and it was a little hard to remember who was who, but the author did try to make it easy to remember them and did a good job with this.

I was a little disappointed by the ending. The mystery and intrigue faded out quite a lot and it felt as if a considerable amount of prose could have been cut to make it more concise and gripping.

However, I did love the humour of Russell the dog and Zoe as a main character was very interesting and had depth to her background and personality. I think the best parts of the book were the atmospheric settings and the curiosity surrounding small elements such as what happened to her van etc.

This is a great book to read if you are into cosy crime - especially ones to do with bookshops and mysterious village secrets!

[Irishmaddoc]

DNF

[Barb · Rating 3 out of 5]

Zoe has decided to pursue her dream of opening a bookshop in a small French village, but she finds it harder to fit in than she’d anticipated. When a body is found and it appears that Zoe is the last person to see the victim alive, she becomes the primary suspect. Determined to clear her name and to learn who the actual murderer is, she begins her own investigation.

Although this author has another series out, I haven’t read any of his work. When I requested this book from NetGalley, I wasn’t aware that this is apparently a spin-off from his other series. That explains the near-constant references to Maisie Cooper, and the lack of explanation about who Maisie is and how she and Zoe ended up being involved in so many murder cases. No wonder the police were suspicious about Zoe’s background!

I love the depiction of Sainte Catherine, the village in France where Zoe’s new shop is, but I can’t imagine walking up and down that hill every day, especially carrying large items like furniture. Most of the village residents seem like decent, friendly people (with a few notable exceptions), but I had a hard time warming up to Zoe herself. She seemed scattered and unfocused, easily distracted while in the midst of her investigation. For someone who has supposedly learned a lot from her friend/mentor Maisie, she’s not very good at solving a murder. Although she had narrowed down the pool of suspects to just a few people, she didn’t figure out the identity of the killer until she nearly became a victim herself. Even I knew before then who the culprit was, but the motive wasn’t quite clear in my mind.

Several other readers commented on the mysterious Vulture that plays a major part in this story, but I was somehow able to piece together the bits of information provided to realize what it was and its significance to the village, so that was a nonissue for me.

The Goodreads blurb implies that this is the first book of a new series. If there are indeed additional books to come, I doubt I will search them out. I don’t know if it’s the author or the story, but this book just didn’t work for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book. At the publisher’s request, I am posting this review prior to the expected publication date.

[Get Your Tinsel in a Tangle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted buttery croissants, mysterious glances over café au lait, and a bookshop sleuth with a flair for chaos. What I got was a wine-drenched snail crawl through the French countryside featuring a main character who somehow managed to be both under suspicion and completely oblivious to the entire plot unfolding around her.

The French Bookshop Murder should be my thing. Woman-of-a-certain-age Zoe Pascal pulls a reverse Under the Tuscan Sun and ditches England for the south of France, intending to spend her golden years reading fiction, petting dogs, and not being involved in a literal murder. Spoiler: she immediately becomes a suspect when a tourist dies suspiciously in the village church. Très inconvenient.

Now listen. I love a cozy mystery. Give me charming towns, nosy neighbors, and a corpse with suspiciously literary connections. But this one tested my patience like a riddle written in cursive French while blindfolded. We’ve got a treasure hunt subplot involving “The Vulturists” (yes, like the bird), a bunch of riddle-obsessed weirdos chasing a statue hidden a decade ago via an overly complicated book puzzle. Love that for them. Except Zoe doesn’t know any of this for like... 60% of the book. And she’s LIVING IN THE VILLAGE.

Zoe, babe, how are you in a town that’s literally famous for a book-based scavenger hunt and you don’t pick up on it until after the murder? People are crawling around the hills with shovels, quoting obscure clues, and she's just over here wondering why the priest looks constipated during Mass.

The pacing is what really killed me (ironically, since the murder doesn’t even happen until halfway through). The plot is drenched in vibes: Provence hills, grumpy locals, a mysteriously barren garden that felt like it was foreshadowing something but actually just sat there being metaphorical. There's more description of the architecture than the actual murder. And while I love a large cast of quirky villagers, this book throws twenty-five names at you in the first two chapters like it's hosting a murder-themed Eurovision and everyone brought a plus-one.

