The Books of the Dead

Paris, Librarians, and murder. What more could I ask for! From the first page I was hooked. The author's descriptions of Paris paired with an excellent story had me up all night.

The story is about Rachel Levis, an American sleuth in Paris. As she walks into the men’s bathroom of a cafe she finds an employee of the French National Library dead. Along with Capitaine Boussicault and her best friend Magda she is hot on the trail.

Rachel goes undercover as a librarian at the bibliothèque in Paris to find out who the killer is, but nothing is easy. To makes matters worse a priceless antique book is destroyed and her number one suspect is murdered.

The book is very entertaining with twists and enough intrigue to keep you interested until the very end.

This is the very first book I have read of Emilia Bernhard and was truly pleased with the outcome. Looking forward to future books.

I recommend this book!!!

I loved it! This was an excellent mysteries/thriller! Amateur detective, Rachel, finds her first body in the men’s restroom of a cafe in Paris. The police ask for her help and she is off and running. As the story unwinds, there are many surprises, twists and turns that make this an enjoyable read. It is well written and is a fascinating read that I absolutely loved and highly recommend. I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a review copy in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion of it.

Rachel Levis and her best friend Magda Stevens love adventure and are fascinated with mystery and murder. Rachel is on commission to write church hymns so for inspiration decides to go to the Bibliotheque Nationale to check out the medieval religious manuscripts.

A light captivating mystery novel set in France. This is the second time the girls have been caught up in a murder with Capitaine Boussicault investigating; only sometimes appreciating these amateur detectives and their assistance.

An amusing romp through Paris. An unexpected murderer with an unusual habit that finally leads to exposure. Two clever women detectives who outwit the police. Not very suspenseful but still a good story revolving around ancient manuscripts and the Bibliothèque Nationale.

#TheBooksoftheDead#NetGalley
Thank you NetGalley for the advanced arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The second book by Emilia Bernhard featuring amateur American sleuths Rachel Levis and Magda Stevens is a delight to read. All characters are well drawn with believable backgrounds and motives.
When two librarians employed by the Bibiotheque Nationale in rare books are murdered, Rachel and Magda put their wits together to catch the killer. Recommend highly.

When American sleuth Rachel Levis stumbles upon an employee of the French national library strangled in the bathroom of a cafe, she's not surprised to be asked to help with the investigation by her old acquaintance Capitaine Boussicault--after all, she and her best friend Magda solved a tricky murder only eighteen months before.

But right from the start, this case proves to be très difficile. When Rachel goes undercover as a librarian to determine which of his book-loving colleagues loathed the man enough to kill him, the library is rocked by more bad news: a priceless antique book has been mutilated. And the very next day, her favorite suspect for the murder is found dead in the stacks.




Thank you to net galley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book it was a great experience

I really enjoyed this book! I think the plot was very comprehensive, and the characterization deep. I especially liked the way the writing was evocative and helped you feel and think the same way the characters did! - All in all an excellent book, everyone should read it!

Rachel Levin is an American living in Paris who also happens to stumble upon dead bodies. This happenstance has turned her and her best friend, Magda, into amateur sleuths.

When Rachel stumbles upon a dead body in the men’s room of a local cafe, she finds herself working under cover with the local police Capitaine Boussicalt to help find out more about who killed the man who was a librarian in Bibliotheque Nationale’s rare book reading room. While there a second librarian is murdered and it is discovered that pages from rare books have been stolen. While Rachel has helped to gather some additional information on the case, her cover is exposed so that she can listen in the interviews to translate and point out any discrepancies in statements.

Lots of twist and turns, and not just in the stacks, along with several suspects makes for lots of red herrings and second guesses. While I did not read the first book in the series, I had no trouble reading this second installment as a stand alone. It did take me a few chapters before I became fully vested, but once I got into it, it just flew by from there.

Rachel was ecstatic to be included in the Paris police force as a consultant, which left her best friend and investigative partner out. Magda was ticked but soon changed her mind when Rachel calls for her help after realizing the police were patronizing her and she hated to be patronized. Together they went about trying to solve the two murders that were obviously linked to the stealing of the antiquarian illustrations. These two had their own personal style and rules for their sleuthing. An intriguing and entertaining package.

I read the first book in this series and wasn’t really impressed. In fact I found it just silly but with potential so I wanted to read the follow up. And I am so glad I did. This story is SO much better! A very clever mystery and the main character, Rachel, has been developed in a much better way than in the first book. Fun dialogue and a lovely and well described setting for the mystery. I am now really looking forward to the next mystery for Rachel! Thank you NetGalley for the advanced readers copy for review.

A delightful book about the theft of pages from the rare book section in the French Bibliotheque Nationale. This is the second offering in the series of "A Death in Paris Mystery" but is easily read as a standalone. Don't be put off by the frequent French phrases because the author has thoughtfully included a guide with translations.

The characters are skillfully crafted and easily imagined to be real people. The murders are clever. I had no idea who the culprit was until the reveal. The thoughts of the protagonist, Rachel Lewis, are interesting: "Solving a murder... was ordering the world...a demonstration that ugliness did not always win."

I received an Advanced Readers Copy from Crooked Lane Books through NetGalley.The opinions expressed are entirely my own.
#TheBooksOfTheDead #NetGalley

This is the first I have read of this author, but I would categorized this title as a cozy. Some may not recognized it as such and I wasn't sure at the start. However, once that clicked, I settled well into the read. The setting is in France and the book is laced with French terms but a glossary is provided with translations for those unfamiliar with the language.

Brilliant and heart pounding, Addictive, Unputdownable. The Books of the Dead will have You turning pages late into the Night.

I loved the setting (Paris) and the sleuths so much that I went back and got the first book in the series. Highly recommend.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

New author to me and this was an interesting book. It is the second in the series and I didn't read that one but this was still good not knowing any background. The characters were good and the story was well written.

I thoroughly enjoyed this tale,where Rachel Levis, an amateur sleuth, on finding an employee of the French National Library dead in the bathroom, is asked to go undercover by the police as a librarian and then finds herself in the thick of the case.
Well written and entertaining. I found this an easily captivating read. Despite this being book two of the series, it is easily a standalone tale.