Death in Paris

I just finished this book last night. This is a very good book. I love the different characters, settings in Paris, and I learned some new words.

Thank you Net Gallery and Thistle Publishing for this great read.

I found myself trying to figure out if this was a murder or simple case of a heart attack. As Magda and Rachel dive into this mystery to find the truth, they interview everyone who knew the victim Edgar. Just when I think it's one person who may have killed him then it leads me to believe it is someone else. Then I think oh no it was a heart attack and then he drowned in his soup. This book certainly kept me guessing.

Cherie'

A very good start for a new cozy series.
The book is fun to read, well written, and with a cast of lovely characters.
I loved the humour and descriptions of Paris.
The plot was sound and kept me guessing till the end.
I look forward to reading further instalments in this series.
Recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC

♥I got an ARC from the publisher through NetGalley and this is my honest uninfluenced review♥

Rating: 4 of 7; 4 of 5; 9 of 10

General view: It took me a while to get hooked up, but I must be honest and admit that it was my fault, not the book. I was in a kind of bad place when I started reading, and I know I would have been way more interested if I was in my normal self. Also, there are so many plot twists! Fucking loved it!

Ending: can't fucking believe it. Of all the suspects I just never thought it would have happened like that. I mean yes I disagree with Rachel like half of the time, but this? Never saw it coming.

Positives: i LOVED Rachel and Magda. Honestly! They're amazing and so realistic. Who doesn't wanna to be a detective?

Downsides: I have a language problem. Something I didn't understand, it looked like people always spoke English with the Rachel. I mean, ok, she's American, but she lived in Paris for decades so why do people speak English?

Side note: just realised one of my updates vanished and now I'm upset. On a more important side note, I finished the book ages ago, but husband was home these days and also, c'mom, World Cup dude

Thank you NetGalley and Thistle Publishing for the eARC.
Rachel Levis, an American expat living in Paris, is shocked to read about the death of her former lover, financier Edgar Bowen. He died face down in his soup, a bottle of rose wine by his side. He hated rose, so who was with him? She shares her suspicions with Magda, her best friend and fellow American expat and the two of them decide to investigate. But as total amateurs, where do they start? Luckily, Edward's will states Rachel is to catalogue his extensive, priceless library after which she can choose any book she desires. This means she can work in his home and meet the people closest to him: his son Alan, his longtime butler, his young assistant, his girlfriend and his frosty ex-wife. So many possible suspects!
The luscious descriptions of Paris, the food, the fashions and people are so evocative, what a lovely treat...
Rachel and Magda's friendship is very realistic, they are close, love each other, but have the occasional snippy back and forth that made me smile. Rachel's husband is patiently in the background, but eventually even he gets involved.
A promising start to the series, I'm looking forward to no. 2!

It's been awhile since I have read a cozy mystery because I find them to be all over the place in terms of quality. I took a chance on this one though because of the Paris setting and I'm glad I did. This turned out to be a really fun, lighthearted mystery with enjoyable characters.

American Rachel Levis has lived in Paris for years. Before she married her husband, Alan, she dated wealthy financier Edgar Bowen who has just died. Authorities have concluded he died by drowning in his soup but Rachel is convinced the bottle of rosé found on the dinner table is a clue proving his death was no accident. With the help of her best friend, Magda, Rachel starts compiling a list of suspects who might have benefited from Edgar's death.

By far the thing I enjoyed most about this book was the friendship between Rachel and Magda and their fun, playful banter. I loved the references of police detective movies and tv shows throughout the book as the two tried to solve this case with absolutely no prior experience. I'm not sure if this book is meant to be the start of a series or not but I would definitely like to see the duo try their luck at another case. I'm especially interested in getting some more backstory on Magda.

While the time period for this book is present day it also feels a bit like an old, fashioned whodunit. The plot itself involving a rich man and a cast of characters who might benefit from his death is not anything that hasn't been done before. However, I really enjoyed Rachel and Magda as they are so easy to relate to and you almost feel like you are solving the case with them. Overall, just an entertaining read and definitely one of the better cozy mysteries I have read.