Also. I have to say it. The self-referential Maisie Cooper name drops? Weirdly jarring. Like yes, Zoe is from another series. But if you’re going to use her in a spinoff, give me the goods, not a bunch of cryptic “as Maisie always said” asides that don’t mean anything unless you’ve read the full Cooperverse.

Now, that’s not to say this book is a total flop. The setting is delightful, the kind of village where secrets waft through the air with the scent of warm baguette. There’s a dog named Russell who deserved more page time, and when the mystery finally clicks into gear, the last 15% of the book actually feels like a functioning whodunit. It’s just... too little too late. I don’t need breakneck speed, but I do need something to happen before I start Googling the history of merceries out of boredom.

Zoe has potential. The Vulture mystery has potential. The town of Sainte-Catherine has so much cozy suspense energy just waiting to be unleashed. But this debut outing felt like it forgot its own genre until the third act and then tried to speed-run a Poirot monologue in a wine-induced panic.

Would I read the next book? Maybe. After a strong coffee and a pep talk. 2.5 stars.

Whodunity Award: For Making Me Suspect the Dead Tourist Just Got Bored and Left His Body Behind

Big thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for the ARC. I always appreciate a passport to cozy crime, even if this one felt like it came with a two-hour layover in Plot Limbo. Next time I’ll bring snacks and a murder suspect list that doesn’t require a flowchart.

[Kevin · Rating 3 out of 5]

A month or so back I saw an advert for a little bookshop in rural France complete with a little flat above. And it was little. You may even say cramp and uncomfortable in fact. But it also felt like a wonderful escapist daydream. A friend and I chatted about it and imagined the fun of such a life before returning to reality. But then I saw The French Bookshop Murder and it brought that daydream back. The cover has that simple cosy mystery font too. I was sold already!

The premise of the book is even better. A little statue of a vulture has been hidden and the clues to finding it, and claiming the prize, are in a book, so of course our new bookshop owner find herself drawn into both the puzzle, and also the murder of another treasure hunter. A plot like that is ideal for me, of course I love a puzzle and an amateur sleuth solving a seemingly random murder. And the book was fun in that regard, it just never hit the heights I had hoped for though.

When a book feels such a perfect match then it can be disappointing when it turns out, well, anything less than perfect. There remains a lot to enjoy here, but I wanted more. That cosy feeling went too far and felt twee at times. The literary references should roll fluidly in a story about a bookshop yet they often felt forced. And the final riddle? Well, there are two. The vulture? There comes a point where the solution becomes obvious. Now I love to be kept guessing until the last moment, even if it's just fighting a niggling doubt, but this was pretty clear for a while before the reveal, however it wasn't really an issue here because it was so tied to the reveal about the murderer. And the solution to the murder was... underwhelming. Not bad I hasten to add, just rushed and empty. There was no Scooby Doo reveal laying out a motive and walking through every step of the crime, just a quick "That person did it and you already know why. That's all folks." For a story that had some enjoyable writing about savouring food, drink, and books, the conclusion was a fast food hamburger - yeah, it did what you needed at that moment and you're happy enough, but you're not going to be looking back fondly and telling everyone you know how satisfying it was.

The whole book feels like the start of a series, and there's still a lot to work with. A few side characters who you know could bring more to future stories, and a lot of opportunity to build on a decent enough foundation that this book lays out, but at the moment, as a standalone book, it feels like those extra stories are missing. I plan to return to any series that comes from this, I think a couple of books in will round it out and make everything a little more enjoyable.

[Lorraine Woodall · Rating 4 out of 5]

The French Bookshop Murder by Greg Mosse is a gentle, atmospheric mystery that leans more toward character and setting than high-stakes suspense. It follows Zoe Pascal, a British woman who relocates to a small village in southern France to start a new life running a bookshop. What begins as an escapist fantasy of sunlit mornings and quiet village charm soon darkens when a tourist is found dead in the local church — and Zoe becomes a suspect.

The real strength of the novel lies in its setting. The small French village feels alive, full of detail and texture: stone houses, winding streets, gossiping locals, and a rhythm of life that’s both appealing and faintly claustrophobic. Mosse captures the allure of rural France, the food, the landscape, the sense of community, with warmth and precision. Readers who enjoy stories that transport them to another place will likely find much to savour here.

