This fun mystery, set in post-war Paris, utilizes Julia Child and her social circle as part of the backdrop to a new sleuth in town. Tabitha grew up with a detective father, learning to read with Nancy Drew mysteries. When she is suddenly drawn into a murder that happens right across the street she finds that she can't just let the police do the investigating alone. Bodies pile up, no one is who they seem to be and there might even be a spy ring. A quick and fun read.

Tabitha had moved from the US to Paris where her wealthy grandfather lived. It was 4 years after the end of World War II and Paris was recovering from the war. Tabitha lived across the street from an enthusiastic woman, Julia Child, her husband, Paul and her sister Dort. Julia was studying at the Cordon Bleu cooking school while Paul worked as a diplomat at the US Embassy. Dort worked with a local theatre group with other ex-pat Americans.
One evening Dort brought some friends back to Julia and Paul’s apartment after a performance. The group stayed till 3 am. The following morning Tabitha discovered that , Therese, one of the partygoers, had been killed and left down in an alley near Julia’s apartment.
Tabitha was asked to substitute for Therese at the theater. While there, she tried to solve the mystery of Therese’s death. Soon others who worked at the theatre were killed. Tabitha used her position to help the police uncover a conspiracy and find the murderers.
This book incorporates food preparation with daily life in Paris. The famous Julia Child is a main character but Tabitha is a fictional character. The book will appeal to those who love French food and Paris.
I received this ARC from the publisher and Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

Tabitha Knight is an American woman living in Paris in the 1950s. She has come to stay with her grandfather and "uncle". She teaches French to Americans living in Paris. And she's made friends with one of her neighbors- and enthusiastic American woman who is learning the secrets of French cooking....Julia Child.

And then one day, a woman Tabitha had met briefly turns up dead. The murder weapon? Julia Child's chef's knife.

The concept is a veritable hoot! The mystery is full of twists and turns and reversals. The writing is breezy and fun. I loved reading this book. I eagerly look forward to more adventures of Tabitha and company!

A truly delightful mystery and a smashing good read!

If this wasn't the coziest, most fun little murder mystery novel than I don't know what is! I'm probably a bit biased in my review because this book has all the elements that interest me in real like - cooking, Julia Child, Paris, mystery; I went in with high expectations, and am pleased to say they were met!⁠
A couple reason that I can sing the praises of this book, aside from the personal interest in topics, is that reader - I have a hard time with historical fiction. I love history, but for some reason I am kinda picky about the historical fiction I read, and this book just kept it interesting about Paris in the 1950s after the German's had left, while also not overwhelming the story.⁠
Additionally, I truly didn't know how the killer was going to be until the moment it was revealed. I appreciate a story that spreads out the suspicion and keeps you guessing till the end. ⁠
And I have to mention that the Julia Child references were amazing. Cambridge captured Julia's essence (from what I understand it to be), as well as her incredible cooking. ⁠
From start to finish, this cozy mystery was a five star meal!

A new cozy series set in postwar Paris that follows Tabitha, an American staying in Paris with her grandfather. She befriends Julia Child there and is learning how to cook from her when a woman ends up murdered after a party. Tabitha starts to investigate although it means looking into her group of friends.

I enjoyed this one although not as much as the Phyllida Bright mysteries by the author. I think though this will be a good new series, and as always, the mystery is good and well written!

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Tres bien! Magnificent series debut set in post-war Paris featuring ex-pat Tabitha Knight and her friend and neighbor the inimitable Julia Child. The glimpses into Paris in 1949, as its citizens begin to resume a normal life following the end of World War II, is a fascinating setting. The wonderful subplot of the exuberant Julia Child instructing her friend in the art of French cooking adds a fun layer to the story.

