This was a fun, easy read. Nothing over the top special. I enjoyed it and the twists that were in the book.

This was a thoroughly entertaining historical murder mystery.
Set in Paris in 1925, we meet Abigail Dixon, a journalist from Chicago who is hoping to make her career by writing stories about the issues that matter. When she is informed that she will be covering fashion and other ‘women’s topics’, she is decidedly unimpressed. However, her first job, covering the new collection of a renowned fashion house leads to her almost witnessing a murder. When she finds out that she knew the victim and appears to be the police’s main suspect, she decides that she has to try and solve the crime herself.
I really loved both the setting and the characters in this novel. Abigail is a likeable and determined young woman who won’t meekly go home as she is advised to do. With the reluctant help of her flatmate, she works to try and find out who committed the murder. I enjoyed both her friendship with Vivian and the budding romance with Lord Freddy who initially appears to be a fairly brainless but charming aristocrat but then we see that there is a lot more to him than that. I liked all of the secondary characters too especially the enigmatic police inspector Henri Deschamps.
The Parisian setting and the emphasis on the elite fashion house of Paul Joubert was really well done. I loved how Abby went from someone who had absolutely no interest in fashion to being one of its greatest adverts. The historical aspect was also excellent. In 1925, Paris is still recovering from WWI and there are plenty of echoes of that scattered through the story. We also see how it is the place to be for the artists and writers of the time. Abigail meets both Hemingway and Coco Chanel and although the meetings are only fleeting, they add a bit of grounding to the story.
The mystery was brilliantly plotted with lots of twists and turns and my ideas about who the murderer was were completely wrong. Although I was surprised when the answer was revealed, it was completely in keeping with the story as a whole.
I can see how this will almost certainly become a series and look forward to finding out what Miss Dixon gets involved with next.
My thanks as always to Net Galley and the publishers, Storm Publishing, for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Paris: 1925

Chicago reporter, Abigail (Abby) Dixon makes the arduous sea voyage to Paris for another reporting job after the death of her father. Intent on reporting "hard" news stories, she is relegated to writing about women's fashion and such. Disenchanted, with only her high school French and only her roommate as a friend, she finds herself dismayed as her aspirations seem to be far out of reach.

Upon her first assignment, an exclusive interview with a highly sought after couture designer, she finds the surprise of a lifetime: her estranged step-mother dead in a changing room of the couture house. And Abby is suspect number one. The story plays out well as Abby works to prove her innocence and even though there was no love lost for her step-mother. Her eccentric Aunt was an extra fun character! It gives a fabulous feel for the Roaring 20's with wonderful descriptions of the people, clothing and environment of the time.

Thanks to NetGalley, Storm Publishing and Nancy Warren for the ARC. Looking forward to the next in the series!

It is a superbly well-written historical mystery. I loved it so much that Abigail met Hemingway and Coco Chanel, among other personalities. Fashion is art, and putting art in a crime mystery novel is adorable.

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Murder at the Paris Fashion House by Nancy Warren is a cozy historical mystery where Abby, an American journalist living in 1920’s Paris, wants to do hard-hitting stories when she’s forced to do the ‘women’s pages.’ She’s told to report on a fashion show for the newspaper’s readership back in the US despite her dislike of fashion. When she arrives, she finds her step-mother who is then murdered and Abby is the prime suspect.

What I liked was how Nancy Warren worked in the American literary giants that were living in Paris after WWI and the mentions of the Paris fashion scene. Despite the fact it’s been a century since the Roaring 20’s started, so much of the fashion, pop culture, and literature at the time are still celebrated today and are considered classics or hallmarks. Ida, Abby’s aunt, is also a spiritualist who holds seances for the rich, further helping set the scene as seances were all the rage in the 20’s in Europe and America.

Abby works with Paul Joubert, a fashion designer, to sway public opinion in her direction and get access to the upper class of Paris to continue her investigations, wearing his couture in exchange for free publicity of the Joubert fashion house. While not initially interested in fashion, Abby does come to appreciate it over the course of the novel, showing growth and respect for the work that goes into creating the clothing she wears.

There is a romance subplot between Abby and Freddy, the younger brother of a future English lord. I thought their moments were really cute and I liked how earnest Freddy was in his pursuit of Abby without being overbearing or creepy.

I would recommend this to fans of cozy historical mysteries, readers who like mysteries set in the Roaring 20’s, and those looking for mysteries featuring the American literary circles living in Paris or the Paris fashion scene.

A Murder Mystery Set in Paris's Fashion World

"Murder at the Paris Fashion House" by Nancy Warren is a mystery novel set in the 1920s Paris fashion scene.