Thank you to Netgalley and Thistle Publishing for the opportunity to read an advance digital copy. All views expressed are my honest opinion.

Edgar Bowen has drown in soup bowl. Was it an accident or murder? Rachel lived with Edgar twenty years ago and remembers him as a very nice man. She has been left a book of her choice after she catalogue's his collection. Magda, her friend and Rachel decide to do some detective work to find out who could have killed Edgar. They have several candidates as possible suspects. Now who could it be? You may find the person who did it was not even a suspect.

First in a new series…and please keep them coming! Death in Paris has been described as a cozy mystery and as a traditional mystery. But, at the start of the book, you’ll be wondering if there even is a mystery! Let me explain.

“Edgar Bowen died in his soup,” Rachel said to Magda as they sat in Rachel’s kitchen. Magda started to laugh at her friend’s news, until she realized that Rachel was shaken about the details of her former lover’s demise. Monsieur Bowen was a rich, cultured gentleman. Although no one in Paris suspected murder at all, Rachel did.

The two friends team up to solve the death, although the only thing they know about sleuthing has been gleaned from TV detective and police procedural shows. But, they are caring and perceptive, and soon they have plenty to solve.

Rachel and Magda are more sophisticated and refined than the usual cozy heroines, and they are long-time American expats living in a beautiful city, not a small village. Their world is one of charming cafes, elegant shops and department stores, and grand apartments. Yes, all marvelous to read about and I grew fond of the ladies and their friends.

The author writes in a calm and composed way, with plenty of wry and dry humor. Usually, I rush through a mystery because I am so eager to solve it, but the superbly crafted conversations and observations were a pleasure to savor and made for a satisfying read. French words and phrase are naturally placed in the conversations and lend charm to the story. There are quite a few lengthy conversations in the book, but this is a small price to pay for such a fresh and appealing story.

Readers you will smile at the ending when you find out “who did it.” Quite a nice touch.

The first book in the series takes place in the1st Arrondissement of Paris, where you will find the Louvre and Palais Royale. The plan seems to be that Rachel and Magda will visit each arrondissement in subsequent books. I’m glad there are twenty in Paris- many more good stories await! And there is one last question that Rachel didn’t answer at the end of the book- and I want to know more! Highly recommend.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thistle Publishing for an ARC.

#DeathInParis #NetGalley

Very enjoyable read! The locale descriptions and use of French words and phrases (with translations) gave this mystery another dimension. Characters strong and believable. I read mysteries and can usually catch the villain early in the book, however, this one stumped me until the end. Meilleurs voeux a l'auter!

Death in Paris by Emilia Bernhard is a captivating story. I don’t often read cozy mysteries because they may not have a lot of action. Death in Paris has plenty of action, suspense and thrills. Who will be found dead next or has all the motives to kill? I never guessed who the killer was, will you be able to guess? I found it difficult to believe this was a first book because of the flow of story, the character development and no loose ends. I hate loose ends and dull writing, Death in Paris has neither. Perhaps Emilia Bernhard has another book just waiting to be published, if so I‘m ready to read her next great book. My thanks to the author, the publisher and netgalley for making this book available to read and review.

Death in Paris by Emilia Bernhard is a charming international murder mystery.
French financier Edgar dies by drowning in a bowl of soup bottle of rose by his side. When his long ago former girlfriend American Rachel knows there is something fishy because Edgar hated rose.
Enlisting help of her best friend Magda she resolves to find out who really happened.
Apart from delightful setting, city of light I really liked the cast of characters. It was very interesting to read about their life abroad. Also their playful banter only adds to the charm. I enjoyed references to detective shows and their determination to find the truth despite their inexperience.
It has an old fashioned feel to it and is quite cleverly plotted.

Some books require serious commitment before you really get into them. Some require a bit of a warmup. And some start off like being dropped into someone’s cozy living-room with a cup of joe and a cookie. “Death in Paris” is definitely a coffee and cookie book!

In this utterly charming, well-paced novel, two American ex-pats in Paris find themselves suddenly entangled in a murder investigation when Rachel’s former lover ends up face first in his soup bowl. The only clue: a bottle of wine that the dead man was unlikely to have chosen to drink. When Rachel attends the reading of the will, she is presented with an entire set of possible suspects. She and her friend, Magda, decide to follow their hunches to the thrilling conclusion.

