Sadie shocked her friends and family by leaving behind a stable accounting job and moving to Italy to run a book tour company. Nine months later, she's not exactly thriving--what, with a vandal spray-painting her business every night and the police seeming not to care--but she's happier than she ever was. When her former boss and family friends visit for a tour, she's determined to impress them, even if it seems like her former boss is being forced to vacation kicking and screaming. But when he winds up dead, and it looks like it was foul play, Sadie sets out to find the killer, bringing justice for her friends and saving her business.

This book deserves to be read from an Italian cafe overlooking the water with a cappuccino in hand. But, if that's not possible, a croissant and a couch will suffice. It's truly transportive, bringing the feeling of the Italian countryside through its words, and a creative mystery to boot. I have some thoughts on the killer, but it would be hard to share them without spoiling the book, which I decline to do. As a whole, the book was enjoyable, and I'd certainly pick up another were it to become a series.

Thanks to Kensington for my ARC and Bibliolifestyle book tours for my finished copy!

5 stars - 8/10

A Cyclist's Guide to Crime & Croissants is by the author of the fantastic Christie Bookshop series. The main character of this new series is Sadie Greene who leaves Chicago to buy a bicycle touring business in France. She loves her new venture, except for the vandalism of her property that has been occuring. Things get worse when there is an unexpected death on an important tour with participants including a travel review critic and several family friends.

I enjoyed the book and all the details about the bike tour Sadie is leading. Sadie and her new friends in France are very likable, but I would have enjoyed the book more if I had connected with any of the visitors on her tour. I liked that I was taken by surprise when everything was revealed at the end. I still had some unanswered questions at the end, but maybe they will be addressed in the next book. I think this is a promising start to a new series. (3.5 stars rounded up)

I received an advance copy of this ebook at no cost from NetGalley, Kensington Books, and Kensington Cozies, but my review is voluntary and unbiased.

This turned out to be a rather interesting fictional travelogue of France as well as a clever cosy mystery.

Sadie Greene has left a comfortable job in Chicago to take the huge step of purchasing a cycling tour company in France. This is a result of the sudden death of her best friend and the urge to do something the two of them had planned to do together.

Unfortunately there appears to be someone who does not want Sadie to be successful and accidents and even murder add up on her current cycling trip. Some of her clients seem to be out to undermine her and some are definitely on her side - or are they? Fortunately the local detective seems to be on her side and they work together to solve the crime.

I enjoyed spending some time in France and wished I could be enjoying those croissants with Sadie although I would certainly need an e-bike to get up those hills.

3.5 stars, rounded up. One of the best parts of cozy series is an interesting environment, and set in southern France, this definitely has that. A tour company is a great premise, as well, with a constant supply of new suspects and victims. So far, the community characters are great, and I think the connection to main character Sadie's past for this first book in the series made for a nice way to introduce her, her background, and her motivations.

This is a charming debut, set in the French countryside, and, as promised in the title, provides both cycling and baked goods. The main character, Sadie Greene, has shucked her secure actuary job in Chicago after the hit and run death of her best friend, Gem, and bought a French bicycle touring company. She’s all in and her little company, Oui Cycle, is about to take off on it’s first tour. Joining her are – let’s be real – the suspects: her hometown almost family, the Appletons (parents, son, and girlfriend); a sleek German, Manfred; two Scottish sisters who can’t get enough of the baked goods; and a supposedly undercover travel writer, Nigel. In true Murder, She Wrote style, two of the most unpleasant on the tour, Nigel and Dom Appleton, seem targeted for doom.

As does Sadie’s little company. She’s been plagued by graffiti and when the tour starts, a series of unfortunate happenings which sadly include the probably not accidental death of the stubborn and dissatisfied Dom Appleton, who had seemed determined not to enjoy himself. He also owned the company Sadie worked for and was trying to lure her back, despite Sadie’s assurances she’s happy with Oui Cycle.