The story revolves around Abigail Dixon, a young American journalist who moves to Paris for a new life but gets caught up in a murder investigation at a well-known fashion house. After she stumbles across her estranged stepmother’s murdered body, she’s framed for her murder!

A chance meeting with Ernest Hemingway leads her to use her investigative reporting skills to uncover the killer before she loses her head to the guillotine. There are several characters to remember, but the author does a great job of fleshing out the main ones.

The story has enough twists and turns for me and I was surprised who the killer was! There were a couple of things I did not see how she put them together, so a little more revelation into Abigail’s thinking there would be nice!

It's a solid read for me, only lacking in the last few chapters when she “wraps up” the mystery.

Murder at the Paris Fashion House is expected to be published on May 8, 2024.


My thanks to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for this eARC.
#MurderAtTheParisFashionHouse #NetGalley

I love Nancy Warren's books so i was super excited to read the first book in her new series. 1920s in Paris- Abby Dixon comes to Paris from Chicago to start anew after the death of her parents. She dreams of becoming a gritty journalist. Instead not only is she tasked with writing about women's fashion, she finds herself a murder suspect, having stumbled on the dead body of her evil stepmother.
With the help if her friend Viv, new romantic interest Freddy and her psychic aunt she has to solve the murder, clear her name and make a name for herself as a journalist.
I wasn't quite sure about the love interests- she's sort of dating Freddy but the inspector is also there and seems like a potential romantic candidate. Hopefully we can avoid a love triangle.

My Thoughts /

First and foremost, a huge THANK YOU to NetGalley, Storm Publishing, and author Nancy Warren, for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review. Publication date is currently set for May 8, 2024.

Murder at the Paris Fashion House is the first book in the Abigail Dixon Mysteries written by author, Nancy Warren. On the cover it says: "A totally addictive 1920's cozy mystery". Well Hello!, ain't that the truth!!

The 1920s. Is there a more exciting time-period? Honestly, it's a PERFECT setting for a cozy. Let's see why:
🌟 It's called, The Roaring Twenties, for a reason. The Arts. Music. Fashion. Prohibition. Women gained unprecedented freedoms - the right to vote, short hair, short skirts, they drank, they smoked and were more sexually adventurous than previous generations.
🌟 During the 20s the economy surged and there was a huge growth in customer consumerism.
🌟 With the end of WWI in 1918, society was rebeginning and bursting with prosperity and freedom.

Set in Paris, the story opens in early 1925. Miss Abigail Dixon has arrived from the US to start a new job as a reporter with the Paris office of the Chicago International Post. Abigail's Uncle had arranged the job through his newspaper connections. Abigail wants to work 'real' news stories - hard news stories, stories that end up on the front page of the paper, not in the fashion columns. But Abigail's new Editor has other ideas. Women report on fashion and create stories for the society pages - who's attending the which parties and what were they wearing.

So, with that in mind, Abigail's editor sends her off to report on the newest collection for renown couturier, Monsieur Paul Joubert. Abigail arrives at the couturier's fashion house, and while she's not excited to be covering a fashion story, decides to make the most of her situation. But instead of covering the newest Parisian fashion, Abigail finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation - when the body of Lillian Dixon is discovered in one of the changing rooms of the fashion house. As Inspector Henri Deschamps begins his investigation, Abigail is forced to come clean with the news that Lillian Dixon is her former stepmother.

Warren has interspersed her fictional characters with real people - names like Belva Gaertner, Nellie Bly and Coco Chanel all added an element of authenticity to the story. The mystery has some good plot twists and turns, and more than a few red herrings thrown in. I thought I knew where the story was headed. I was wrong. Miss Abigail Dixon is an extremely likeable protagonist. Inspector Henri Deschamps is well written as a highly intelligent, calm, and dogged investigator. He is also full of surprises….good surprises!

Perfectly paced and thoroughly entertaining. Chock-full of secondary characters which were crafted as well as the main.

In the words of Chris Daughtry (who was the finalist on the fifth season of American Idol) 'this could be the start of something good'.

#NetGalley #MurderattheParisFashionHouse #NancyWarren

Note: Thank you to NetGalley, Storm Publishing, and Nancy Warren for the advanced reader copy of the book. What follows is my unbiased review of the book.

The roaring twenties are back in this 1920’s cozy mystery by Nancy Warren. It has elements of Agatha Christie in the middle of Paris following the First World War.

