"An American in Paris" is a fun series, getting to follow Tabitha's adventures in post-war France. They aren't great literature but are always enjoyable, and I always learn a bit about the historical setting. I also like the fictionalized appearances of Julia Child. A nice historical cozy. I will eagerly read the next in the series.

amateur-sleuth, cozy-mystery, culinary, ex-pat, family-by-choice, famous-persons, friendship, historical-figures, historical-mystery, historical-places-events, historical-research, historical-setting, historical-thriller, history-and-culture, investigation, jealousy, Julia Child, local-law-enforcement, murders, Paris, pets, post-WW2, read, relationships, relatives, suspense, suspicion, thriller*****

Set in Paris in the 1950s, this fun cozy has a lot of real background to make it even more interesting! The story is set in the world of high fashion in a time when money was still very tight and the fashion houses we now know as titans of the industry were only just coming out of the disaster that was the German occupation. Tabitha’s Grand-père and Oncle Rafe are good friends with a young bride who is taking lessons in French cooking and teaching Tabitha the things that she learns. Her name? Julia Child. Tabitha is from Michigan and is learning so many things while in Paris, but learning about murder and the Parisian gendarmerie is what the plot is all about. There are devious red herrings, and surprising plot twists, but it's the delightful characters that really make this a 5-star winner!
I requested and received a free temporary uncorrected efile from Kensington Books, Kensington cozies via NetGalley. Thank you!
Avail Apr 29, 2025 #AFashionablyFrenchMurder by Colleen Cambridge #AnAmericanInParisBk3 @Kensington Publishing #HistoricalMystery #Culinary #FamousPersons #CozyMystery #1950s #Paris

Fashion, Food And Mystery..
The third instalment in the American in Paris series as the reader rejoins ex-pat Tabitha Knight and aspiring chef Julia Childs in Paris. As fashion returns to the city, the duo are invited to a private showing but, unfortunately, the evening is to end with a fatality - which will not be the last. Let the investigations begin. Another delicious outing in this series, this time combining food with fashion, with a well crafted cast of characters populating a pacy plot with a wholly atmospheric background- and, of course, a solid mystery at its heart. A worthy addition to this superlative series.

*I received a copy of this book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this opportunity*

In this latests installment of the beloved <I>An American in Paris Mystery</I> series, our Tabitha Knight expands her social circle and resume as murder investigator. Given the opportunity to translate for an American woman searching for an haute couture dress, Tabitha is formally introduced into the fashion world of post-war Paris-- but finds herself embroiled in yet another death when she discovers the body of up-and-coming designer and atelier owner. As the clues (and the crimes) start piling up, Tabitha has to make the decision of what and who to investigate while balancing her burgeoning social life.

A FASHIONABLY FRENCH MURDER earned its spot as my favorite book in this series for its sheer ambition! Cambridge has expanded Tabitha's social circle to include a new charming cast of characters, while deftly deepening her long-standing relations. Grand-père and Oncle Rafe no longer hide in the shadows, but have their own plot and provide interesting commentary on occupied Paris. Julia Child's role as friend and cook extraordinaire remains firmly in place, but Tabitha's will-they-won't-they relationship with Inspecteur Merveille enters into the next phase.

Cambridge also deftly took on the discussion of German collaborators during Occupation and the grey area of what collaboration meant that many people even today struggle to define. Tabitha struggles to navigate her own feelings as an American living in Paris as they redefine and reconstruct post-WWII, while also learning about some of the atrocities people endured in her new home.

All the while, the readers are treated into an inside look of Parisian haute couture during the era of reconstruction! Tabitha has (and thus, we have) the unique opportunity to experience the world of fashion not only as a customer, but also from 'behind the curtain' with her new friends who work as mannequins. It was such a treat to find which pictures of the gowns Cambridge described, and it was a real testament to the author's dedicated research!

Fun and charming and full of delicious food and fashion, A FASHIONABLY FRENCH MURDER left me hungry for Tabitha Knight's next adventure!

This story was my favorite American in Paris Mystery book to date. I loved learning the background of haute couture, which just made the mystery even more enjoyable on top of the food comments made by Julia Childs during the story! I'd love to see a recipe in the back of her famous recipes at the end. Great mystery, love Tabitha's adventures.

In her third An American in Paris Mystery series, A Fashionably French Murder, Colleen Cambridge delivers a delightful mystery set in 1950 Paris. Tabitha Knight can't imagine returning to Detroit, as she has forged a life for herself living with her wealthy grandfather and his paramour, "Oncle" Rafe, and tutoring American women in the French language. But, of course, she finds two more bodies, both from the newest and trendiest purveyor of haute couture .

