Death and boules

Follet Valley Mysteries #5

by Ian Moore

Saint-Sauver, home to Richard Ainsworth and Valérie d’Orçay’s detective agency, is celebrating the 25th anniversary of its town twinning with Anglethorp Spa in Lincolnshire. Events are planned, a huge brocante, street parties and the centrepiece, an exhibition boules tournament between the two towns and a team of international boules all-stars.

Everything is going well, the sun shines, the wine flows and the entente is very cordiale.

Until the mayor turns up dead in an antique dresser having apparently been killed twice. Inevitably Richard and Valérie have very different views on the subject and engage in their own battle, who will solve the crime first?

Genres: Mystery, Audiobook, Fiction, Cozy Mystery, Comedy

Paperback

Published March 19, 2026

About the author

Best-Selling author Ian Moore is also a stand-up comedian and conference host in the UK, and husband, father of three boys, farmhand, chutney-maker and Basil Fawlty impersonator in France. Since doing less stand-up, he's stopped taking himself so seriously.

Reviews

[Kristen Perrin]

An enormously fun series - Ian Moore does it again with his signature crackle of wit and compelling French atmosphere. I found myself laughing out loud and fiendishly turning pages, all the while rooting for the sparky dynamic between Richard and Valérie.

[Viola]

Patīkama atgriešanās pie Mūra grāmatu sērijas par mazo franču ciematiņu, kur teju katrā pasākumā pagadās kāds slepkavnieks. Lielisks cozy detektīvs, nav nekāds literārs šedevrs, bet viegla un izklaidējoša literatūra atpūtas brīžiem.

[Alice]

This is another great addition to this mystery series by British comedian and author Ian Moore. And what a mystery it is. I absoluteley loved it, and I kept guessing my way through the book. When I wasn't laughing that is. Just like the rest of the books in the series about the odd couple, Richard and Valerie, this is so witty. The characters are awesome, and you can picture them vividly.
If you like Richard Osman's books about The Thursday Murder Club, you will love the books about the very British Richard, and the very French Valerie.

[David]

This series really has become a favourite of mine. I appreciate it’s a series that won’t have everyone excited to read though.

This book managed to go back to a more slimmed down amount of characters that you had to keep track of. Richard being let off his leash really was the right move. As always there were many misdirects and the supporting characters were well integrated providing laughs and a suitable amount of agency without being too in your face.

All in all it’s as ridiculous as I hoped for and I look forward to the next one.

Potentially the best in the series so far.

[Mathilde Guittard]

Comforting and witty read

I m French from a small village, lived in London, love crime book and gosh this one makes me smile

[Laura]

The story:
Richard Ainsworth is fed up. Lumbered looking after the mayor’s stall at the town of Saint-Sauver’s 25th anniversary celebration of its twinning with Anglethorp Spa, he’d rather be elsewhere. But that’s nothing compared to his mood when he discovers the mayor’s body in an antique dresser he’s been trying to sell…

As ever, his dynamic business partner Valérie d’Orçay is keen to investigate. But when Richard’s suspicions of Valérie’s (most recent) husband drive a wedge between the pair, Richard finds himself investigating solo. But with complications in the form of international art fraud, a pregnant poodle, and two rival boule (or is it pétanque?) teams, will Richard be able to unravel the mystery? And more importantly, will he get some peace and quiet?

My thoughts:
I’ve been reading author Ian Moore’s Follet Valley Mysteries since they began, and “Death and Boules” is now the fifth instalment featuring reluctant sleuth Richard Ainsworth and glamorous bounty hunter (and possibly assassin) Valérie d’Orçay.

This time the story is set against the backdrop of the 25th anniversary celebrations of the town’s twinning, and the centrepiece of the celebrations, a boules match between the English team of Anglethorp Spa and the French Avignon Arrivistes, has drawn in the crowds. But trouble seems to be attracted to Richard, and it’s not long before a murder investigation is underway.

Poor Richard is reluctantly drawn into the investigations, and almost straight away falls out with Valérie over her very suspicious husband Edmond Masson – a man who had been missing for many years and unexpectedly reappeared in Valérie’s life, much to Richard’s annoyance, in the last book “Death in le Jardin”. Left to his own devices, Richard shows a surprisingly determined attitude to get to the bottom of things, despite the interventions of Valérie’s former colleague, now nemesis, Oriane Moulin, and his unexpected recruitment into the British boules team.

As ever, this is a laugh-out-loud book with an eclectic cast of characters, and a genuinely good mystery at its heart – and set in the idyllic French Loire valley, a great summer read too!