Abby Dixon is an American in Paris. She’s actually just arrived, running from the ghosts of her past. There’s a job awaiting her, at the Paris office of a Chicago newspaper, which was arranged by her Uncle. However, the editor of the Paris office isn’t too keen on a new female reporter, especially when she wants to work the real news stories rather than the fashion and society pages women reporters are normally relegated to in this era. He sends her to cover the new collection at the fashion house of couturier Paul Joubert. Her arrival coincides with that of another relative. Unbeknownst to Abby, the woman she wanted to avoid most in the world, her former stepmother Lillian Dixon, is at the fashion house. When Lillian turns up dead, stabbed with scissors, Abby is the most likely suspect.

Acting as both a reporter and in her own self-interest, Abby tries to figure out who killed Lillian. She knows she didn’t, but the police seem keen on pinning the murder on her. Along the way, she meets a variety of 1920s celebrities in Paris, as well as garners the attention of a wealthy English nobleman, and, most reluctantly, becomes the latest “it” girl of the season.

I enjoyed Murder at the Paris Fashion House. It’s typical of the first book in a series that it tries to get a lot of information across and build the characters. This is probably its weakest point, as well as the name-dropping of people Abby happens to run into. I thought the character of Abby’s Aunt Ida who is a medium who talks to spirits was a bit of a diversion that didn’t necessarily work, but it brought a good deal of lightheartedness to the story.

Abby involved her roommate Vivian in her investigation. It seems like Vivian is in Paris just to find a wealthy husband and becomes extremely vapid at times. However, she stands by Abby when she needs her most, and is deeply concerned about her safety.

The mystery itself has many twists, turns, and red herrings. I don’t think anyone could have figured out the situation from the beginning. I kept thinking I knew where it was going and that it was too obvious, but that turned out to not be the case which very much surprised me. The answer to who killed Lillian Dixon and why fits with a theme running through the book.

I’m not normally a fashion hound, but I did enjoy the scenes in the fashion house and Abby getting a makeover of sorts as she tries to help Joubert salvage his reputation following the murder. Abby starts evolving from the girl who left the United States after a tragedy into a woman more assured of herself. I think I detected two potential suitors in her life, which will make future books interesting.

I will read future books as I think this series is off to a good start. Sure, there are weak points in Murder at the Paris Fashion House, but it was an enjoyable read that was a nice break from reading several real history books in a row. I also look forward to the next book in the series.

Murder at the Paris Fashion House is just the first of what I hope is many Abigail Dixon stories by Nancy Warren. Take a trip back to the Roaring Twenties by joining Abigail Dixon on her trip to Paris in 1925. The Great War is over, the Spanish Flu survived, and the 19th US Amendment had passed with other opportunities opening up for women.

While Abigail is at first not excited about covering fashion instead of hard news a change soon comes. Covering “women’s news” is the way to go in Paris 1925. Before long she is in the middle of a murder investigation, “living a story” and seeking advice from Hemingway. There is plenty of name dropping and a hint of romance which rounds out this great story. I must say I envy Abby just a bit since she saw F. Scott Fitzgerald and his wife, Zelda. I would have loved that even more than knowing Hemingway. Besides the fantasy of rubbing elbow with famous people there is Ms. Warren’s strong writing making this a top notched story. Lovely mystery with a wonderful heroine and a positive outlook.

Such a fun and enjoyable read.
In mysteries I usually prefer when the plot jumps right into the action but I really enjoyed the build up in this book. I found the character very likeable and thr plot was always entertaining; there's a bit of everything: mystrry, social comentary, romance, drama, fashion.... The plot twist was also pretty good, since I didn't see that coming and the way all the dots connected was very well done.

Murder at the Paris Fashion House is an intriguing start to the Abigail Dixon mystery series. A "plucky" young woman reporter from 1925 Chicago lands a job at her Chicago paper's office in Paris and immediately finds herself in the middle of a murder at, as you can deduce from the title, a Parisian couturier's studio. This is not just any murder, but the murder of her conniving stepmother who Abigail holds responsible for breaking up her family and causing the early deaths of both of her parents. As the reader is repeatedly reminded, Abigail urgently needs to clear her name, or else she may face the guillotine (fun fact, France didn't abolish the guillotine until 1981).

The mystery and surrounding circumstances- Abigail attempting to become a serious journalist in Paris of 1925 and being relegated to the "women's" desk (fashion, etc.)- were well written and compelling with interesting supporting characters, surprising backstories, and it was also relatable. Although this takes place in the 1920s, women are still experiencing not being taken seriously in a professional environment. I was slightly put off by the "not like other girls" vibe Abigail had in the beginning however I do understand that in the context of the time it makes sense and Abigail did grow as a character to move beyond that.

A strong undercurrent throughout this book is the horrors of WWI which affects many of the characters although this takes place seven years after the war ended. This added not only depth to the characters, but it is a reminder that the flapper era wasn't all just fun, dancing, and speakeasys, it was also a decade that came after what was at the time, unimaginable global trauma. I appreciate that the author added that historical aspect to the plot.

