Such a fun mystery to follow Bea and her cousin along in Paris. And I was actually in Paris while reading it so extra fun! Two unlikely friends come together because of family circumstance to hunt down and find an expensive family heirloom.

Bea is bummed. She was supposed to be having lots of fun adventures with her aunt. Her parents are on a trip (without her), and sent her to stay in Paris. Sounds great, right? Well, her aunt, a journalist, keeps having to work. Her grandmother is busy running her secondhand/antique shop. And her cousin doesn’t seem to have much in common with Bea.

And then disaster strikes. Bea accidentally allows a man to take a box that contains the family treasure, a portrait of Bea’s great-grandfather, created by famous artist Henri Matisse.

And thus begins Bea’s true adventures in Paris. A mysterious note is left for her which indicates that, if she unravels the clues she will be able to recover the portrait. But Bea’s French is rudimentary, so she must enlist Celine’s help. The two visit sites around the city—although Bea is not supposed to leave the neighborhood without her aunt.

There are red herrings and misdirections along the way. But with the help of a couple of clever—and cute—French boys, Bea and Celine just might win the day.

We feel Bea’s frustration with being limited to her aunt’s flat and her grandmother’s shop all day while the aunt is at work. I’d be frustrated too! We also understand Bea’s guilt at having—however accidentally—allowed the painting to be taken.

Descriptions, characterizations, and conversations were well-done.

Possible objectionable material:
A tweenage kiss. Sneaking around and going places without adult permission. Lying.

Who might like this book:
Anyone interested in Paris or who likes solving a mystery. I’d say that the grade levels provided by the publisher are pretty accurate.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

#BookReview #NetGalley #MiddleGrade #TheHouseOfFoundObjects #JoBeckettKing #SimonAndSchuster #biblioquacious

This book is also reviewed at https://biblioquacious.blogspot.com/2025/08/solving-parisian-mystery.html

“Art is a way into the past. It is a connection with a lost time.”

Bea is visiting family in Paris for the summer. Her grandmother owns a second hand shop where Bea finds herself helping out most days. One day, a precious heirloom goes missing of her grandmothers… a drawing by Matisse… Bea works with her cousin Cèline… an unlikely pair… to find the missing Matisse.

A perfect armchair travel to Paris for the summer. This is a clue/puzzle oriented mystery which I would have loved when I was younger. You also get a bit of a history lessons as the girls race from one clue to another following landmarks/historical spots. It has also left me craving an almond croissant!

I’m looking forward to the next adventures with Bea… I’m kind of hoping it will take place back in the states where she is from… New Jersey! I love a NJ setting!

Thank you Simon Kids!
Releases 7/25

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What a fun story!

It was fun change putting myself in the place of a preteen reading this mystery story centered in Paris. I’m not terribly familiar with the genre nowadays but I loved the title of the book which was enough to reel me in. The themes were very relatable and appropriate (ex. Evolving interests as you grow up, fearing parental disappointment, language barriers with family members) which seemed age appropriate.

The mystery was very fun to follow, and I loved reading about the girls exploring Paris. As someone who’s been lucky enough to visit there were quite a few places I’ve never heard of or been to which just adds to the interest. I also love a good code cracking challenge and it would be cool to add a little compendium at the end of the book so kids could easily make their own codes. Obsessed with the mystery’s resolution, so sweet.

I would recommend this book for an appropriate audience and would love to read more about Bea’s adventures with her French family. Plus more Lucas and Céline who ended up being favorites of mine!

Thank you NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Delightful story about a spunky girl detective. Great storyline and characters. It is a perfect length making it easy to recommend.

Thanks to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing | for this ARC.

This was such a cute middle grade mystery. I really liked all of the characters and the way that Bea made her way through the mystery. I liked seeing her struggle with life events as well as the mystery and liked seeing her become close with her cousin. The setting was really cool and it was fun to explore Paris with Bea. If you like puzzle mysteries, then this book is for you.

I really enjoyed this middle grade mystery. It was full of family, friends, mystery, and finding yourself. Changing something you've done many times and has become ingrained in who she thinks of herself can be a scary thing. I think this book does a good job of showing how big a deal it can be and how it can look going through the motions of changing something about yourself and going in a new direction. It was really sweet and I loved all the characters, and I didnt find the mystery challenging, but I did find it fun.

A strong title and the depiction of two young girls attired in distinctive attire influenced by their respective cultures, French and American had me choosing this book. Toss in a mystery puzzling loving girl with hints of Nancy Drew and Encyclopedia Brown and it seems like an interesting read especially since the book incorporates puzzles that even the reader can participate in anagrams and clues tossed in as to historical figures. What made this book a bit different was the uneasy friendship between the two cousins given the estrangement of their respective parents.

This ARC was provided by the publisher, Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing | Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers , via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.