The tone is firmly in the “cosy crime” tradition. There’s an amateur sleuth, a close-knit community, and a mystery that unfolds more as a puzzle than a thriller. The story is never gruesome or fast-paced; instead, it’s reflective and observant, filled with small discoveries and character moments. Many of the villagers are drawn with affection and humour, and their quirks add life to the narrative.

Where the novel slightly falters is in its pacing. The setup, Zoe moving, settling into the village, and adjusting to her new surroundings, takes its time. The murder and its investigation come relatively late, which might test the patience of readers hoping for an early hook. Zoe herself, while likable, sometimes feels more like an observer than an active participant in her own story.

The mystery, once it arrives, has charm but not a great deal of urgency. The clues and revelations come steadily, though the final resolution feels a little abrupt, and the culprit’s motivations could have been developed further. The novel’s pleasures lie less in the “whodunit” and more in the atmosphere, the relationships, and the idea of reinvention in a foreign land.

Overall, The French Bookshop Murder is an enjoyable, comforting read — ideal for a lazy weekend or a quiet evening with a glass of wine. It’s not a book of twists and shocks, but of slow discovery and charm. Readers who love small-town mysteries, and evocative settings will be satisfied. Those looking for a tense or tightly plotted crime story may find it too languid.

[Athirah Idrus · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m a fan of cozy mysteries and what self-professed book enthusiast would not feel giddy at the mention of a bookshop? Judging from the title and blurb, I had high expectations that this could be the modern-day version of Ms Marple-esque cozy mystery that I could get behind.

Zoe Pescal moved to the quaint town in a rather rural part in France, hoping that the bookstore she procured, could fill the days of her golden years. However, soon after she set foot to the town she had only visited briefly when she was younger, problem kept up propping one after the other. Not only was there a problem with the access to her new house cum bookstore, she also felt the cold shoulders from the people around town especially another bookstore owner dwelling in secondhand goods.

The main plot enticed me and I got comfortable in anticipation of yet another cozy mystery that seemed promising. However, I had to adjust my expectations along with the consistently slow pacing. I had expected a slower pace due to the genre, but it was extremely draggy. While I appreciated the details that helped shape the setting, it was at the expense of the plot and character building. Zoe was described to be smart, but her actions did not support this claim. Many of her decisions were based on empty assumptions which made the story rather unbearable.

I wished the focus was more on the case and characters instead of the meandering descriptions of the place. It felt very much from the POV of a white person who was non-French, who was clearly besotted with the culture and language of the country. Of course this wasn’t necessarily a problem, but it was borderline er fanboy to me which took some of the enjoyment of reading. If you’re a fan of slow and wordy type of cozy mystery, then this might be for you.

[Noura · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book felt like the kind of story that quietly wraps itself around you, drawing you into its village rhythms and then surprising you with the darker edges of mystery. For me, the real heart of the book wasn’t just the murder at the church or the treasure-hunt intrigue it was Zoe. She’s someone who walks into a new life with all her city habits still clinging to her, and I loved watching her navigate a world that at first doesn’t fully embrace her. That sense of being an outsider trying to find her place made her instantly relatable.

The bookshop itself gave the story a soul a place that isn’t just about shelves of books but about fresh beginnings, connections, and the quiet refuge Zoe is trying to create for herself. It made me want to step into Sainte-Catherine, to hear the gossip in the square, to smell the bread from the bakery, and to feel the comfort of a village that holds secrets just beneath the surface.

The mystery had layers not just about the murder but about puzzles, obsessions, and what people are willing to chase when the promise of treasure stirs them. That thread added something different from the usual cozy mystery, and I enjoyed how it blended bookish charm with an almost folkloric sense of intrigue.

Greg Mosse’s writing made me feel both the warmth of Provence and the chill of suspicion, and that balance kept me turning pages. I finished the book already imagining Zoe growing into her role as both bookseller and accidental detective, and I’m genuinely excited to see where her story goes next.

This book wasn’t just a mystery for me it was an invitation into a place and a life I didn’t want to leave.

