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A Death in Paris Mystery #1
Death in Paris
A charming series debut featuring two American sleuths in Paris, Death in Paris is a perfect traditional mystery for fans of M. L. Longworth and Juliet Blackwell.
The only thing chillier than a Parisian winter is cold-blooded murder.
When French financier Edgar Bowen drowns in a bowl of soup, his former girlfriend, American Rachel Levis, is alarmed by the unnatural death. Who dies eating a nice vichyssoise? But when she overhears a mourner at his funeral describing the circumstances of his death, something sounds even stranger: a bottle of rosé was on the dining table when he died. The only problem: Edgar loathed rosé. If he wasn’t drinking it, who was?
After the police rule the death accidental, Rachel knows it’s up to her and her best friend Magda to investigate. As the two Americans immerse themselves in Edgar’s upper-class world, the list of suspects grows: Could it have been his son, who inherited his money and lavish apartment? His icy ex-wife? His greedy new girlfriend? His impoverished personal assistant?
But when the suspects start dropping like flies, Rachel and Magda realize the murderer is tying up loose ends. It’ll be up to two amateur sleuths to solve their first case before the murderer decides they’re next...
The only thing chillier than a Parisian winter is cold-blooded murder.
When French financier Edgar Bowen drowns in a bowl of soup, his former girlfriend, American Rachel Levis, is alarmed by the unnatural death. Who dies eating a nice vichyssoise? But when she overhears a mourner at his funeral describing the circumstances of his death, something sounds even stranger: a bottle of rosé was on the dining table when he died. The only problem: Edgar loathed rosé. If he wasn’t drinking it, who was?
After the police rule the death accidental, Rachel knows it’s up to her and her best friend Magda to investigate. As the two Americans immerse themselves in Edgar’s upper-class world, the list of suspects grows: Could it have been his son, who inherited his money and lavish apartment? His icy ex-wife? His greedy new girlfriend? His impoverished personal assistant?
But when the suspects start dropping like flies, Rachel and Magda realize the murderer is tying up loose ends. It’ll be up to two amateur sleuths to solve their first case before the murderer decides they’re next...
327 pages, Hardcover
First published October 9, 2018
114 people are currently reading
485 people want to read
About the author
Emilia Bernhard
3 books34 followersEmilia Bernhard was born in Boston, Massachusetts, grew up in Philadelphia, and moved to the UK permanently in 2011. She has lived in Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Iowa, Arkansas, London, Cambridge, and Paris, and she now lives and works in Exeter, UK, where she has two cats and drinks a lot of tea.
Death in Paris is the first in a series of light mysteries. The second book in the series will be published in October, 2019.
Death in Paris is the first in a series of light mysteries. The second book in the series will be published in October, 2019.
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October 20, 2022
…she did owe him. He had helped her stop being young and start being interesting.I first experienced Paris in 1971, a short trip, five, six days, organized through a school I was no longer attending. It was my first time outside the USA, Christmas season, a group of late teens and early twenty-somethings. It was magical, freezing, but magical. Played my guitar a bit in an empty train terminal until we were chased out by the cops, sorry, gendarmes. Our group totaled the coke supply in a Vietnamese restaurant, had a friendly snowball fight with a pack of locals. Bought crepes from a sidewalk vendor. Had the best onion soup of my life in a jardin-variety neighborhood place. Took in some of the usual sights, Notre-Dame, The Louvre, the The Eiffel Tower and whatever our eyes could take in. December was not a great time to visit The Tuileries, but we popped by for at least a minimal look-see, walked along the Seine, did what groups of young tourists do. I have been back, briefly, a time or two since. It remains the most beautiful city I have ever seen. Occasionally I get to stop by via film, a TV series like Spiral, or the pages of a lovely book.
It was the chance to stroll through again that drew me to Death in Paris. But, once my reader’s passport had been stamped, there was plenty to keep me flipping pages. This is a cozy mystery, a sub-genre with a considerable list of characteristics. Definitions are not entirely in agreement. There are some links in EXTRA STUFF should you care to delve deeper. For many of you, this may all be familiar turf, particularly readers of this genre. But, although I have read thousands of books in my life, including some of this sort, I cannot say that cozies have been a significant portion. So, I wanted to get a better handle on just what the genre is. I have extracted some of these defining characteristics to a list. I hope that readers who are very familiar will bear with me, or maybe just skip past this section.
Emilia Bernhard - image from her Instagram account
Cozy Mystery checklist
-----Sex is downplayed – Ok, very little going on between the sheets here
-----Violence is downplayed - Well, not entirely. We begin with a relatively bloodless passing, but things do get a bit bloody, so, somewhat
-----Detectives are amateurs – Yep, Rachel and Magda are total newbies at this
-----Usually women – Yep. In fact, there is only one male authority figure in the book, the detective.
-----They are typically well educated – check
-----They are intuitive – intuition is definitely on display, but the progress in their detecting is based on a logical approach to known facts
-----They hold jobs that bring them into contact with other community residents – Rachel had been a caterer, so met people through that, including the primary vic
-----Typically have a contact on the police force – well, not so much, although it does look like a detective they meet in this book may come in handy in later volumes. But they do use a couple of personal contacts to look into places where they have no access.
-----They are dismissed by the authorities as nosy busybodies – Oui
-----Murderers are neither psychopaths nor serial killers – not telling
-----Murderers are members of the community in which the murder takes place – yep
-----Motives, greed-jealousy-revenge, are rooted in events years or even generations old – I could tell you but then I would have to kill you
-----Murderers are typically rational and articulate – It makes it so much easier when they explain why they did what they did
-----Supporting characters are often very broadly drawn, often quirky – Character development is not the thing here. Secondary characters serve more as props. We are mostly interested in the primaries, and solving the mystery. More on this below.
-----Cozies employ little, mild or no profanity – true, merde
-----Murders take place off-stage, frequently involving poisoning and falls – off stage for sure. Reading in the paper about someone drowning in his soup certainly qualifies.
-----Wounds are never dwelt on and seldom used as clues – pretty much, one exception here
-----Amateur detective is gregarious, well-liked, which allows people to open up to her – Rachel and Magda are very engaging and likeable
-----There is usually at least one very knowledgeable, nosy, yet reliable character in the book who is intimately familiar with the personal history and interrelationships of everyone in the town, and whose ability to fill in the blanks of the puzzle enables the amateur detective to solve the case. – Yeah, there is one of those here, who offers useful intel
-----Cozy mystery series frequently have a prominent thematic element introduced by the detective's job, pet or hobby – the continuing element here is Paris, duh-uh, more specifically, when Rachel and Magda get together every other chapter (more or less) to compare notes they offer a tour of Paris eateries. You could do worse than put together a list of these places for the next time you are planning to stop by at la Ville Lumière.
D’accord, now that I have at least some handle on what the rules are for cozies, we can get down to the nitty gritty. What do we want to see in a cozy mystery? We want a lead who is engaging, smart, and determined. Check, check, and check. We want a story that engages us, one that offers us enough clues that we have a chance to figure things out along with the heroine of the tale. And we want explanations that make sense. Again, check, check, and check.
On to the story. Rachel Levis is a forty-something Yank living in Paris with her husband, another ex-pat. Alan is a banker, which allows her to pursue her passion as a poet. The hours are blissfully flexible. Her bff is Magda Stevens, a pal of over two decades, from back when they were both foreign waitresses in the city they love. The death of the title is one Edgar Bowen. A news item reports that he had passed away in a most unusual manner, drowning in his vichyssoise. (a dish served cold?) At the funeral parlor Rachel overhears mention of there having been a bottle of rosé on the table when he was found. We might overlook such a small detail, but Rachel smells a rat. Edgar hates the stuff. Would never have rosé on the table for himself. So who was there with him at the end and why did they vanish? It seems that Edgar was Rachel’s first grown-up love many years back. They had parted on friendly terms. She retains some familiarity with him, if little more. (Hubs is a jealous sort, so has no knowledge of this)
I wanted to make the joke! That he’d died in his sleep, when he’d actually died in his soup. The real difficulty was figuring out how someone could actually die in their soup, so the joke kind of forced all the rest of it…As a writer, there’s just some things that you want to write. And the soup thing just made me laugh every time I read it. - from the Stop and Smell the Pages interviewThe rosé is the first thread Rachel pulls. It proceeds from there. Bernhard offers up a list of suspects, plenty of clues, and some lightly-grounded suspicions. Rachel and Magda bring in some outside assistance. An erstwhile friend with a broad knowledge of the social set in question is helpful. Alan’s bank connections come in handy. And even the detective who dismisses them provides a morsel or two.