[Channon Coats]

Pure Joy

You would like a review to be fair, but anything I could say would not approach the fun of this series without compromising the story. This one isn't about petanque, it isn't about forged art, it isn't about love, murder or a Ville in France, but these ingredients keep showing up, getting blended, and reforming into the jewels Ian Moore is so brilliant at contriving. Richard, still married, yet freely in love with his partner, still confusing and confused, still manages to be his own red herring and solution to his story, is a joy and becoming a very good book friend. The other women in his life, and there are at least two who plan to be with him in further adventures, are legion and legend, as Valérie and his housekeeper, but his "spy" partner (as she describes a partnership role for herself), Oriane-the-spy, and his wife don't seem to let go, fine. He can handle but not juggle them all, just more fun for us all. Of course, I'm being vague, which I hate, but I must or simply ruin everything. Read and you will agree with a smile - the world is MUCH better with Richard and Ian Moore in it, and that should be enough recommendation and review for all of us at this point. Bravo, mon ami. Je t'aime toujours, pour toujours. Merci.

[Claire Smith-Simmons]

Another funny and witty murder mystery romp in the Follet Valley mystery series. I always love the mix of the stoic Britishness set against the often inexplicable French foibles, the melding of the two makes for a great read that always keeps me highly entertained.

This is another classic twisty mystery with plenty of suspicion, red herrings and has baguettes worth of charm. I love the combination of Richard and Valèrie, the partnership they have always surprises me in each book in the best way.

I'm going straight into the next book as I can't wait to read more from the dynamic detective duo.

If you're a fan of Agatha Raisin or Dinnerlady Detectives then I think you'd really enjoy these books.

The annual holiday and brocante is always well attended and a special boules tournament will be the pièce de resistance, that is until the mayor turns up dead, in a dresser, having been killed, twice! Throw in some boules fun, art forgery ring and a man back from the dead and you'll have the crazy romp that is this book.

[Mark Reece]

Death and Boules is an absolute delight from start to finish. Ian Moore brings all the charm, wit, and cosy chaos that make the Follet Valley Mysteries so addictive. The town‑twinning celebrations, the boules tournament, and the wonderfully eccentric locals create a perfect backdrop for a mystery that’s both clever and laugh‑out‑loud funny.Richard and Valérie are on top form here — their dynamic is sharp, warm, and endlessly entertaining — and the central mystery (a mayor apparently killed twice) is exactly the kind of quirky, irresistible puzzle this series does so well.I tore through it with a grin on my face. It’s cosy, witty, and full of character. A fantastic addition to the series, and one I absolutely loved.

[Georgina Candy]

This is book 5 in this series and I’m still loving them just as much as the first one I read (which was actually the 2nd, still haven’t read the 1st one!). This time, there is a big event happening in the local town celebrating the 25th anniversary of the twinning of the town with one in England and loads of things are planned. The first is a brocante that unfortunately had rather a grim ending - the mayor being found dead in a dresser!

Richard then starts to investigate but it’s not plain sailing as with previous cases, he loses his business partner, his friend and everyone’s trust. There are all sorts of suspects, leads and twists - will he solve it before anything else happens?

I really like these books, there is just the right amount of sarcasm mixed in with humour and film trivia (though not as much this time I thought). The writing just flows making them an easy quick fun read, I’m looking forward to more already (and will pick up the 1st one before the 6th!)

[Adam Carson]

I always quite enjoy Ian Moore’s whodunnits set in rural France. They’re not literary masterpieces by any means, but they’re light and humorous and I find them a bit of relaxing palette cleanser from meatier novels. The characters - Richard and Valerie in particular - really make them.

All that said, this is probably one of the weaker entries in the series. While there are still the same fun characters, the plot didn’t do them any favours. At times, it felt a bit all over the place and I was confused about who was angry with who and why.

Nevertheless, good to be back Valérie and Richard’s world.

[Maggie Timlin]

A perfect cost crime series

Richard is back with a suitable exasperating murder to solve, when the mayor of Saint-Sauver is found dead inside a side board. The same side board Richard has been trying to hock all morning at a townwide bric-a-brac sale.

Richard is his usual grumpy self quoting old films, talking to his, and dealing with a complicated private life. I love this series. It is a near perfect cost murder mystery series. The reoccurring characters are interesting enough to hold your attention over several books, and the mysteries are always twisty and tough to guess.


Thank you to the publisher for a review copy of this book.

[Jamie Bowen]

Saint-Sauver always seems to celebrate some event, this time it is the twinning with Anglethorp Spa in Lincolnshire. So it is a shame when the Mayor turns up dead, but with Richard Ainsworth and Valerie d'Orcay's detective agency on the scene, the mystery could be resolved. But their relationship is about to be tested to the limit and from zero women in Richard's life, now he is inundated.

This series is wonderful, so evocative of France and so funny. The shenanigans in this one are often hilarious.