There are so many things I love about this book: the characters are well defined and thought out. The pace of the narrative feels like a comfortably brisk walk in a rainy park smelling of wet leaves (what? I for one rather enjoy rambles like that). The events have an internal logic, something that is not a given, even in crime fiction. And there are no grammatical or spelling errors, and yes, that is so rare that it is worth mentioning. I realize that advance copies are just that and usually not yet finalized, but mistakes are distracting to me, occasionally to the point where I no longer want to finish the book.

Author Emilia Bernhard is an American living in the UK, something that accidentally spills over into the book. At one point, there is a scene describing the utter lack of decent options for a good cup of tea in Paris, something that the vast majority of my American acquaintances wouldn’t give a hoot about. Someone well familiar with the beloved British ritual of tea preparation, however, would.

All in all, I found this a thoroughly enjoyable, entertaining, and suspenseful read which I do not hesitate to recommend to you, my dear readers. Hopefully, this will not be the last time we’ve heard from Ms. Bernhard.

“Death in Paris” is published by Thistle Publishing. I received a free copy in exchange for a review. As always, all opinions are my own, unless otherwise stated.

If you are a fan of Paris, you will love this book. Much of the book is almost a tour of Paris with side notes about the traditions and scenes of Paris. Many scenes made me hungry with the lucious descriptions of food. The mystery is intense too. The premise of the detecting seems rather far fetched as the "detective" becomes convinced the dead man was murdered because there was rosé on the table where he died by drowning in his soup. She was sure that since he never drank rosé, something wasn't right. And so the mystery begins with lots of twists, turns, and suspects. It is an entertaining read, if a slow start.

Title: Death In Paris

Author: Emilia Bernhard

Genre: Mystery, Fiction, Contemporary, Paris, Debut, Series

Plot: Rachel Levis, an American, first came to Paris in her early twenties looking to become a writer and find herself. Now she's in her forties, happily married and a poet. She found herself with the help of her older boyfriend Edgar Bowen so many years ago. So when she finds out that Edgar died mysteriously, having drowned in his soup at dinner one evening with a suspicious bottle of rose` on the table, Rachel feels that she owes it to Edgar to solve his murder. All she has to go on is the feeling that something isn't right because Edgar hated rose` wine with a passion.

With her best friend Magda by her side (also an American who came to Paris young and never left), Rachel begins to investigate and poke around for clues. The two friends meticulously debate their suspect pool and go over their few puzzle pieces repeatedly, always looking for new clues. But when their suspect pool starts to die off in more mysterious ways, they wonder just what have they gotten themselves into and if it's worth it to continue along their line of inquiry - possibly risking death themselves.

Likes/Dislikes: Ever since I read French Women Don't Get Fat, I've been wanting more Paris-centric books in my life and this tasty little treat came in with perfect timing since I'm suffering from a post-Phryne Fisher murder mystery slump. And it was such a nice treat too. Very Paris without being overwhelming (I could've gone with a bit more Paris but it was enough to satisfy me and very different from my usual visits to the sparkling city in 1920 or so), and a lovely little murder mystery that kept me guessing right to the end. I didn't guess the culprit mainly because I figured it was too obviously to actually be the correct answer. I would've liked a bit more food descriptions thrown in but I know it wasn't a foodie book, and I could've done with a chapter or two less of Rachel and Magda going over their clues and suspects. It got a bit mind-numbing there for a bit and they kept going in the same circles but in the end it all wrapped up nicely. I'm intrigued to see if Rachel's husband gets involved in future mysteries, despite his reluctance. He seems humorous. Now to very impatiently wait a whole year for the sequel.

Rating: PG-13 and up, mainly for reading level and content (it's a murder mystery. Clean and not graphic but a murder mystery all the same.)

Date Review Written: August 10th, 2018

I received a copy of this book courtesy of Netgalley for my honest opinion and I wasn't required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed in the above review are my own.

An enjoyable read.

