I appreciate the publisher allowing me to read this book. I really enjoyed this one the plot kept me interested until the end which is not easy, and the characters were engaging and believable. I highly recommend this book.

When famous fashion designer, Roland Guipure dies of a drug overdose, Rachel Levis, one of his biggest fans, starts using her sleuthing skills to find out what really happened.

This is a well-written detective mystery with a complex plot. It has great characters and lots of humor. I personally liked the way the author mentioned different songs, books, and movies in the story. My favorite was "He was made up like Lola at the Copacabana..." I also found the character's use of Familysearch.org to find information about suspects quite amusing. I never thought to use the website in that capacity before! I would highly recommend this book to mystery fans!

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Designs on the Dead is a light, cozy historical mystery! The story is very predictable and slow moving. The best feature was its setting! I recommend this fans of historical mysteries!

I am a member of the American Library Association Reading List Award Committee. This title was suggested for the 2022 list. It was not nominated for the award. The complete list of winners and shortlisted titles is at <a href="https://rusaupdate.org/2022/01/readers-advisory-announce-2022-reading-list-years-best-in-genre-fiction-for-adult-readers/">

Although I thought the book would be very interesting based on the summary, I did not enjoy this book.

Designed On TheDead
By Emilia Bernhardt

I thought this was just an ordinary mystery cozy. The plot did drag and the character development was slow.

Thanks to Net Galley for sending me an advanced reader’s copy for my review.

Rachel and her friend, Magda are at it again. After solving several cases they want to be private investigators but it's not that easy given the French bureaucracy. They have to take classes, fill out miles of forms with details of their cases, give references, take a test, submit to all and sundry, etc, etc. so needless to say, when Rachel and Magda say they are PI's it's not a formal career for them. No matter, not to these two Americans in Paris in 2016. They are quite a pair.
It's Spring and the weather is lovely for walking so Rachel is headed home when a man they had encountered in their previous case calls out to her on the street. The man in question is a drug dealer and when he offers her s cup of mint tea at his new business she figures it is best to say yes, how kind of you to offer. Imagine her surprise when his new business is a dry cleaning shop - he decided that he would live longer if he moved on from the drug trade. As they part he gives her his card, in case she needs any of his contacts. After all, they do have a connection to each other. Rachel knows that any decent PI needs contacts especially those in the sketchier parts of the city.
After reading about the untimely death of an up and coming fashion designer after his 40th birthday party, Rachel and Magda assume that he had relapsed after being in rehab. Very sad, case closed. Remember all of the studying for their PI license? When Rachel reads in a gossip magazine given to her by the now former drug dealer that spots of blood were found on his shirt sleeve from an injection into his bicep...well Rachel just knows, without a doubt from her studies, that a junkie wouldn't do that. Let the investigation begin. Why not? No matter that they never met the dead man, etc. Rachel and Magda are on the case. The list of suspects is ample and the clues, twists and turns keep everybody on their toes.

Having successfully solved two murders, Rachel and her friend Magda decide that the next step is to become private detectives. When Roland Guipure, a clothing designer, is found dead of a heroin overdose at his birthday celebration, Rachel questions the report of an accidental overdose. She persuades Magda to help her look into the death. Posing as organizers for a memorial, they interview Roland’s twin sister Antoinette at the House of Sauveterre. Their fashion house was named for their grandfather Maximilian Sauveterre, an art dealer during WWII who was recognized for purchasing art at a fair price from the Jews attempting to escape from France. Proceeds from the resale of unclaimed art after the war provided a trust for Roland and his sister which was used to start their business. The visit with Antoinette opens up a list of contacts, each with a possible motive for killing Roland.

Guipure had recently returned from a detox to end his drug habit. Thierot, his former boyfriend who had lived off of Roland, was no longer welcome. His head pattern cutter Lellouch was in line to take over from him during his absence. His return from detox ended Lellouch’s hope to become the creative director. When an American tourist is killed shortly after Roland’s death, Rachel is asked by his wife to collect his possessions. He was in Paris to meet with Roland and discovering his reason for their meeting could turn their investigation in a new direction.

