A captivating murder mystery with excellent prose. I did feel as if the story could have been a bit more developed so we could connect more deeply with the characters and the story.

During a year that we are stuck at home--it is awfully fun to escape into a book (and Paris). It's true that a good pastry can be life changing.

If you are a fan of "international" authors, I would absolutely recommend this book! Fun and fast read.

I was unable to finish this book and thus will not be posting a full review on my blog. I think something was lost in the translation. Thank you for your consideration.

A reverse murder mystery with a revolving tray of pastries.
You know from the start WHO the killer is....and read to the end to discover THEIR fate.
I wish the book had come with a glossary of desserts that were mentioned throughout. I spent as much time on Google, as I did on my Kindle.

Thank you to the author, Warblebox and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a quick, unusual and captivating read. The premise is intriguing - death by extravagant pastries - and the writing was beautiful, but somehow for me there was just a chunk missing. It felt as though the bare bones of the story were not fleshed out as well as I would have wished. However, what was there was absolutely stunning. As another reviewer remarked, including pictures of the pastries would have been perfection.

Never would have thought that dessert and murder would go so well together, but they do. The Pâtissière by SM Boland was a captivating, entertaining, and easy read story that provided an entertaining twist to murder and thrillers that you don't see often. It provides a creative method to murder and I will never look at baked goods in the same way again. And despite the murder, you truly do feel for the main character, even though she is clearly lacking a moral compass.
I would recommend this book to others who are fans of murder mysteries and thrillers, especially those also interested in baking.

Such a surprise! I was going to skim the book and delete it, but ended up not being able to put it down. So beautifully written and eloquent.

That Patissiere is Perfume for the foodies. A good first purchase for collections where crime fiction is particularly popular.

Thank you Netgalley, Warblebox and S M Boland for free e-ARC in return of my honest review.

Very cute and delicious reverse mystery book. The story starts with famous French Patisserie Critic dying from poisoning in one of the most popular salon du the in Paris. The killer is found promptly but before that he manages to transfer his legacy to a girl with abusive father. Basically, the reader knows everything from the beginning – who, when, how and why. The most interesting part is preparation though most prominent French deserts. I had to google most of these intricate names (Babas Au Rum, Opera Cake, Religieuse, etc). I wish the book would come with illustration of each dessert at least and recipe at the end at most.

This book was a wonderful antidote to my "Great British Baking Show" withdrawal after finishing the last available season on Netflix not long ago. The Pâtissière seems to fall in a category all its own and is clearly quite original. Written with incredible descriptiveness, the book follows a young girl as she disposes of anyone who stands in the way of her goal to become the pâtissière of the best tearoom in Paris.

I had a great time reading this book. The story does a good job of following a thread as it pivots between multiple subjects and points in time, and the writing is truly excellent. While I've never tasted any of the pastries so artfully described in the book, I feel like they came to life as I read. The only reason that I didn't give this book a 5 is that I think it is maybe 10-15% too long. Almost like a rich chocolate cake, I would have been happier with a smaller piece and was enjoying the last few bites less than when I began. This is a book I will remember positively anytime I eat a pastry.

Note: I received a copy of The Pâtissière from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Mystery! Murder! Pastries!

Quick thriller best read with a chocolate croissant and hot latte.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.