What sets this cozy apart, despite a pretty conventional set up – is Sadie’s voice, which is lightly snarky and exasperated as she aims to meet the needs of all her (very needy) clients. She’s helped by her staff, the practical Ukrainian Nadiya, and Jordi, who runs the tech end of things and drives the Oui Cycle van. Complication: Jordi has a police record and he’s a convenient scapegoat for all that happens. Well, cozy fans, we know the reformed with a record are never the culprits. It’s almost a rule.

The book is punctuated by the details of the tour – each day’s itinerary it itemized at the beginning of the chapters – as well as letters written by Sadie to Gem. It’s a brilliant way to get a look inside Sadie’s brain and state of mind. She’s a classic mystery outsider – she’s of the tour but she’s the organizer, so she’s looking at things from a detached point of view. She’s not the one enjoying the spa at the end of the day, she’s the one trying to organize everyone and get them (and their bikes) where they need to be. There’s also a good amount of gentle humor to the writing, always a welcome addition.

I thought as I read I had figured out what was going on but I was pleasantly surprised to discover I was wrong in my assumptions. As Sadie combs through her feelings about both her grief at losing Gem and the death on the tour of Dom Appleton (as well as the possible death of her little touring company), she’s also sorting through the details of the crime and reaching a solution. While this does include a trip into the dark alone (this should also be a rule: don’t let your female heroine go off in the dark alone when a killer is lurking), the author pulls this off. She also delights the reader with an armchair tour of Southern France and includes a recipe for a difficult but delicious sounding desert at the end. This is a wonderful series kick off with an enchanting main character.

“A Cyclist’s Guide to Crime & Croissants” is so much fun! I enjoy a transportive cozy mystery, and this one takes us on a cycling adventure through France. Sadie, our leading lady, decided to leave the US and her corporate job. She moved to the French countryside and bought a cycling tourism business. Now she is living the dream! That is, until family-friends from back home visit. Unexpected vandalism and murder occurs, and she must work with a charming detective to solve the case while on route! The author’s voice and writing style really pulled me into the story.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

A really nice start to a new series that had me craving a trip to France for real croissants. Sadie's thrown it all in after the death of her friend and bought a bike tour company in Sans Souci De Mer. It's hard enough to start in a new business but even harder when one of the first clients - and your former boss- is murdered! Know that this might be a bit light on the mystery (although I didn't guess the villain) and long on building the characters and best of all- food descriptions. It's fun and it's one that's got wheels. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Looking forward to the next one.

This is the perfect cozy mystery for the summer, with the absolute dreamiest escapism setting you could want! A seaside bike tour of France in the summer 🥰

I like that Sadie has taken a chance & moved to take on a new business, in a new place. It’s bravery like that that’s a joy to read about, enviable. I really loved that interspersed in the chapters are letters Sadie writes to her late bff, whose death was a big motivating factor for her. This is the book for you if you want to feel like you’ve gone on a trip, all from the confines of your reading nook. The author has rich descriptions that make you feel like you’re there. & I loved it & I think you will too.

This is everything I want in a cozy mystery!! The setting had me dreaming about visiting southern France (literally!), and I’m tempted to start looking for a cycling tour myself. The cast of characters was funny, and the mystery truly kept me guessing. It had the perfect balance of giving clues throughout while not being obvious. I was shocked at the end! I also loved Sadie, with her analytical mind, heart of gold, and love of food!

While it was a little cheesy at times (what cozy mystery isn’t?), this has so much heart and emotion, and it packed a bigger punch of feeling than I anticipated! I didn’t want it to end, because I loved the descriptions of the settings, food, and shenanigans.

I hope to read another story centered around Oui Cycle!

A Cyclists Guide to Crime and Croissants is a cozy mystery that takes place in France. The main character has been through a tragedy and decides to quit her job in Illinois and move to France to be a cyclist tour guide. When her old boss and his family comes to France to take this tour, someone ends up dead.

I enjoyed this book! We have a tour through France, which was so fun to read about. It felt like I was there in France seeing all of the beautiful scenery. I really liked the main character as well. She has been through a lot and she seems like a real person. The pacing had a nice balance of leisurely tour and a fast paced mystery.

The mystery itself kept me interested as well. I guessed who the killer was but it did unfold nicely and kept me engaged.