[Devi · Rating 3 out of 5]

📱📖 Read on Kindle
📃 323 pages
⏱ Duration: 5 hours
🏷️ Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
📅 Published: September 18, 2025
Genre: Cozy Mystery

This book had me at “French bookshop.” Between the croissants, cobblestone lanes, and bookish charm, I thought I’d found my next comfort read. And in some ways, I did. The setting is lovely. You can almost feel the Provençal sunlight and hear the chatter of locals spilling out of cafés. Greg Mosse captures the easy rhythm of small-town life with genuine warmth.

But while the world-building had me swooning, the pacing slowed things down more than I expected. The mystery is gentle, almost meandering, which isn’t a dealbreaker in cozy-land, but I did find myself wishing the plot would pick up the pace. And then there’s Zoe. She’s sweet, and her bookshop-owner fantasy is charming, but she feels like she’s waiting for someone else to tell her who she is. A little more spark, a little more growth, and she could’ve easily carried this story with more oomph.

It’s a pleasant cozy, but one that didn’t leave me counting down for the sequel. Think of it as a gentle walk through a French village rather than a twisty chase, nice company, beautiful scenery, just not the most thrilling route.

Would I Recommend It?
If you’re craving a slow, atmospheric cozy set under the French sun, absolutely. The setting alone is worth the trip, even if the pacing wanders. Zoe has room to grow, but the world around her is delightful.

Bonjour or Meh? Let’s Discuss 🇫🇷
Would you move abroad for a fresh start, even if your dream job came with a body count? Tell me in the comments: is small-town murder your kind of escapism?

[John Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like books set in rural France and that was an initial attractraction of this book for me. However, I was a bit put off in the early chapters by the style of writing which felt a bit amateurish - particularly strange in view of the authors writing experience and background. I was pleased that this disappeared as I got into the story . One example of this was an almost condescending kind of explanation of any french words or phrases - even those where the meaning was obvious. This wasn't extended to other languages particularly an Occitan word of importance later in the book.

Grumbles over. The story, I liked. Basically it is about Zoe who has had enough of her life on and around the stage in London and wants a new start making a go of a book shop in the small town of Sainte Catherine in Provence France. 

Her  settling in is complicated when she becomes a suspect in the sudden death in the village and by the village itself becoming the centre of a ' Masquerade' type of treasure hunt. ( A hunt that I was involved in back in the 70s and won a similar, albeit significantly smaller, about 20 years ago).

The author captures the authentic  feel of the village and its residents and I half expected Martin Walker's Police Chief Bruno to turn up from a neighbouring village at any moment.

The armchair detective in me was unsuccessful in finding the culprit although the treasure hunt solver in me would have got pretty close to the prize.

I  am looking forward to reading about Zoe's step sister in the other series and maybe finding out more about her  history too.

18th Jan 2026

[Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

This cozy mystery is the first in a series featuring new bookshop owner Zoe Pascal. I didn't realise this was a spin off from another series the Maisie Cooper mysteries. Zoe has just moved to the village Sainte-Catherine in the South of France. Zoe is excited to make a fresh start, make new friends and make her bookshop a success. When the body of a tourist is found in the local church. Zoe becomes a suspect as the victim was seen leaving her shop. Zoe also becomes entangled in the Vulture, which is a puzzle based on a local book that a lot of the locals and tourists are trying to solve as their is a lot of money involved.

The setting of this book is so charming, I could totally imagine myself being in the South of France when I was reading. There is a lot of characters and some of their names did sound the same and I did sometimes forget who went with who but I am sure once the series progresses this will not be an issue. The bookshop just sounds devine and makes me want to run off and build my own. I enjoyed the Vulture part of the story, it did take a while for the part to come together but I enjoyed it.

Overall I enjoyed this book, it was a good start to a new cosy mystery series. I am excited to learn more about Zoe and her back story. I think I will have to pick up the Maisie Cooper books as well.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Hodder and Stoughton for the opportunity to read this book.

[Vanessa · Rating 3 out of 5]

The French Bookshop Murder by Greg Mosse was a new promising French Village Mystery series and I enjoyed it especially as it was a cosy easy and fun read. This book was a lovely quick read, I ended up reading it in one sitting,
The French Bookshop Murder book cover was simple, Sadly, I would have not picked this book up in a shop to read etc.. or purchased it on Kindle, it would not have caught my eye especially as so many authors have written books like this. But, I am glad I had a chance to read and review this book,.