This is the first in a new series of books, and a great start to the series! This had a good opening, a short first scene which grabbed my interest straightaway.

This is a mystery with a Paris backdrop. The setting in Paris was very appealing. I liked that it took you e.g. dining in Paris, or mentioned a character going to an ice cream parlour- and on checking the establishment names, they were real places. I really liked that.

This was an enjoyable read. It was fun to try to sort out the clues and keep asking is he responsible/is she responsible. There were many twists and turns and my idea of 'whodunnit' changed many times.

A light and easy read. I notice in the book blurb it says they're light mysteries-this was exactly that.
Easy, gentle, steady paced read. Not the best ever but quite pleasant, and well presented.

I read a pre-publication copy of this book kindly provided by the publisher and Netgalley.

When American Rachael Levis learns that her ex-boyfriend has died face down in a bowl of soup, she is surprised that a bottle of rosé was on the table as well. Edgar detested rosé. It’s been years since she was with him and she is happily married to another man but Edgar had been her first mature relationship when Racheal first moved to Paris. It seems that he had not forgotten her either, putting her in his will and requesting that she catalog his huge library. With a legitimate reason to snoop around, Rachael and her best friend Magda take it upon themselves to discover who murdered Edgar Bowen. This is an entertaining read with a fun amateur sleuth duo and no shortage of Parisian atmosphere!

A real light cozy mystery for sure! It was cute and entertaining. I enjoyed the characters and storyline. It was an easy beach read. I recommend both this author and novel for those seeking a light hearted cozy mystery!

This was my first cosy mystery set in Paris.
I think that I now understand roughly what makes a mystery, a cosy one. There wasn't a lot of suspense, heart stopping moments, but there was time to explore the setting of Paris,. There were lots of detais about the characters movements and experiences, incorporating the decadence of Paris and all it has to offer.
The story was good, but there wasn't a gob smacking moment that I do like.

Thanks to Netgalley, Thistle publishers and Emilia Bernhard for the opportunity to read and review this book.

It was all about rose (as in wine). The wine was so out of picture, out of question, out of taste. It pays to know your friends’ or old lovers’ taste. Otherwise, you would not noticed if they were killed or simply drowned in their own soup.
Yes, a very rich man dies in his soup in his fancy Paris apartment. He lives and dies surrounded by many women. Some of them his petit amie, some of them hate his guts. Also, this rich man has a son… a troubled son. Plus, he has… well, he has a lot.
His old lover, American poet living in Paris, comes to his funeral. She moves around people at the wake listening to the conversations. She hears something that piques her attention. Her ex-lover never drank rose… He hated it…
So, a bottle of rose next to the bowl of wretched killer-soup starts the investigation led by two women. It leads them to a lot of unexpected nooks and crannies of deceased’s life. And, of course, it leads them to a lot of Paris landmarks, cafés and restaurants.
And who did it? Well, it will become obvious somewhere along the way. Trust me.
All in all, enjoyable read. Author, clearly, loves Paris and everything about it and its inhabitants. It shows. It shows so much one can taste croissants.
Enjoy.

The story gets off to a flying start with the "he died in his soup" line, which certainly sets the tone for a fun mystery. The sleuths, two American expats, are long-time friends and probably in need of a little excitement in their lives. Curious about the death of Edgar Bowen - who Rachel hadn't seen in years and whom Magda didn't know at all - they consider a little 'digging' could be quite interesting until Rachel is invited to the reading of his will.
From that point on, their investigation becomes official - at least in their minds. It would appear they have as many reasons for his untimely death as they have suspects, and with everyone seemingly close to Edgar having a reason to want him dead. Until, of course, as is the norm in the world of cosy mysteries, the suspects die too.
Just when you think the murderer will be caught in the act, there's a nice little twist.
This was a fun, easy read, with a beautiful backdrop. The relationship between the two female sleuths with their witty repartee made me smile, and the mystery, while a little predictable in its outcome, told an amusing and original tale.