The structure consists, for the most part of Rachel, or Rachel and Magda together doing some digging, then a chapter in which they analyze what they had found. I found this a very welcome approach, helping the reader to think along with the investigators.
Bernhard has fun with Rachel and Magda in a meta way, as they wonder aloud what this or that character, or author might do in this or that situation. These references always made me smile. You will know most. Here are a few, Nick and Nora Charles, Agatha Christie, Adrian Monk, Nero Wolfe, Remington Steele, Poirot, even Clouseau! Bernhard even pretty much talks to the reader about the process of creating a cozy. Here, Rachel considers one of the limitations of being a newbie.
On television the police were always saying, “I’ll talk to my snitches,” and every literary sleuth seemed to have a network of carefully cultivated connections or village gossips to help them out. The difficulty with being an actual amateur detective was the lack of this inside information. No wonder none of the fictional representatives ever featured a detective who was just starting out: without contacts you were nowhere.One of the criteria for a cozy is a cast of quirky characters. There are a few that fit the bill. But one of my few gripes about the book is that the odd ducks here hardly seemed odd enough. We expect the leads to be well put together, engaging without being too interesting. We count on the supporting cast to brighten things up. This element could have used some burnishing. The sense of Paris was most poignant when Bernhard writes about the challenge of getting a decent amount of space in which to live. The tour of eateries was fun. I am hoping that in future volumes (at least two are anticipated) there can be a bit more on the local architecture, the look of the place, which does so much to generate the feel, setting being a prime ingredient in mysteries of most sorts. Bernhard, who lives in England, has had a long-time affection for Paris.
I have a hypothesis that everybody has another country that’s not the country they were born in and not the country that they live in, and when I went to Paris, I was just very comfortable there. I used to spend a lot of time there; in the summers, when I would come to England for research, I would stop over in Paris for a couple of days. So I knew enough when I started writing the novel to set the novel there, but I did have to go back and spend more time there. - from the Stop and Smell the Pages interviewBottom line is whether this book is engaging. Très certainement! Although it only took me a few days to inhale this one, I found that I was always eager to get back to it, and it kept making me smile as I read. Not every novel has to be deep, thought provoking, or lyrical. Some can be just good fun. Death in Paris is a scrumptious crepe suzette of a book, serving quite nicely to fill a particular human need.
The absolute memory of a place
Review first posted – October 12, 2018
Published – October 9, 2018
=============================EXTRA STUFF
Links to the author’s Twitter and FB, and instagram pages
On the Cozy Mystery Genre
-----Career Authors - Formula for Writing a Cozy Mystery, Part 1: A Good “Hook” - by Laura DiSilverio
-----A nice overview from Wikipedia
-----Publishers Weekly - What Exactly is a Cozy Mystery? by Amanda Flower
-----Cozy-Mystery.com - What Makes a Cozy Just That?
Music
-----An American in Paris - The Detroit Symphony Orchestra – about 19 minutes worth, anyway. I was unable to find a free link to the film
Other cozies
Miss Marple rules this roost. Beyond this, they are legion. There is not nearly enough room in this space to do a proper list, so you are mostly on your own. Although GR hosts a Listopian page of the Best Cozy Mystery Series
I will be reviewing another cozy, House of Ashes in November, 2018
April 4, 2020
Beginning a new mystery series is always a fun exercise. Sometimes it's the setting that draws you in, other times it's the plot and characters being promised for many books to come. With a title like 'Death in Paris,' how could anyone ignore Emilia Bernhard's new series? When I saw it listed as an option in a cozy mystery group I belong to, I signed up and won the opportunity to read the book. It's been quite the fun afternoon diving into this international story... took about 3 1/2 hours and offered lots of sharp wit, drama, and classic French attitude! (no offense intended of course... I adored it) And now I want to go to Paris again.
Rachel and her best friend, Magda, live in Paris. Rachel's been there since college, and once dated the guy who was found dead in his soup. She's got a new husband now, but it doesn't prevent her from trying to figure out who killed her ex... even though it looks like he just had a heart attack. He was 60 to her 45, but he also had an adult son, a somewhat bitter ex-wife, a new girlfriend, a butler, a secretary of sorts, and a few other interesting people in his life. He was loaded, too... who wouldn't want this Casanova dead!?!?!
As a new series, I found myself thinking about the story and the potential of the characters in the future. I enjoyed the French police captain. I liked Magda as a sidekick. And Rachel's husband, Alan, is quite intelligent and charming. Rachel... she's a bit quirky and kinda fun, but I wonder if she might be a little dry at times. She needs a little bit of a kick to be more charming like her husband or Magda. That said, I did connect with everyone, and I found it more believable than most other in this genre (although that's why I love the genre, too). Rachel isn't quite investigating the murder as much as she is discovering who might have wanted to hurt him -- it's a subtle difference. It's less about who had access or alibis and more about the "WHY" in this case. The will left small inheritances to each of the women, and a large one to his son, but something seemed unusual about it all. Rachel needed to dive into the relationships to solve the reason why her ex had died.
As a debut, there's lot of potential. The cover is gorgeous. The writing style is good. The plot was strong, but I knew who the killer was from early on. It had to be based on many of the directions the non-murder aspects of the plot were going. But it was still fun guesswork and interesting suspense to watch Rachel get there. I wish I could've been in that library! Bernhard knows her literature... kudos to the author, thanks to the mystery group for the opp to read the book, and I'll definitely take on more in the series in the future. It's just 'different enough' to tell me I want to see a lot more!
Rachel and her best friend, Magda, live in Paris. Rachel's been there since college, and once dated the guy who was found dead in his soup. She's got a new husband now, but it doesn't prevent her from trying to figure out who killed her ex... even though it looks like he just had a heart attack. He was 60 to her 45, but he also had an adult son, a somewhat bitter ex-wife, a new girlfriend, a butler, a secretary of sorts, and a few other interesting people in his life. He was loaded, too... who wouldn't want this Casanova dead!?!?!
As a new series, I found myself thinking about the story and the potential of the characters in the future. I enjoyed the French police captain. I liked Magda as a sidekick. And Rachel's husband, Alan, is quite intelligent and charming. Rachel... she's a bit quirky and kinda fun, but I wonder if she might be a little dry at times. She needs a little bit of a kick to be more charming like her husband or Magda. That said, I did connect with everyone, and I found it more believable than most other in this genre (although that's why I love the genre, too). Rachel isn't quite investigating the murder as much as she is discovering who might have wanted to hurt him -- it's a subtle difference. It's less about who had access or alibis and more about the "WHY" in this case. The will left small inheritances to each of the women, and a large one to his son, but something seemed unusual about it all. Rachel needed to dive into the relationships to solve the reason why her ex had died.
As a debut, there's lot of potential. The cover is gorgeous. The writing style is good. The plot was strong, but I knew who the killer was from early on. It had to be based on many of the directions the non-murder aspects of the plot were going. But it was still fun guesswork and interesting suspense to watch Rachel get there. I wish I could've been in that library! Bernhard knows her literature... kudos to the author, thanks to the mystery group for the opp to read the book, and I'll definitely take on more in the series in the future. It's just 'different enough' to tell me I want to see a lot more!
August 8, 2018
It's been awhile since I have read a cozy mystery because I find them to be all over the place in terms of quality. I took a chance on this one though because of the Paris setting and I'm glad I did. This turned out to be a really fun, lighthearted mystery with enjoyable characters.
American Rachel Levis has lived in Paris for years. Before she married her husband, Alan, she dated wealthy financier Edgar Bowen who has just died. Authorities have concluded he died by drowning in his soup but Rachel is convinced the bottle of rosé found on the dinner table is a clue proving his death was no accident. With the help of her best friend, Magda, Rachel starts compiling a list of suspects who might have benefited from Edgar's death.
By far the thing I enjoyed most about this book was the friendship between Rachel and Magda and their fun, playful banter. I loved the references of police detective movies and tv shows throughout the book as the two tried to solve this case with absolutely no prior experience. I'm not sure if this book is meant to be the start of a series or not but I would definitely like to see the duo try their luck at another case. I'm especially interested in getting some more backstory on Magda.
