There was a slow start to this one but once it got going it really got going.
I liked the characters - in particular Valarie as well as the unfortunate timings of Richard’s communication with his daughter which always made me laugh.
Overall a good book with an enjoyable and interesting plot. I am looking forward to the next instalment.

I like my mystery read to be on a dark side instead of a cozy one but that doesn't mean I won't be picking up one. I was in the mood for a cozy mystery and glad that thus is in my shelf. I will be usually thrown off if there are a lot of characters but I will always try to keep up knowing this is the usual setting of these kind of books. I t was overall funny and even the MC is funny in his own grumpy way. :) Will I be reading more on the series? Probably not NOT because it is not good but because I am not just a series girlie.

I had high hopes for this one, but I just couldn’t connect with the characters. The sense of place really worked for me, though, and I was compelled enough by the mystery to keep going.

Death and Croissants by Ian Moore is a cozy mystery with a darker side.

This is the first in the Follett Valley Mystery series. Overall, I enjoyed the book. But, it didn't wow me. I saw it described as a funny story, and while there was some wit to it, I didn't really find it that comedic.

At times, I could find it a little hard to follow, truth be told. I felt like our main character, Richard, throughout most of the book, three steps behind.

But, it was an interesting concept for a murder mystery, one in which I certainly wasn't able to solve before the end.

British ex-pat, Richard Ainsworth, has moved to France and opened a B&B. Largely not much happens in Richard's life, and he seems to like it that way. But, one day, one of his B&B guests disappears, leaving a bloody handprint on the wall. One of Richard's other guests, a middle-aged, beautiful, and stylish woman, Valérie Dorçay, is keen to help Richard investigate the guests' disappearance. But of course, as Richard soon finds out, nothing is what it seems.

Overall, I did enjoy this book. I'm definitely going to give Book 2 a try to see if this is a series I can get into more. Perhaps I just wasn't in the right frame of mind for it.

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press for the advanced digital copy of this book. My opinions are my own.

Death and Croissants wasn't supposed to be funny, was it?
I found this book 'too long in the tooth'. It's all nice and good: the setting, a bunch of colourful characters, never-ending classic movies' references... but what the?
Death and Croissants is rather a study on a middle-aged man coming to terms with outside world and people in it then a mystery.
Did I say it was too long? Yes, it was. It was long and slow, to slow for a humourous cozy mystery.

2.5/5 stars

Thank you to Netgalley, the publishers, and Ian Moore for allowing me to read and review this book.

This is the first book in a new series. This book follows a middle-aged Englishman who runs a B&B in rural France. Nothing ever really happens to Richard, and that's how he likes it, until a guest disappears and a bloody handprint is found.

Although this book was not one of my favorites, it was not a bad book. The characters are interesting and the plot is well-written. And I recommend this book to anyone that it sounds interesting to.

What an absolute hoot! I have been off my game when it comes to mysteries recently, and this book was a very welcome win. It's a bit of Richard Osman's Thursday Murder Club, with its own interesting twists and turns. Highly recommened.

An enjoyable enough first in a new series, set in France. Richard is our rather hapless, slightly morose English B&B owner, stuck running the business after his wife has left. He does his best to do as little as possible, preferring to remain in the background and let things drift past him.

Enter Valerie D'Orsay, a guest who inserts herself into his life - alongside her delightful pooch Passepartout - shortly after he discovers a bloody handprint on the wall of a room, along with a pair of glasses, after another guest has disappeared. Then there are the slightly suspicious Italians...and the death of one of Richard's beloved hens, Ava Gardner.

There are some definite stereotypes here, which I think are intentionally done, especially between the vibrant Valerie and the pale-in-comparison Richard (certainly there were times when I was saying to myself, 'he's SO English!' - I'm Canadian but live in England and was raised by English parents so feel confident with my seeing the stereotyping here). She drags him out of his comfort zone and into the mystery of what happened to the missing guest. This turns into a murder and a substantial amount of missing money, as they race around the French countryside in search of clues.

There were a couple of loose ends - who killed Ava Gardner? The Italians? - and we never really find out about the bloody handprint, either, although it's set up to be the whole reason behind the guest's disappearance. The ending was a bit unsatisfying as well, as I didn't think there were really enough clues to point to the killer.