Death in Paris by Emilia Bernhard (Publishing on 9 October,2018)

Genre: General Fiction (Adult) , Mystery & Thrillers
Plot:  This story is about two friends Rachel and Magda trying to investigate their first murder case.The victim is Edgar Bowen who was also Rachel's former boyfriend.While attending the funeral Rachel found out some suspicious facts which she thought would not be appropriate to share with the police.Thus she thought that she needs to solve this mystery by her own and so together she and her best friend started their journey to unravel the mystery. However, while they were investigating, one by one  their prime suspects were dying and Rachel and Magda have to be quick before the murderer kills someone else.

Writing: The whole story takes place in Paris.The book has a little touch of french language and also beautiful description about the French atmosphere ,especially cafe and food which really makes the reader get more involved in the story.

Characters:  All the characters where really good.While investigating,Rachel and Magda had to meet many suspects and the story is so enigmatic that it is hard to guess who would be the murderer.

Both Rachel and Magda had equal involvement in solving the case.You get to see much more about the friendship of these two woman.Together they make a very good team.I loved how they tried to motivate each other mentioning that they are doing a good job and also saving one another when in need.

It was an intriguing story and truly amazing.

A good story, with interesting characters, but told in a very long winded way. I like books with a good plot that dot all the i's and cross all the t's, but I did find this one a little extreme. The writer is very familiar with Paris, and, as someone who isn't it was good to learn something about its ways,

Sometimes you don’t need high literature; sometimes you just need a book like a big hug, or a cup of hot chocolate on a winter’s day, or a snug duvet on that first Monday morning of your annual leave… That’s exactly what this is: a bit of comfort, easy to read, fun characters and a story that doesn’t take itself too seriously. The two main characters (Rachel and Magda) are best friends living in Paris investigating the sudden death of Rachel’s former lover, and the book certainly takes in some of the more familiar sites of the city as the plot develops. The expected tropes of classic crime are there: the suffering policeman who has to put up with amateur sleuths, the exasperated spouse trying to rein in the worst excesses of theories, shady characters and, of course, bodies piling up…. It is impossible to talk about the plot without spoiling anything, but I really enjoyed the self-referential nods to classic crime mysteries and modern TV detectives dotted throughout the book as it barrelled along.

For what it is this is a fun opening book in what looks like a jolly series of novels set in Paris. Unassuming, humorous and intelligent enough to keep your mind occupied, I definitely recommend it for anyone wanting a few hours’ escape into a murder mystery!

(With thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in return for an honest and unbiased review.)

It’s always a bit of a risk trying a new author and a new series, even if the genre is tried and tested (cosy mystery, in this case). A delicious risk, admittedly, but a risk nevertheless.

It paid off. I’d never heard of Emilia Bernhard and the book was so recently published when I downloaded it that a handful of Amazon reviews weren’t much guidance, so I opened up Death in Paris with a degree of trepidation. It’s so easy, under those circumstances, to pick a dud. But this time something went right.

The story focuses on Rachel, middle-aged, married and living in Paris, and her friend Magda as the try to unravel a suspicious death. Rachel’s long-ago lover, the fabulously wealthy Edgar Bowen, is found dead, apparently drowned in his bowl of soup as he dined alone, a passing which generates a considerable amount of behind-the-hands laughter, but Rachel’s suspicions are alerted by the detail of a half-bottle of rose on the table. Edwin hated rose…

With a crime novel you can never discuss the plot in much detail for fear of spoilers, but I will say that I found the characters interesting and credible and the plot had enough twists and turns to keep me interested. I loved the setting, in affluent central Paris, and the real sense of place which the author imparted. And I was constantly smiling at the quirky observations of wealthy Parisians in their natural milieu.

Did I think there were one or two unanswered questions? Did Rachel and Magda stumble into the trap of going in to confront the suspect when anyone else would have waited for the police to arrive? (In fairness, that’s the difficulty that cosy crime writers so often struggle to avoid.) Did I find the conversation and the disingenuousness of the sleuths a little on the irritating side, to the point that I might be struggling with it by book six in the series?

The answer to all these is yes, but it really doesn’t matter. Reviewing is so subjective. There are good books I don’t like and bad books that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading. Death in Paris isn’t perfect, and I’ve given worse reviews than this to books that were probably better. But it’s good — very good. It was the right book for the right moment, and I absolutely loved it.

