Historical fiction mystery that will have you hooked and engaged in the plot from the first moment. I like this book very much. It so happened that I found myself reading it during a stormy night at my apartment so .. it only added to the atmosphere of the mystery plot it had. I enjoyed following Zoe and her slow but steady journey through unveiling the truth of a murder happening so close to her. As it happens sometimes with this kind of books, it also had a quite more spectral aspect. One which I’m eager to read more about maybe in this next book in this series !!! I didn’t have the pleasure to read book one but after reading this one, I find myself quite interested in the first instalment. These are books in a series and although each and every murder stands on its own, the overall story of Zoe’s life and people around her follows a plot that is been developed in an ordered series so … I would recommend to read these books in order. And while I wait for the next one and to figure out what’s gonna happen to our FMC, her past and her present, and the next chapter in her investigative career, I would gladly read the previous one!!

Paris 1924 Exiled American, 23 year old Zoe Barlow discovers the body of clock seller Laurette Belcoeur, and decides to investigate. Add that to the thoughts of stroke victim Gabrielle Challiot, wife of the detective lover of Zoe. Plus her attempts to find her daughter, the reason for her exile, and stealing back paintings.
The story was really not for me, one of the reasons was I find Zoe an unappealing character and really not enough mystery
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

"One woman's trash is another woman's - lost Chagall masterpiece?!?

Expat Zoe Barlow has settled well into her artist's life among the Lost Generation in 1920s Paris. When a too-tipsy guest at her weekly poker game breaks Zoe's favorite clock, she's off to a Montparnasse flea market to bargain with the vendor Laurette for a replacement. What Zoe didn't bargain for was the lost Chagall painting that's been used like a rag to wrap her purchases! Eager to learn whether Laurette has more Chagalls lying about like trash, Zoe sets off to track her down at her storage shed. With no Laurette in sight, Zoe snoops around and indeed finds several additional Chagalls - and then she finds Laurette herself, dead beneath a scrap heap, her beautiful face bashed in.

With Paris hosting the 1924 Summer Olympics, the police are far too busy with tourist-related crimes to devote much time to the clock seller's murder. After returning the paintings to a grateful Marc Chagall, Zoe begins her own investigation. Did the stolen paintings play any part in the brutal killing? Or was it a crime of passion? Zoe soon discovers that there were many people who had reason to resent the lovely Laurette. But who hated the girl enough to stop her clock permanently? When Zoe discovers a second murder victim, the pressure is on to find the killer before time - and luck - run out."

Wait, I just realized are they doing the Summer Olympics in Paris this year because it's been a hundred years since these Olympics? Also, as much as I dislike the Summer Olympics, I'd totally go if I could find a lost Chagall masterpiece.

I loved the historical accuracy & the setting. I think being immersed in the setting was my favorite part. It’s a murder mystery and hits all the boxes for that. There is a secondary mystery/intrigue involved which I wanted to see solved, but not yet! It was alright reading this without having read the first in the series (didn’t know going in) as there was enough background information and flashbacks to fill in a lot of that. It wasn’t the most exciting ever, but it was enjoyable.

It took exactly half-way through the book for it to get interesting - then everything started to make sense. It wasn't exactly boring, but until something started to happen, it was slow going. The mystery was fairly good; I liked the real people and events from the 1920s whom she encounters - it added to the authenticity. There is adulterous sex going on, but minimal description. But I would have liked it better if the clocks really had something to do with the mystery! That's why I chose to read and review this book as an ARC via NetGalley.

Fairly predictable mystery, but it was still a good read that I enjoyed. I only thought it was predictable because I solved the mystery before the characters did.

its your plain good ol murder mystery with no new elements or anything you haven't already seen before. on the contrary its pretty average and boring imo.

I ended up DNFing this book. I tried really hard to get through it but it wasn’t for me. Part of the problem I had was I hadn’t realized that this was book two in a series. I wish that had been made a little more clear in the description of the book.

Zoe, an American expat living in Paris in 1924, goes to a local flea market to replace a recently-broken clock. When one of the flea market saleswomen is murdered, Zoe wants to find out who is responsible, even though her married paramour Henri, a police officer, asks her not to get involved. (She regularly reads to Henri's wife, who is severely disabled from a stroke.) She also has some issues with her family back in Alabama who were furious at her for loving someone they disapproved of. Then there is another murder, and Zoe has several suspects before she finally concludes her search. There's plenty of name dropping (Picasso, Hemingway, Chagall) in this historical mystery. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Like the other reviewers this one wasn’t for me it felt disjointed and like it was a draft not a final book . The main character was not likeable at all and I just didn’t like this book

Buckle up, folks, because "The Clock Struck Murder" by Betty Webb is a wild ride. I mean, what do you get when you combine a hearing-impaired reporter, a bunch of monks, and a murder mystery? Sounds like a recipe for disaster, right? Wrong! Webb weaves a tale so intricate and suspenseful, you'll be hooked from the first page.