Rachel and Magda work well together. While Rachel proposes theories as each discovery is made, Magda uses her research skills to advance their investigation. Their friendship with Inspector Boussicault offers a look at the police investigation but he also reminds them that they are not yet licensed investigators and must tread carefully. The women have an ability to think on their feet and put their suspects at ease, getting them to open up about Roland. Their travels through the streets of Paris displays the author’s familiarity with and love of the city and allows the reader to easily visualize and enjoy the City of Lights. I would like to thank NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for allowing my review of this book.

Yes it's implausible that two mature Americans would successfully investigate murders in Paris but go with it and you'll enjoy this light cozy that made me long for a trip to France. Rachel and Magda have done this before (this is the third in the series) but this outing sees them looking into the suspicious death of a designer who allegedly died as the result of an overdose, and then at other deaths,. including that of a rabbi. I like these two- they have a good repartee and attitudes about themselves. It's a cozy so there's a sort of love interest, an exasperated detective, and an ending which ties things up in a way you might not expect. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. For cozy fans.

Unofficial private detectives Rachel Levis and Magda Stevens see the death of fashion designer Roland Guipure in the local paper and decide it’s murder. They then stick their noses in with a bunch of different cover stories to find out ‘whodunnit’.

It was the strangest mystery novel I’ve ever read in that there was no justification for them to investigate and they had no connection to the victim or his world. But otherwise well written.

First book in this series for me, it was enjoyable but not a standout from others. Characters and setting were all ok but there was nothing that screamed "recommend me" or "hunt down the first two books".

After solving two murders in the city of lights self proclaimed private detectives Rachel Lewis and Magda Stevens are ready to take on the world. This is good news and when renowned fashion designer Roland guipure is found lifeless outside his own birthday party in an upscale neighborhood dead from an apparent overdoses. There are plenty of suspects the angry asst ant designer promoted to the top spot, the love lorn pa who was crushed by the designers lack of interest in her the former boyfriend who lost his meal ticket as a result of guipures successful stay in rehab. The designers murder occurred a few days before that of an American tourist seems to be connected to him in some mysterious way. As the clues and suspects pile up. Rachel and magnolia rush to find the murderer before death is cut from the same cloth

Designs on the Dead
By Emilia Bernard

Rachel and Magda start by investigating the death of a fashion designer. While everyone believes the recovered addict just overdosed
It doesn’t seem right to Rachel and Magda, so they will continue to investigate until they are satisfied they have found the right culprits.

This book was a fun, fast paced and a great mystery book. I can’t wait for the next book to this series!

This e- book was a temp loan from NetGalley for my honest opinion.

Entertaining, Delightful, Witty..
The third in the Death in Paris mystery series. Set in Paris, our protagonists and sometime private detectives, Rachel and Magda, feel something is seriously amiss when one Roland Guipure is discovered outside his own birthday party, having expired seemingly from an overdose. As the investigation progresses the plethora of suspects begins to rise in alarming rapidity. Intelligently written and a joy to read. A worthy addition to the series.

This is the third book in the series however it can be read as a stand alone. I will be going back and reading the first two. Rachel and Magda starts by investigating the death of a fashion designer. It’s a fun, fast paced with a great mystery.
#DesignsontheDead #NetGalley

I haven't read the two books that precede this the 3rd in the series but after reading this one I definitely will! While everyone believes a recovered addict overdosed, it's up to Rachel and Magda to find out what really happened.. Great characters! Who doesn't enjoy fashion and Paris? I certainly did!! Thanks #netgalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Welcome to the wonderful world of cozy mysteries. Emilia Bernhard knows how to set a scene, create a character, make you feel like you’re right there next to them solving crime. Settle in for the day or night and read this fantastic page turner.

Rachel and Magda begin investigating the death of a fashion designer. While everyone believes the recovered heroin addict overdosed, things just don’t sit right for Rachel, so the ladies put on their sleuthing chapeaux.

As the body count rises, Rachel and Magda just can’t seem to get all the pieces of the puzzle to fit. Will they be able to fit it all together, or will a murderer run free?

This is third book in those series and I’ve enjoyed them all. No, I take that back, I enjoyed this one the best as COVID has meant we can only travel in our minds for awhile and this one took me to Paris when I needed it most. Two strong women make for one great whodunit!