I would like to thank Netgalley and Farrago Books for a review copy of Death in le Jardin, the fourth novel to feature B&B owner Richard Ainsworth and former government agent turned bounty hunter and possibly assassin Valérie dOrçay set in the Follet Valley region of France.

I thoroughly enjoyed Death in le Jardin which made me laugh (frequently) and, at the same time, kept me engrossed in the plot. The novel is told from Richard’s point of view and that adds to the humour. He is a diffident, unadventurous middle aged Englishman who often finds himself out of his depth with the more assertive, risk taking Valérie. The contrast in temperaments brings the humour as the reader confronts his dismay and disarray.

The plot is quite complicated as various members of the La Chapelle sur Follet village committee meet grisly ends with no obvious motive and Mme Tablier, Richard’s housekeeper, being arrested. The deaths are all outrageous but tremendous fun, notably the death of Mme Tablier’s brother in law which is worth the purchase price on its own.

The novel follows Richard and Valérie’s investigation as they try to exonerate Mme Tablier and resume normal service at the B&B. It will make you laugh as they uncover more and more mysteries and a few other crimes.

Death in le Jardin is a fun read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

These are a genius set of books. Richard Ainsworth and the Follett Valley are delightful to read about and with his partner in (solving) crime Valérie d'Orçay they do make a good pair of detectives.

Ah, we love Richard and his coterie of grenouilles. Just waiting to be played by Steve Edge on a Sunday night adaptation. This is equally enjoyable when stuck on the tube, as it takes you to bucolic French countryside, or when read by the pool of your holiday villa with a cold one.

This is another installment in the cozy French mystery series.
I highly recommend for fans of Agatha Raisin.
A great series with a great setting!

I had fun in reading this cozy mystery as it's full of entertaining characters and the solid mystery kept me guessing.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I was really looking forward to this book as I have binge-read the previous instalments and couldn't wait to see where the journey would take Richard & Valerie. While the series maintains its cozy and charming atmosphere, it admittedly lacks some of the wit and suspense found in The Thursday Murder Club or my beloved Three Pines series. What sets this series apart, however, is the potential romantic subplot between Richard and Valerie.

After four books, I was hoping to see some progression in their relationship, maybe a little kiss? A slow burn is enjoyable, but there comes a point where the lack of development becomes frustrating. If an author introduces a romantic subplot, there's an unspoken agreement with the reader to eventually deliver on that promise.

When it comes the mystery itself, I liked the fact that this time round, the focus was on Madame Teblier. She is such a character. You can't help but love her for her grumpy, controlled, but loyal and very fastidious, unyielding demeanour. As her brother-in-law is murdered, she becomes the primary suspect. Richard & Valerie are convinced she is innocent but trying to protect someone. The entire who's-done-it was a bit messy, in my opinion. A lot of side-stories suddenly popped up but weren't always driving the plot forward. Unfortunately, the suspense suffered from it and by the end - I didn't care that much who the actual murderer was.

While this may not be the strongest entry in the series, I remain invested in the village, its inhabitants, and especially Richard and Valerie's dynamic. I'll continue reading, but I sincerely hope the next book brings some development to their relationship. My patience for this particular storyline is wearing thin, and I'm eager to see where the author takes it next.

A fast-paced thriller which was a real page-turner full of red herrings. I enjoyed this latest book from this author as I have previously. My thanks to netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

Death in le Jardin is the fourth book in Ian Moore's Follet Valley cozy series set in the Loire Valley. Released 6th June 2024 by Farrago Books, it's 320 pages and is available in hardcover and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links.

This is a very light humorous cozy featuring a pair of unlikely amateur sleuths: Richard, a hapless middle aged Englishman running a B&B in France and Valérie, a force of nature femme fatale and, Richard suspects, assassin, or a spy at the very least.

The inevitable comparisons between this and Osman's Thursday Murder Club books are not entirely apt and unfortunately this series suffers by comparison. There is a frenetic bantering quality to the humor here and there's more self-aware aspect; almost breaking the fourth wall in places. (Metalepsis for the English majors in the room). Despite that, it's entertaining and easy to read and the denouement and resolution are satisfying and well written. There are a number of genuinely funny bits and the author is quite adept at patter and dialogue and his comedic timing is excellent.