Despite that, I did enjoy it and most of the characters and will keep it on my TBR pile. It's light and entertaining and sometimes that's all you need!

New author alert and I just love a new author especially ias he lives in rural France just like me. So this was a great treat to find this author and a comedian as well. Double whammy! Death and Croissants by Ian Moore is the first in a new series its set in the fictional Val de Follet Valley in the Loire Valley. It's a great mystery But a little crazy and very quirky, but, slightly over the top cosy mystery, and I loved it. It was a fun book to dive into!

We meet Richard Ainsworth, who is a middle-aged Englishman who has moved to the Loire Valley where he runs a Bed and Breakfast or rather a chambre d’hote in his words. Richard is, very boring even, and his only interest and passions are to live in the life of old movies and his dream is to call his establishment under the names after actresses—Lana Turner, Ava Gardner, & Rita Hayworth. He is estranged from his very stylish wife Clare who hates France and has found there's nothing here to keep her here! and has gone back to England!
But, life goes on for him, and most days are the same........Pretty boring and only has his cleaning lady, Madame Tablier for company. OHHHHHHH, until one morning Richard's life goes Bang and turns upside down, when one guest at his B&B goes missing a old Grand chaps, who has left a bloody handprint on his rooms wall - Christ thats gonna be a pain to clean!!! Richard want to do something about this and get to the bottom of where Grand chaps has gone?

It sounds pretty boring bit this book is fun and this is where the fun begins! However, it took me a while to get into it but I am glad I stuck with and hoping to read more books from Ian Moore in the future.

Unfortunately I didn't love this one, I found it a little slow to be honest.
I chose the book based on the title. In my opinion I found it set to be similar to the Richard Osman books. Sorry

This is a great cozy mystery. I loved the setting and characters. I can’t wait to read the next in the series.

I initially requested this book for the title alone. I thought to myself - ok this sounds like it could be good! I’m usually a huge sucker for a cozy mystery but this one missed the mark for me. I don’t like leaving bad reviews but this one wasn’t for me. Sorry.

This felt like self insert fan fiction for a mix between a cozy mystery and a film noir, and not in a good way.

There were a lot of stereotypes that were questionable at best, the main character was a dud that was far from relatable, and the story, plot, and mystery left a lot to be desired.

This light, humorous, cozy mystery is set in the Loire Valley. Richard owns a B&B and after the mysterious disappearance of an elderly guest, he is pulled into an investigation by another guest. The first in a new series, I look forward to other entries.

"Death and Croissants" by Ian Moore receives a 3-star rating from me. While the novel offers an interesting blend of mystery, humor, and a charming French countryside setting, there are certain aspects that left me with mixed feelings.

The character of Richard, the middle-aged Englishman running a B&B, is endearing, but at times, his reluctance to get involved in the mystery felt a bit overdone. The humor in the story is enjoyable, but there were moments when it seemed forced, and the pacing of the humor felt uneven.

The plot, involving the disappearance of a guest and the murder of Richard's beloved hen, Ava Gardner, has its moments of intrigue, but the execution could have been tighter. Some elements of the mystery felt a little convoluted, and the resolution was somewhat predictable.

On the positive side, the book captures the essence of the French countryside beautifully, providing readers with a vivid sense of place. The quirky characters, including the exotic Valérie, add depth to the story and keep it engaging.

I unfortunely didn't love this one. I had a hard time relating to the characters and if I don't relate to the characters I tend to not be interested. The characters were quirky and there was some light humor that I enjoyed. It just wasn't for me.

A compulsive page turner with wit, and oh what a cast of characters! I loved it.
Many thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

DNF~20%

I received an ARC of this book through Netgalley and was excited that it was compared to The Thursday Murder Club series since I’ve really enjoyed that. I started this in February and keep trying to go back to finish it and I just can’t.

This started strong with a character immediately being missing but there was nothing to keep my attention. What little I saw of Valerie she was very obviously a female hero written by a man and it feels like there was too much effort into making all the characters quirky and it fell flat.

Death and Croissants is a nice cozy mystery with multiple layers of whodunnits, some excellent film noir references, and even a slightly disturbing pair of swingers!

This book contains references to both death and croissants, and only one of which I consumed while reading it. A funny and delightful tale of pastries and patsies.