Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
A Fashionably French Murder by Colleen Cambridge Series: An American in Paris #3
Published by Kensington Books on April 29, 2025
Genres: Historical Mystery
Pages: 272
Format: eARC
Source: NetGalley
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If there’s one art the French have mastered as well as fine cuisine, it’s haute couture. Tabitha and Julia are already accustomed to sampling the delights of the former. Now fashion is returning to the forefront in Paris, as the somber hues of wartime are replaced by vibrant colors and ultra-feminine silhouettes, influenced by Christian Dior’s “New Look.”
Tabitha and Julia join a friend for a private showing at an exclusive fashion atelier, Maison Lannet. The event goes well, but when Tabitha returns later that evening to search for a lost glove, she finds the lights still on—and the couturier dead, strangled by a length of lace. The shop manager suspects that a jealous rival—perhaps Dior himself—committed the crime. Tabitha dismisses that idea, but when another body is found, it’s apparent that someone is targeting employees of Maison Lannet.
Meanwhile, Tabitha’s Grand-père and Oncle Rafe are in the midst of their own design-related fracas, as they squabble over how to decorate their new restaurant. And there are strange break-ins at a nearby shoe store—but are the crimes related? It’s up to Tabitha to don her investigative hat and find answers before someone commits another fatal fashion faux pas.
A fashion faux pas happens when Tabitha finds a body rather than a fabulous Haute Couture gown on her first visit to a Collection showing. Colleen Cambridge continues to wow me with her fun blend of real life personage Julia Child, post-WWII Paris, and her entertaining fictional characters and mystery plot.
A Fashionably French Murder is the third installment in a series of standalone mysteries. That said, there are elements that carry over through the series so I think they work best read in order.
Tabitha continues her job of teaching French to the American expat community in Paris, learning to cook from her neighbor and friend, Julia, looking after her Messieurs (her grandpa and uncle), and trying hard to stay away from dead bodies for a while. This ends when a translating job takes her to a newly established fashion house and she stumbles on a murder. She has full intentions of leaving it up to the police especially when the case ends up with Merveille as the lead detective, but people will talk to her when they won’t talk to ‘the flics’ and she spots little oddities she can’t help but dig into.
Like with the earlier books, the historical background is relevant and comes alive like an extra character in the book and, for all the details, never bogs down the pace of the plot. This time, the focus is French Couture fashion. I enjoyed learning details of this industry during that time period including a scene when a Collection was being shown. Had to laugh when Tabitha thought to herself that her hometown Detroit wasn’t exactly known for high fashion.
As always, Julia’s cooking had my mouth watering. I appreciated seeing Tabitha continue to grow as a character and figure out a little of her feelings about a certain stern Inspector. Oh, and I can’t not mention her feral cat friend who pops up in each book.
The murder mystery was the easiest so far to figure out, but was still enjoyable to see Tabitha and the others work through the evidence and witnesses to the truth.
I’ll wrap up with saying I was again well satisfied and left eager for the next installment. Those who enjoyed a strong historical element, lively characters, and a clever mystery should give this series a go.
About Colleen Cambridge
Colleen Gleason (aka Colleen Cambridge, C.M. Gleason, and Alex Mandon) is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling and award-winning author who can’t seem to decide what type of book to write…so she writes a lot of different genres!
So far, Colleen has written everything from vampire hunters to dystopian romance, to steampunk, historical romance, and mysteries with a supernatural flair or a historical setting. One element, however, that appears in all of her stories, is that of partnership…whether it be professional, romantic, or both.
All of Colleen’s books feature strong heroines experiencing fast-paced adventures, danger, mystery, and of course, romance. But at the core of each story is the belief that every woman deserves a partner who accepts her for her strengths as well as her weaknesses—and vice versa.
Colleen lives in the midwest United States with her family and two dogs, and is always working on her next book.
As a lifelong reader, it was inevitable that Sophia would discover book blogs and the joy of blog reviewing.Sophia is a prolific reader and audiobook listener which allows her to experience so many wonderful books, authors, and narrators.Few genres are outside her reading tastes, but her true love is fiction particularly history, mystery, sci-fi, and romance.Though, sorry, no horror or she will run like Shaggy and Scooby.
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I do want to read this series.
Oh yeah, these are so good. 🙂
I’m glad you liked it. Happy Easter
These were a great find this year. 🙂
Happy Easter, Mary!
I’m sure I’d enjoy this series with the setting, good food and a fun mystery! I need to add this one to my TBR!
I agree. You would love all those aspects of it, Rachel.
Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. I do like the sounds of this series. I need a good mystery series soon. I’m nearly done with one series I’ve been chipping away at.
And, this one is only on the third book so you won’t have so much to catch up. The author is a Michigander so the heroine is from the Detroit area. 🙂
This series is really calling me! It looks fantastic!
Yay! And, its not too far along for a plus-plus!