While the time period for this book is present day it also feels a bit like an old, fashioned whodunit. The plot itself involving a rich man and a cast of characters who might benefit from his death is not anything that hasn't been done before. However, I really enjoyed Rachel and Magda as they are so easy to relate to and you almost feel like you are solving the case with them. Overall, just an entertaining read and definitely one of the better cozy mysteries I have read.
Thank you to Netgalley and Thistle Publishing for the opportunity to read an advance digital copy. All views expressed are my honest opinion.
American Rachel Levis has lived in Paris for years. Before she married her husband, Alan, she dated wealthy financier Edgar Bowen who has just died. Authorities have concluded he died by drowning in his soup but Rachel is convinced the bottle of rosé found on the dinner table is a clue proving his death was no accident. With the help of her best friend, Magda, Rachel starts compiling a list of suspects who might have benefited from Edgar's death.
By far the thing I enjoyed most about this book was the friendship between Rachel and Magda and their fun, playful banter. I loved the references of police detective movies and tv shows throughout the book as the two tried to solve this case with absolutely no prior experience. I'm not sure if this book is meant to be the start of a series or not but I would definitely like to see the duo try their luck at another case. I'm especially interested in getting some more backstory on Magda.
While the time period for this book is present day it also feels a bit like an old, fashioned whodunit. The plot itself involving a rich man and a cast of characters who might benefit from his death is not anything that hasn't been done before. However, I really enjoyed Rachel and Magda as they are so easy to relate to and you almost feel like you are solving the case with them. Overall, just an entertaining read and definitely one of the better cozy mysteries I have read.
Thank you to Netgalley and Thistle Publishing for the opportunity to read an advance digital copy. All views expressed are my honest opinion.
September 11, 2018
Sometimes I need a 'sherbert 'book between the heavy main courses in my reading life, something light and sweet and undemanding but entertaining. This month I tried out my first 'cozy mystery.' I thought they were merely mysteries without explicit gore and sex, a kind of anti-noir story. It turns out that a cozy mystery involves likable amateurs who care about people and are on a quest to seek justice. The villains are not horribly evil and always receive their just deserts.
Death in Paris by Emilia Bernhard is the first in a series of books each set in each arrondissement of Paris. American ex-pats Rachel Levis and Magda become amateur sleuths when Rachel's long-ago lover is discovered dead in his soup, a glass of Rose' on the table. Rachel is convinced someone murdered Edgar, and that the guilty party drank Rose', which Edgar abhorred and had called "sugary vinegar."
Edgar's will requested that Rachel organize his library of rare books after his death and so she has inside access to his home and meets the other beneficiaries of his will.
There are four reasons behind a murder, Rachel recalls: Theft, jealousy, fear, and revenge. Edgar's ex-wife, his son, his assistant, and his former lover all benefited from the will financially. Also, of course, the butler is among those Rachel and Magda investigate.
There are twists and turns, and much self-doubt by Rachel, as new evidence, and even deaths, turn up.
It was a fun read with interesting characters. Readers who have been to Paris will enjoy the place descriptions.
I received a free book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.
Death in Paris by Emilia Bernhard is the first in a series of books each set in each arrondissement of Paris. American ex-pats Rachel Levis and Magda become amateur sleuths when Rachel's long-ago lover is discovered dead in his soup, a glass of Rose' on the table. Rachel is convinced someone murdered Edgar, and that the guilty party drank Rose', which Edgar abhorred and had called "sugary vinegar."
Edgar's will requested that Rachel organize his library of rare books after his death and so she has inside access to his home and meets the other beneficiaries of his will.
There are four reasons behind a murder, Rachel recalls: Theft, jealousy, fear, and revenge. Edgar's ex-wife, his son, his assistant, and his former lover all benefited from the will financially. Also, of course, the butler is among those Rachel and Magda investigate.
There are twists and turns, and much self-doubt by Rachel, as new evidence, and even deaths, turn up.
It was a fun read with interesting characters. Readers who have been to Paris will enjoy the place descriptions.
I received a free book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.
June 14, 2018
***Note: I received a copy curtesy of Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books in exchange for an honest review.
A man dies at his dinner table, drowned in his vichyssoise. You’d say it’s a rather awkward but natural death, but Rachel, one of our two expat heroines, knows that the man despised rosé, thus the bottle of rosé wine found on the table is for her a sure sign of murder. So begin the adventures of the two wannabe ‘investigatrices’.
Although the two wannabe detectives are very naive and the culprit was somehow predictable, this was kind of fun..
Annoying detail: “Yes, except one is east and one is west. And separated by two hundred miles.” ➠ You’d say someone living in paris for 20-25 years would use km not miles...😂
A man dies at his dinner table, drowned in his vichyssoise. You’d say it’s a rather awkward but natural death, but Rachel, one of our two expat heroines, knows that the man despised rosé, thus the bottle of rosé wine found on the table is for her a sure sign of murder. So begin the adventures of the two wannabe ‘investigatrices’.
Are murderers that polite, Rachel wondered. Then she sighed inwardly. In France, they probably were.
Although the two wannabe detectives are very naive and the culprit was somehow predictable, this was kind of fun..
Annoying detail: “Yes, except one is east and one is west. And separated by two hundred miles.” ➠ You’d say someone living in paris for 20-25 years would use km not miles...😂
August 15, 2018
I'm on the fence a bit with this one. I really loved the setting. It's Paris, who wouldn't love it but I think I would rather have had all the characters be actually French. For me, making the majority Americans you may as well have set the book in a glorious part of America and there some. Having lived in Paris for 25 years they were still so...American and I was left wanting more.
It's a typical cozy crime story and the plot is as you would expect from this type of novel. We have amateur sleuths stepping in when police rule the original murder accidental. It's a quick read. I think as it's the first of a series the characters will improve as the series continues. I've read some best selling authors where the first in a series is definitely not their best and I can definitely see how these two ladies will grow.
So for me, a nice quick read but one that didn't tax the brain. I'm interested to see how they develop.
Free arc from Thistle publishing
It's a typical cozy crime story and the plot is as you would expect from this type of novel. We have amateur sleuths stepping in when police rule the original murder accidental. It's a quick read. I think as it's the first of a series the characters will improve as the series continues. I've read some best selling authors where the first in a series is definitely not their best and I can definitely see how these two ladies will grow.
So for me, a nice quick read but one that didn't tax the brain. I'm interested to see how they develop.
Free arc from Thistle publishing
June 21, 2018
Thank you to NetGalley for giving me an ARC of this book on exchange for an honest review.
Okay first off, the description is nothing like the actual story. The blurb gives a whole serious vibe of a cold blooded murder, the case of which is looked into by two 'amateur' sleuths one of which happens to be an ex of the murdered. But actually it's a story of novice shamuses who have no experience whatsoever (but they still do a pretty good job though) It's more whimsical I'd say. Magda and Rachel are the female (and less funny) version of Scully and Hitchcock (please someone tell me they get the reference) and honestly I skipped a lot of pages because I knew where it was going.
Okay first off, the description is nothing like the actual story. The blurb gives a whole serious vibe of a cold blooded murder, the case of which is looked into by two 'amateur' sleuths one of which happens to be an ex of the murdered. But actually it's a story of novice shamuses who have no experience whatsoever (but they still do a pretty good job though) It's more whimsical I'd say. Magda and Rachel are the female (and less funny) version of Scully and Hitchcock (please someone tell me they get the reference) and honestly I skipped a lot of pages because I knew where it was going.
November 17, 2018
Full review: https://swiftcoffee.blog/2018/11/17/d...
I have to say I'm disappointed with this book. I expected a great mystery plot - great and not simply 'average' because of the premise - the murder described in the blurb and also the first chapter set me up for expecting something very original. Like, drowning in a bowl of soup? Have you seen anything like that? Because I certainly haven't. Beyond this, I really didn't expect much - some quirky characters and a strong Parisian atmosphere, maybe.
I feel like I've been cheated at all of these.
Now, we could say that it's just me and I'm very curious about your opinions, because I've seen way more positive reviews than negative, or even average ones. But honestly I can list some things that I think are not so subjective to see in a certain way, and I saw a couple of people who wrote about them in their reviews as well. What perplexes me is that they are obviously the minority - we are, I should say. So, feel free to disagree with me (as always), but please, give me some points and reasons what makes you feel like this book deserves more credit than I give it.