When Zoe Pascal lives in England and decides to pack all her belonging up and move to France. She has always dreamt of opening up a bookshop in a small rural village in the South of France. She wants to spend her later years in life eating croissants, reading her beloved books, and getting to know her charming new hometown.

What could ever go wrong?

A body of a tourist is found inside the local church, Zoe begins to discover that something is afoot in the village of Sainte-Catherine. Now,Zoe was the last person to have seen the deceased alive, Zoe has suddenly becomes a prime suspect in a murder investigation.

Now, she needs to prove her innocence! But how can she?

She needs to discover who the real murderer is!!!

The clock is ticking and Zoe may have to say au revoir to her French countryside dream?

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for my ARC.

[Kiki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unfortunately, this book was quite a drag. It was incredibly slow, and it didn’t build any connection within me to the characters; I simply wasn’t invested in them.

The switching between various perspectives was jarring, especially in the beginning when we didn’t even know who was who. Who were these people? Are they relevant to the story? One is a rental car worker, the next a woman walking the street reading - even a dog… (yes, we follow the dog). It didn’t feel connected and it didn’t really add much to the story.

There’s a lot of time and space dedicated to teaching / translating French, and going into depth about the region. I get that France is clearly important to the story, as it’s in the title, but it got tired pretty quick. (Maybe that’s just because I hated learning French in college…). It felt like the author was on a mission to prove how much they knew about the French language and culture to impress us. Instead, it slowed the pace and took me out of the story.

It got a bit repetitive at the end; Zoe went over the events earlier in the book several times, like we didn’t read her going through it the first time. It was tedious to read it again and again. The answer to both the murder and the Vulture were very quick and a bit predictable. All in all, it was a nice, cozy mystery for light reading.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the advance review copy.

[Eden Gills Konnovitch · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you Hodder & Stoughton for the advanced reader copy!

If I could describe this book in two words it would be cozy and charming. This book begs to be read beside a fire with a cup of coffee, hot cocoa or what every your poison is!

The entire vibe of the book is delicious French cuisine, books, and mystery! An English women named Zoe decided to open a bookshop in a quaint French village only to find herself the main suspect of a murder. Not only that, but another mysterious decade old puzzle is at play and if Zoe can solve the puzzle, maybe it will lead her to the real murder and she can clear her name.

I enjoyed the cultural aspects of this book so much! I have never been to France before, but being fascinated by the culture from afar, I loved how immersed this book was. I also loved that the plot of this book had some complexity to it unlike other cozy mysteries I have read as many tend to fall flat in this area.

The only reason I gave it 3 stars instead of 4 or 5 was because is did drone on quite a lot at times and it did find myself losing interest at certain points in the story. I am someone who personally enjoys something with a faster pace, however, if you are someone who loves a lot of details and wants to tuck in for the long haul, I could see this aspect of the book being very appealing!

[Sara Wise · Rating 5 out of 5]

** “A weed is not a bad plant, per se, but simply something growing in the wrong place.” **

Greg Mosse delivers a quaint yet intriguing cozy mystery with “The French Bookshop Murder.”

Brit Zoe Pascal is moving to the lovely French village of Sainte-Catherine, known as “the book village,” to reopen the now closed bookshop and begin a new chapter in her life.

When she starts to see strange behavior from both residents and visitors to the town, she learns there is a deeper mystery happening. But when someone ends up dead, and Zoe ends up in the police’s crosshairs, she knows she needs to figure out what is really going on.

Mosse does a great job of weaving together plot twists to keep the reader guessing, all well developing an extensive cast of characters that are fun, quirky, enigmatic and down-right grumpy. He even frequently references his own past Maisie Cooper series and gives a shout out to his author wife.

Fans of stories about quaint village life and cozy mysteries, and series like Ian Moore’s “Follet Valley Mysteries,” Peter Boland’s “Charity Shop Detective Agency Mysteries” and Dee MacDonald’s “Ally McKinley Mysteries” will love “The French Bookshop Murder,” which is due out Sept. 18.