Bring on book 2!

Thanks to Netgalley and Thistle Publishing for a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

Entertaining, delightful and witty - the first of a new series of lighthearted mysteries. Set in Paris, our protagonists, Rachel and Magda, feel something is seriously amiss when one Edgar Bowen drowns in his soup - soon, however, the body count begins to rise in alarming rapidity. Intelligently written and a joy to read. I'm very much looking forward to next. Recommended.

I really loved this cozy mystery set in Paris. The descriptions were eloquent, the characters were wonderfully well written, and the mystery kept me guessing with all the turns that it took. I am looking forward to reading more in this series. I received a copy from NetGalley and the publisher and this is my honest opinion.

Death in Paris is a charming murder mystery novel set in Paris, in which two best friends turn amateur sleuths when a former boyfriend of one of them drowns in a bowl of soup. When Rachel hears that Edgar Bowen is dead, she is reminded of their time together many years ago and how he helped her grow as a person. The details she hears about his death don't add up: surely Edgar, who previously hated rosé, wasn't drinking it with his soup? With her best friend Magda, Rachel starts to delve into the case, as the police won't listen to her suspicions, but amateur sleuthing isn't as easy as TV makes it appear.

This is a classic kind of mystery novel that is suffused with references to fictional detectives and literature. Rachel and Magda are trying to think like the protagonists of mystery stories, but also finding out how difficult it can be to get information out of people and lie where necessary to get them to talk. Their friendship is a key element of the book: it is their partnership that allows them to think over the facts and fictions of Edgar's death. They're clearly depicted as friends who, as two Americans who've made their lives in Paris, have been supporting each other for a long time and are genuinely there no matter what. Another major part of the book and related to them being Americans is its depiction of Paris: this is a novel that invites you to take a trip down the streets of Paris, trying to give the reader a sense of living there too.

Ideal for murder mystery fans and especially anyone looking for female led fiction that prizes friendship highly, Death in Paris is a fun read that would go well with a glass of red wine.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for this partnership.

I was immediately attracted by the title and the summary.

When a financier Edgar Bowen drowns in his soup, his ex-Rachel wonders. Except that at her funeral she hears that when she died there was a bottle of rosé at her table when he didn't drink it, who was with him? The police having declared her accidental death, Rachel will call Magda her best friend the more they will investigate the longer the list of suspects will get. Except they're all going to die in a row, isn't the murderer cleaning up?

A first book in this series read in one go so much I hooked on the story so captivating and full of suspense and twists and turns. The characters were endearing. Looking forward to reading the next book.

This is a great read with a Paris setting. A cozy mystery and the first in the series. Two American women go to live in Paris. A very enjoyable Saturday afternoon read that isn't predictable. It'll only take a few hours to read. So worth it

Death in Paris
by Emilia Bernhard
Thistle Publishing
General Fiction (Adult) , Mystery & Thrillers
Pub Date 09 Oct 2018


I am am reviewing a copy of Death in Paris through Thistle Publishing and Netgalley:


Edgar Bowen died, it looks as if he drowned in a bowl of soup. Rachel Levi’s, his former girlfriend is surprised, how many people can die in a nice vichyssoise: After she overhears a mourner at the funeral describe the circumstances of Edgar’s Death: when Edgar was found there was an open bottle of Rose win next to him. Edgar could not stand Rose so who was drinking the wine?




The police aren’t listening to Rachel because the only thing she has is an out of place bottle of wine, so she and her friend Magda will have to solve the mystery on their own. As Rachel and Magda investigate the suspect list grows. Was Edgar’s son the murderer, he stands to inherit the money and the lux apartmen? His cold ex wife? His new girlfriend whose a spendtgrift? It seems like ever close to Edgar has a reason to want him dead.


But the suspects start dying too, making Rachel and Magda realize the murderee is one step ahead of them and haa no intention on slowing down. The two amateur sleuths must solve their first case before someone gets away with murder.


I give Death In Paris five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

Thought I had it figured out many times! With two unintuitive and no-stopping mystery junkies Bernhard certainly knows how to put a twist to a story