Kitty and Matt have been given a fairly straightforward assignment. Papers will be delivered, just bring them back. A paid holiday on the French Riviera, sunny weather, the beach, a lovely hotel. It seemed idyllic.

They were warned they were on their own, adversaries were unknown, but both seasoned hands knew that adversaries there will be. Finding the person supposed to give them the documents was hard, because they stumbled on his corpse before any contact could be made. The second murder of a photo journalist was alarming because they were first on both scenes which raised eyebrows with all.

The enemy could be the German ambassador and his charming wife, the rich American widow and her daughter, the impoverished English Lord pursuing said daughter or the suave Comte.

Escaping their opponents who had not revealed themselves was tricky, and Matt and Kitty thought they had put the worst behind them, when they got on the train but this was where the real danger and action happened.

Very nicely narrated, perfectly in tune with the time of 1936 very good reading.

Late spring, 1936. Matt & Kitty are spending time with her aunt & uncle when Brigadier Remmington-Blythe arrives & asks them to travel to Nice to meet Frederico Benedetto aka Fred Bennett & collect some sensitive papers. Arriving in Nice they take a brief evening stroll, instead of finding a perfect croissant, they stumble across a body. Kitty and Matt quickly realise it is Fred Bennett.
The sixteenth outing for Kitty & new husband Matt & a totally different setting. Another very well written cosy mystery, with strong characters & a well paced story. I love both Kitty & Matt & how they complement each other. There are twists & turns but it quickly becomes apparent that their new friends are not all they seem. I liked the different setting but things come to head on the train from Nice to Paris. I hope the reasons for Alice’s failed romance will be revealed. A captivating murder mystery which I thoroughly enjoyed
I voluntarily read and reviewed a special copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own

I’ve loved the Miss Underhay Mysteries series since the very first book (Murder at the Dolphin Hotel), so I was excited to read Murder on the French Riviera, the 16th book.

This time, Kitty and Matt are on holiday in France, and so they don’t have their usual assistants and friends to back them up. I enjoyed seeing them work together in difficult circumstances.

The mystery itself was intriguing, with plenty of suspicious characters to keep me guessing.

Overall, this was an intriguing mystery, with favourite characters. What more could you want?

I was given a copy of this book, my opinions are my own.

This is the sixteenth book in the Miss Underhay Mystery series. (although Kitty is no longer a miss and is well married to Matt).

It is Spring 1936 and a spy has gone missing in Nice along with some very important papers. Matt and Kitty are sent, ostensibly to have a relaxing Riviera holiday, but actually to see what they can find out. They do manage a little sightseeing and some lovely meals, even a few moments by the pool, but there are murders to investigate, papers to find and a lot of sleuthing to do. There are also some very dangerous moments for both of them.

I have read this series from the beginning and love the way the author keeps coming back with something new. Now that Kitty and Matt are a team the possibilities for fresh plotlines have also opened up and I look forward to many more adventures for our intrepid duo.

A grand old hotel, fresh coffee on the balcony, a perfect view of the sparkling ocean and… surely not another murder? Thank heavens Kitty Underhay is on the case! Very well written, with relatable characters and well-constructed dialogue resulting in a riveting — but also satisfying — storyline ⭐⭐⭐⭐ A rattling good tale with twists and turns aplenty.

It was 1936 when Captain Matthew Bryant and his wife Kitty (formerly Miss Underhay) arrived in Nice, under orders from Whitehall in London. They were to meet up with a stranger, collect papers from him and return to London as quickly as possible. But shortly after their arrival in the luxurious hotel, they decided to take a walk before dinner and when they became lost, walked through an alley in hopes of meeting the main thoroughfare. But what they found was a dead body, and Matt was horribly convinced it was the man they were due to meet.

With Inspector Villiers interviewing everyone, including Matt and Kitty, plus the group of people in the hotel sticking close to their sides, Kitty wondered if these people were ones they'd been warned about. When another body was discovered, Kitty and Matt knew the dangers were getting closer and they were far from discovering where the papers were. What would they do? They didn't want to disappoint Whitehall, but neither did they want to put themselves in danger...