Four stars. There are four books in the series currently, along with a couple of shorter stories, and it would make an excellent choice for binge/buddy read or for public library acquisition.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

I hadn’t read any by this author and chose the book cos my family name is Jardine!
This is not an edge of the seat thriller, it’s not a psychological drama and it’s not a page turner. It is a ‘slapstick’ version of a Carry On movie. Main character Richard is a wimp - dominated and frightened by- the women in his life. The murders are investigated by an incompetent police chief and two amateurs. More time is spent writing descriptions of everything than plot development. This series is not for me. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC

It's always a pleasure to return to the Loire Valley and visit Richard in his high end B&B! This time, he and his business partner (and love interest and suspected assassin!) Valerie are investigating the untimely death of his housekeeper's brother in law, involving a ride on lawn mower.

love the very British humour and charm in these books and often find myself laughing out loud so be warned if you're planning on reading it in public! I've said it before and I'll say it again someone at the BBC needs to snap it up as it would make ideal Sunday night telly!
If anyone is missing The Thursday Murder Club then I'd highly recommend giving this series a go

As I said before, I'm a huge Ian Moore fan, and Death in le Jardin was fantastic. It is one of the most cozy mystery books I've read. This book take us in an adventure to a picturesque garden village, populated by some of the weirdest characters ever. Nothing is quite what is seems and secrets lie everywhere waiting to be unraveled. As always the writing is peppered with funny and absurd moments, that certainly adds some charm to the story.

The book started straight to the point and the pace was always the same throughout the book. It has a good twist and there were no dull moments or a predictable end. Overall, it was a great cozy mystery that you can read in a day. As always i really recommend it specially for those who enjoys a ride through the french countryside while uncovering a murder mystery.

** “Corruption and greed are like magnets, they attract one another.” **

Ian Moore continues his delightfully fun Follet Valley series with “Death in le Jardin.”

Richard Ainsworth is still running a bed and breakfast in the French Loire Valley with the help of his special friend Valerie d’Orcay, a bounty hunter and possible international assassin, when his housekeeper is accused of murdering her brother-in-law.

As Richard and Valerie look into the strange neighboring community where the death occurred, and its oddball residents, they must sift through motives and many suspects.

What follows is a quirky adventure filled with twists that will keep the reader guessing until the very end. As usual, Moore creates delightful characters who aren’t always what they seem, including the returning adorable chihuahua named Passepartout and hens named after Golden Age Hollywood actresses.

Fans of series like Richard Osman’s “The Thursday Murder Club” and Robert Thorogood’s “The Marlow Murder Club,” as well as authors like Agatha Christie, will love “Death in le Jardin.”

Five stars out of five.

Farrago provided this complimentary copy through NetGalley for my honest, unbiased review.

Death in le Jardin is the cosiest of cosy crime, featuring unlikely sleuthing team Richard, a retired English film historian who now runs a B&B in rural France, his long term boarder Valerie, who Richard suspects may be a professional assassin, and her chihuahua, Passepartout. Richard's housekeeper, Madame Tablier, has not only been charged with the murder of her brother-in-law, she has confessed, and Richard and Valerie are up against it as they try to persuade the local chief of police that there is more to the case than meets the eye.

Their adventures take them to a picturesque garden village, populated by some very strange characters, where nothing is quite what it seems. The writing in Death in le Jardin is peppered with wry humour as well as slapstick moments, and the murder reveals happen mainly due to Valerie's intuition and leaps of faith rather than any sleuthing skills from Richard. The cast of characters would translate well for a TV series.

This is the latest episode in the series of books that began with Death and Croissants. In this book, Richard and his partner in crime, Valerie, are on the case after his cleaning lady, Madame Tabiler is arrested for the murder of her brother in law. Soon, a sinister picture begins to emerge around a seemingly picture-perfect village, La Chapelle-Sur-Follet. There are some absolutely absurd moments in the book – we’re far from realistic territory here, but the whole thing has a certain charm to it.
This is partly because Richard is an accidental sleuth/hero, an English dad literally stumbling over crimes in rural France. It’s a bit uncanny the way he is constantly in the right place at the right time.
His friendship/working relationship with Valerie is a real highlight of the book series. There is great banter between the two of them. For the most part, he is the sidekick, she is the real sleuth. However, I was pleased to see that he is beginning to develop into a more natural sleuth this time around. I wish Richard would have a bit more confidence in himself when it comes to matters of the heart.
Now onto the plot, we are given such a jam packed one, almost every page had some plot detail of interest in it. The book started off straight into the central storyline and maintained pace throughout.
What a good twist on the small village trope – the too perfect picture village of La Chapelle-Sur-Follet with so many secrets lurking beneath the surface. There was never a dull moment and I am pleased to say I did not guess the ending.
I thought this might be the end of the series, but it looks like we will be treated to another adventure. I haven’t read all the books but I think that these books would make a great TV series, especially with such a wide ranging cast of returning characters. Overall, another enjoyable jaunt to the French countryside.