The murders shock the fashion industry and uncover hidden intrigues, not to mention still-simmering bitterness from Paris's involvement in World War II. Having found both victims, Tabitha feels some responsibility to help her favorite member of law enforcement, the dashing Inspecteur Merveille, to investigate, as she rightly points out that women will often open up to her rather than to the police. Julia Child is again a character--this time not involved in the mystery but providing close friend Tabitha and her "messieurs" with delicious food as she studies to become the fabulous chef we know and love.

The mystery is interesting, but what I enjoyed most were the insider look at Parisian haute couture, including a trip to Dior's studio, and the mouth-watering dishes prepared by Julia. I also appreciated the relationship between Grand-Pere and Oncle Rafe--their bickering over the décor of their soon-to-be-reopened restaurant is fun, but the serious matters on which they differ are also engaging to read.

My thanks to Kensington and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of this book.

I adore this series and how Tabitha's character continues to develop as she settles into life in Paris.

In this installment, Tabitha supplements her usual tutoring work with being a translator for an American woman who wants to buy an haute couture gown at a Parisian atelier. Tabitha winds up finding the designer dead and can't help but notice some clues. There's a break-in at the shoe store nearby, where a friend works, and another death along the way.

Inspector Merveille is back as the detective working the case and a potential love interest. However, another love interest emerges while Tabita is trying to take care of the stray cat that saved her life in the previous book. I'm rooting for one of these characters, but I imagine we'll have to wait a few books to see how Tabitha's love life works out.

It was wonderful to see Tabitha's social circle expand in this book. Julia Child has been her close friend from the beginning, but she meets some women working in fashion and becomes friends with them.

I really enjoyed this story and the setting was uniquely French! The real dresses described during Tabitha's visit to Dior had me searching for pictures of them (I voted for the Mozart!). It seems funny to describe a book with two murders as fun and charming, but there it is!

This is an enjoyable next installment in this delicious series set in Paris in the 1950s. Tabitha is an expat lining with her uncle in post-war Paris. She is friends with Julia Child. Fun and quirky characters. This mystery is set in the fashionable showrooms of the haute couture designers.

. . . An absolutely delightful light mystery for Francophiles and food lovers.

This was a romp through post-war France through the eyes of a vivacious American in Paris. I loved the warm family life of our heroine and amateur sleuth ( a.k.a. “ busybody”) . But, perhaps the most lively sections of the book were those featuring friend and neighbor Julia Child. The famous chef’s character rang true to her tv persona ( chirpy and ebullient) but, she also proved to be a good friend and neighbor.

This was a light, frothy mystery, but it also included interesting tidbits about haute couture and the post war stress in Europe. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

I really enjoyed the latest American in Paris Mystery. As a big fan of Julia Child, I always enjoy this series where she features as a supporting character. The author does a great job of writing Julia just as I would imagine she was - so fun and full of life! I also enjoy the character of Tabitha. She is a young woman living in Paris in the 1950’s, and she is a smart, fun girl who has a big heart and is happy to try to solve a mystery! The mystery was interesting and hard to solve, but fun to figure out! My only complaint about this series is that, like Julia, I would like Tabby to have a little romance!

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book. All opinions are my own!

This was a strong third entry in the American in Paris Mystery series, it had that overall concept perfectly and enjoyed the murder mystery going on. The overall feel worked with the genre and the characters worked well in this universe. I enjoyed the way Colleen Cambridge wrote this and left me wanting to read more in this series and from Colleen Cambridge.

Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington for the opportunity to read A Fashionably French Murder by Colleen Cambridge. I am thoroughly enjoying this series and hope for more to come.

Review coming soon!

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC.

Opinions are mine.

This whole series is delightful, and this book is a great addition. It could be read as a standalone, but there are enough references to past events and slow unfolding of some relationships that it’s worth it to have read the previous books. Main character Tabitha continues to settle into postwar Paris after having grown up in Michigan, and yet again she finds a dead body and can’t quite leave the mystery alone. More crimes, another murder, and the ongoing and painful question of how Parisians handled the Nazi occupation drive the entertaining plot forward. Tabitha’s friendship with Julia Child continues to play a key role and provide both humor and mouthwatering food descriptions. Some potential personal developments also mean the next entry in the series will be anxiously awaited. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy. All views are entirely my own and are offered voluntarily.

I am captivated by the post WWII Paris setting of this series. Also, the characterization of Julia Child in the early stages of her cooking obsession is fascinating. When you add in a spunky protagonist , a soupçon of romance and a complex mystery it makes for a delightful read.