A Murder Most French is a delicious addition to the Tabitha Knight/Julia Child imaginative murder mystery series. The second to be exact, and hopefully not the last. The series revolves around a young American chef in training who becomes friends with the not yet too famous Julia Child, and they find themselves in extraordinary dangerous predicaments which they along with an eclectic funny cast try to assist the police in solving. All the while, Tabitha's mentor, Julia, helps to teach her student how to cook mouthwatering dishes which the reader is fortunate enough to glimpse.

As the story opens, we find Tabitha and Julia at the French outdoor market buying ingredients for Tabitha's dinner which she will prepare (hopefully correctly) for her Oncle Rafe and Grand-Pere whom she lives with while living in France.

When Julia invites Tabitha to the Cordon Bleu Cooking School where Julia is studying to watch a presentation on wine, never in either of their wildest dreams did they imagine they would witness a premiere chef open a very old, expensive bottle of wine, take a sip and drop dead!

Unfortunately, the bottle had been given to Tabitha to give to the chef by a young street boy. It was sealed and had a tag on it. But when the police arrive and confiscate the bottle, Tabitha realizes the label is missing. Why?

Of course, Tabitha becomes a suspect along with everyone else in the room and decides she must poke around to see how this could have happened. And of course, her detective frenemy tells her to stay out of it! And then a second chef is killed in the exact same way only this time the tag is still on the bottle. Finally, a clue! But what does it mean?

As Tabitha and Julia go down Alice's rabbit hole of trying to figure out just what is happening, they soon learn of tunnels under the restaurants which store vintage and expensive wines brought over by the German during the war. Could this be a clue?

As Tabitha takes the reigns and Julia cooks the meals, Tabitha, against the advice of the lead detective with whom she has a love-hate-love relationship with finds herself in a dangerous situation as she discovers the killer is on to her.

A Murder Most French is a wonderfully humorous story with a delightful plot, scrumptious recipes (which are from Julia Child) and of course, a surprise ending. As I wrote when I reviewed the first book in the series, Mastering the Art of French Murder, as you read, please hear Julia's words as you know she would say them. It makes the story even better!

Thank you #NetGalley #Kensington #ColleenCambridge #AMurderMost French for the advanced copy.

The second book in the "An American in Paris" series - Tabitha finds herself in the middle of another murder, or two or three. There is food, mystery and history - all entertaining.

The graceful domes of Sacré Coeur, the imposing cathedral of Notre Dame, the breathtaking Tour Eiffel . . . Paris is overflowing with stunning architecture. Yet for Tabitha Knight, the humble building that houses the Cordon Bleu cooking school, where her friend Julia studies, is just as notable. Tabitha is always happy to sample Julia’s latest creation and try to recreate dishes for her Grand-père and Oncle Rafe. The legendary school also holds open demonstrations, where the public can see its master chefs at work. It’s a treat for any aspiring cook—until one of the chefs pours himself a glass of wine from a rare vintage bottle—and promptly drops dead in front of Julia, Tabitha, and other assembled guests. It’s the first in a frightening string of poisonings that turns grimly personal when cyanide-laced wine is sent to someone very close to Tabitha.
What kind of killer chooses such a means of murder, and why? Tabitha and Julia hope to find answers in order to save innocent lives—not to mention a few exquisite vintages—even as their investigation takes them through some of the darkest corners of France’s wartime past. I love the idea of Julia Child as a detective! These two characters are great fun as they solve this mystery and cook fabulous food!

I absolutely loved this cozy mystery! Set in post war (WW2) Paris, the author did a fantastic job of authentically setting the scene; I could picture what I was reading and was intrigued by the setting, the characters, and the historical elements that all came together.
This story had a good pace to it and, like most cozy mysteries, ramped up the pace in the last couple chapters while everything got sorted out. I hadn’t read book 1 (I plan to now!) but I didn’t feel like I was lost at any point in time.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced electronic copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

A Murder Most French is a mystery set in early 1950's Paris. American ex-pat Tabitha Knight is living with her grandfather and uncle and she has made a great friend -- Julia Child. Julia is studying cooking at Cordon Bleu. When there is a murder involving poisoned wine at a cooking demonstration, Tabitha and Julia set out to solve the mystery. This becomes complex as more murders occur, and their search takes them to mysterious places like an abandoned, formerly Nazi-occupied restaurant and a complex system of catacombs beneath the city.

I wanted to read this book because I absolutely adored the first mystery in this series (Mastering the Art of French Murder). I love the Parisian setting, Julia Child as a character, the foodie content, and the early 1950's mystery setting.