Starting off with the relatively smaller things: I never for a second felt like any of the characters were real. The two main characters, the self-titled amateur detectives, Rachel and Magda were cute and I see how they could be a fantastic pair, but sadly, in this execution, they simply weren't. They're a nice pair, sometimes funny even, but they just didn't come off as whole persons. Not to mention the others... some of them were simply a cliche - the poor student girl working because she wants to get through university, the snobbish, money-eyed and arrogant but classy ex-wife, the butler, the kind of vulgar girlfriend, the first repulsive but then overly-friendly police officer... And then there were some that weren't even a cliche - like the husband, who was used whenever he was needed for something and then conveniently disappeared.
The book didn't give me that sense of Paris, either. There are relatively long descriptions of the city and its people, but I felt like they were a bit forced. Bringing back that atmosphere wouldn't be so hard, since I've been there several times and I have some French acquaintances, and I love to reminisce... or so I thought. I was actually surprised when I read the acknowledgements and it turned out that the author had actually lived and researched in France for a while. It had me question everything I thought. Reading this book I was sure it was built on the usual stereotypes of Paris and the French. Maybe if the main character (and the other Americans in the book - which is the majority of the characters) had been living in France for only a couple of months or years, all these might be plausible. But after 20+ years! No way. Nobody is that superficial. She is not described as someone that shallow, either.
This is a slow-paced novel and that would be okay with me, but from the very beginning I felt like something with the style was off, and it didn't make me feel like time was passing faster. It took time to get used to it, and even after I did and the pacing got better, it didn't feel quite right. I don't say it was bad, because it wasn't, really, but the narration was repetitive and there was basically only telling, not at all showing. A nice, old-timey atmosphere was created, though, and if that was intended, then this worked perfectly. Unfortunately, to me it worked TOO perfectly. Somehow the style and the atmosphere didn't match the time and world the novel is set in. If it was set like 50-100 years ago, it would've worked for me better. I couldn't believe it's today, though. It didn't work out with either the place or the characters. For a long time I didn't understand why, but I felt like Rachel and Magda were somehow older and at the same time younger than they actually were. They just didn't seem like modern 40-odd year-old women. Then I realized it's because of this. They seem like ladies their age half a century ago, or maybe even a bit before that. They think old-fashioned and they're extremely naive. Okay, I'll be blunt here: at times, they're outright dumb. The Paris in the book didn't feel like today's Paris either. It felt like the Paris of slower, simpler times. This atmosphere was so strong that at times, when I almost forgot myself in the novel, the thing that kept me from it was that suddenly a cell phone or the internet was mentioned - and I was abruptly reminded that this all happened these days, and it kind of ruined even those things that otherwise would've worked for me.
Last but the most important part: the plot! The story! That was the biggest disappointment for me about this book. The promise of an awesome, unique story was what kept me reading all the while, it made me think that it's worth it, it made me expect something more even after I realized that regarding every other area this book is 'only' an average mystery for me. The problem was, it started on the high point: drowning in a bowl of soup. What an idea! Many people with half-motives. Anything can happen. Anybody could be the murderer. It had such potential! My rating of the story definitely started from 5 stars... then as I was reading it slowly got lower...and lower... but I still kept waiting for a bombastic plot twist that would meet my expectations and would make this story as original as it had sounded. And then at the ending I wasn't surprised or impressed at all. It's not that the final twist and the person of the murderer were so obvious. They were and I guessed everything fairly soon, but that's not something that always bothers me. If it's a good idea and it works, it's fine by me, but this was also such a cliched solution! The actual surprise came when I realized that according to the acknowledgements the story was based on real events (though they actually happened centuries ago, so maybe I wasn't that wrong with sensing some trouble with time period compatibility). It doesn't mean similar mystery cases weren't written before, though.
To be fair, there were things I liked, too, like the playful friendship between Rachel and Magda, Rachel's love for books, or the way they watch and refer to all those detective shows... it's a great idea that they start to investigate because they feel like they're capable of doing it after so many times spent trying to solve fictional crimes. I think that's something a lot of us can relate to.
I have to say I'm disappointed with this book. I expected a great mystery plot - great and not simply 'average' because of the premise - the murder described in the blurb and also the first chapter set me up for expecting something very original. Like, drowning in a bowl of soup? Have you seen anything like that? Because I certainly haven't. Beyond this, I really didn't expect much - some quirky characters and a strong Parisian atmosphere, maybe.
I feel like I've been cheated at all of these.
Now, we could say that it's just me and I'm very curious about your opinions, because I've seen way more positive reviews than negative, or even average ones. But honestly I can list some things that I think are not so subjective to see in a certain way, and I saw a couple of people who wrote about them in their reviews as well. What perplexes me is that they are obviously the minority - we are, I should say. So, feel free to disagree with me (as always), but please, give me some points and reasons what makes you feel like this book deserves more credit than I give it.
Starting off with the relatively smaller things: I never for a second felt like any of the characters were real. The two main characters, the self-titled amateur detectives, Rachel and Magda were cute and I see how they could be a fantastic pair, but sadly, in this execution, they simply weren't. They're a nice pair, sometimes funny even, but they just didn't come off as whole persons. Not to mention the others... some of them were simply a cliche - the poor student girl working because she wants to get through university, the snobbish, money-eyed and arrogant but classy ex-wife, the butler, the kind of vulgar girlfriend, the first repulsive but then overly-friendly police officer... And then there were some that weren't even a cliche - like the husband, who was used whenever he was needed for something and then conveniently disappeared.
The book didn't give me that sense of Paris, either. There are relatively long descriptions of the city and its people, but I felt like they were a bit forced. Bringing back that atmosphere wouldn't be so hard, since I've been there several times and I have some French acquaintances, and I love to reminisce... or so I thought. I was actually surprised when I read the acknowledgements and it turned out that the author had actually lived and researched in France for a while. It had me question everything I thought. Reading this book I was sure it was built on the usual stereotypes of Paris and the French. Maybe if the main character (and the other Americans in the book - which is the majority of the characters) had been living in France for only a couple of months or years, all these might be plausible. But after 20+ years! No way. Nobody is that superficial. She is not described as someone that shallow, either.
This is a slow-paced novel and that would be okay with me, but from the very beginning I felt like something with the style was off, and it didn't make me feel like time was passing faster. It took time to get used to it, and even after I did and the pacing got better, it didn't feel quite right. I don't say it was bad, because it wasn't, really, but the narration was repetitive and there was basically only telling, not at all showing. A nice, old-timey atmosphere was created, though, and if that was intended, then this worked perfectly. Unfortunately, to me it worked TOO perfectly. Somehow the style and the atmosphere didn't match the time and world the novel is set in. If it was set like 50-100 years ago, it would've worked for me better. I couldn't believe it's today, though. It didn't work out with either the place or the characters. For a long time I didn't understand why, but I felt like Rachel and Magda were somehow older and at the same time younger than they actually were. They just didn't seem like modern 40-odd year-old women. Then I realized it's because of this. They seem like ladies their age half a century ago, or maybe even a bit before that. They think old-fashioned and they're extremely naive. Okay, I'll be blunt here: at times, they're outright dumb. The Paris in the book didn't feel like today's Paris either. It felt like the Paris of slower, simpler times. This atmosphere was so strong that at times, when I almost forgot myself in the novel, the thing that kept me from it was that suddenly a cell phone or the internet was mentioned - and I was abruptly reminded that this all happened these days, and it kind of ruined even those things that otherwise would've worked for me.
Last but the most important part: the plot! The story! That was the biggest disappointment for me about this book. The promise of an awesome, unique story was what kept me reading all the while, it made me think that it's worth it, it made me expect something more even after I realized that regarding every other area this book is 'only' an average mystery for me. The problem was, it started on the high point: drowning in a bowl of soup. What an idea! Many people with half-motives. Anything can happen. Anybody could be the murderer. It had such potential! My rating of the story definitely started from 5 stars... then as I was reading it slowly got lower...and lower... but I still kept waiting for a bombastic plot twist that would meet my expectations and would make this story as original as it had sounded. And then at the ending I wasn't surprised or impressed at all. It's not that the final twist and the person of the murderer were so obvious. They were and I guessed everything fairly soon, but that's not something that always bothers me. If it's a good idea and it works, it's fine by me, but this was also such a cliched solution! The actual surprise came when I realized that according to the acknowledgements the story was based on real events (though they actually happened centuries ago, so maybe I wasn't that wrong with sensing some trouble with time period compatibility). It doesn't mean similar mystery cases weren't written before, though.
