Mastering the Art of French Murder (An American In Paris Mystery)
This first book in a mystery series by Colleen Cambridge features Tabitha Knight, the fictional best friend of Julia Child in 1949 Paris. Tabitha, raised in a Detroit suburb, was a Rosie the Riveter during World War II and has come to Paris to live with her French grandfather and his partner, Rafe, Tabitha’s honorary uncle. She gives French lessons to Americans in Paris and learns to cook from her neighbor, Julia Child. After a party given by Julia’s sister, who works in a theater, the dead body of one of the guests is found in the cellar of Julia’s building. The inspector assigned to the case discovers that the murder weapon was Julia’s chef’s knife and that the victim had a note with Tabitha’s name and address in her pocket. Tabitha knows Julia wouldn’t have killed the woman, and she herself had only talked to her briefly. She sets out to solve the case to clear herself and Julia from suspicion.
This book is an absolute delight from beginning to end. Tabitha is a great character, intelligent and strong, whose natural curiosity leads her into dangerous situations. She is a big fan of classic mysteries, especially Agatha Christie’s, and the plot is definitely a tribute to Christie, but with a hint of Cold War intrigue. The scenes featuring Julia Child’s cooking are a highlight of the book, and made me hungry as I was reading them. Her gregarious personality and genius in the kitchen are conveyed very well. The book gives you a wonderful sense of Paris just after World War II and the German occupation as rationing is coming to an end, and the city is coming back to life. Tabitha finds it an exciting time to be in Paris. I look forward to more of her adventures.
