Reviewing the Art of French Murder
A Spoiler-Free Review of the An American in Paris series by Colleen Cambridge
Words by Loviisa Pasternak
Colleen Cambridge is a Michigan author of historical mysteries. Her An American in Paris series stars Tabitha Knight, a half-French, former-Rosie the Riveter from the suburbs of Detroit, who travels to Paris to stay with her grandfather. While there, she becomes something of a magnet for murder.
The third book in the series, A Fashionably French Murder, comes out on April 29th, 2025. Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the advanced reader copy! Keep an eye out for an interview with the author, Colleen Cambridge, coming soon to the Femmage Zine blog!
This first installment blew me away. Readers are introduced to the delightful cast, from Julia Child, Tabitha’s best friend and a fellow expat studying at Le Cordon Bleu, to Grandpère and honorary-Oncle Rafe, the loving family members with whom Tabitha resides. Of course, I would be remiss if I didn’t also mention the enigmatic Inspector Merveille, a stalwart police detective who protests (perhaps too much) Tabitha’s involvement in the case. There’s also my favorite character: Monsieur Oscar Wilde, Grandpère’s darling papillon who takes his job as a watchdog very seriously.
When a body is found in the cellar of Julia’s building and the murder weapon is identified as Julia’s prized chef’s knife, Tabitha feels she must intervene to protect her friend from suspicion. This involves navigating the city of post-World War II Paris armed with only her wits and her trusty Swiss army knife.
I am not enough of an historian to attest to the accuracy of the language, culture, or events of the time. However, as a casual reader of historical fiction, I felt thoroughly immersed in the setting, which provided a strong foundation for the mystery plotline. As the stakes rose higher and higher, I lost myself entirely to the story. Though the fun and campy tone kept it from becoming too anxiety-inducing, some moments still caused my blood to chill! Overall, the mystery was very digestible without the whodunnit being obvious, which led to a fantastically captivating reading experience. Five stars.
For the second time, Tabitha and Julia find themselves in the middle of a murder—or rather, murders. During a demonstration at Le Cordon Bleu, the audience of amateur cooks is treated to a grisly scene when a chef succumbs to cyanide poisoning right in front of them. The murder weapon? A very old and very valuable bottle of French wine. This is not only tragic, but an affront to all of French culture, given the history of French wine being stolen and destroyed by the Germans during the war. Soon, a single death turns into a string of poisonings. The stakes climb higher than ever as the number of bodies grow, and it isn’t long until danger arrives at Tabitha’s doorstep.
But Tabitha isn’t going to get caught up in another investigation. She barely escaped the last one with her life, and Inspector Merveille’s warning still rings in her ears! Except, well, just asking some questions couldn’t hurt, could it?
In this second installment, readers follow Tabitha across Paris—and under it, as she braves the labyrinthine web of catacombs that weave beneath the city. At a certain point, readers may be able to guess the culprit, but I was able to enjoy the rising tension that accompanied the dramatic irony. Knowing a little more than the main character did kept me on the edge of my seat, mentally (and sometimes out loud) beseeching Tabitha to be careful and watch out! Once again, Colleen Cambridge balances humor and suspense to create an unputdownable cozy mystery. Four stars.
We return to post-war Paris, this time, to solve a murder at a fashion house. While Paris was under German occupation, the city’s title of fashion capital of the world was almost seized by London and New York. Now, thanks to some recognizable names, Parisian haute couture is reclaiming its former glory. But when a young designer is found dead and her partner accuses Christian Dior of being the killer, Tabitha can’t quite shake her interest in the case. She does her best to keep out of it, focusing instead on helping the injured alley cat who saved her life in book one and a shoemaker whose store has been robbed, but she isn’t able to stay away for long.
Meanwhile, Grandpère and Oncle Rafe are at each other's throats about the restaurant they are renovating, Julia is busy as ever at Le Cordon Bleu, and we get to see Merveille as more than just a police detective.
As the story concludes, the investigation takes a turn for the emotionally-raw and grounded. Though I missed the pure excitement of the other installments’ finales, I appreciated the description of overwhelming devastation and righteous fury that survivors of the German occupation experienced. Readers who appreciate an emphasis on the historical will doubtless enjoy this book, for its reflection on the lingering tension in Paris and its incredible attention-to-detail (the gowns described in Dior’s fashion show are the real dresses that the real Dior made for the 1950 spring/summer season). Four stars.