To be fair, there were things I liked, too, like the playful friendship between Rachel and Magda, Rachel's love for books, or the way they watch and refer to all those detective shows... it's a great idea that they start to investigate because they feel like they're capable of doing it after so many times spent trying to solve fictional crimes. I think that's something a lot of us can relate to.
October 1, 2018
Hard to like a book about fairly stupid people.
dnf
April 3, 2024DNFed at 18% (59/329)
The story seems unreasonable, at least for me.
A guy choked while eating soup and now her ex, Rachel, along with her friend Magda find out details that didn't match, so they become amateur sleuths and take this case themselves.
It all started with a rumour that Edgar had rose wine at the table, which Rachel remembers he loathed, so yeah, such a good reason to think he was actually murdered.
I'm not saying that this is not possible in real life, but the characters seemed so reckless and childish, especially our MC, that it all seemed ridiculous (again, for me and my personal taste in fiction).
If this sounds interesting to you, please go ahead and read it, it might become a favourite. ;)
However, for me it's over with this one, that I started listening to only because I own the ARC of the second one in the trilogy, which I still want to get to (I think they can be read as standalones).
The story seems unreasonable, at least for me.
A guy choked while eating soup and now her ex, Rachel, along with her friend Magda find out details that didn't match, so they become amateur sleuths and take this case themselves.
It all started with a rumour that Edgar had rose wine at the table, which Rachel remembers he loathed, so yeah, such a good reason to think he was actually murdered.
I'm not saying that this is not possible in real life, but the characters seemed so reckless and childish, especially our MC, that it all seemed ridiculous (again, for me and my personal taste in fiction).
If this sounds interesting to you, please go ahead and read it, it might become a favourite. ;)
However, for me it's over with this one, that I started listening to only because I own the ARC of the second one in the trilogy, which I still want to get to (I think they can be read as standalones).
September 26, 2018
Emilia Bernhard’s debut, Death in Paris, offers a predictable and borderline comical tale in the vein of cozy mysteries. Expecting something along the lines of Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None or Eric Keith’s Nine Man Murder, I instead encountered a slow-paced narrative that I struggled to get into. I could have easily skipped pages and missed nothing.
Rachel and Magda came across as bored busybodies in a foreign country with too much time on their hands. Their theories, though many times right in the end, felt like lucky guesses that they pulled out of nowhere. For the most part, I struggled to take them seriously. Even Rachel’s own husband, Alan, seemed to mostly indulge his wife. As is, Rachel and Magda don’t have what it takes to carry a series, their current success appearing more like a fluke.
Extensive telling versus showing, and the fact that the author reveals a lot of the details and accounts through conversations between characters after the events take place rather than in “real time,” ensured my placement as a spectator instead of experiencing the story for myself.
The setting, though picturesque and nice, could have been any generic European city, and the novel as a whole felt too implausible and required too much suspension of belief. Readers who enjoy cozy mysteries and slower stories might still like Death in Paris.
Review copy provided by publisher via NetGalley. Thanks
Rachel and Magda came across as bored busybodies in a foreign country with too much time on their hands. Their theories, though many times right in the end, felt like lucky guesses that they pulled out of nowhere. For the most part, I struggled to take them seriously. Even Rachel’s own husband, Alan, seemed to mostly indulge his wife. As is, Rachel and Magda don’t have what it takes to carry a series, their current success appearing more like a fluke.
Extensive telling versus showing, and the fact that the author reveals a lot of the details and accounts through conversations between characters after the events take place rather than in “real time,” ensured my placement as a spectator instead of experiencing the story for myself.
The setting, though picturesque and nice, could have been any generic European city, and the novel as a whole felt too implausible and required too much suspension of belief. Readers who enjoy cozy mysteries and slower stories might still like Death in Paris.
Review copy provided by publisher via NetGalley. Thanks
October 3, 2018
3.5 stars
This was such a nice and cozy mystery to read that is situated in the City of Lights.
The two protagonists are just so lovable. Especially Magda. It's funny because although it's a mystery novel, it wasn't a loaded mystery with gore. It was a light mystery with little jokes hear and there to lighten the mood. I loved the fact that they weren't detectives or PI's and it just made the novel a lot more fun to read because they didn't exactly know where to look for answers.
The mystery was very interesting to read and figure out but really it was the characters that made the novel enjoyable. Bernhard creates such lovable protagonists it makes it so hard not to like the novel. She also describes the streets of Paris with such intricacy that it almost felt like I was there eating fresh croissants from a French bakery!
A fun mystery to read and Agatha Christie fans will enjoy these two Americans in France navigate their way through the streets of Paris to catch a killer!
Thank you Crooked Lane Books for sending me an advanced copy of this novel!
This was such a nice and cozy mystery to read that is situated in the City of Lights.
The two protagonists are just so lovable. Especially Magda. It's funny because although it's a mystery novel, it wasn't a loaded mystery with gore. It was a light mystery with little jokes hear and there to lighten the mood. I loved the fact that they weren't detectives or PI's and it just made the novel a lot more fun to read because they didn't exactly know where to look for answers.
The mystery was very interesting to read and figure out but really it was the characters that made the novel enjoyable. Bernhard creates such lovable protagonists it makes it so hard not to like the novel. She also describes the streets of Paris with such intricacy that it almost felt like I was there eating fresh croissants from a French bakery!
A fun mystery to read and Agatha Christie fans will enjoy these two Americans in France navigate their way through the streets of Paris to catch a killer!
Thank you Crooked Lane Books for sending me an advanced copy of this novel!
August 9, 2018
What a lovely little cozy mystery this is. Two friends decide to try and solve a murder and they get exactly what they want, but not the way they want it. Most characters are not very deep and you can see the end coming up a mile away, but it was a pleasure to read. The author admits she's never been to Paris herself but she really did her best to describe this beautiful old city. She even put in a glossary of French but you don't really need that because you can understand the meaning of the French words from the context.
The one thing I don't understand is the name of the little shop of one of the characters because it is in English and all signs on the shop windows are in English too. Something you won't see in France because the French love their language too much.
Some scenes are very funny and show the author has a good insight in people. I hope the author will surprise us with more stories.
Thank you Thistle Publishing and NetGalley for this book.
The one thing I don't understand is the name of the little shop of one of the characters because it is in English and all signs on the shop windows are in English too. Something you won't see in France because the French love their language too much.
Some scenes are very funny and show the author has a good insight in people. I hope the author will surprise us with more stories.
Thank you Thistle Publishing and NetGalley for this book.
Read
February 17, 2019#wintersrespite
December 6, 2018
I was drawn to Death in Paris mainly because of the title and when I read the synopsis, I was hooked.
What originally drew me in was it being set in Paris; a dream of mine is to go to Paris and reading this made me want to go even more.
When Rachel Levis learns of her ex-lovers death and all the details surrounding it, she is immediately suspicious. One detail that sticks out to her —and myself — is that he had a glass of rosé when in fact, he hated rosé. The fact seemed insignificant to many, the police included, but when Rachel tells her best friend, Magda, that she suspects foul play, they decide to investigate.
As we are introduced to the possible suspects, we are pulled further into the life of Edgar Bowen and it becomes clear that even though you knew someone intimately in the past, it doesn’t mean they can’t change.
This was a very thrilling book to read and the characters are well written. Emilia Bernhard did a very good with keeping me intrigued with the book. This is her debut novel and I am very excited to continue with this series as well as reading her future books.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review; all thoughts and opinions are my own.
What originally drew me in was it being set in Paris; a dream of mine is to go to Paris and reading this made me want to go even more.
When Rachel Levis learns of her ex-lovers death and all the details surrounding it, she is immediately suspicious. One detail that sticks out to her —and myself — is that he had a glass of rosé when in fact, he hated rosé. The fact seemed insignificant to many, the police included, but when Rachel tells her best friend, Magda, that she suspects foul play, they decide to investigate.
As we are introduced to the possible suspects, we are pulled further into the life of Edgar Bowen and it becomes clear that even though you knew someone intimately in the past, it doesn’t mean they can’t change.