This is a delightful and complex mystery. There are a number of suspects and different leads that Tabitha and Julia investigate. I like Tabitha, who is so brave and clever (with a gift for fixing anything mechanical as needed). I love Julia Child as a character - so full of life and enthusiasm, and her cooking details are fascinating!

The setting is delightful, with descriptions like:

"Having my car was a godsend, but I’d previously enjoyed biking or walking around Paris not only for the exercise but also because it brought me closer to the beauty of the city: the creamy buildings, the jaunty terra-cotta chimney pots, the broad streets, the wrought-iron decor, the smells of food and coffee and tobacco, the people . . . the cats.

There were cats everywhere in Paris. Fancy, fluffy cats, sitting in the windows, swathed in filmy curtains, watching the activity below with arrogant eyes. Pet cats, carried by their owners in their arms or in large handbags, peering out at the world, pink noses just visible over the edge of the carrier. There were cats in cafés. In cars. In bicycle baskets. Alley cats, lurking in the narrow, shadowy passageways, eyes gleaming in the dim light. Strays—like the one who’d saved my life—scrawny, fierce, and always on the lookout for sustenance . . . or a brawl." (eBook location 1936)

I cannot recommend this book - and this new series - highly enough. If you are a mystery reader, you will love this book -- especially if you enjoy historical settings, Paris, foodie books!

It is 1950 and Tabitha Knight is still happily living with her grandfather in Paris. Tabitha works as a language tutor, as well as taking informal cooking lessons from her neighbor Julia Child. Tabitha has only mastered a few simple things (she still gets mixed up on the order of steps in making scrambled eggs), but she is gamely working on her skills in the kitchen. And, as it turns out, she will also need to persevere in her skills as an amateur detective.

Julia is still taking classes at Le Cordon Bleu and invites Tabitha to attend a demonstration by a famous visiting chef. Unfortunately, the chef keels over dead before ever making the dish everyone has come to observe. Once again the ladies are questioned by Inspector Merveille about the events and participants. When it is learned that the chef was poisoned and then a second murder happens in a similar manner, the ladies are certain that it is the same killer at work. But they are also concerned about a series of seemingly petty crimes happening at the market near their homes. Stalls defaced, awnings wrecked, etc. Is it youthful hijinks or is there some darker meaning?

Although Tabitha reassures everyone - her grandfather, Julia, and even the inspector - that she has no intention of becoming involved in another murder investigation, we all know better. She reflects that her contributions to the previous case "had mainly been a big dose of luck...along with outsized curiosity and a nagging sense of adventure." This time she will use her fledgling skills, what she has learned about investigative procedure from her detective father, her grandfather's knowledge of the victims from the past, and her connections in the neighborhood to piece together important clues. Clues that put her and her family in the killer's path.

The story is filled with details of Paris in the 1950s; the markets, the distrust of authority still felt by many after their time under German occupation, the ubiquitous presence of street urchins, and the continued love of vintage wines. Facts about Julia's life such as her lessons at Le Cordon Bleu and her husband's work at the U.S. Embassy in Paris also help to give the story a solid sense of time and place. I'm not sure whether I would be as ecstatic about eating mushrooms grown in the catacombs as Julia seems to be, but it is still believable.

Whether you love stories set in Paris, foodie descriptions of preparing various dishes, or amateur sleuths in general, this continues to be a wonderful new series. I read an advance copy provided by the publisher for review purposes.

A MURDER MOST FRENCH (American in Paris Mystery Book #2) by Colleen Cambridge is an entertaining amateur sleuth historical mystery featuring an American woman in Paris living and befriended by the not yet famous Julia Child in 1950 postwar Paris. This second book in the series is easily read as a standalone.

Tabitha Knight is trying to decide what she wants to do with her life. She has travelled from her home in Detroit to live in Paris with her Parisian grand-pere and his longtime friend who she refers to as oncle. She also becomes friends with Julia Child and her husband who lives nearby. Julia is attending The Cordon Bleu cooking school and helps Tabitha with her cooking as well as being a sounding board for the murder investigations Tabitha seems to continually fall into.

When Julia and Tabitha attend a cooking demonstration at the Cordon Bleu, the instructing chef falls dead of poison after tasting a rare vintage wine he has been gifted. The very next day at a wine gathering the same thing happens to another famed French chef. Tabitha is once again in the middle of one of Inspector Mervielle’s murder investigations and while she promises to not interfere, when her grand-pere and oncle are almost poisoned in the same way, she cannot help but get involved, but it may be the last investigation she ever attempts to solve.