Most of the chapters ended in a written note from the main character and I loved that touch! It helped us readers connect to the main character. I also thought the relationships seemed genuine and real while reading.

I’m not a cyclist myself but this book made me want to be! It also made me want to travel to France.

Thanks so much to Netgalley and Kensington for the arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Who is up for an adventure? How about a bike tour of the French countryside? I was so intrigued by the thought of a bicycle tour company located in France and owned by an American. Sadie has been predictable her whole life, did what was expected of her, went to school, became an actuary, and had a good if boring job. When her best friend is killed in a hit and run accident, she is ready to shake things up and follow her and Gem's dreams of returning to France and buying a bicycling tour company. After nine months of learning the ropes and enjoying the new life, she has unexpectedly latched on to, the one year anniversary of Gem's death is coming up and her former boss, his wife, son and his girlfriend are coming for her next your. With many interesting characters, including a travel critic along the tour starts only to run into one problem after another. When one of her tour group runs off course and it proves not to be an accident, can Sadie and her faithful employees figure out what is going on? Is someone targeting her business, or is it the business man on the ride who was target specific? With more incidents continuing, Sadie has her hands full. Be prepared for a crazy, wild, and twisted ride to an awesome finale! Many thanks to #Netgally and #Kensingtonbooks for the opportunity to discover this read!

The first in the author's new cozy mystery series was so much fun, with amazing descriptions of cycling the French countryside. Count me in for Book 2!

This was a delight to read! I love Ann Claire's sense of place in her Christie Bookshop series and she did not disappoint in this new series! I loved learning about the region in the story and all the facts sprinkled in. The group of cyclists were a fun bunch to tag along with along with Sadie, the American ex pat owner of Oui Cycle. Lots of red herrings abound, but the mystery took a backseat to the scenery, though I did not mind! A great read for those looking to escape this summer to the French countryside with a dash murder!

Sadie is trying to learn to cope with the loss of her best friend. She starts a bicycle tour company located in France. The descriptions of France and it's countryside is amazing. The cast of characters is diverse. Love the story plot of who'd one the murder while Sadie learns to grieve. Thanks #Netgalley and #Kensington for the eARC in exchange for a honest review. All opinions are mine.

The Characters:

This mystery kept me guessing because while I liked most of the characters, there were definitely some bad apples in the bunch. And besides the bad apples, there were some questionable apples. Like Dom, for instance. He doesn’t seem like a bad guy, but he definitely rubs a lot of people the wrong way. When he turns up dead it’s surprising because although he is annoying, he doesn’t seem annoying enough that someone would want to kill him.

Nigel Fox was another questionable apple that turned into a bad apple. His negative attitude definitely made him seem questionable. He really got a joy out of criticizing Sadie and antagonizing the rest of the cyclists on the tour group.

But I loved the rest of the tour. There was the rest of the Appleton crew (Judith, Lance, and Lexi), Manfred, Philly and Conny (sisters). And then there were the employees who worked on Sadie’s tour. Everyone had a unique back story that was revealed in time.

Tour Groups are No Joke, but they do have a lot of Humor:

I must admit. I did not envy Sadie while she was dealing with her tour group in this story. I used to work in the hospitality industry so I know how difficult it can be trying to please customers and keep things organized.

It was driving me crazy how every time Sadie wanted the group to head out on the next leg of their journey, someone was late. Or just gone? Lol. I feel like that’s a liability issue so the way Nigel and Lance kept being mysteriously absent was bizarre to me.

The logistics of organizing the group was very chaotic, but there were a lot of funny moments in this story which I appreciated.

Would I Recommend A Cyclist’s Guide to Crime & Croissants?:

Yes, I would recommend this book to any of my mystery loving friends. It was a delightful story to read for quite a few reasons which I will share below.

- Sadie was a great character to read about. I really enjoyed her personality. Many people in this book point out how brave she is for moving to another country and buying a business and that is absolutely true.
- Although the main part of this story is figuring out who the murderer is, there is also the interesting backstory of Sadie trying to move on from the loss of her best friend, who passed away the previous year.
- The descriptions of France and the different places they visited were really interesting! I’ve never been to France but the idea of going on a cycling tour there seems so lovely. I think the author Ann Claire did a great job of describing these scenes and planning out the tour that everyone went on.
- The food scenes were pretty great! I consider myself to be a food enthusiast, so I loved all the talk about baked goods. The tour group also has a few nice dinners throughout the story that sounded fabulous.