This was a very thrilling book to read and the characters are well written. Emilia Bernhard did a very good with keeping me intrigued with the book. This is her debut novel and I am very excited to continue with this series as well as reading her future books.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review; all thoughts and opinions are my own.
September 24, 2018
As I was captivated by the blurb and lovely cover, I had a pleasant time spent in reading this adventure.
Sometimes I wonder how I would do as an amateur detective since I love to read and watch movies with detective and police procedurals. This was a chance for the main character and her friend to experience that and solve the murder of a Parisian financier Edgar Bowen
It was a predictable story but with nice twists and turns, with interesting ending. Nice amount of characters and all in all I had fun reading it.
Sometimes I wonder how I would do as an amateur detective since I love to read and watch movies with detective and police procedurals. This was a chance for the main character and her friend to experience that and solve the murder of a Parisian financier Edgar Bowen
It was a predictable story but with nice twists and turns, with interesting ending. Nice amount of characters and all in all I had fun reading it.
December 3, 2018
Death in Paris is the first in a new series featuring middle-age American expatriates Rachel and Magda. Rachel's former boyfriend, an older man she dated in her twenties, has died in a strange manner, and she and Magda believe it is no accident. When his will is read, Rachel is charged with cataloguing his vast library collection and her gift is a choice of one book; other women, including his former wife and mother of his son, are given specific monetary bequests and his son is given the remainder of his estate. The friends decide to investigate the death as a murder and draw up a list of suspects. But the suspect list dwindles as they themselves die. Could they be victims of the same murderer or is it all one big coincidence?
I liked the Paris setting and the great attention to detail of the neighborhoods, language, and buildings. There was a small dictionary at the end; I wish it would have been at the beginning for the reader not familiar with the language. I have mixed feelings about the book. The main characters had way too much time on their hands; even Rachel spent relatively little time actually cataloguing the books. The pacing was awkward at times and I found myself stretching to complete some of the chapters. Then, it would speed up and catch my interest again. One thing that really left a bad taste for me was their dim criticism of cozy mystery novels as being "all feelings and maybes" and that they would conduct their investigation like a police inquiry.
Thanks to the Cozy Mystery Review Crew for a complimentary copy of this book. My review is voluntary,
I liked the Paris setting and the great attention to detail of the neighborhoods, language, and buildings. There was a small dictionary at the end; I wish it would have been at the beginning for the reader not familiar with the language. I have mixed feelings about the book. The main characters had way too much time on their hands; even Rachel spent relatively little time actually cataloguing the books. The pacing was awkward at times and I found myself stretching to complete some of the chapters. Then, it would speed up and catch my interest again. One thing that really left a bad taste for me was their dim criticism of cozy mystery novels as being "all feelings and maybes" and that they would conduct their investigation like a police inquiry.
Thanks to the Cozy Mystery Review Crew for a complimentary copy of this book. My review is voluntary,
December 9, 2018
I would like to thank Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for this partnership.
I was immediately attracted by the title and the summary.
When a financier Edgar Bowen drowns in his soup, his ex-Rachel wonders. Except that at her funeral she hears that when she died there was a bottle of rosé at her table when he didn't drink it, who was with him? The police having declared her accidental death, Rachel will call Magda her best friend the more they will investigate the longer the list of suspects will get. Except they're all going to die in a row, isn't the murderer cleaning up?
A first book in this series read in one go so much I hooked on the story so captivating and full of suspense and twists and turns. The characters were endearing. Looking forward to reading the next book.
I was immediately attracted by the title and the summary.
When a financier Edgar Bowen drowns in his soup, his ex-Rachel wonders. Except that at her funeral she hears that when she died there was a bottle of rosé at her table when he didn't drink it, who was with him? The police having declared her accidental death, Rachel will call Magda her best friend the more they will investigate the longer the list of suspects will get. Except they're all going to die in a row, isn't the murderer cleaning up?
A first book in this series read in one go so much I hooked on the story so captivating and full of suspense and twists and turns. The characters were endearing. Looking forward to reading the next book.
November 5, 2018
If you are the kind of person, like me, who reads all the front matter and end matter--acknowledgements/recipes/craft tips--whatever follows the novel, before you read the main part of the book, you might want to skip it in this case. The author names the murderer and explains the motive, which made this rather less mysterious than I would have preferred. Nonetheless, this is an amusing story, featuring two American expatriates in Paris trying to solve a death that they are convinced is a murder, although the police think it's a tragic but natural death. It's years since Rachel, a now-married poet, was close to financier Edgar, but there's one thing she's sure of--he would never have had a bottle of rose on his table to drink with his dinner.
August 12, 2018
When rich financier Edgar Bowen is found drowned in a bowl of soup everyone assumes it was a heart attack. Everyone except BFFs Rachel and Magda who met as young expats in Paris decades ago and now find themselves in middle age, convinced they're in the midst of a murder mystery. The duo works their cunning and connections to spy on suspects: young David Bowen who's inherited his father's riches, Mathilde the ex-wife, Catherine the ex-girlfriend, Elisabeth the ingenue, etc. I'm not a mystery fan, but appreciate this as an entertaining expat story.
January 10, 2019
Death in Paris is a cozy mystery I wanted to love. Unfortunately, that's not the case. The story was loose and seemed to spin in random directions. The characters were not fleshed out enough. It's a good premise but lacking in execution.
November 30, 2018
“Death In Paris” is the first in a new series by Emilia Bernhard. It features Rachel Levis, an American woman living in Paris. When Rachel reads in the morning paper that Edgar Bowen, her former lover, died by drowning in his soup, she attends his funeral. She suspects foul play after overhearing a mourner at the funeral describing the scene of the death, including the fact that there was a bottle of rose wine on the table. The problem - Edgar despised rose, so Rachel is certain that there was someone else present at dinner that night. She and her best friend Magda set out to investigate, despite the police ruling that the death was from natural causes.
I really enjoyed this debut. Rachel is a charming sleuth, aware of her inexperience in detection but charging ahead anyway. Rachel and Magda’s friendship is lovely and well developed throughout the story. They balance well as Rachel tends to think things through and Magda impulsively charges ahead. I also really enjoyed how Rachel and Magda frequently discussed the various twists and turns of the case and tried to follow along in the footsteps of famous detectives as they analyzed all the possibilities.
Emilia Bernhard has written a modern cozy mystery series that is a tribute to the Agatha Christie mysteries. There is plenty of procedural information, but as in Agatha Christie, it never overshadows the action or the characters. I also particularly liked Rachel’s husband Alan, who, despite misgivings, ended up helping in the investigation and provided a few critical pieces of information. The mystery skillfully combines a European sensibility with a dry American sense of humor.
There was a large pool of suspects and there were plenty of clues and some good red herrings. I did figure out who the killer was early on, but the characters and the story are so delightful that I still enjoyed my time with them. The descriptions of Paris are also vivid and wonderful. As a bonus, the author includes a glossary of French terms at the end of the story. I think the only thing that was missing in this mystery was a pet. So, to Emilia Bernhard: please give Rachel a pet in the next story.
I am really looking forward to Rachel and Magda’s next adventure.
Full Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the author. All opinions are my own.
I really enjoyed this debut. Rachel is a charming sleuth, aware of her inexperience in detection but charging ahead anyway. Rachel and Magda’s friendship is lovely and well developed throughout the story. They balance well as Rachel tends to think things through and Magda impulsively charges ahead. I also really enjoyed how Rachel and Magda frequently discussed the various twists and turns of the case and tried to follow along in the footsteps of famous detectives as they analyzed all the possibilities.
Emilia Bernhard has written a modern cozy mystery series that is a tribute to the Agatha Christie mysteries. There is plenty of procedural information, but as in Agatha Christie, it never overshadows the action or the characters. I also particularly liked Rachel’s husband Alan, who, despite misgivings, ended up helping in the investigation and provided a few critical pieces of information. The mystery skillfully combines a European sensibility with a dry American sense of humor.
There was a large pool of suspects and there were plenty of clues and some good red herrings. I did figure out who the killer was early on, but the characters and the story are so delightful that I still enjoyed my time with them. The descriptions of Paris are also vivid and wonderful. As a bonus, the author includes a glossary of French terms at the end of the story. I think the only thing that was missing in this mystery was a pet. So, to Emilia Bernhard: please give Rachel a pet in the next story.
