Death and Croissants

December 1, 2022

DEBUT At 53, Richard Ainsworth, a former film historian, only wants to lead a quiet life running his bed-and-breakfast in France's Loire Valley. His daughter is married, and he and his wife are separated. When his housekeeper informs him Monsieur Vincent Grandchamps, a guest, is missing, and there is a bloody handprint on the wall, Richard moans that these kind of things are not supposed to happen to him. But, another guest, Valerie d'Orcay, is excited. The widowed Valerie is bored and looking for excitement, so she's eager to search for the missing man. She enlists a hesitant Richard to help search. When they learn the missing man is the brother of a local judge, and Vincent has a price on his head with a dangerous couple searching for him, the investigation takes an intriguing turn. Richard is reluctantly caught up in Valerie's drama, until someone kills Ava Gardner, his hen. Now, even the timid Richard is willing to launch a dangerous search for the missing man, because no one messes with his beloved chickens. VERDICT The charming mystery, released in 2021 in the UK, is a fast-paced, witty story for those who enjoy dry British humor.--Lesa Holstine

Copyright 2022 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 2, 2023
U.K. comedian Moore makes his U.S. debut with a mildly amusing series launch set in France. Richard Ainsworth, the owner of a bed and breakfast in the Loire Valley, spends his days just trying to melt unobtrusively into the background, avoiding confrontation with his guests; his soon to be ex-wife, Clare; and Madame Tablier, his grim housekeeper who’s “permanently on the edge of outrage.” One fateful morning, he meets a new arrival at the B&B, elegant, “absurdly glamorous,” and rather mysterious Valérie d’Orçay. She glides into the breakfast room and announces: “You have a missing guest, an old man. There is blood on the walls and a broken pair of spectacles. I suggest we do something, don’t you?” So begins Richard’s seduction into a more adventurous life. With Valérie giving the orders, Richard winds up on the trail of the vanished lodger and of a possible killer, while pursuing and being pursued in turn by a pack of Mafia assassins. The plot wobbles along, trailing behind the protagonists as they race hither and thither, but ultimately going nowhere. The book has a nice setup, but mediocre execution. Mystery fans should be prepared for minimal investigating. Agent: Bill Goodall, Bill Goodall Literary (U.K.).