In Susan C. Shea's second A Chateau in Burgundy mystery, Ariel Shepard is an American woman who is still in the process of renovating the old French chateau that her husband bought for her--without her knowledge-- prior to his unexpected death She hopes to turn it into a B&B full of local color and culture, but it's a bigger, more expensive project than she expected.

Just as she and her American and British friends are recovering from a murder (detailed in the previous book), Ariel comes upon a very elderly woman lying dead in the doorway of Katherine's shop, the victim of a murder. Mrs. Toussaint was a mysterious figure, leaving her home only to offer some items for sale at the shop. The motive for her murder is unclear, and the whereabouts of her beloved canine companion, without whom she is rarely seen, is uncertain. The mystery is an intriguing one, as Ariel and her friends try to unravel it, feeling a responsibility to bring justice for Mrs. Toussaint. They conduct their own investigation quietly and methodically, although sometimes ignoring the law, Was the woman somehow involved with the theft of valuable goods, or is there a much deeper and more significant reason for her murder?

I enjoyed the engaging characters, and I found the resolution of the case very gratifying. But even more satisfying is the author's detailed description of the chateau's renovation, as well as the beauty of this region of France and the culture of a particular small town. There is a hint of potential romance, which will hopefully continue in future series entries.

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

Don't worry if you, like me, missed the first book- this entertaining mystery will be fine as a standalone. Ariel, an American widow, is rebuilding her life, and her chateau in a small French village. And then, an elderly member of the community is found dead on her friend Katherine's doorstep- and the woman's dog is missing. These two intrepid outsiders solve the mystery and, well, no spoilers from me. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A fun cozy read.

new-series, France, widow, inheritance, pet-dog, cozy-mystery, cultural-differences, cultural-exploration, hospitality-industry, friendship, frustration, friends, family, verbal-humor, situational-humor, suspense, suspicion, small-town, small-business*****

Recently widowed American Ariel Shepard is working to renovate the old French chateau that her husband bought shortly before his death when he planned for them to do this together and to make it a vacation destination. Her best friends are British expat Katherine who is also a shop owner and Pippa. Together they try to fit in with the villagers, are motivated to find a murderer, and irritate the Brigadier. It's a fun story with quite a bit of situational humor, misunderstandings, red herrings, and amazing plot twists all held together by suspense. Loved it!
I requested and received an EARC from Severn House via NetGalley. Thanks!
Book 2 of A Château in Burgundy Mystery

This is the second book in a series, and I requested it on NetGalley, because I read the first book, Murder Visits A French Village, some time ago, and I quite enjoyed it.

The protagonist, Ariel, was a likeable character; I remember that I liked her the first time around, so I was pleased to find another book where she was featured as a protagonist.

Just like with the first book, I felt the author did a lovely job when it came to capturing the French setting. That setting came to life for me, and I wanted to escape into it. I also warmed to some of the other characters.

The thought of the missing dog was something that went to my heart a little bit, and so I felt like that was a motivation to keep reading. I found this very light and easy reading, it was easy to read in one sitting. I also think that if I hadn't read the first book prior, I may have enjoyed reading this as a standalone. If you like cosy mysteries that will help you escape for a little while, this may appeal to you.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a free copy to review.