Death and Croissants by Ian Moore is the first in the Follet Valley series and it’s simply hilarious.
In short, Richard Ainsworth, a film historian who runs a B&B in the Loire Valley, discovers that one of his guests is missing after finding blood on the walls of his room and a broken pair of spectacles. He then finds himself in a rollicking manhunt with another of his guests, the exotic Valerie d’Orcay.
I thoroughly enjoyed this romp, full of brilliant characters creating so many laugh out moments...the comedy just so typically British worked well in the French setting.
It’s bonkers but fabulously entertaining, I most definitely recommend this read if you want a good laugh...I’m so looking forward to the next adventure in the Follet Valley.
Big thanks to Ian Moore, Duckworth Books and NetGalley for this eARC which I chose to read in return for my honest review.

I really wanted to like this book more. It initially started off so strong, especially in amusement - right from the first line, I thought it was going to be a pretty solid read - but it kind of went downhill from there for me.

I didn’t really “get” the main protagonist, Richard. Presented as a bumbling curmudgeon of sorts, he appears almost disinterested in the (potential) death of a guest, but yet is completely enraptured by Valérie and follows around because... why? She’s attractive? He’s lonely? In need of adventure? While these may indeed be the reasons, it just didn’t come across authentically enough for me - I think it would greatly benefit from a little more preamble, context and/or introduction to the characters, especially since it’s meant to be the initiation of a series. This book really starts running right out of the gate, and while that can be a good thing, the plot seems to move forward without checking to see if anyone is along for the ride.

I also found that the mystery aspect is unfortunately very haphazardly tied together. It has a lot of moving parts, and instead of being intricately woven, I found them to be more like a bundle of tangled Christmas lights - some bulbs work, and others just do not.

That being said, it has quite a few laugh-out-loud moments and one-liners, likely due to the fact that the author is also a comedian, and it has a quirky charm that I think could work really well on-screen; it’s one of those rare cases where I feel like it would make a better movie than a book.

Despite the lukewarm review, many thanks to @NetGalley & @FarragoBooks for the digital advanced readers copy.

Death and Croissants will be on shelves June 1st, and who knows, maybe you’ll feel differently!

~ 👩🏻‍🦰

small-business, small-town, hotelier, expats, situational-humor, verbal-humor, sly-humor, family-dynamics, friendship, France, farce, animals*****

Richard is a Brit film history buff and hotelier in rural France when he is dropped into a world with people who absolutely befuddle him (like the older couple of nudist swappers) and the twin brothers who are more than a bit dotty and bitter rivals. The characters most certainly are! And the names of the chickens! I laughed myself silly, and that was after a bad day!
I requested and received a free temporary ebook from Farrago Books via NetGalley. Thank you!

A pleasant tale with some laughs along the way with a quirky cast of characters to spend time with. Involves a helpless Englishman, lost in a film dream world to escape reality, who is the owner of a B and B in France, having he experience of a guest that disappeared leaving behind blood stains and a bloody hand print at subsequently repeats at different hotels/B &Bs, meeting a formidable femme Fatale wno inveigles him to investigate, involving a pair of elderly feuding twins where one disappears, a pair of mafia assassins hunting for a man with a price on his head and a mysterious murder of a pet hen. What a rich witches brew to delve into!!

A light, very funny mystery with appealing characters in a wonderful French countryside following Richard who owns a b & b in the Loire Valley.
One day, however, one of his older guests disappears, leaving behind a bloody handprint on the wallpaper. Another guest, the exotic Valérie, persuades a reluctant Richard to join her in investigating the disappearance and what follows is a funny and fast paced intrigue.

I love France and a good murder mystery.
The protagonist was hard to like.... his love for classic movies also didn't add to that as those movies perpetuate gender stereotypes and even more so the hey day of white men. He seems a little naive and oblivious for a man around 50.
The story did have very funny moments and a quick read. It had slightly less intricacies than I hoped for. I will not be reading the sequel, but would be interested in reading his other books.

A really quirky funny whodunnit. I loved this book- the characters are so realistic and relatable, and the plot twists and turns like a slippery fish. Brilliant, fast paced fun.

A light and welcome read! Both gripping and funny, this book will transport you to France to enjoy wine and baguettes. But be careful, something dark this way comes and won't let the hens unharmed... And don't be suprised if you mistake your friends for your enemies - and vice versa.

The only drawback is the writing, sometimes not thorough enough - like when the characters speak in French but the text is still in English. (Or maybe I'm only bothered because I'm French myself.) ^^

Similar to: The Thursday Murder Club

This was very slow but not in a good way. The story dragged and the humour only appeared in the second half and even then it was a little laboured at times. I wanted to read this because it was likened to the Thursday Murder Club which was superb but I'm afraid this is a pale imitation and I wouldn't choose to read any more in the series.