Murder on the French Riviera is the 16th in the Miss Underhay series by Helena Dixon and I thoroughly enjoyed it! This one seemed to have more danger attached to it for Kitty and Matt - the tension was heightened, and the thrills were accelerating. A fabulous episode, and one I recommend highly.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

Another great entry in the Matt and Kitty mystery series. This time they make it abroad to the French Riviera. The plot is fast paced and full of more twists and turns than ever and more complex than they expected and full of danger and intrigue and an excellent secondary plot running through the story. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

4.25*

Welcome to France, Kitty Underhay! Finally our intrepid investigator/hotelier has made it abroad and, under the guise of holidaying, will be sampling the delights of Nice with Matt whilst they wait to collect some politically sensitive papers from British agent Federico Benedetto aka Fred Bennet.

Unfortunately instead of collecting the papers they stumble over his body in a dark alley in the wrong part of town which leads to a lot of questions, no answers and the need for a bit of sleuthing to work out who can be trusted to then solve the case and save the day by finding the documents.

Kitty and Matt can always be trusted to dig deep and investigate thoroughly and I really enjoyed the espionage aspect to this particular story. Overall it was a really enjoyable addition to the series and I liked the new elements added. Taking the Bryant's to a new locale, out of their comfort zone and isolated from their support network worked really well and building up to the breakout of WW2 gave it a new dimension with lots of potential for future stories.

We still have plenty glitz and glamour which I love but to have such a monumental period of world history shaping events makes for a really interesting dynamic and I'm interested in how the series will develop with that in mind.

For me this series is a fun, reliable and comfort read. I love the characters, I love the situations they get into and how the mystery unravels - in this case with an action packed conclusion that brought everything together in a really satisfying way. At Book 16 Helena Dixon shows no signs of slowing down in pace or quality and I, as always, look forward to the next instalment!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for a digital review copy of "Murder on the French Riviera" in exchange for my honest and voluntary review.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Helena Dixon for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for Murder on the French Riviera coming out May 28, 2024. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I was really excited to receive this book. I own several books in the series. I love cozy historical mysteries, especially when they take place in other parts of the world. I love Kitty and Matt as a couple. I think it’s so fun they go on adventures together. Kitty’s a smart, engaging character. I love that this book had a bit of glamor and espionage along with the murder mystery. I loved it! I do wonder if these books will eventually head towards WWII. But I’m excited to read more in the series.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys cozy historical mysteries!

It is 1936 and Europe is in a state of unease. France has just held a general election and the Italian forces have captured Addis Ababa. Mussolini is putting his men into power, looking at a very long game and in general the British Government is finding this situation seriously disturbing. 

There are people at work gathering information which needs to be clandestinely bought to London and when Kitty Bryant and her husband Matt are propositioned to go to France and bring back some documents, they agree to do so reluctantly.

Kitty and Matt arrive in Nice, enjoying the luxury of the very elegant Hotel they have been booked into before deciding to go for a walk. Wandering down a series of small side streets they come across the body man of a who looks like a tramp, but has very good shoes.

In his pocket they find a book of matches from the Casino Plessy and a metal key with a wooden label and so begins the latest adventure in the Miss Underhay Mystery series Murder on the French Riviera.

The plot is fast moving, very cleverly planned and full of more twists and turns than the streets of Nice, as Kitty and Matt discover that the ‘holiday’ to collect the papers is far more dangerous than they were lead to believe. Innocent people are being killed, they have come under suspicion by the local Police, and it is fast becoming apparent there is something really sinister happening.

Attending the Gala birthday party, of Helene Dupont, where the guests are an eclectic mix of wealth and power, they realise they are under suspicion, not just by the Police but the very people who are involved with Mussolini and Hitler; the people who want the missing documents back!

Deciding they need to leave Nice as soon as possible, even though they have not got the papers, they take the train to Paris believing they will be safely away from the murderous intent of the someone in Nice, whom it appears will stop at very little to get back what they want.

But they are very, very wrong!

Murder on the French Riviera is a real cliff hanger of a murder mystery with a very well hidden murderer and an excellent secondary plot running through the narrative.

A great afternoon on the couch read.

