3.25/5⭐️

Set in early 1920s Paris, Zoe Barlow is a 22-year-old young woman who has been exiled from her Alabama plantation home for a scandalous love affair and finds herself an artist in Paris with an eclectic menagerie of friends.

After finding some missing manuscripts for a friend, others around her are winding up murdered and she herself has been attacked. Are the deaths connected to the papers, a current political intrigue or something she hasn’t uncovered yet?

While this was an OK read, I didn’t particularly care about any of the characters. While yes, Zoe had some tragic heartbreaks in her life (her stepmom and brother were just plain evil), I mostly found her shallow and her character lacking depth. And don’t even get me started on her relationship with her police inspector lover.

But the whodunit was a surprise, and I’d be willing to try the next in series to give her a chance to grow on me.

My thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for providing the free early arc of Lost in Paris for review. The opinions are strictly my own.

There is not a shortage of historical novels about the arts community in Paris during the 20’s, but Betty Webb has created a vibrant cast of characters, a dazzling heroine, and a series of baffling murders among the haute Bohemian set.

I loved every minute I spent with this book. Paris seemed to sizzle; the sultry days and wine-filled nights were vibrant and intriguing to this reader. I hope Betty Webb will reprise her heroine, Zoe, and her glamorous detective friend in future novels.

Netgalley provided me a complimentary copy of this book in return for a candid review.

This mystery is a wonderful read. The characters the setting everything is perfect.. Betty Webb might be a new favorite author.

1920s, Paris, murder-investigation, theft, ex-pat, famous-persons, mystery, historical-novel, historical-places-events, historical-research, historical-setting, history-and-culture, amateur-sleuth, romantic****

The tale is packed with luminaries of the time after The War To End All Wars. A young American artist is sent to Paris to further her art but becomes embroiled in theft and murder among the noted artists and writers of the day. A very interesting and detailed read.
I requested and received an EARC from Poisoned Pen Press via NetGalley. Thank you

1922: Paris. Zoe Barlow misses her plantation home in Alabama and her younger sister, but in the four years since her family banished her for an unpardonable act, she has created a new life in Paris. The City of Lights is exciting and full of colorful characters. She counts among her friends poets, painters, writers, dilettantes, dancers, English aristocrats, and Russian ex-pats fleeing the bloody reign of the vengeful Bolsheviks.
When her friend Hadley Hemingway, wife of a journalist and would-be novelist, accidently loses all of her husband’s writings, she takes it upon herself to recover the stolen satchel and its contents. Ernest Hemingway is a bully with a violent temper and Zoe wants to save Hadley from his abusive behavior.
Zoe’s decision to help her friend opens up a Pandora’s box of troubles for her and her friends. She stumbles across a number of dead bodies, and becomes a suspect in a murder case. She and her Armenian taxi driver friend, cruising through the French countryside in his vehicle, the aptly named Grim Reaper, encounter perils around every turn. Even though a handsome police detective warns her off, she keeps on with her investigation.
Lost in Paris is a great mystery, but the star of the show is the author’s depiction of Paris in the time of the Lost Generation. Zoe’s friends and acquaintances are a who’s who of prominent painters, writers, sculptors, and other important figures. It is obvious the historic elements of the book were meticulously researched, and they blend seamlessly with the fictional mystery.
Ms. Webb is the author of two successful series, the Lena Jones mysteries and the Gunn Zoo novels. Lost in Paris is the first in a new series. The Paris mysteries are bound to be equally as excellent. Highly recommended

General fiction portraying Paris' Roaring 20's. Lavish parties and a bit of mystery in the art community.
Beautifully written, set in an attractive environment. An enjoyable read.

Thank you Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC.

Having read a little fiction set in the 1920s, particularly 1920s Paris Park, I was curious to try lost in Paris. Thank you Netgalley , and Poison Pen Press for my DRC in exchange for my honest opinion. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from this book as it seemed like a blend of historical fiction and mystery with a side of women’s fiction. What I found was the above with some real life characters peppered in.

As I read the story, I was either completely engrossed in the characters and what was taking place, or ready to set it down, because the story seemed to dramatically slow at times. There simply wasn’t a happy medium.I love a good enemies to lovers story, but Zoe and Henri’s just didn’t gel for me and I couldn’t understand how Henri had come to his feelings.

