In post-war France, American Tabitha lives in Paris with her grandfather and uncle. Her domestic skills, particularly cooking, are somewhat lacking. She is fortunate in that her neighbor is Julia Child. Unfortunately, when an acquaintance of Julia's sister is found dead in her apartment building, with Julia's favorite chef's knife as the murder weapon, Julia implores Tabitha to do a little sleuthing.

I grew up watching Julia Child's cooking show on PBS and while I don't think I've ever made one of her recipes I loved watching her show. I LOVED seeing Julia Child in this story. I think Cambridge did a great job capturing Julia's personality. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator Polly Lee did a great impression of Julia - she sounded just as I remember from the television show.

Cambridge also did a great job of transporting the reader to post-war Paris. I loved the descriptions of the neighborhood and the local market. I could really see it in my head.

While I delighted in the scenes with Julia Child, I really liked the main character Tabitha as well. I think I missed why she left America to live in France with her grandfather and uncle, but I got the impression she has been there some time. But she is young and still figuring out how to run a household.

The mystery is a good one. It wasn't too difficult to follow while listening to the book, but there are still plenty of twists and turns and there is quite a crime web that Tabitha has to untangle.

The Inspector is not comic relief à la Inspector Clouseau. I recently read one of Georges Simenon's Inspector Maigret mysteries and Cambridge's Inspector reminded me of Maigret (I think they would have been contemporaries). I really liked him.

Mastering the Art of French Murder (I love the play on words and nod to Julia Child's cookbook) is book 1 in Cambridge's new mystery series An American in Paris. I'm not sure where this series is going - will it continue to include Julia Child or will it pick other historically relevant events/people? (When I saw the series title I couldn't help but think of the 1951 movie An American in Paris starring Gene Kelly.)

Where of the series goes next, I'm really looking forward to it.

My review will be published at Girl Who Reads on Sunday - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2023/04/mastering-art-of-french-murder-by.html

What a fun audiobook! (Which is a weird thing to say about a book full of murder). I am realizing that I prefer full-cast audiobooks. It makes it so much easier to keep track of the characters.

I love Julia Childs. She has a vivid personality and Cambridge made that shine through in the fictional version of her.

The MC's erratic behavior and questionable sanity keep the story light. She tries to play detective and piece together who is going around killing a bunch of people while simultaneously trying to learn how to cook an adequate meal.

I love that a major part of the book is centered around food. The talk of Le Cordon Bleu brought back memories of culinary school and the stress and joy that came with it.

There were plenty of plot twists in this book and the ending and the people involved truly shocked me. This is an audiobook that I will likely get a physical copy of because I enjoyed it so much.

MASTERING THE ART OF FRENCH MURDER by Colleen Cambridge and narrated by Polly Lee is the first of the charming American in Paris Mystery Series.

This story brings us Tabitha Knight in 1949 Paris, the close friend of Julia Child, who incidentally is having a mayonnaise crisis. Tabitha is enjoying her expat status with extended family and especially with Julia, until one day a body is discovered in Julia's cellar with her favorite chef's knife imbedded. Try as she might (she doesn't), Tabitha is drawn into the mystery, making sure neither she or her friend is implicated.

This is a winsome tale, bringing in the ebullient Julia Child, with just a dash of her irreverence to keep the ever prim Tabitha in a bit of color. The mystery that threatens Tabitha's reboot is one that felt both clever and cozy.

I was able to enjoy both the digital and audio versions, and I loved this combination. The audio is delightful, with a bit of the distinctive Julia voice, while keeping all the other characters clear and the French smooth! I really liked having the digital copy to follow or read specifically when the end became full of details that I didn't want to miss.

A huge thank you to NetGalley, Kensington Books, and HighBridge Audio for the opportunity to read and listen and share my thoughts! This cozy mystery will be available on April 25. If you enjoyed the author's Phyllida Bright stories, this will be right up your alley!

Recently, I've been passing on the troupe where a layperson takes on the role of a detective and solves the murder. I made an exception here because the prospect of a Julia Child Murder mystery was too much for me to resist.

I'm giving it three starts as a murder mystery. That part was just fine.

The atmosphere- post-war Paris.
The tie-in to the Childs' early married years in Paris
The food descriptions,
The dawn of the cold war and espionage.
These are what make this book stand out and bump my rating up to a 4-star review.