Five stars out of five.

Hodder & Stoughton provided this complimentary copy through NetGalley for my honest, unbiased review.

[Ruth · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'd had high hopes for this, but in the end it didn't live up to what I'd imagined it would be. There were aspects I liked - the French countryside, food and wine descriptions, and the sound of the bookshop. But I struggled to find Zoe likeable...I haven't read the author's other series of books, in which it seems she also plays a role, so perhaps that would have improved the situation. But as it was, she seems incredibly stupid! There is quite obviously a mystery in the town, and everyone is looking for something, but Zoe seems absolutely determined to be utterly ignorant until really quite late in the book. I just didn't buy it! She's meant to be a smart woman, but somehow she missed what everyone is going on about?! And she set up a business in this town but has somehow not done any research about the place and what happens there? I just didn't buy it, and so unfortunately that had an impact on how I felt as I was reading.
There is a huge cast of characters as well, which can feel overwhelming, and the pace felt slow to me. It is a cosy crime, so I'm sure there will be some readers who are happy to amble along. But unfortunately I felt frustrated as I read.
With thanks to Net Galley & the publishers for my honest review.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Zoe Pascal has decided to leave England and buy a bookshop in Sainte-Catherine, a small village in the south of France. She wants to spend her later years in life eating croissants, reading her beloved books, and getting to know her charming new hometown. When she finds the body of a tourist inside the local church, Zoe begins to discover that something is afoot in the village of Sainte-Catherine. And as the last person to have seen the deceased alive, Zoe suddenly becomes a prime suspect in a murder investigation.
The first in a new series but Zoe appeared in the Maisie Cooper series. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Zoe & the other villagers, yes there were quite a few but thankfully there was a list of characters at the start. There are assumptions made, some of which are wrong & Zoe picks up on undercurrents in the village but it takes her a while to realise what everyone is focused on. The pace of the book fits perfectly with the tranquil life in a French village & I loved the descriptions of the village & surrounding area. A well written cosy mystery that was a little bit different & there’s still much to learn about Zoe
I voluntarily read and reviewed a special copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own

[Lynda · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first in a new series, French Village Mysteries, featuring Zoe Pascal a former West End actor who has decided to rid herself of the city life of London and has moved to the village of Sainte-Catherine in the Provence region of France. She is also the younger step sister of Maisie Cooper( who has her own series). A well written light and easy read.

Briefly, Zoe has purchased an old bookshop, books being the love of her life, and she is both living there and reopening the shop. Taking on the friendly and not so friendly residents is hard work although she manages to become really friendly with Russell the Jack Russell stray she takes in. All the time she hears reference to The Vulture which is a puzzle prize set up and worth a lot of money to whoever finds it. It takes over the story which develops when one of the seekers is found dead in the Cathedral. Thanks in part to her own childhood Zoe becomes a suspect so she takes it upon herself to find the real killer and the Vulture.

A good cosy crime book with a fabulous setting which readers of the Maisie Cooper Mysteries will thoroughly enjoy. With a plethora of potential suspects the killer was well hidden, had me fooled. A lovely read.

[Sarah Harwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first introduction to Greg Mosse having wanted to read his novels for ages and I was not disappointed. 

Zoe move to the Southern French town of Sainte-Catherine to reopen the town bookshop and is almost immediately embroiled in the death of an unusual visitor. 


I enjoyed the character of Zoe, I liked her realistic reaction to the situation she finds herself in and I loved the new life narrative. The town of Sainte-Catherine proves to be a character in itself with lush descriptions of the place and it's people. This was a real highlight and the mystery is layered upon itself proving to be twisty until the end. 


My only reservation is the idea that one key aspect of the story is known to absolutely everyone else apart from Zoe who, in every other aspect, is an intelligent and knowledgeable person. I found it hard to believe that she wouldn't have come across this key thing whilst buying the bookshop, but this was a fleeting foible. 