The mystery was well done, and I didn’t guess who the murderer was before the reveal which is always a bonus. Overall, this was a three star read for me. It’s the first in the series and I’m not sure if I will be stepping into the next one or not when it comes out. I will have to see where the next story turns.

A historical mystery, Lost in Paris finds our main character, Zoe Barlow, in the midst of a murder case, which could possibly lead to Anastasia Romanov.

This book was cozy, and I did enjoy the appearance of Hadley and Ernest Hemingway.

If you enjoyed the movie Midnight in Paris and would like a more murderous plot, you’ll enjoy this title!

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for the ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

(Will publish to my bookstagram account closer to publishing date.)

Trying to be a good friend Zoe Barlow sets out to find a valise full of Ernest Hemingway's writings. Hadley Ernest's wife is distraught and Zoe sets out to find the missing writings. Little did she know this would lead Zoe into the path of murder and a possible forbidden love..
Zoe Barlow an American finds her way to Paris in a very horrible way. Tossed out by her family because of some terrible deeds that Zoe has committed at least in their eyes. Zoe finds her way to painting and a new family who have opened their arms and hearts to her. Until the fatal day that Hadley Hemingway loses her husband's precious writings that sends Zoe into harms way. The murder of the thief and a young women people believed to be Anastasia Romanov which leads Zoe into a web of greed and murder. Murders of her beloved friend Jewel and her lover, and later on another artist friend murdered. Then there was also an attempt on Zoe's life that makes her wonder how do all these murders connect to each other? Does it have anything to do with Hemingway's writings, or could the killer be one of her beloved artist friends? Zoe is determined to find out even if she has a run in or two with a certain police inspector.
I loved the character of Zoe. Ms Webb wrote a strong character who was cast aside by her family and her beloved home in America, to become this strong women who picked herself up with the help of her beloved friend Jewel and become a women who helped the less fortunate, who tried to move on from the past as hard as it was.to do. She became the women she never thought sh would become. Who could not love the setting of Paris. While reading I felt like I was there along with Zoe and her band of merry men and women. That is how beautifully written the story came across to me.
So much goes on in this story. The murder, the mystery and the true love a person has for her fellow man and who works so hard at finding answers to all these questions and so much more. I don't want to give anything away. I would recommend this to anyone who likes historical fiction, and a real mystery.
Thank you Net Galley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC. Also Betty Webb for a beautifully written story with a little of everything.

This book was filled with characters, and some of them felt unnecessary to me. It felt like name dropping when they were barely in the story. Additionally, there's very little chance that the protagonist would have been in the middle of things as she was when she had left her home after being disgraced, and she had no Parisienne contacts to put her into the society she was in. Overall, it was a hard one for me to finish.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for providing me this arc in exchange for an honest review*

This book was ok. I really enjoy it but at some points it didn't connect with me. It was good.

Lost In Paris is about Zoe Barlow, a young artist who has recently left the US to pursue her art in the magical city of Paris. She finds herself friends with no other than Ernest and Hadley Hemingway as well as other famous people of the 1920s. Whenever Hemingways manuscripts go missing, her investigation leads to murder after murder.

I liked the historical references to many famous people, but also felt like some characters felt unnecessary. Hemingway was one of those characters in my opinion, he was mentioned multiple times but the other thing he really contributed to the story was the missing manuscripts in the beginning of the book. I also wish we would have gotten more of Zoes history earlier in the book, I feel like it would have helped us bond with her character.

I would give this book a 3 star rating. Thanks to Netgalley and the author for an advanced copy.

Lost in Paris follows Zoe Barlow as she tries to both find her way in Paris and find Hemingway's lost valise of manuscripts. I wanted to love this book. It has so many aspects of what I like in a book: beautiful Parisienne setting, writers, artists, mystery, family secrets and issues. But I just never quite connected with Zoe as the main character or the element of mystery. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review.

I picked this book on a whim, as it looked intriguing. Unfortunately, I didn't find it intriguing. It was too convoluted, and to be honest, I didn't enjoy the mystery element of the book, either. It just didn't grab me.

If you're a fan of Miss Marple, Poirot or even Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries, you may enjoy this book.