I love the characters in this series and the murder mystery is well paced and plotted. Tabitha is a wonderful protagonist who has led an interesting life to date but is still deciding on her future. With her curiosity, varied interests, and tidbits she learned from her detective father in America, how could she not become involved? Adding Julia Child and her cooking to the story, not only makes my mouth water, but acts at times as a very effective red herring. I also enjoy the growing personal interest between Tabitha and the Inspector. With discussions of fine wines, French cooking, The Parisian catacombs, the German Occupation, which is only a few years past, and more clues about Tabitha’s grand-pere and oncle’s pasts in the Resistance, this story is captivating as a cozy amateur sleuth historical mystery. I am anxiously waiting for the next.

I highly recommend this historical murder mystery, both books in the series to date, and this author’s other mystery series as well.

This is my absolute favorite new cozy mystery series! I love the chance to vicariously see Paris in the years following World War 2 and to learn historical facst I never would have imagined. (They grew mushrooms in the catacombs?!?) A few dramatic scenes had me holding my breath and reading faster because I was so concerned about the characters. Tabitha is a clever, endlessly resourceful heroine and I can practically hear Julia's voice as I'm reading. I can't wait to see what Tabitha and her best friend get involved in next.

This series is so fun
I love the setting and the fun little facts and the characters are wonderful.

I so love this series! Tabitha is such a smart and fun character and I have so envy of her living in Paris with her beloved Grandpa and his companion "Oncle" Rafe. The characters are so vibrant and endearing. And Julia being a dear friend makes it even more exuberant and delicious - I am always starving while reading this series. And what really solidifies it for me are gorgeous descriptions of Paris and all the well researched plot points and information; this time about wine and restaurants, particularly during the WWII occupation. I feel like I learned so much interesting information AND was caught up in the mystery itself, with so many twists involved!

Colleen Cambridge continues her enjoyable Julia Child in Paris-adjacent mystery series here in the second Tabitha Knight book.

This was a fun read and one that makes great use of setting and theme without sacrificing plot for the most part, and it’s a solid mystery filled out by a lot of fun food and Paris related anecdotal content.

Tabitha is a great heroine, and I continue to enjoy how Cambridge uses her (fictional) relationship with Julia Child to create fun and light golden age style mysteries.

The solves tend to be a bit too drawn out and clunky in these, but I find I enjoy them slightly more than Cambridge’s Agatha Christie themed series (which, to be fair, is also well crafted). These just have a better setting, and Tabitha is infinitely more likable than Phyllida. And the cooking and food subplots are an absolute delight.

Book 2 is like Book 1--an absolute gem. Julia Child and her gregarious personality steal the show again. Although she's a supporting character, she elevates the book in a wonderful way. The mystery is intriguing and the whole series is just a hoot! You'll get some cooking tips from Julia too.

I received a free copy of this book from the publishers via Netgalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

This was such a fun sequel! These are the perfect cozy mysteries for me. They are engaging and twisty and the atmosphere is so fun. Julia Child’s cooking always makes me hungry and the light romance we get is keeping me on the edge of my seat! I can’t wait for the next one!

I’m no stranger to Colleen Cambridge’s enchanting storytelling, but this is my first time meeting her sleuth, Tabitha Knight. It can be a gamble picking up book two in a series without reading the first, but I am happy to report that the kindhearted, yet fierce Tabitha dazzled me right from page one, and by page two, she felt like an old friend. The warm, inviting way in which Cambridge writes her characters (and the settings they inhabit) has a mesmerizing effect on the reader.

We meet Tabitha in the most idyllic of scenes, venturing through a Parisian market, musing about one of my favorite things: food. Tabitha is soon derailed by her dear friend, the absolutely charming Julia Child. I wasn’t sure what to expect from Julia’s personality in this book. As a historical figure, and one I’ve seen portrayed in film and TV, I had this image in my head that she would be a stiff, reserved figure, but oh, how Cambridge’s Child bursts from the page with life. She’s the confidante we all want to help us with a mystery, ready and eager to jump out of the frying pan and into the fire.