Ann Claire does it again with a fabulous start to a new cozy mystery series.

Protagonist Sadie Greene has started over by running a bicycle tour company in France, helping her come to peace with her past while also forging forward on her dream path.

This debut introduces the cast of characters making up the Oui Cycle Tour team, as well as an eclectic group of riders on this given tour.

Filled with heart, an amazing mystery that will keep you guessing, and absolutely jaw-dropping descriptions of real French towns, readers will find themselves immediately wanting the next book in the series upon finishing this book. I have to admit that I found myself Googling pictures of these French towns and pretending that I myself was along for the ride.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the opportunity to read this book for free and provide my honest review.

I love Ann Claire's Christie sisters series so I was really excited to read this cozy European mystery. It did not disappoint! It was just the right amount of twists and turns to keep me hooked until the very end. As an added bonus, it made me wonder if I should go a cycling trip and start eating more croissants.

I was initially drawn to this one by the book’s title and the cover which I found very appealing. Happily, the story inside these pages also offered an enjoyable read with gorgeous locations, some good characters and an interesting plot.

Sadie was the kind of person who lived a predictable life as exemplified by her position as an actuary. Her life changes following the unexpected death of her best friend, Gemma (not too much of a spoiler as this happens very early in the book).

Sadie needs a change and purchases a bike tour company in France (now that sound pretty nice). However, of course, there are problems. These include vandalism and murder. No spoilers so hard to say much more except that this was a fun, cozy read. I hope that it is the start of a series.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for this title. All opinions are my own.

A Cyclist’s Guide to Crime & Croissants by Ann Claire is the debut to A Cyclist’s Guide Mysteries. We meet Sadie Green who gave up her financial career after her best friend was killed by a hit and run driver. Sadie now owns, Oui Cycle in Sans-Souci-sur-Mer, France taking tourists on cycling tours. It is certainly a change from Sadie’s office job. There are a variety of characters that includes Sadie’s employees, the villagers, the cycling tourists, and people they meet along the route. It can be challenging to keep track of all the people. I enjoyed the picturesque descriptions of the Sans-Couci-sur-Mer and the places they visited as they visited. I felt like I was cycling along with them (I would prefer to be with a different group though). I like the tidbits that Sadie shares about the flora, fauna, and local history. Each chapter begins with information from Oui Cycle’s tour brochure. The story is broken down into the days of the tour. At the end of each day, there is Sadie’s journal entry. The mystery includes vandalism and murder. Sadie asks questions and searches for clues. The whodunit can be solved before the reveal if readers picked up the clues that were dropped along with other details that were mentioned. I was left with a couple of unanswered questions at the end of the book. The pacing is leisurely. I wish it had moved as fast as an ebike. The food and wine descriptions will have your mouth watering (and searching for your nearest French bistro). I love croissants as much as Sadie (the delicious buttery, flaky pastry). I can certainly understand why she loves to stop for one or two (I prefer mine without chocolate). I did not understand Dom’s aversion to the tasty pastries. A Cyclist’s Guide to Crime & Croissants is a charmante cozy with délicieux croissants, tardy travelers, vexing vandalism, a smelly mess, an alarming murder, and an énigme réglé.

Giving up her ho hum life in Chicago, Sadie follows her dreams to the South of France where she has purchased a bike touring company…without ever stepping foot into the business before purchasing it. With her dream life ahead of her, Sophie sets up a perfect tour for her Chicago friends and former boss.

When her boss ends up dead, and it’s not an accident, Sophie finds herself and her new business under a cloud of suspicion. She’s determined to keep her dream, and herself, alive as she tries to figure out who had it in for Dom. Can Sophie finger the killer before the killer lets the air out of her once and for all?

I love a good cozy. Set it in France and I’m in heaven! This series hits all the high points and I am ready for more in the series!