Overall I really enjoyed this, it felt like going on holiday. Thank you Netgalley for the chance to read a good 5*. Now, I'm off to book myself a trip to the South of France

[Leanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

The French Bookshop Murder is an utterly charming dive into cozy crime, set against the idyllic backdrop of southern France. Greg Mosse introduces us to Zoe Pascal, a woman who’s ditched English drizzle for sun-soaked croissants and shelves of well-worn novels in the quaint village of Sainte-Catherine. Her bookshop dream quickly spirals into mystery when a tourist turns up dead in the local church—and Zoe finds herself tangled in the investigation.

This isn’t just a whodunnit; it’s a delicious blend of wit, warmth, and red herrings. The villagers are quirky, the prose is inviting, and the plot unfolds like a lazy afternoon—until it twists sharply with suspense. Fans of Richard Osman or Agatha Christie-style puzzlers will feel right at home.

Mosse's storytelling is elegant without being precious, keeping the tone light but never trivial. It’s a tale that invites you to pull up a chair, pour a glass of Bordeaux, and get delightfully lost among secrets, scandals, and second-hand books.

With thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

[Beth Gerson · Rating 2 out of 5]

(2.5*)

This should probably have been a DNF for me, but I'm nothing if not a completionist. While the descriptions of the scenery and locations were lovely, and the care put into describing the bookstore itself was fantastic, the main character remained murky and undefined throughout.

We were told 4 separate times within 20 pages that this is the half-sister of Maisie Cooper, but having not read those books, this didn't mean enough to me to warrant 4 separate notes. 50% of the way through the book, I was still unclear what the Vultures were or what they were searching for. Having that somewhat explained, I hoped the second half of the book would speed up in pacing, but that didn't happen. Nothing was making this feel like there were stakes involved, and as a result, the characters and their backstories were interesting, but it was difficult to care about what they were all doing. I'm not sure if the Maisie Cooper series is similar, but I don't see myself diving into those books to find out.

I received an ARC from NetGalley

[Jamad · Rating 1 out of 5]

A murder in a charming French village, a bookshop, and a determined heroine — it should have been right up my street. Sadly, this one just wasn’t for me. The plot moved at the pace of a Sunday stroll through Provence, and the author seemed far more interested in showing off his GCSE-level French than in building any real tension.

Take this for example:

“…past a coiffeuse or ladies’ hairdresser and a mercerie, a haberdashery, selling cloth and wool and thread and so on.”
“On the right, she found a short cul-de-sac of cobbles that led only to a chambre d’hôtes – a guest house –”
“‘You seem already to be en pleine forme,’ said Caroline, meaning ‘on top form…’”
“Marcel spoke with the distinctive accent of the ‘terroir’, the local soil.”
“Zoe drank her café allongé – an espresso ‘stretched’ by hot water.”

I’m honestly surprised he didn’t explain what a cul-de-sac was — perhaps “a short street closed at one end, often found in actual France”?

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC, but I prefer my mysteries with a bit more intrigue and a bit less tourist phrasebook.

[Paul Allard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cosy crime - not sufficiently demanding. Disappointing.

My problem with this murder mystery is that it seems to target the lowest common denominator. It assumes that the reader knows nothing about the French language, village life in Provence, French culture etc… it portrays French village life as an Idyll with friendly neighbours, friendly police, none of which happens in real life (I can testify to that). Our heroine, British but given a French-sounding name, is quite easily accepted into this slice of society. She is evidently a character from the author’s previous works with an interesting background story. The characters are sometimes stereotypical and reasonably well-developed. The plot moves along at a good pace. It’s not a long book and lovers of cosy crime will probably enjoy it. It just didn’t enthrall me. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Val Millard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Zoe has decided to leave her life in England as an actor and buy a bookshop in a town in the South of France near Aix en Provence. She visited many years ago with her half sister Maisie Cooper. When she arrives in the town, ready to settle into her new life and with a furniture truck in tow, she is told that the house keys have gone missing from her notaire’s office. She has to break into the bookshop through a window, not a great start to her new life.
I am a great Francophile and was looking forward to reading the book but I’m afraid I found the book very slow moving and didn’t really like Zoe as a character. At the heart of the story was a puzzle book, rather like Masquerade which was released many years ago in the UK. The French version, the Vulture, had not been solved in ten years and the book and murder were eventually solved towards the end of the book and involved the bookshop and Zoe.