As with my past experiences with Cambridge’s writing, her mystery didn’t disappoint. Although we take a few chapters to get there, Tabitha is handed a bottle of exquisite wine to deliver to the esteemed Chef Beauchene at the famous Le Cordon Bleu school right before a cooking demonstration. As the avid mystery reader I am, I knew something was fishy, and it wasn’t the bouillabaisse. When Beauchene drinks the wine in front of a room full of eager cooking enthusiasts and plummets to the floor dead moments later, the mystery takes off, bringing the reader on a twisting journey full of excellently placed red herrings while showcasing the wonders of 1950s Paris with breathtaking style. Add in the charming characters we meet along the way—especially Tabitha’s grandfather and his partner—and you’re in for a fascinating ride.
I could write a whole post about the food descriptions Cambridge teases us with alone. Simply put, eat before you read this, or you will find yourself aching for the dishes Julia and Tabitha tackle together.

Although this is my first time visiting with Tabitha and Julia, I will most certainly be booking a return journey to 1950s Paris. A delightful read from start to finish, A Murder Most French is a must for historical mystery enthusiasts!

Thank you, Netgalley and Kensington Books for an ARC of this book.

In the second installment of An American in Paris mystery series, we follow Tabitha Knight, best friend to Chef, Julia Child, end up solving yet another murder.

Or more like a trail of murders. The whimsical Tabitha, the cooking Julia Child, Grand-Pere and Oncle Rafe, bring the humor yet amazing story to life.

I enjoyed going through the catacombs of Paris, being wrong about the culprit, and of course wishing I was drinking some delicious wine.

I adored this cozy historical mystery. I can't wait for the next on the series.

This is another delightful imagining of Tabitha Knight, a young American with a French mother who is befriended by Julia Child. Tabitha has moved to Paris to take care of her French grandfather who was part of the French Resistance during WWII. Tabitha spends her days tutoring American children living in Paris in French. Julia Child tries to teach her to cook. Of course, since it is a cozy mystery murder and mayhem ensue.

I love the descriptions of Julia’s cooking. The background of how Paris is recovering after the war is well researched and fascinating. The catacombs are of especial interest in this mystery. How the French hide wine from the Nazis and what the Nazis did with French wine is a crucial part of the plot.

Thank you to Kensington Press and NetGalley for the free Advanced Reader’s Copy in exchange for my honest review. This is the second book in the series, but you could jump in here and then go back and read the first one. I gave this book 5 stars. I highly recommend this series. I hope to read many more.

After I finished this cozy mystery set in postwar Paris, the word that immediately came to mind was “delightful!” Going down easy like a fine glass of wine, this second installment in the American in Paris series improved on the first, bringing us a tighter mystery, faster pace, and even more Julia Child!

I found myself eager to dive back into this book every chance I got and reveled in the descriptions of the city, the detailed cooking scenes, and the moments rooted in historical events, like how the French went to great lengths to hide wine during the German occupation. While the killer’s motivation did fall a little flat for me, the book’s final moments more than made up for the lackluster reveal.

This is turning into a favorite cozy mystery series of mine and I will be crossing all my fingers that there’s a third installment in the works!

This second book in the mystery series is also set in post war France. Tabitha lives with her grandfather and his partner. A friend of Julia Child, she accompanies her to a cooking demonstration when a murder occurs. After a second murder the next day, again with Julia and Tabitha present, Tabitha becomes involved with the investigation, to the disapproval of the inspector. The interactions between Tabitha and Julia are fun, with descriptions of delicious French specialties. Recommended. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

The second American in Paris mystery finds Tabitha and her friend Julia Child investigating the death of a cooking instructor via bottle of poisoned wine.

This series is so enjoyable! Julia is a perfect side character and Tabitha is a great main character. I’m intrigued to see if we get more romance in the future with her and Merveille. But even beside that, the clues and pacing are great for a cozy style, and it’s just so fun!

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

A Murder Most French is book two in Colleen Cambridge’s An American in Paris mystery series and is equally as delightful as last year’s first entry into the series: Mastering the Art of French Murder.

Readers once again are out and about in 1950s Paris with American ex-pat Tabitha Knight and chef-in-training Julia Child. Julia attends the legendary Cordon Bleu cooking school and invites Tabitha to attend one of the school’s open demonstrations. Tabitha, always trying to improve her cooking, is excited to see a master chef at work. Everything is lovely until one of the chefs pours himself a glass of wine from a rare vintage bottle and suddenly drops dead in front of all the assembled guests! And this is only the first in a string of poisonings. As a witness to this terrible crime, Tabitha is determined to find the culprit so that everyone is safe.

This is such an enjoyable, creative series–a wonderful mix of mystery and cooking! I adore the friendship between Julia and Tabitha, and Cambridge really does capture Julia so perfectly. I also would be remiss if I did not mention how much I adore Tabitha’s Grand-père and Oncle Rafe. I love exploring Paris with Tabitha and I hope there are many more coming in this series. @kensingtonbooks