Spring 1936, Europe is a changing place. But for Kitty and Matt Bryant they find themselves in Nice, seemingly for a holiday but actually working.

As they explore the area, the man they are supposed to making contact is found dead down an alley. Now they are completely lost as to how they can complete their secret mission. Under the guises of holidaying, spending time by the pool, perhaps the clues are going to come to them as other characters becoming interesting holiday companions.

What few clues they immediately find, leads to them an abandoned building, down the non tourist parts of Nice as well as the bright lights of a Casino, they find some of their companions along the way. However, it seems that someone is also watching Kitty and Matt as well. Will they be able to solve the mystery and recover what they were sent to do without putting their own lives at risk.

This book moves them nearer to the outbreak of War. It was a useful vehicle to show what was happening at the time, and the positions of the French, Germans and Italians. It sows the seeds I am sure of where the book may go but I would quite like to see Kitty and Matt back at the hotel with some of the more familiar characters, such as Alice, Kitty’s friend and maid.

What makes this series stand out for me, is the continuous thread that runs through all the books, whether it be Kitty’s missing mother, Kitty and Matt’s early days of marriage or Alice’s romantic relationship. They read almost like saga’s with a dollop of crime added in for good measure and excitement!

A great cosy mystery, although this one had a spy element to it that brought about some twists and red herrings, which added to the enjoyment of the book. Great fun and I look forward to more of them!

The 16th book in this historical fiction cozy mystery series.

Matt and Kitty are off on holiday to Nice, France, in the spring of 1936. Well, that’s what they want everyone to think — just a married couple, hoteliers, checking out the luxurious Le Neresco and enjoying some time together. However, what they’ve been asked to do by the brigadier has nothing to do with a vacation. They are on a risky spy mission and meant to retrieve some sensitive documents about the state of Italy’s military strength and future plans. When they arrive, they shortly discover that their contact is dead. The documents are nowhere to be found. And the police are eying them as possible suspects.

I have really enjoyed all the previous books in series but I wish Matt and Kitty would just return to Torbay and the Dolphin Hotel. I prefer the characters from that particular setting to rejoin the plots. Also, they could have a little more zing in their relationship considering they are not that long married. I don’t mind that there’s no mention of intimacy, etc., but wowza they are barely affectionate even in the most romantic of places. The story line really wasn’t all that gripping and I missed my usual pleasure at reconnecting with these characters, the place and time, and the intrigue in their own home town. I still enjoy the period details.

Thank you to Bookouture for the e-book ARC to read and review.

I really liked this book! It was fun and I really liked the main couple! They are very refreshing and to me these characters and their relationship was the highlight of this book! The only negative thing that I can think off was that it was a little bit predictable, but the characters were so interesting that I didn’t care about that and the book had me hooked from the beginning! I really recommend it!

Murder, mysteries, espionage. Think Agatha Christie and you have Murder on the French Riviera by Helena Dixon. A good YA book.
Releases May 28th. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I received a copy of the title from the publisher but all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. Murder on the French Riviera find Matt and Kitty undertaking a "mission" for Matt's government contact by traveling to the French Riviera to meet with an undercover spy who has important information about Italy. He fears that someone is on to him so they need someone who isn't known to be connected to the government to meet with him and bring the information back to England. Unfortunately, no sooner than Matt and Kitty arrive than they discover a dead body that they believe is their contact. They must work to figure out where he hid the information while avoiding the same fate. I really like this one and always find Matt and Kitty to be a fun way to spend an afternoon. I think the series still feels fresh after 16 books so I will definitely be looking for the next title in the series.

Thanks to Net Galley and Bookouture for this ARC. It was a nice change to have Kitty and Matt in a different country solving a murder and this time helping the government. I hope this is leading into more 'spy' mysteries as we head close to WW2.

Murder on the French Riviera is book 16 in the Miss Underhay mystery series. While I have been reading this series since book 4, you can pick up this book without reading the previous books. And as this one is not set in their home town it might actually be easier to pick up than some of the others.

Kitty and her husband Matt are asked to travel to Nice to make contact with an agent who needs to pass important information to England about military movements in Italy. As you can imagine England isn't the only country after the information.