I was really looking forward to listening to this audio book. A cozy crime novel set in post war Paris featuring Julia Childs.

Unfortunately it didn't hit the mark for me. The descriptions seemed to go on forever. So much so that I found myself skipping ahead a few minutes to avoid having to listen to them so much.

The story is told by the main character Tabarha. I found her unlikeable mainly because of the way she describes absolutely everything but also because she comes across as nieve and whiney.

All in all this book was a Miss for me.

Tabitha Knight is a twenty-something girl from Detroit who moved to Paris. She lives with her grandfather and uncle, tutoring Parisians in English (her French is perfect thanks to her French mother.) It's 1949, and Paris has just reclaimed its title of "The City of Lights" after the darkness of WWII. The restaurants are open, the theaters show new plays, and people are eager to enjoy life again, including its culinary delights. Tabitha is not a skillful cook, but fortunately, she befriends Julia Child, who lives across the street with her husband, Paul. Julia's dishes are extraordinary, and Tabitha is thrilled to accompany her friend to the market and later watch her cooking. The latest goal is perfecting mayonnaise, which turns out differently than in the past - and Julia tries to figure out what has changed.

The happy times are interrupted by the news of a murder. Tabitha decides to investigate as the murdered woman was a young girl, about Tabitha's age, and it's hard to comprehend that someone from the theater where she worked at coat check murdered her. And she was murdered with Julia Child's chef knife!

"Mastering the Art of French Murder" was one of those audiobooks I couldn't wait until I had time to listen to. It was like returning to your favorite series episode where all characters are familiar and friendly (except the bad guys). Tabitha is spunky and intelligent, and her uncle and grandpa are warm and very French, but I enjoyed Julia Child the most. Of course, by now, with many movies and series about her, almost everybody is familiar with Julia's endearing personality. The audiobook's narrator did an outstanding job with Julia's voice – I could practically see the famous chef entering the Tabitha kitchen with exciting news and an even more exciting, mouthwatering dish.

This is the first mystery novel in this "An American in Paris" series, and I'll be anxiously awaiting Tabitha's next adventure. Perhaps she will join forces with Inspector Merveille, whose dark as the steely blue ocean eyes may see not only the next murderer but Tabitha's undisputable intelligence and beauty. And I'll be looking forward to more recipes because when one follows Julia's instructions to Tabitha, it's possible to end up with the perfect omelet sprinkled with fresh tarragon!

I really like the other series that this author writes [in fact, it is one of my current favorites] and so I was really looking forward to reading this new series that features Julia Child as the good friend of the main character, Tabitha.

Sigh.

This just didn't work for me. At all. While there were moments that I liked [Faygo Pop and Boblo Island anyone?? OMG. Such memories of all my time in Livonia, a suburb of Detroit], but overall, no. Just no. Tabitha is not a very likeable MC and she has so many TSTL moments [she needs to shut that little imp in her head down right away] that I was totally surprised that she was still alive at the end [and that is not hyperbole]. The was a ton of crass language that really surprised me [though NOT from Julia Child. She was the only one who DIDN'T swear; well she would, but it was be "Julia said a vulgar word", not the actual word. Everyone else used very crass language]. It was off-putting [I am not a prude, I don't mind language, but this felt off and gratuitous, which I DO mind] The whole mystery and reveal was...meh. There wasn't anything to really keep my interest and I kept finding myself doing other things instead of listening to the book. I was really disappointed all while being relieved that the book was over. I highly doubt that I will read book 2 should there be one.

In regards to the audiobook that I received as an ARC:
1. For the love of all things holy, unless you can do a perfect mimic of Julia Child, DO NOT TRY AND DO HER VOICE. Please. She is seriously rolling over in her grave and if she was still alive, she would be singularly unimpressed. Wow. That was just awful.
2. IF a book is set in France and half of the characters are FRENCH, then one should be able to do a French accent and not make everyone sound like they were from Midwest America. IF you cannot do a French accent, then DO NOT DO VOICES. Please. Pretty sure that anyone who is French and listens to this will be offended. I am NOT French and I was offended. It was just awful.
3. I will say she did male voices well, but again, they were all French and well, see #2. Sigh.

I did not love this book and thought that some of it came from this awful audiobook - it did not. It still wasn't a great book, even when just read, but I cannot, at all, recommend this audiobook. It was just an awful listening experience for me.