[Barbara]

Although I usually like Francophile books, I just could not get into this book. We had a murder near the start of the book, with no progress being made in its resolution when I abandoned the book on p140. Our main protagonist, Richard Ainsworth used sarcasm constantly and seemed to live life through the lens of old films, including naming his hens after old film stars. I found myself not caring about any of the characters in the book, so decided I would devote my free time to reading something more enjoyable!

[Oundle Crime]

I recently read one of Ian Moore’s Juge Lombard mysteries, which I quite enjoyed, so I was happy to give this a try. Having read it, sadly the best description I can come up with is fatuous cosy crime. The plot is silly and the plotting non-existent. I found the characters weakly-written – all of them seem to be caricatures – and the dialogue is stodgy, so none of them comes to life on the page. Zero tension and an infinitesimal mystery and, although it sounds harsh, I’m still wondering why I bothered to finish this.
Review by: Cornish Eskimo, Oundle Crime

[Karen Bauer]

Another interesting & twisty mystery plot

Another charming story of amateur detective work in a small French country town. As always the witticisms keep me chuckling and the plot lines twists and turns keep me guessing.

These Follet Valley Mystery Books are a real pleasure to read and I love and enjoy all these characters. I look forward to the next installment!

Let the hiking ensue!

[book_lover_kent]

We join Richard and his partner in solving crimes, Valerie as their Loire Valley neighbours gather together to celebrate the 25th anniversary of twining with a random Lancashire town, the highlight being a boules tournament, that is until the discovery of a body steals the limelight!

This is the fifth instalment of the Follet Valley series and it just keeps getting better! Richard is such a brilliant and loveable character, his Englishness all the more pronounced by being surrounded by the French.

With a clever plot, laugh out loud humour and a brilliant cast of characters I would highly recommend to all

[Kati]

Poor Richard, once again he got one part of the story right... and the rest totally, completely wrong. Mind you, this time of no fault of his own since pretty much everyone kept him in the dark about what was really going on, obfuscating or outright lying to him. At least Valérie didn't let him make a fool of himself publicly. Still, it was as hilarious as always, Richard and his hens, heh.

[Yoeri]

Enjoyable escapism.

The jokes are becoming a bit stale and the lack of character evolution bothers me a bit, they're stock characters at most, but when you need some entertainment, Ian Moore has you covered with this latest return to Saint-Sauver and the Follet Valley.

It does become a bit messy with all side characters and plot twists.

[Ashley Lombardo]

One of the funniest yet in the series. As always, Richard's internal monologue is hilarious.

Yes, the plot got a little confusing at the end. There were a few too many characters.

But I also giggled all the way through it, & can't wait for the next book.

Ian Moore has done it again, & I'm hooked.

[Darth Prowse]

This is great holiday read. All the usual suspects are present and the usual suspects vents happen. I just feel we need to move onto the next stage! At what point will try e main character stop being so mopey and the angle can only be dragged out for so long. Will read the next one but will have to see after that....

[Nigel]

This series of books just seems to keep getting better the characters the plots the twist and turns the red herrings all fantastic. This book for some reason seemed to be very much more of a laugh out loud read just wonderful bring on the next.

[Jean-paul Audouy]

I think I’m getting tired of Richard’s indecisiveness and keenness for boredom. Clichés abound in the description of the rural life in the Loire valley and that too gets annoying after a while. But the story was entertaining so it was good enough as a summer read.

[Andy Young]

I have really enjoyed all 5 books in the series and this latest book is on a par with the 1st which I loved. It is a light hearted read with so much humour and it really puts a smile on your face. I hope there is a number 6 👍

[Mrs Elena]

too confusing

I like the previous books in the series, but this one is less enjoyable. Too many characters, the plot wasn’t well thought through from my point of you. That said, it made me laugh a few times.

[Brandon Calluy]

I can't get enough of Ian Moore's Follet Valley mysteries.
This one was great, just great. You will need to have read the others to get the full experience. But if you have, great! It's a bit of a shocker, with the relationship of Richard and, well, everybody in Saint Sauvert. But it works well 😊

[Karen Norman]

Loved it! Richard is just so typically English and the rest of the cast so French it makes for lots of farcical situations. The solving of the murder is almost secondary to the means of getting there. So enjoyable

[Vicky Esirpeoglou]

Just finished the latest installment of Ian Moore's Follet Valley mysteries and let me tell you if you are into witty, cleverly authored, superbly entertaining mysteries solved by joyously engaging characters and you haven't read this series then you immediately MUST!

[Hannah Benwell]

Excellent, as expected

Another offering from Ian Moore, nicely paced, you know what you're getting before you start. Fun humour murder mystery you can imagine as a TV series that would run and run, but soooo much better than some of the formulaic offerings on the tv currently.

[Rachel Letham]

Another Follet Valley mystery that has me laughing, wincing, turning the pages faster than I can read
To get the best out of Ian’s books read them in order so that the characters evolve
Can’t wait for more