Features The Big Thrill Recommends: A MURDER MOST FRENCH with Colleen Cambridge

The Big Thrill Recommends: A MURDER MOST FRENCH with Colleen Cambridge

Recommended by Susan Santangelo

Tabitha Knight is settling into life in 1950s Paris with her Grand-pere and Oncle Rafe. Her mother was born in France and insisted Tabitha learn French from an early age, so she’s right at home in her adopted country. In exchange for her free lodgings, Tabitha is responsible for most of the meals, which is a challenge because she knows nothing about cooking. Fortunately, her across-the-street neighbor, Julia Child—yes, THAT Julia Child—is delighted to share what she’s learning about French cooking with her new friend.

Julia is taking cooking classes at Le Cordon Bleu, and when a master sommelier gives a lecture about the best of French wines, Julia invites Tabitha to come with her. As she wanders around the old building in search of the “necessary” before the presentation begins, a young boy approaches Tabitha with a rare, expensive wine to give to the speaker. She delivers the precious wine to the delighted presenter, who uses it to begin his talk. Unfortunately, after one healthy swallow, the poor man keels over, dead. Sacré bleu!

Tabitha and Julia have unfortunately already encountered one murder since they’ve been in Paris (Mastering the Art of French Murder), and Tabitha’s also a devoted reader of Agatha Christie mysteries. She and Julia immediately suspect the speaker was poisoned with cyanide because of the horrible way he died.

The police are called, determine the sommelier was murdered, and the handsome Inspector Merveille is assigned to the case. Merveille and Tabitha know each other from the earlier murder investigation and have a grudging respect for each other.

As the police struggle to trace the wine, Tabitha attends a fancy dinner party where another well-known sommelier is poisoned and dies the same way as the previous one. Meanwhile, vendors at Julia and Tabitha’s favorite outdoor food market are having their businesses vandalized. Could all these events be connected?

Colleen Cambridge has crafted another delightful visit to the City of Light. A MURDER MOST FRENCH draws readers in from the very first page and keeps them enthralled until the satisfying ending. C’est magnifique!

The Big Thrill Recommends: A MURDER MOST FRENCH with Colleen Cambridge