My thanks to NetGalley for providing a proof in return for an honest review.

It's a while since a book made me cry with laughter quite as much as "Death and Croissants" has done. That this far-fetched comedy about a Brit expat running a B & B in the Loire Valley area of France is written by British comic Ian Moore who himself owns a B & B in the same area begs several questions about the life of a B & B owner!
I am now waiting for the next in the series to be published, and recommend this book to someone looking for an entertaining quick read, or a relaxing read on holidays or when travelling.
With thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me a copy of "Death and Croissants" in exchange for this honest review.

Good entertaining story with likeable characters. I felt myself feeling very sorry for the male lead. The plot was easy enough to follow and the story had been written in a witty, simple fashion. Also, being set in France did not detract from the storyline. Looking forward to reading the next in the series.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Farrago Books for an advance copy of Death and Croissants, the first novel to feature Bed and Breakfast owner Richard Ainsworth, set in the Loire Valley.

Richard is enjoying a quiet early retirement, running a B&B and watching old movies, but that changes when he finds a bloody handprint in one of the bedrooms and no sign of the guest. Persuaded by another guest, the glamorous Valérie Dorçay, to investigate he soon finds himself caught up in all sorts, the mafia, nudity and murder most fowl.

I thoroughly enjoyed Death and Croissants, which is a fun, lighthearted read with a genuine mystery at it’s heart. It is told entirely from Richard’s point of view and that’s the source of much of the humour as Richard is a put upon 53 year old Englishman with a rather naive world view. I don’t know anything about the middle class South of England mindset, so I assume that what I took to be a rather cruel portrayal of an unassuming man will resonate with readers who understand it.

It’s the same idea as The Thursday Murder Club and while I wouldn’t read another one in that series I will read this series again. This novel has a sparkle and verve that is appealing, both in the dialogue and the comedic plotting. Swingers and the Mafia in the rural Loire Valley? Pure gold. Then there’s all the crossing and double crossing, sundry motives and secrets. It’s a caper that is cleverly and humorously executed and which had me fooled most of the time.

Death and Croissants is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

A cute and quick read! This book introduces us to Richard Ainsworth, a middle aged Englishman running a B&B in the Loire Valley. He is a film historian who has clearly gotten used to watching things happen on screen and not in his daily life. When one of his guests disappears and leaves a bloody handprint behind, Richard wants to alert the authorities and let it go, but another guest, Valerie, talks him in to investigating the disappearance with her. Richard and Valerie’s search is filled with colorful characters, unexpected twists, and enough description to make you want to book a trip to the fictional Val de Follet. I enjoyed Richard’s perspective and finished this book over the course of a weekend.

This book kicks off a series and I think I’ll pick up #2 when it comes out. Thank you to Duckworth Books and Netgalley for providing me with this ARC.

I found that this book read more like an English farce than a murder mystery story. Although, in saying that, I enjoyed the comic observations of the characters and did not guess how the book would finish!
Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the advance copy of this book.

Richard is just trying to run a quiet bed and breakfast and blend into the background, but when a bloody handprint and a missing guest disturb his morning, he finds himself right in the middle of a murder mystery. Even worse, attractive but overzealous guest, Valerie, is determined they will solve it together.

Death and Croissants was laugh out loud funny with just the type of humour I love and poor reluctant Richard was the sort of self-depreciating character I like best in my comedy! Part quirky Rom-Com, party mystery, with a ton of twists and surprises, this one was just such a fun read. I think it will appeal greatly to lovers of British humour. I’m so glad this is the start of a series and not a stand-a-lone, I’m looking forward to reading more!

Lovely, cosy story - feels old-fashioned in a nice way - with a gentle touch of humour that I really enjoyed. A very well-written tale. Good escapism!

This is a perfect summer read for anyone looking for a bit of cosy crime! I loved the setting and the grumpy hotel owner. This is great for anyone who would like an escape and who enjoyed Osman's book!

Some may call this book "humerous" but I found it rather silly and most definitely farcical. I kept going to the end in the hope that it might improve but, if anything, it got more and more far-fetched.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publishers for the opportunity to review this book.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. Nice cosy, easy to read mystery with a good storyline and good characters. I enjoyed it

What a fun and funny mystery, the first in a new series, set in rural France. The author has created a wonderful cast of quirky and interesting characters and a well developed, fast moving plot. I really enjoyed the humor sprinkled throughout. I can't wait until the next book! I need to know what happened to the hen!