Murder Visits a French Village by Susan C. Shea, published March 7, 2023, Severn House
Genre: cozy mystery, France, Burgundy
About: Ariel Shepard is devastated by the sudden loss of her husband, but nothing could have prepared her for inheriting the rundown French château they'd visited on their honeymoon four years ago. With finances tight she has no choice but to swap her Manhattan apartment and city lifestyle for a renovation project in a peaceful French village. (publisher)
I was in the mood for a cozy mystery and found this one on my ebook shelf. It's a good choice as it also is set in France, which makes it a candidate for the July in Paris 2023 Challenge.
I enjoyed the book, even though much of it has to do with renovations and rebuilding, as so many stories of expats in France do. The chateau is old, but Ariel's husband secretly bought it for her some time before he died, leaving her to do all the changes by herself. She finds it a refreshing challenge, nevertheless.
Of course, there are other expats and many French people who work on the chateau. But this book is a mystery, not a travel memoir, and there is a murder on the chateau grounds that Ariel has to solve. The mystery also involves the French laws of inheritance, which gives any offspring of the owner, legitimate or otherwise, the right of inheritance. The question remains whether or not Ariel legally owns the chateau, or if there is a son or daughter somewhere who would be the rightful owner.
As she is a widow, Ariel had me waiting for a new romance to show up, but it turns out her real loves are the chateau and the memory of her deceased husband.
An enjoyable cozy, overall, but the wrap up takes some time. A four-star read overall.
Just about to finish the 'Future Fossils' book (VERY good). Next up is 'Weapons of Math Destruction - How Big Data Increases Inequality and Threatens Democracy by Cathy O'Neil, then 'The Wives of Los Alamos' by Tarashea Nesbit.
ReplyDeleteI'm almost thankful that I'm not much of a fan of the cozy mystery genre because I can barely keep up with my reading now. This one is kind of tempting...but I've been tempted before and they just never seem to satisfy in the end.
ReplyDeleteSounds pretty good. A nice visit to France :)
ReplyDeleteCozies are not my favorite genre but I do occasionally read them and this one does sound interesting.
ReplyDeleteI love HGTV so I think I'd love this book. I may add it to my list but right now I'm struggling to read through my 20 Books Of Summer books.
ReplyDeleteI love a good mystery, and this one sounds pretty good. A cozy with a FRench setting I read earlier this year was Murder in Province. I enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteAs you know, I'm don't read many cozies - and there are SO many out there....Very cool that it works for the France challenge. I've come across many who are participating in that. I look forward to where you visit in France next.
ReplyDeleteTerrie @ Bookshelf Journeys
I like the setting!
ReplyDeleteThis book sounds wonderful. I'm going to check and see if my library has it. Have a great week!
ReplyDeleteNice review, glad you enjoyed it!!
ReplyDeleteOh yes, a mystery set in a chateau. I'm always intrigued by people who move to a new place and start their lives over. Renovating a chateau would be something I'd love to experience.
ReplyDeleteOo I am adding this to my list!! I am all about cozy mysteries right now and this one sounds fantastic.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a good one. It is nice to have a cozy without a romance once in a while. Happy reading!
ReplyDeleteOh, the setting sounds amazing. Every now and then, I enjoy a good cozy mystery. My favorite cozy series was by Anna Gerard, they were so good. Have a great week 🌞📚💜
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of a cozy mystery set in France. This one sounds very good.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a fun read. All the cozies I read are set in the States. This would be a nice change.
ReplyDeleteI rarely read cozies, but this one sounds like a good one, especially of the French setting.
ReplyDeleteI haven't read this one, but I'm from Burgundy, so it would be fun to see the area through this book
ReplyDeleteThis looks like a good book for the French Challenge. Glad that you enjoyed it reasonably.
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