Just over a year ago I reviewed Mastering the Art of French Murder, the first in a new series by Colleen Cambridge. Subsequently I read the next two volumes in that series: A Murder Most French and A Fashionably French Murder. (Are you detecting a certain theme there?) I think I’m caught up now, so let’s add my comments on volumes two and three:

If you haven’t read my review of volume one, Mastering the Art of French Murder, you might be wondering why Cambridge is so unoriginal as to copy Julia Child’s cookbook title (except for the last word). But if you did read my review, you know the answer: it’s not plagiarism, it’s not just an allusion, it’s not homage, it’s simply because Julia is a major character in the book — not the protagonist, but definitely a major character. These novels are, in fact, historical fiction, set right after World War II in Paris. As in much historical fiction, part of what makes the books so enjoyable is the mixture of real and made-up characters. Setting is always important to me when reading a novel, and the setting in this series is always well done, giving me a “you are there” feeling. Not that I really know what Paris was like in 1951 (when I was only four years old and living innocently in Flemington, NJ), but Cambridge’s portrayal feels right to me based on what I’ve read and heard.

The first two volumes are pretty light, clearly being cozies. But the third turns much more serious, focusing on the aftermath of the roles of various Parisians during the German occupation in World War II. As I’m sure you know, some were in the Resistance, some were collaborators, and many tried to be neutral. We still have a murder mystery, but we also have much more. There may be some resonances with today.

Categories: Books