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An Art Lover's Guide to Paris and Murder by Dianne Freeman Book Review

Title 

An Art Lover's Guide to Paris and Murder 

Series 

A Countess of Harleigh Mystery ( book #7)

Author 

Dianne Freeman 

Genre 

Historical Cozy Mystery 

Publisher

Kensington 

Format 

Print 

Page Count

295


Book Blurb

Frances and her husband George, have two points of interest in Paris. One is an impromptu holiday to visit the Paris Exposition. The other is personal, George's Aunt Julia has requested her nephew's help in looking into the suspicious death of renowned artist Paul Ducasse. Though Julia is not entirely forthcoming about her reasons, she is clearly a woman mourning a lost love.


At the exposition, swarming with tourists, tragedy casts a pall on the festivities. A footbridge collapses, Julia is among the casualties. However, she was not just another fateful victim. Julia was stabbed to death amid the chaos. With an official investigation at a standstill, George and Frances realize that to solve the case they must dig into Julia's life- as well as Paul's - and question everything and everyone in Julia's coterie of artists and secrets.


They have no shortage of suspects. There is Paul's inscrutable widow Gabrielle. Paul's art dealer and manager,Lucien, Julia's friend Martine, a sculptress with a jealous streak, and art jurist Monsieur Beaufoy.


The investigation takes a turn when it's revealed that George has inherited control of Julia's estate - and another of her secrets. While George investigates, Frances safeguards their new legacy and is drawn further into danger by a killer determined to keep the past buried.




Review 

Get ready to be transported to the art world of Paris packed full of mysteries in this historical cozy mystery book. 

Although this book is part of a series it can easily be read as a stand alone. 


I absolutely loved the fact that the book revolves around a husband and wife sleuthing duo, George and Frances. 

George receives a letter from his Aunt Julia asking him to come to Paris to investigate the death of another artist that has been ruled an accident and Frances jumps at the chance to go to Paris and put her sleuthing skills to the test and get out of the boring routine that they have fallen into.


Once they arrive they discover Julia has been frightened to the point that she no longer wants them to investigate because she fears they will be in danger. Before George can find out what frightened Aunt Julia she is murdered and George discovers that he has been named guardian to Aunt Julia’s 15 year old daughter Lissette, a daughter nobody in the family knew even existed.

 George and Frances go to inform Lissette of her mother's death and discover that Lissette has another young woman named Christine living in the family home as well.

 Christine’s mother was a friend of Julia's when she was alive and Lissette and Christine were practically raised as sisters. The women will go to any length to protect each other but they are also frightened and don't know who to trust and share a secret that just might get them killed. 

The story is fast-paced which works perfectly and has a lively cast of characters. 

There is so much more to the story than simply the mysteries facing George and Frances; several different themes have been woven together beautifully by the author and the story simply flows seamlessly from the first page to the last .


Will George and Frances be able to unravel all the clues, narrow down the long list of suspects, and discover the secret that Lissette and Christine share in order to protect them both?


Make sure you read An Art Lover's Guide to Paris and Murder by Dianne Freeman to find out !

Where to buy 

Kensington Publishing 

Amazon 


About the Author 

Dianne Freeman is the acclaimed author of the Countess of Harleigh Mystery Series. She is an Agatha Award and Lefty Award winner, as well as a nominee for the Macavity Sue Feder Historical Mystery Award and the prestigious Mary Higgins Clark Award. She spent 30 years working in corporate accounting and finance and now writes full-time. Born and raised in Michigan, she and her husband now split their time between Michigan and Arizona. 


Visit Dianne Freeman at her website to learn more.

Follow Dianne Freeman on Instagram 


Help Contribute to my Reading Addiction by supporting me on PayPal 

 


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