Thank you to NetGalley, RB Media, and Kensington Books for providing the ARCS in exchange for an honest review

*I received a copy of this book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this opportunity.*

Tabitha Knight, far from her hometown of Detroit, Michigan, has begun a new life in the romantic city of Paris, France. After losing her job as a riveter at the end of the Second World War, Tabitha was invited to live with her grandfather and 'uncle' in the City of Light and hasn't looked back since. Her life is full with the joys of exploring her new city, tutoring fellow Americans, and sometimes wearing daring (but fashionable) pants as she cycles through the city. Her friend and neighbor, Julia Child, is also helping her improve her skills in the kitchen-- but that's definitely a work in progress. However, Tabitha's life is turned upside down when an acquaintance is found murdered in the Child's building and she finds herself (and those she loves) in the midst of a harrowing investigation.

MASTERING THE ART OF FRENCH MURDER is a delightful and fun murder mystery-- with just enough self-deprecation to keep it from slipping into cheesy territory. There were several twists that weren't completely unexpected, but were entertaining none the less. Plot aside, it was the characters that truly shone in this book. Tabitha is a wonderful mix of gritty and feminine (without quite going into the 'I'm not like other girls' trope, but then she literally said that line at one point... so...) and she makes a compelling main character and amateur sleuth. Julia Child, already a larger-than-life person in real life, is such a treat to experience in fiction.

And I have to give an accolade to the audiobook narrator. Polly Lee did SUCH a wonderful job of bringing every single character to life-- the reading was full of well-executed accents (including a spot-on Julia Child impression!), unique voices, as well as an effective dramatic reading overall. I love it when narrators follow the natural ebb and flow to the dialogue, including volume changes, and Polly Lee did such a good job executing Tabitha's wit I found myself laughing out loud more than once.

Nancy Drew meets Julia Childs in Paris and eats wonderful food while blundering too and fro in a murder inquiry instead of going to the police. I listened to this book and I found the narrator irritating. She spoke as if Tabitha, our young heroine was always out of breath, scared, or any number of emotions that one pins on a "helpless woman" Tabitha in the end wasn't helpless but she wasn't any too smart. and the narrator's Julia Child's voice was even worse than Julia's herself. It was a hard book to listen to. I don't recommend it.

The story takes place around the closing years of the 1940's when Paris is trying to find it's way back onto the world stage. Tabitha, who speaks perfect french, is living with two uncles in a beautiful apartment. At a party one evening, as she is leaving, she stumbles on the dead body of someone she knew and had met at the party. Like Nancy Drew, she snoops everywhere, heedless of any common sense. There was nothing about her personality that says she's good at defying orders. Julia cooks wonderful meals in exchange for being kept apprised of her successes.

In the end, it was an interesting plot but that didn't redeem the book in my opinion.

This was a great little mystery and a delight to have Julia Child as one of the characters! I enjoyed the characters, storyline and location.

Julia's friend Tabitha works to uncover the mystery of who murdered a party guest after leaving Julia's apartment one night. Preferably before the murderer strikes again.

There were plenty of twists and turns in the story that were woven together beautifully. I truly look forward to the next installment in this series!

Thank you to Colleen Cambridge, Kensington Books and NetGalley for an advance review copy.

Mastering the Art of French Murder by Colleen Cambridge
An American in Paris series #1. Historical mystery, amateur female sleuth. Post WWII Paris.
Tabitha Knight has recently arrived in Paris from Detroit, Michigan in the US. She’s staying with her grandfather and learning to cook from her neighbor and friend, Julia Child. One cold December night a body is found in the basement and the knife is discovered to be from Julia’s kitchen. Tabitha had briefly met the victim after a party and feels like she needs to help investigate. The danger quickly mounts as Tabitha finds herself searching out clues before the inspector and now the killer may be after her!

🎧 I listened to an audiobook version narrated by Polly Lee. The performance was absolutely wonderful, filled with French and American accents and the voice of Julia Child that sounded to me exactly as you’d expect. The flipping between voices of male and female, French or other was seamless and sounded close to a full cast recording. The tension of suspense was clear as was Julia’s mayo frustration.
I listened to this at 1.5 which is about standard for me. On this, anything faster and the accent was lost in the jumble.

Amusing, intriguing, and a good mystery.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley and RB Media.

