The Foreign Correspondent's Wife

by Jenna Helwig

Set in post-WWII Paris, the wife of an American foreign correspondent stumbles on the body of her murdered classmate at culinary school and becomes tangled in a web that stretches from the halls of diplomacy to the city’s underworld.

Paris, 1949. It’s been five years since the war ended. The City of Light is only just beginning to rediscover its joie de vivre. Americans are arriving in droves including the fiercely independent former reporter Kat Kelly and her husband—a hotshot foreign correspondent. Forced out of journalism by the old boys’ club, the tenacious Kat has moved on to pursue her love for French cuisine. But this new chapter turns deadly when she finds the bloody body of an American classmate, Toby.   

After giving her statement to the police and breaking the news to Toby’s girlfriend, Kat quickly suspects that Toby’s life—and death—were more complicated than she imagined. The more Kat learns, the more certain she is that the police are only scratching the surface of the case. When another body turns up Kat and her husband, Charlie, find themselves embroiled in the investigation. With the killer on the loose and time running out, Kat races to solve the case and save her marriage—and her life. 

In a glittering city desperate to forget the devastation of war, some secrets refuse to remain buried. But when agonizing truths are forced into the light, no one is safe.

Genres: Mystery

336 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication October 20, 2026

About the author

I'm the author of the upcoming mystery novel The Foreign Correspondent's Wife. Set in post-War Paris, the wife of an American foreign correspondent stumbles on the body of her murdered classmate at culinary school and becomes tangled in a web that stretches from the halls of diplomacy to the city’s underworld.

I'm also the food director at Real Simple magazine and the author of five cookbooks including the bestselling Baby-Led Feeding and the time-saving, stress-reducing Bare Minimum

I love to cook, bake, and eat, and am a giant cookbook fan. (Check out my newsletter Cookbookery Collective on Substack!) I also love to read fiction and am a particular fan of literary fiction and mystery novels. I live in Brooklyn, New York with my family.

Reviews

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jenna Helwig has a fantastic potential series on her hands with The Foreign Correspondent's Wife. While the post-WWII era can sometimes feel overused in historical fiction, the author takes a brilliant new twist here by tying in a compelling murder mystery. Additionally, the relationship between Kat and her husband was incredibly refreshing, bringing forward an unexpected dynamic of equality for the era that truly stood out.
The narrative moves at a remarkably quick pace, keeping the pages turning from start to finish. I highly recommend this to anyone who loves a sharp historical mystery and enjoys a fast-paced, engaging plot.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Shelli Brannum · Rating 5 out of 5]

A mysterious and gasp worthy read. It’s a medium burn with the later chapters being quite a roller coaster on spin cycle. This will be a delicacy on any thrill seeker’s plate. I’m hopeful this author will write more of these books, it definitely has series written all over it and I’m glad of that.



*Read prior to publication date through NetGalley.

[Laura Fenton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky to read an early copy of The Foreign Correspondent's Wife, and I've got my fingers crossed there will be another in this series! It was a fast-reading, suspenseful book, and I especially loved the razor sharp protagonist. I really felt transported to Paris after the War. I also loved that food was a central theme in this book--a fun extra layer of texture!