I am really looking forward to Rachel and Magda’s next adventure.
Full Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the author. All opinions are my own.
December 6, 2018
Death in Paris is the first book in A Death in Paris Mystery series. Two expatriate women take on their first case as amateur sleuths. When Edgar Bowen dies from drowning in his soup, the police rule his death an accident. However, Rachel Levis suspects foul play due to a bottle of Rose’ wine, which Edgar despises, found at the scene. At the reading of Edgar’s will, Rachel is tasked with organizing and cataloging the books in Edgar’s library. This is the stepping stone for Rachel and her best friend, Magda Stevens, to pursue their own investigation.
Emilia Bernhard does an outstanding job of illuminating how difficult it is to uncover the truth in a case, especially for untrained sleuths when all signs point to an accidental loss of life. There are references throughout the story to television shows, movies, and mystery novels. Rachel and Magda use the knowledge they have gleaned from these sources to help them in their quest to find evidence that will prove Edgar was murdered.
I derive pleasure from Rachel and Magda’s entertaining discussions about their findings, which remind me of the relationship between Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. The author has created relatable characters in which humor, disagreements, frustrations, and supportive friendship encompass the women’s partnership.
The marvelous descriptions of the City of Paris, especially the sidewalk cafes, plus the realistic characterizations of Parisians, brings back delightful memories of my visit to Paris. The glossary of French words and phrases is helpful, especially where the translation of an expression cannot be ascertained from the context. I appreciate the brief summation of the French legal system and the breakdown of police rankings as I am unfamiliar with them.
I enjoyed this debut mystery, the camaraderie between characters, the beautiful setting, and look forward to reading more stories featuring Rachel and Magda.
Emilia Bernhard does an outstanding job of illuminating how difficult it is to uncover the truth in a case, especially for untrained sleuths when all signs point to an accidental loss of life. There are references throughout the story to television shows, movies, and mystery novels. Rachel and Magda use the knowledge they have gleaned from these sources to help them in their quest to find evidence that will prove Edgar was murdered.
I derive pleasure from Rachel and Magda’s entertaining discussions about their findings, which remind me of the relationship between Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. The author has created relatable characters in which humor, disagreements, frustrations, and supportive friendship encompass the women’s partnership.
The marvelous descriptions of the City of Paris, especially the sidewalk cafes, plus the realistic characterizations of Parisians, brings back delightful memories of my visit to Paris. The glossary of French words and phrases is helpful, especially where the translation of an expression cannot be ascertained from the context. I appreciate the brief summation of the French legal system and the breakdown of police rankings as I am unfamiliar with them.
I enjoyed this debut mystery, the camaraderie between characters, the beautiful setting, and look forward to reading more stories featuring Rachel and Magda.
December 1, 2018
This is the first book of a new series with two delightful women trying their hands at sleuthing for the first time in the heart of Paris. The two friends, Rachel and Magda are Americans who have come to Paris as young ladies, and eventually chose Paris as their forever home. Rachel's former lover has been found dead in a bowl of soup, as if that wasn't bizarre enough, but what's even more out of place is that Rachel overhears at the funeral that there was a glass of Rose' on the table next to the soup. So, there was wine at the table, why is that clue such a big deal? Well, to Rachel it's a very big deal, for her dead lover, Edgar, loathed Rose' wine. "He said it was a good white spoiled " and never allowed it into his home, let alone his dinner table.
Rachel is now married, but still feels fondly for Edgar, and is very sad of his untimely death. She decides to investigate into the death with the help of her friend Magda, for she is sure it was not accidental and that something just "feels off".
There are too many suspects, and the suspects are mysteriously disappearing! This can't be coincidental! Rachel has been summoned to the reading of Edgar's will, and the surprises that unfold during the will take the reader into the intimate life of Edgar. The local police are not investigating, as they are sure there was no foul play, so the two are taking matters into their own hands. They have absolutely no idea where to start or what they are doing, but as the story goes on, they become quite the cunning sleuths! The ending is a nail biter, and just how I like it! The twist is a must read!
The book takes the reader through Paris, during the winter season and takes you with the characters as they drink coffee and eat pastries at various quaint cafe's throughout the city comparing notes and ideas. I felt as if I was in the heart of the city with the vivid descriptions of scenery. There is also a helpful French dictionary at the end of the book. Something I didn't notice until I finished. I am anticipating the next installment of the series because the author leaves us hanging with a very important decision Rachel must make!
Rachel is now married, but still feels fondly for Edgar, and is very sad of his untimely death. She decides to investigate into the death with the help of her friend Magda, for she is sure it was not accidental and that something just "feels off".
There are too many suspects, and the suspects are mysteriously disappearing! This can't be coincidental! Rachel has been summoned to the reading of Edgar's will, and the surprises that unfold during the will take the reader into the intimate life of Edgar. The local police are not investigating, as they are sure there was no foul play, so the two are taking matters into their own hands. They have absolutely no idea where to start or what they are doing, but as the story goes on, they become quite the cunning sleuths! The ending is a nail biter, and just how I like it! The twist is a must read!
The book takes the reader through Paris, during the winter season and takes you with the characters as they drink coffee and eat pastries at various quaint cafe's throughout the city comparing notes and ideas. I felt as if I was in the heart of the city with the vivid descriptions of scenery. There is also a helpful French dictionary at the end of the book. Something I didn't notice until I finished. I am anticipating the next installment of the series because the author leaves us hanging with a very important decision Rachel must make!
November 30, 2018
Rachel and Magda are American ex-pats and best friends, living in Paris. Rachel finds out that her ex-boyfriend has died and because of the circumstances surrounding his death she believes it was murder. The police however do not agree. The two young ladies find themselves relishing the idea of becoming amateur sleuths and begin investigating to prove Rachel's theory that it was indeed murder.
Rachel is surprised when she is invited to the reading of the will given that Edgar, the deceased, was in the relationship with her some 20 years ago. She finds numerous people in attendance that could be viewed as suspects and she and Magda set out to investigate which one of them might have done this terrible thing to her former beau. Complicating the matter is the fact that Rachel is now married to Alan. Will he understand her interest in this murder investigation?
The investigation progresses with nice descriptions of areas in and around Paris. I have never visited so this was a nice introduction to the city. I found the story rather slow. It took me a while to get "into" it. I realize that France is the setting but I wasn't expecting so many French words to be interspersed into the writing given the ladies were Americans. Even though a glossary was provided at the back of the book it got tedious flipping back and forth and I found some words I was looking for were not included.
All in all the story was interesting once I got into it. The characters were fun and intelligent. I probably won't be buying the second book in the series because I really prefer fast-paced, can't put it down books and this was not one of them.
Please note: I was given this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rachel is surprised when she is invited to the reading of the will given that Edgar, the deceased, was in the relationship with her some 20 years ago. She finds numerous people in attendance that could be viewed as suspects and she and Magda set out to investigate which one of them might have done this terrible thing to her former beau. Complicating the matter is the fact that Rachel is now married to Alan. Will he understand her interest in this murder investigation?
The investigation progresses with nice descriptions of areas in and around Paris. I have never visited so this was a nice introduction to the city. I found the story rather slow. It took me a while to get "into" it. I realize that France is the setting but I wasn't expecting so many French words to be interspersed into the writing given the ladies were Americans. Even though a glossary was provided at the back of the book it got tedious flipping back and forth and I found some words I was looking for were not included.
All in all the story was interesting once I got into it. The characters were fun and intelligent. I probably won't be buying the second book in the series because I really prefer fast-paced, can't put it down books and this was not one of them.
Please note: I was given this book in exchange for an honest review.
February 23, 2020
Ein kleines Erbe
Rachel war neu in Paris als sie Edgar kennenlernte. Irgendwann waren sie nur noch Freunde und trafen sich selten. Dennoch denkt Rachel gerne an die Zeit zurück. Umso schockierter ist sie, nachdem sie erfahren hat, dass Edgar plötzlich verstorben ist. Er soll nach einem Herzanfall in der Suppe ertrunken sein und auf dem Tisch stand eine Flasche Rosé. Das kommt Rachel eigenartig vor, denn Edgar trank keinen Rosé. Überraschend äußert Edgar in seinem Testament den Wunsch, Rachel möge seine Bibliothek ordnen und sich ein Buch aussuchen. Diese Gelegenheit will Rachel gemeinsam mit ihrer besten Freundin Magda nutzen, um diesen seltsamen Todesfall näher zu untersuchen.