Oh my, it is wonderful to catch up with Richard Ainsworth, Valerie d'Orcay and her chihuahua - Passepatout, Madame Tablier and his separated wife Claire. Richard owns a B&B in Follet Valley and he keeps chickens with names of famous actresses. The story begins with the death of Mme Tablier's brother-in-law whilst performing a stunt! Shortly after, Commissaire Henri Lapiere arrives at the B&B to arrest Mme Tablier. This beings an investigation where Richard and Valerie hunt down the true culprit and to a village called La Chapelle-Sur-Follett, where all is not how it seems. I loved the writing, the descriptions and the ending! I highly recommend this book.

This is the first book I've read in this series, although the second by the author. I am very anxious to go back and catch up with this series. The characters are fun and likable as they try to absolve Richard's housekeeper from a murder charge in a small town more worried about its flowers than its citizens. Although I found the ending and final solution a little confusing and circuitous, the ride was so much fun that it didn't take away from my enjoyment of the book. It's definitely a pleasure read with lots of chuckles and characters I want to see more of. Thank you to NetGalley and Farrago Books for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

This wonderful series is pure heaven for all Francophiles. Welcome back to the Follet Valley and all its strangely compelling characters. Richard is a retired Englishman who owns and manages a high end Chambre d’ hote, Valerie, his on / off girlfriend, who may be an assassin, and the formidable housekeeper, Madame Tablier.
This episode starts, not unusually with a death. Madame Tablier’s brother in law has been killed in a motorcycle accident, the official verdict is “ mort imprudence “. Death by showing off, how brilliant and so French!!
Richard and Valerie decide to investigate further, mainly to help the housekeeper and her sister, but also to annoy as many people as possible in the pristine and strange neighbouring village, La Chapelle - Sur - Follet, a place so picture postcard perfect, it looks like a film set!
Here we meet eccentric and rather unpleasant people, run up against French bureaucracy and petty squabbles, visit wonderful locations, foodies and snobbery, and have another chance to improve your holiday French language, although there are certain phrases I cannot imagine how I would work into a conversation whilst on holiday! Oh yes, there are also murders!
This is an old fashioned cosy murder mystery, but great work has gone into the characters and their secrets, and it is all such fun! Very addictive, devious schemes and outlandish events make this novel a sheer delight to read.
A five star read.
My thanks to Netgalley and Farrago books for my advanced copy, freely given in return for my honest review. I will leave a copy of this to Goodreads and Amazon UK upon publication.

Ian Moore is back with the fourth installment of the Follet Valley Mystery series! Set in the rural French village of Saint-Sauveur in the Follet Valley, the series follows Richard Ainsworth, a middle-aged British man who combines running a B&B with solving local crimes alongside his partner, Valérie d'Orçay.

Having thoroughly enjoyed the previous installments, I was eagerly awaiting the next adventure of Richard and Valérie. On a side note, when will this series be adapted for TV? I think Ian Moore himself would be perfect as the quirky protagonist, Richard Ainsworth.

Richard dislikes spring, a season that brings more work to his lazy life. When Madame Tablier is arrested, Valérie decides it's time for them to investigate. The first clue is found in the village where Madame Tablier's brother-in-law was beheaded. Yes, you read that right!

Richard and Valérie arrive at the tourist garden village and quickly realize that its picturesque appearance is deceptive. The deeper they dig, the more they uncover the village's secrets.

Peppered with humor and quirky characters, Death in le Jardin by Ian Moore is a fantastic and thoroughly enjoyable read. The mystery kept me guessing until the end, and I couldn't help but sympathize with Richard's personal crises.

Trouble comes in threes: an envelope from his estranged wife, his housekeeper's arrest, and an elusive family staying at the B&B. Richard's hands are full, and living with Valérie only adds to the chaos.

Both Richard and Valérie are unique and charming characters, each bringing their own quirks to the story. Ian Moore brings these wonderful characters to life with excellent storytelling and humor.

Overall, Death in le Jardin by Ian Moore is an enjoyable and entertaining read. You don't have to read the books in order, so feel free to jump into the latest installment. Once you read one, you'll be hooked on the series. It's THAT good!

I remember reading the first book in this series and wanting to book a week at the B&B. He’s entertaining, witty and really able to dig in when it comes to sleuthing. Heck, he even comes to the aid of his less than charming housekeeper when she’s accused of murder. And of course Valerie is always good for some tension as well.

Well written and truly entertaining.

A light hearted farcical read, just a bit of fun to pass the time, centred on Richard a somewhat withdrawn character lost in a world of film episodes that he uses to relate to life, happy with his battery of pet hens only be dragged back to reality at the beck and call of a demanding female.