I really really like Richard, he felt so real to me. He likes his quiet life, his hens, and old films starring Olivia de Havilland. He also likes Valerie, a mysterious and alleged bounty hunter who is his total opposite. When a local farmer ends up dead, by apparent suicide, Richard and Valerie are roped in. Then who shows up but Richard's estranged wife and more deaths happen in this quiet part of France.

The mystery was alright. I found the story to be slow but I also really liked all the characters, especially the Martin and Gennie running joke. There was some humorous dialogue as well. It was less a mystery, to me, than a study in the people who live there. At the end, after three deaths have occurred, there is a dramatic reveal orchestrated by Valerie, but it is tough to get excited about it because it all revolves around a culinary dessert and cheese. The stakes feel... low. And I thought the resolution of whodunnit was confusing and a little underwhelming. I'm still not sure of what exactly happened. Also, why did Valerie need to give him a black eye?

I might read more books about Richard and Valerie, especially since they seem to be about to open up a detective agency together and I enjoy their relationship, but I hope the mystery is a bit more fleshed out.

Richard is our hapless hero, living in rural France, things happen to him , things he doesn’t really like but is helpless to stop as he is swept away in three or is it four murders, accompanied by. Valerie, a beautiful and mysterious Parisian.. I love a mystery, I love food (despite not being able to eat properly) and I love a romance so this combination makes for addictive reading. I felt I knew Richard, recognised him somehow. It’s just dawned on me it’s my friend Anthony. Now as none on you know my friend Anthony, think of a cross between Richard Briers character in Ever Decreasing Circles crossed with the chap from My Family.

Two Michelin starred chefs move to the Vallee sur Follet, famed for its goats cheese, on the opening evening of one chef, the previous enfant terrible of French gastronomy produces a disastrous dessert,. People start to die, and poor old Richard becomes albeit briefly a ‘person of interest’. Valerie meantime bowls onto the scene, beautifully dressed and coiffured with some interesting employment history to dray Richard into investigating. There are moments of Allo, Allo in this book which describe French stereotypes and makes the whole thing feel comfortable.

It’s a great read especially for someone who eats gourmet food vicariously. and I want to read earlier books in the series

Death and Fromage is the second in a series involving a middle-aged Englishman named Richard who runs a B&B in a fictional town in the Loire Valley. Once again, there is a mysterious murder and Valérie d'Orçay is on hand to help figure out what happened. So, if you liked the first, you will like the second! Once again, there are odd twists and little jokes and lots of references to old movies (including, but not limited to, the names of Richard's chickens and his way of processing what is happening). And the ending was good, bringing in some care for the characters.

With that said, I very much hoped to *really, really* like these books as I quite enjoyed the Thursday Murder Club series and these were billed as similar. I worry, though, that the author doesn't quite care for either his characters or readers in the same way. There is much less little interiority to the characters. And there are lots of little details (e.g., the housekeeper's name is Madame Tablier) that felt a little flip. So, while none of these complaints are particularly strong and some of this is consistent with the first in the series, my little misgivings all added up to a book that I would (and did) happily read on a plane but will not revisit and wish were just a bit more thoughtful.

Riotous Romp....
More mayhem and madness in the second of the Follet Valley Mystery series. Restaurant woes, scurrilous scandal and goats cheese shenanigans abound as matters go from bad to worse in a small town and, whilst nothing much ever happens to Richard, he finds himself dragged into a potential murder case. Of course he does - and this can only mean one thing…Chaos. Wholly engaging and wildly entertaining, once again, as humour dances off every page. A riotous romp.

This is the second book in this series and and again is a nice short read which I was pleased with. It isn't the real thriller type of book but it is fun and a bit funny and still was somewhat mysterious.

The book continues to provide quirky characters that I like, a great setting and the food theme always gets me and makes me want to read. An easy and quick read that gave me some entertainment and enjoyment and I still look forward to seeing how this series progresses.

Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

The second installment in a fun and light cozy mystery series.

I liked the first book in the series better than this one, but the vibes are the same and Richard remains a likable protagonist.

The quality of the mystery here is significantly lower than the first. It’s unnecessarily convoluted and the whole “cheese scandal” aspect of it just seemed stupid rather than (as I expect was intended) clever and cheeky.

But for the most part the humor is there, and the setting and sense of place remain excellent. I’m a bit over the whole obstacle of the estranged wife, but I do like Valérie and can’t help but think these books will be more enjoyable once Richard fully moves on.