Edgar hat seinem Sohn sein Vermögen vermacht und einige kleinere Legate gehen an seine Frau und einige Verflossene. Eigentlich hat niemand einen Grund, den wohlhabenden Bankier zu töten. In diesem Cosy-Crime will Rachel der Sache dennoch auf den Grund gehen. Ihre Freundin Magda ist ebenfalls mit Feuereifer dabei. Ihre Gespräche und die gemeinsamen Nachforschungen bilden das Gerüst eines anheimelnden Krimis. Dieser spielt in der heutigen Zeit, wäre mit seinem Ambiente aber vielleicht besser in den 1940ern oder 50ern angesiedelt. Die Gedankenspiele der Freundinnen erinnern an literarische Detektive aus eben jenen Zeiten, die allein durch Gedanken, Rededuelle und Kombination zu ihren Lösungen kommen.
Dieser Kriminalroman kommt ohne Hektik und weitgehend ohne Gewalt aus. Man stellt sich die amerikanischen Pariserinnen Rachel und Magda vor, wie sie im Bistro einen Espresso genießen und dabei versuchen, hinter die wahren Todesumstände von Edgar zu kommen. Gerne begibt man sich in die Gesellschaft der beiden Frauen und amüsiert sich über ihre teils abwegigen Vermutungen und freut sich über ihre Unermüdlichkeit im Wunsch dem alten Freud Gerechtigkeit widerfahren zu lassen. Wie schon erwähnt, würde der Roman vielleicht eher in eine früher Ära passen und so wirkt nicht immer alles stimmig und einige Verhaltensweisen der Frauen doch etwas leichtsinnig. Dennoch bietet dieser Roman mit seinen liebenswerten Protagonistinnen gute Unterhaltung.
3,5 Sterne
Rachel war neu in Paris als sie Edgar kennenlernte. Irgendwann waren sie nur noch Freunde und trafen sich selten. Dennoch denkt Rachel gerne an die Zeit zurück. Umso schockierter ist sie, nachdem sie erfahren hat, dass Edgar plötzlich verstorben ist. Er soll nach einem Herzanfall in der Suppe ertrunken sein und auf dem Tisch stand eine Flasche Rosé. Das kommt Rachel eigenartig vor, denn Edgar trank keinen Rosé. Überraschend äußert Edgar in seinem Testament den Wunsch, Rachel möge seine Bibliothek ordnen und sich ein Buch aussuchen. Diese Gelegenheit will Rachel gemeinsam mit ihrer besten Freundin Magda nutzen, um diesen seltsamen Todesfall näher zu untersuchen.
Edgar hat seinem Sohn sein Vermögen vermacht und einige kleinere Legate gehen an seine Frau und einige Verflossene. Eigentlich hat niemand einen Grund, den wohlhabenden Bankier zu töten. In diesem Cosy-Crime will Rachel der Sache dennoch auf den Grund gehen. Ihre Freundin Magda ist ebenfalls mit Feuereifer dabei. Ihre Gespräche und die gemeinsamen Nachforschungen bilden das Gerüst eines anheimelnden Krimis. Dieser spielt in der heutigen Zeit, wäre mit seinem Ambiente aber vielleicht besser in den 1940ern oder 50ern angesiedelt. Die Gedankenspiele der Freundinnen erinnern an literarische Detektive aus eben jenen Zeiten, die allein durch Gedanken, Rededuelle und Kombination zu ihren Lösungen kommen.
Dieser Kriminalroman kommt ohne Hektik und weitgehend ohne Gewalt aus. Man stellt sich die amerikanischen Pariserinnen Rachel und Magda vor, wie sie im Bistro einen Espresso genießen und dabei versuchen, hinter die wahren Todesumstände von Edgar zu kommen. Gerne begibt man sich in die Gesellschaft der beiden Frauen und amüsiert sich über ihre teils abwegigen Vermutungen und freut sich über ihre Unermüdlichkeit im Wunsch dem alten Freud Gerechtigkeit widerfahren zu lassen. Wie schon erwähnt, würde der Roman vielleicht eher in eine früher Ära passen und so wirkt nicht immer alles stimmig und einige Verhaltensweisen der Frauen doch etwas leichtsinnig. Dennoch bietet dieser Roman mit seinen liebenswerten Protagonistinnen gute Unterhaltung.
3,5 Sterne
December 17, 2018
Death in Paris is a fantastic whodunit with French style and flair. For Ex-Pats Rachel and Magda, a friend's unexpected death by natural causes seems just that until Rachel hears a comment after the funeral that convinces her that her friend's demise is actually murder. Best friend Magda is the only one who believes Rachel, and they set out to solve what they are convinced is a crime. I'm not sure what I enjoyed more, Rachel and Magda's sleuthing attempts (although don't tell them they are "sleuths"), and the wonderful backdrop of Paris. This novel is rich, both in plot and suspects, and made me want to hop on a plane to Paris to hang out with Rachel and Magda. I enjoyed all of the characters' interactions, the vivid descriptions of Paris and the puzzling murder (or was it?) mystery.
I eagerly look forward to the next book in this series and highly recommend this Death in Paris.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are solely my own.
I eagerly look forward to the next book in this series and highly recommend this Death in Paris.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are solely my own.
November 25, 2018
First time writer Emilia Bernhard's first book is an excellent initial step into the world of mystery writers. It's fresh, it's a mental puzzle and it's part travelogue. There have been three incidents, the first two categorized as non-murders. But when Rachel Levins' old boyfriend is found drown in his soup, the clues give her a suspicious feeling that something is very wrong. Along with her best friend Magda, who convinces Rachel they should investigate, they begin their journey into the world of detectives. The list of suspects is long, the evidence is plentiful, and the police are politely laughing at them. Not until the third murder, which so obviously is one, do the police sit up and take Rachel insights seriously. Rachel and Magda's theories are plentiful and ever changing, and as a reader, I believed them all. I did not see the exposure of the real murderer coming. Ms. Bernhard can look forward to a long lasting career if she continues to story tell like this.
December 3, 2018
This book was enjoyable and less predictable than some cozy mysteries I’ve read. It was equally as implausible though: the protagonist, Rachel Levis, found out how an ex-boyfriend died and based on fairly minor details, for a person she hadn’t been involved with for more than 20 years, she decided he’d been murdered. Of course, he had been or there wouldn’t be a novel. It was slow going at first, but did improve as the book continued. The writing felt stilted and unnatural. Bernhard is a first time novelist so that may be why. Sometimes it takes a writer a bit to find their grove.
I’m always excited about a new series because I love a series book, but this didn’t excite me enough to make me look forward to a follow up book. I’ll check back in a few books and see if that’s changed – sometimes the first of a series isn’t right for me but either I change or the author does and later I enjoy them.
December 7, 2018
Death in Paris is the first book in the new series by Emilia Bernhard.
I really wanted to enjoy this book. I studied French I high school and spent a few days in Paris several years ago.
I thought the story started off very slowly. After hearing someone make a comment about rose wine on the table when Edgar died, that led Rachel to believe he had been murdered because he hated rose wine when they were together 20 years ago. Couple that with behavior she found strange at reading of the will, Rachel and her best friend decided it had to be murder and started investigating the death.
It was also a little annoying having French words interspersed in the book and having to go to the glossary in the back.
It was realistic when Rachel and her friend Magda tried to determine suspects and motive and they admitted they had no idea about motives or how to proceed.
It did start to pick up speed after the first 50 pages or so.
I received this book as a gift and I am voluntarily reviewing it.
I really wanted to enjoy this book. I studied French I high school and spent a few days in Paris several years ago.
I thought the story started off very slowly. After hearing someone make a comment about rose wine on the table when Edgar died, that led Rachel to believe he had been murdered because he hated rose wine when they were together 20 years ago. Couple that with behavior she found strange at reading of the will, Rachel and her best friend decided it had to be murder and started investigating the death.
It was also a little annoying having French words interspersed in the book and having to go to the glossary in the back.
It was realistic when Rachel and her friend Magda tried to determine suspects and motive and they admitted they had no idea about motives or how to proceed.
It did start to pick up speed after the first 50 pages or so.
I received this book as a gift and I am voluntarily reviewing it.
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