Tabitha, who helped built bombers during the war, is now living with her grandfather and honorary uncle and their irascible pets, Oscar Wilde, a Papillon dog, and Madame X, the requisite haughty cat. Tabitha finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation after a guest at a salon hosted by Julia's sister Dort is found murdered. What follows is an introduction to Paris and her neighborhoods and the uneasy peace as the U.S. and Russia vie for power. Writing a real character into a work of fiction can be tricky, but Colleen Cambridge manages to give Julia Child an authentic voice in the story. I look forward to future installments of the "An American in Paris" series!

Fans of Cambridge's Phyllida Bright series, historical fiction, and cozy mysteries, not to say Paris, will all find this series opener a delight. I am grateful to #NetGalley and Kensington for the opportunity to read an advance copy of Mastering the Art of French Murder. #MasteringtheArtofFrenchMurder.

What a delightful cozy mystery set in post-WWII Paris, featuring a feisty American amateur sleuth tracking the who that done it, a cast of witty supporting characters (including Julia Child), and mouthwatering descriptions of Julia's signature dishes, the offerings at Parisian street markets, etc. It's the first of a series, and a breezy, fun read! I am anticipating the next.one.

Five stars

First of all, I confess that I love Julia Child. When I saw this book on NetGalley featuring a young American friend of Julia Child, I could not resist requesting it. Colleen Cambridge writes in a great voice. Her portrayal of Julia Child is spot on. Besides the typical goings ons with a cozy mystery, we also see a glimpse into Julia Child and her kitchen.
The main character, Tabitha Knight , is the product of a French mother and an American father. In 1949, she decides to spend time with her French grandfather in Paris. She spends her time tutoring Americans who do not know French. Julia and Dort, Julia’s sister, take her under their wing.
Following a party at the Child residence, a woman is stabbed… with one of Julia’s kitchen knives! Tabitha feels compelled to investigate.
I gave this five stars. I can’t wait to get a real copy for my shelves. I will definitely be reading the next one when it comes out. I am intrigued to find out more about Tabitha’s grandfather and her “oncle”. Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Books for the free advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review.

Tabitha Knight is fresh from Detroit (MI) and spending time with her grand-père in Paris in the early 1050s. Tabitha leaves across the street from Julia Child who is helping her learn how to cook. But Tabitha starts following in the family tradition of sleuthing when a women is found murdered in the basement of Julia Child's apartment building. To make matters worse a knife from Julia Child's kitchen was used in the murder. Tabatha needs to clear Julia Child and herself since the victim had been at a party in Julia Child's apartment the night before and Tabitha had gone down in the elevator with her after the party. A fun romp of a mystery with plenty of clues, twisting tales that need to be sorted out all against the backdrop of postwar Paris. Tabitha makes a fine Nancy Drew and the interactions with Julia Child and Grand-Père just provide the right amount of spice and comic relief. A very interesting start to a series.

Thanks Netgalley for the opportunity to read this title!

A delicate and perfectly measured balance of the playful wit of Julia Child with a spicy murder mystery. The story takes place in post war Paris where a young American woman is visiting her beloved Grandperes. She is with her good friend Julia Child when they discover a dead woman after a party at the Child's and Julia's sister's residence. Suddenly she is thrown into the lobster pot along with the other party guests as suspects by an unfeeling French detective. Adding a pinch of sleuthing seasoning Tabitha decides to investigate on her own and clear her friend's name but just like the mayonnaise that gives Julia so much trouble, it will take the exact balance of luck and a level head to catch the killer. A touch of Agatha Christie style mystery blended with enough Parisian atmosphere and French cooking to make your mouth water ,this will give armchair detectives and amateur chefs a culinary and literary treat. My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy.

I was really looking forward to reading this book because I love Julia Child and I liked the premise of the book. However, the characters failed to capture my interest as most seemed very flat. I'm sure there are others that will really enjoy this one but it wasn't for me.

I absolutely loved this book, the characters, the setting and the mystery. Best of all, this is the first in a series. I can not wait.

Tabitha Knight is an American in 1950s Paris, living with her French grandfather and taking cooking lessons from her new friend and neighbor Julia Child. When the body of a young woman, a friend of Julia's sister, is found in the basement of Julia's building, stabbed by Julia's chefs knife, Tabitha is drawn into the investigation to prove her friend's innocence.