This was a good mystery story. The audio was done really well, I hope there are more from this author because it was a really enjoyable one.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and High Bridge Audio for my copy of Mastering the Art of French Murder by Colleen Cambridge Narrated by Polly Lee in exchange for an honest review. It published April 25, 2023.
Oh my word, this book was so well-done! (Cooking pun!) from the narration, with French and Julia Child, I positively devoured this book! I cannot wait for the next installment, as the writing was so fun and funny! This stands out among many cozy mysteries!

Love a Parisian setting! This was done well and made me feel like I was back in Paris, whilst imagining all the yummy food. The plot was entertaining and the characters endearing.

This was a lot of fun! I've been on a cozy mystery kick and Mastering the Art of French Murder definitely delivered. It was an entertaining story with just the right amount of mystery and suspense. The addition of Julia Child definitely made things fun and I'd recommend this to those looking for something a little different from their typical mysteries.

3.5 stars, rounded up
I will admit to being drawn to this book because of the cute title and cover, a take off on Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking. The book posits that while Julia was in Paris, she, along with her friend, become involved in a murder investigation. Although Julia is definitely an auxiliary character.
Dort, Julia’s sister, hosts a party in Julia’s apartment. The next morning, Julia’s maid finds a young Parisian girl who had attended the party dead in the cellar of the building, killed with one of Julia’s knives.
The story is told from the perspective of Tabitha, Julia’s friend. Turns out, the dead woman had a note written by Tabitha in her pocket. When the French detective seems to be focusing a lot of his attention on her and Julia, she decides she needs to take matters into her own hands.
This is a fun, light hearted romp. Cambridge writes in an easy straightforward style that makes it easy to envision each scene. Tabitha is a great main character. Young, intelligent, hoping to learn to cook, but failing miserably. The plot is fairly simplistic and it’s easy to see how things will play out. Still, I found it brought a smile to my face on numerous occasions.
I listened to this story, which was a mixed blessing. Polly Lee was the narrator and did a great job expressing Tabitha. She wasn’t nearly as good with the other characters. Her impression of Julia’s distinctive voice felt off. And while she could properly speak a french word or two correctly, she struggled with an authentic french accent when she had to speak multiple sentences, especially when speaking as one of the men.
My thanks to Netgalley and HighBridge Audio for an advance copy of this audiobook.

ARC audiobook provided in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed the narration of this book. It was very easy to listen to and understand and her French accent is so good! The story itself is set in France at the end of a 10 year war and aside from it being a murder mystery, they added the cooking element with Julia Childs being a good part of the fictional story. I really enjoyed all the twists and turns along the way, but even more so, all the incredible cooking tips and lessons! If you’re into France, mysteries, and cooking, definitely check this book out!

Julia Child plus a murder mystery? Sign me up! This was really fun, and the characters were great. I'll definitely read more of this series when they are released! The audiobook was great for this non-French speaker.

A hard to put down story with awesome writing and narrating.

I listened to the audio version of this book. The reader, Polly Lee, was excellent. Her voice was easy to listen to and her characters were fun. She really got into the story, and I loved that.

Quite a few characters, but easy to follow. Tabitha Knight is the protagonist who is extremely likable and easy to relate too. Her best friend just happens to be Julia Childs and was a fun supporting character in this story. Tabatha’s grandpere and oncle Rafe were a couple of crotchety old men who love and adore Tabatha. Inspector Merveille was a serious character and not always happy that Tabatha was interfering with this investigation. The rest of the characters rounded out the story quite nicely.

From page one, the plot grabs you and keeps you. It was easy to imagine the entire book as a movie. I loved the addition of Julia Childs in the book. There was plenty of food talk and Paris descriptions to make anyone wish they could have been there. The solution to the mystery was unexpected.

I enjoyed the authors writing style. She kept the book interesting and moving. The bits of food talk with Julia and Tabitha were so much fun. I loved the hunt for the perfect mayonnaise. A nice twist making a well known person a character in a book surrounded by fictional characters and life.

My review is voluntary and all comments and opinions are my own.

This was a well written historical mystery set in post WW2 France. We join Julia Child and her best friend Tabitha Knight, as they scramble to solve to the murder of a young woman killed with Julia's knife. A great mystery that will keep you guessing. I cannot wait for the next book.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this audio book for review.