My only negative feedback is that this book suffers from what I saw described on a Twitter thread as "Gumping", a reference to the character Forrest Gump encountering every historical person/circumstance from the time period his story took place in. Murder in the Paris Fashion House is obviously not anything like Forrest Gump which to be fair, did that intentionally, however, Abigail does encounter quite a few celebrities of 1920s Paris and it is somewhat forced and either barely or not at all relevant to the plot.

The ending was a twist that I did not see coming although it's possible that there were clues I missed while reading. I am always happy when a "whodunit" surprises me with who in fact did it. I am eager to read the next books in the Abigail Dixon series. I love mysteries that are cozy without being too cozy and trite which is absolutely what this book achieved.

Many thanks to Storm Publishing and to NetGalley for this ARC to review. This review is my honest opinion.

Nancy Warren is one of my favorite authors and I was beyond excited to read Murder at the Parish Fashion House, the first book in the Abigail Dixon Mystery Series.

I love the 1920's and I really enjoy the subgenre of cozy historical mysteries. The setting of Paris was breathtaking and so descriptive I felt as if I was right there.

The characters were well written and consistent with the time period. Vivian, Freddy and Ida were just joys to read.

They mystery was a blast and I didn't see some of those story lines coming.

A perfectly paced story with enjoyable characters. I can't wait for the next book in this fantastic series

Murder at the Paris Fashion House
By Nancy Warren
This was the first book I have "read" in over a year! I am an audiobook junkie, but I got a free review copy of this little gem and decided to work for the story.
Well, I'm glad I did.
A lovely twist on Cinderella:
Meet Abigail "Abby" Dixon, American in Paris, ready to be the next Nellie Bly! But tell her new editor that.
Women's pages are her lot for the foreseeable future.
She has no interest in fashion but is sent directly to a couturier for an interview and write-up on his fall collection
But it turns out that she's not the only Dixon to pay a visit to the Paris designer; when Abby arrives, she nearly ends up face to face with her very own wicked stepmother.
Shortly after her apparent escape from the meeting, where does she wind up, but face to face with that same stepmother, only this time she's much less alive.
And Abby is the best suspect the gendarmes have got!
Along the way, Abby meets a young Ernest Hemingway and Coco Chanel along with a few other friends, including her adorable roomie, Viv- who wants nothing more than to snag a fine husband, the dashing Lord Freddy- who wants nothing more than to wine, dine, and dance, and Monsieur Joubert- who wants his gowns on the front page, even if Abby is the one wearing them.
I found the writing witty and Abby plucky but charming.
I loved every eye-straining second of Murder At The Paris Fashion House Book 1, and I can't wait for Book 2!
My thanks to NetGalley for this advance review copy in return for a very honest review!

A brilliant historical cosy murder mystery.

We follow Abby, a budding news reporter from America, as she moves halfway across the world to Paris to start the job of her dreams. However, she soon finds herself accused of murdering her estranged stepmother, and using her journalistic skills, she takes it upon herself to find the true culprit.

I really enjoyed this one and can't wait for the next instalment in the series!

Set in 1920s Paris, Murder at the Paris Fashion House sees Abigail Dixon arrive from Chicago, employed as a journalist. When her stepmother is murdered, Abigail finds herself at the centre of the investigation. Can she solve the crime before she herself is arrested for it?

A solid start to what I hope will become a series. Some great characters, with wonderful descriptions. I loved the cameos from Hemingway and Chanel, they were very cleverly written in. I'll definitely be looking out for book 2!

A delightful murder mystery in 1920s Paris, with an endearing heroine and pop-ins from real figures like Hemingway & Chanel (in a way that doesn’t distract from, but adds to, the story). I didn’t see the ending coming which is always a nice surprise, and I’m excited to read the next book in this series to spend more time with these characters!

*Thanks to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I thought this was a fun book to read. I liked the Paris fashion house setting. The plot was complex enough to hold my attention and the characters interesting. It is a light book but that does not detract from the enjoyment of reading it.

Abby and her roommate Vivian get involved in solving the murder of Abby's Step mother when she goes to the Paris Fashion house for a story for the paper. Abby is a suspect so she must solve the murder. This was a really fun story and I recommend it.

I thought this was an okay read. I think part of what pulled me away from being completely invested was the pace of the book. It was going at a bit of a slower speed in my opinion so I wasn’t fully gripped in the storyline. I think there were things that could have happened to make it more exciting! The writing was very good (detailed, descriptive) but the storyline lacked a bit for me.

2.5 ⭐️