Paris in the 50s is just emerging from the shadows of World War Two, and the details of life in the city provide a charming backdrop to a light and entertaining mystery.

It's a fun read, but too much of the plot is revealed in an overheard conversation at the end instead of through traditional investigation.

Tabitha is a mid-20’s, post-war, arrival in Paris. She’s living with her grandfather and his partner Rafe, following her years as a real-life Rosie the Riveter during the war. As neighbors, she and Julia Child become friends, and then an acquaintance of theirs is killed after a dinner party. Tabitha turns out to be an ace detective, spurred by her love of Agatha Christie books.

The characters in this book were so great. Julia was written true to her persona in other books and movies, and her Paul was too. Tabitha was so personable—a 20-something curious woman who wasn’t used to the restrictions women lived with in post-war France after working for the war effort for so long. Hello, her devotion to her Swiss Army knife says it all. Her grandfather and Oncle Rafe were the most adorable couple, losing their minds over Julia’s food, but also being nosy busybodies to help Tabitha.

I’d put this in the cozy historical mystery genre. Yes, Murder, but overall very much a feel-good mystery that was historically accurate, and wrapped up concisely.

A book of fiction and food is a perfect pairing and this book did not disappoint! Colleen Cambridges writing is a delight and a fantastic cozy mystery. Looking forward to more of her books! Recommend!

What a fun book! I'm not usually a historical fiction fan but was intrigued by both the murder mystery aspect as well as cooking and Julia Child. Though there were perhaps a few word choices that were questionable for 1950's France, it was a very enjoyable read.

What a fun read! Ostensibly, Mastering the Art of French Murder is a murder mystery. Set against the backdrop of gay Paris, post WWII, we meet Tabitha Knight - MC and fictional best friend of the legendary Julia Child. Tabitha has connected with Julia as they're both Americans in Paris - and Tabitha is hoping some of Julia's legendary cooking abilities will rub off on her (she's a culinary disaster).

Through Julia we meet Dort, her sister, and through Dort we meet our cast of characters - murder victims and suspects alike. This whole story centres around a performance of "Mousetrap" at the local theatre; a theatre that performs English speaking plays to allow Americans to keep a sense of home.

Tabitha is NOT a super-sleuth. In my humble opinion, she's not even a semi-sleuth and seems to get by mostly on luck and her inordinate nosiness (a trait I can fully identify with). She's also sometimes a bit slow with working out the clues - but she's an enjoyable character to read and her humility makes her a likeable one.

Was the Julia Child aspect entirely necessary - probably not. Did it add an aspect of fun to the narrative - yes. It also makes me want to dig out my copy of "Mastering the Art of French Cooking and master my mayonnaise technique...

Overall I really enjoyed this story and I look forward to reading more from this author!

A murder in Julia Child's apartment building. A young women is found after a party at her flat, killed. A great cast of characters to chose from for the murderer. Tabitha, friend of Julia's is on the case, trying to piece it all together. Tahitha is a fun young aspirating detective. Loved the edition of Julia Child cooking, the shopping at the farmers markets and the yummy dishes cooked.

Tabitha Knight isn't at all intimidated by airplane engines but she can't roast a chicken. Luckily she lives just across the street from Julia Child and Julia is determined to help her learn to cook. Not so luckily, one of the guests at a party in Julia's apartment was found in the building's cellar, stabbed with Julia's favorite kitchen knife. I can't even begin to tell you how much I loved this book! The mystery is suspenseful and kept me guessing. The setting is fantastic, filled with intriguing details about life in Paris in 1949. Tabitha is likeable and resourceful and I can't wait to read more about her in future books.

This was my first time reading a Colleen Cambridge novel and what a delight! Historical fiction and food is my part of my self-care plan and this book did not disappoint. A fantastic cozy mystery; I am looking forward to the continuing series.