This series is set in the mid-1930s but there has been very little mention of the wider world events though in the last couple of books, there have been a few passing comments. This book though brought it to the forefront.

The mystery was a bit different given the higher stakes and the book had more of an espionage vibe to it. I enjoyed seeing Kitty and Matt out of their comfort zone so to speak. They didn't have friends and family to rely on for information and assistance. They really had to rely on each other and Matt is showing that he has complete faith in Kitty's abilities. Because the regular cast isn't present we also got to see a lot more of Matt and Kitty interacting with each other.

The other guests at the hotel (who are also interested in getting the information) are great. They are suspicious but you don't know who all is involved in the espionage plot.

Kitty and Matt lounging on the terrace made me want to go on vacation and the French Riviera would be a pretty nice place to visit - as long as I wasn't stumbling over dead bodies!

If you have some lounging on a terrace or just your front porch in your future, then you should pick up this book to enjoy while doing that.

My review will be published at Girl Who Reads on Saturday - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2024/05/murder-on-french-riviera-by-helena.html

I like the 2 main character's relationship. They work very well together and treat each other as actual partners. The mystery kept me guessing and I liked the travel to the French Riviera.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Matt and Kitty are called to go undercover in the French Riviera to retrieve papers from a government contact. The problem is, they are not the only country after those papers. They soon find that this mission is going to be a lot more complicated, and dangerous, than they first thought.
As always, these cozy mysteries are both fun, exciting, and read quickly and completely enjoyably. The characters in this book were quite interesting! I absolutely love this cozy mystery series, and am looking forward to the next.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read "Murder on the French Riviera" in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is book number 16 in the Miss Underhay series and once again Ms. Dixon has surpassed the previous books with this incredible addition to the series. There is high tension and drama, leaving the reader wondering how Matt and Kitty will make it out of this one.

As always the story starts with the front page of the Torbay Herald - this time dated 7th May, 1936. It has foreign news about the happenings in France and Ethiopia. Matt, Kitty and Bertie are visiting her Aunt Hortense and Uncle Lord Medford at Enderley Hall in Exeter. Her cousin Lucy and her husband Rupert are also there on a visit. Much of the conversation surrounds the unrest in Europe. Matt often gets called to London by his former government employers.

Also visiting is Brigadier Remmington-Blythe, Matt's employer at Whitehall. Kitty isn't sure who does what because everything is covered by the Official Secrets Act. A coded telegram has been received and Matt & Kitty have been asked to travel to Nice to retrieve papers from Federico Benedetto/Fred Bennet - a dual nationality operative.

No sooner have they arrived in Nice than they find a dead body. Kitty seems to be a magnet for murders no matter where she is. They fear that the person they have stumbled upon is the man they were sent there to meet. He is too clean and neat to be a tramp. He is wearing expensive shoes and has well-kept hands. There is nothing in his pockets to identify him - no money or ID, just a key and a matchbook.

The Brigadier had warned them that there might be people who would like to get close to them because they think that they might be there to retrieve the documents. A group traveling together takes an interest in Matt and Kitty. Mrs. Deleware and her daughter Candace, Sir Montague and Comte Luciano Malfiore. Mrs. Delaware is eager for her daughter to date Sir Montague so that she will have a title - Lady Savernake and an estate. But Candace is in love with Roland Fetherington, a reporter and wants to marry him. They all go to Casino Plessy where Matt and Kitty find the identical book of matches that was on the body they found. Rumours run rampant that he was a spy from Italy. While they are at the casino there is another murder. They soon find that someone has been in there room at the hotel and searched it. They feel that their new acquaintances are a little too attached to them. The owners of the Casino - the Duponts, Sir Montague, the Compte and Mrs. Delaware all want the documents.

There are many scenes of high drama and tension which have the reader turning the pages to see what will happen next. As always Matt and Kitty find themselves in several tight spots. Ms. Dixon has written these scenes so brilliantly that the reader feels that they are with Matt and Kitty helping them.

Sadly Alice was not featured a lot in this story but there was great news for her at the end which hopefully we will read more about in future books. This story is more than a 5 star read!!!