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC for me to honestly review. All views expressed in this review are my own.

Set in Paris in the 1920s Lost in Paris follows an American artist, Zoe Barlow and her detective endeavours to locate Hemingway’s lost manuscripts. This turns into a further investigation of murders related to Russian exiles. There is love and tragedy throughout. The best part for me was the use of Mary Cassatt as someone she encounters on her search. Cassatt’s chateau still stands and is used by a charity today. Zoe makes an engaging heroine, her back story is tragic and is only hinted at until the final pages. Lost in Paris is a dive into life in those days. Heavily populated with every artist available. I loved the food and wine that sustained the tribe, their parties and their gambling. A love story that’s a great fit for the city of love. Thanks to @netgalley for an advance copy to review. The opinions are my own.

Paris, 1922. We meet young American artist, Zoe Barlow, as she makes it her mission to find Ernest Hemingway’s life’s work, lost by his wife Hadley, friend to Zoe. Zoe’s pursuit leads her to the discovery of two dead bodies: that of the thief and of his daughter. Soon enough, more murders occur, this time of fellow colleagues and friends. As Zoe embarks on her own investigation of her dear friends’ murders, she finds herself in harm’s way, becoming the next target of who might be a member of her beloved community of artists.

The first in a series, “Lost in Paris” effectively transports the reader to 1920’s Paris, with its artist community and the remnants of WWI. I particularly enjoyed the descriptions of Paris’ landmarks and the references to the work done for mutilated veterans. However, the story failed to draw me in. I could not find a strong motive for Zoe to take it upon her to find Hemingway’s papers, as her friendship with Hadley did not seem to be as strong as with other characters. Furthermore, Zoe’s relationship with Henri, and especially her eventual incursion into his life did not feel genuine or plausible. The pacing picked up at close to forty percent of the book, but I could not connect to the characters and was ready to step out of Zoe’s world soon after. Nevertheless, the historical facts kept me going, as well as the mentions of racism and classism of the time, and a hope for the resolution of what became loose ends for me.

Overall, this book did not work for me, but I can see its appeal for those looking for themes of 1920’s artistic movements in Paris, morally gray characters, historical fiction, and murder mysteries.

Thanks to NetGalley and to for providing me with a free digital copy to review this book prior to its release.

I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for my honest opinion. This is a very well written book that really made Golden Age Paris of the 1920s come alive for me. American Zoe Barton has been banished to Paris by her step-mother but there is a mystery surrounding why this happened. She is an artist and befriends all the artists of that time period - including Hemingway's first wife, Hadley. Hadley loses a valise which held all of Hemingway's manuscripts and Zoe decides she must help. She traces the train porter to a cottage in a small village outside Paris and there finds his dead body. Thus begins a trail of killings and Zoe soon realises that she must know the killer - he or she is within her circle of friends. As the author states "'Lost in Paris' is my love letter to an era and a place whose creative delights we will never see again." There are so many great historical details included, like the actual cafes where artists used to meet and the pneumatic system of delivering messages. I really enjoyed this book.

Really good book. The plot was well-written and engrossing. I look forward to reading more from this author.

Set in the roaring '20s of Paris, this follows an American painter named Zoe over the course of just a few weeks. Out to help a friend, Zoe accidentally gets tangled up in theft, murder, and mystery. Along the way, she falls in love and introduces the reader to both well known historical artists (writers & painters), Russian emigres, and a variety of other characters. As Zoe wades through what's going, she also comes to terms with her history. It was a fascinating read and kept me entertained.
I received an ARC copy of this book from NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Zoe Barlow is an artist in Paris during the 20's. Her friends, the Hemingways, have lost a valuable valise with the undiscovered Ernest's manuscripts. But in her efforts to find it, she comes across a murder of two Russians. One is reported to be Anastasia herself! But the further she digs, the more her friends meet untimely deaths.

Woven into the story is Zoe's backstory. And what a backstory it is. Growing up on a plantation in Mississippi, she experienced the worst in racism. Her marriage and pregnancy only added to her woes. Also woven into the novel is the story of the invalid wife of her current lover.

Well written, and with a nice twist for the ending, I highly recommend this wonderful period mystery.