Lena Jones, our beloved PI, is on the case, and she's not taking no for an answer. With her sharp wit and quick thinking, she navigates the creepy monastery and its even creepier occupants. But don't get too comfortable - there are twists and turns galore, and you'll find yourself guessing until the very end.

Webb's writing is top-notch, painting a vivid picture of the Arizona desert and its quirky inhabitants. You'll feel like you're right there with Lena, sneaking around the monastery and uncovering secrets. And let's talk about the characters - they're so well-developed, you'll love them or love to hate them.

The Clock Struck Murder is a sassy, suspenseful, and satisfying mystery that'll keep you on your toes.
Trust me, you won't be disappointed.

*advance review copy received from NetGalley in return for an honest review***
The synopsis for this book was intriguing, unfortunately for me the book was not. The main character feels flat and two dimensional, even though she has enough back story for three characters - maybe that’s part of the problem.
I found the main character difficult to like, she’s contrary - has an issue with someone “stealing” paintings, yet has no compunction about stealing said paintings from another person herself; is sleeping with a married man whose stroke-afflicted wife she reads to each week. A character doesn’t have to be likeable to be readable, but I found too much about her to be less than compelling or understandable.
There’s a lot of historical name-dropping here, which reads as though the author has done an awful lot of work on what was going on in 1920s Paris, and couldn’t figure out what to leave out.
This is actually the second book in a series, which I didn’t realise, but there was enough background explaining that it didn’t seem as though the events of the first book massively impacted on this one.
Overall, not for me, although other readers may enjoy the historical fiction aspect.

Ive read in my life quite a few historical fictions but this one was not it for me
I could for the life of me understand anything and the way the story was connected was so weird to me
Thanks netgalley for the arc

***A big thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC copy of this book.***

The protagonist, initially on a quest to purchase a clock, unexpectedly stumbles upon a collection of lost Chegal paintings, unraveling a series of intriguing events. Simultaneously, she makes a disconcerting discovery that adds another layer of complexity to the plot. Throughout the narrative, the historical elements captivated me, and the mystery surrounding the murderer kept me engaged until the final pages. The inclusion of a wronged, invalid wife further heightened the intrigue. Overall, the book proved to be an enjoyable read, though it didn't grip me entirely. Despite the promising description, something about the story failed to establish a strong connection. The historical fiction setting, while present, lacked a distinctive quality that would transport me to a different time. The characters, though part of a historical context, felt oddly disconnected, leaving me indifferent to their fates. Consequently, I finished the book, but it seemed to plod along without leaving a lasting impression or making the narrative truly memorable.

While I thought the description sounded promising, something about this didn't connect for me, as much as I would have liked. This was historical fiction, but I felt somehow that I could just as easily have been reading about characters in the present day. There was nothing about the characters that made me feel connected to them, I didn't really care about them, and I didn't really feel drawn into the story or setting. I finished it, but I felt it was just kind of plodding along by itself with nothing to make it memorable.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a free copy to review.

Paris in the 20s? The murder of a flea market seller? Mysteriously missing and rediscovered lost Chagall paintings? Check, check, check! I was pretty excited to read this, but was completely let down by the story.
I do appreciate the historical accuracy, and the setting. But this book just dragged from the get-go, and I had to absolutely FORCE myself to keep going. Zoe just wasn't appealing, and the main parts of this story seemed disconnected. For quite a while, she barely seems to care that someone was murdered. She cares more about the paintings, and still, the momentum never really seems to build. Additionally, the side story of her sleeping with the detective, while also befriending his comatose wife and reading to her was weird. Even weirder were the odd chapters from inside the wife's head. They were completely unrelated to the mystery, and were put in at the weirdest times.
At 40% in this book, I kept wondering when it would get interesting, and sadly the answer was never.
Thank you to the publisher for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

One woman's trash is another woman's--lost Chagall masterpiece?!?

This was a fine mystery but I found it a little boring and predictable. Interesting premise, just not executed quite as well as I wanted.

The heroine wants to buy a clock, but instead stumbles across several previously lost Chegal paintings. And uncovers an even more disturbing find at the same time. I enjoyed the historical aspects of this book and was kept guessing until the end as to the identity of the murderer. A wronged, invalid wife adds another level of intrigue to the plot. Overall, an enjoyable read, though not a spell binder.

A thoroughly enjoyable book. Hoping Zoe finds her daughter is as gripping as solving the murders.. Zoe is a thoroughly lovable character
and her story makes the book hard to put down. I hope to read more about her. The book within a book technique is fun too. .

I was looking forward to intrigue, but this one just wasn't for me. I just couldn't hang in past 30% and skipped to the end to see if I'd missed anything. I hadn't. I just couldn't relate to the lead character, her relationships or her attitude. She's an American living In France, but perhaps for me just a little too French? Or Bohemian? Hmmm, I do hope others connect.

With thanks to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen publications for my advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review