Infinite Books

Tabitha Knight is a twenty-something girl from Detroit who moved to Paris. She lives with her grandfather and uncle, tutoring Parisians in English (her French is perfect thanks to her French mother.) It’s 1949, and Paris has just reclaimed its title of “The City of Lights” after the darkness of WWII. The restaurants are open, the theaters show new plays, and people are eager to enjoy life again, including its culinary delights. Tabitha is not a skillful cook, but fortunately, she befriends Julia Child, who lives across the street with her husband, Paul. Julia’s dishes are extraordinary, and Tabitha is thrilled to accompany her friend to the market and later watch her cooking. The latest goal is perfecting mayonnaise, which turns out differently than in the past – and Julia tries to figure out what has changed.

The happy times are interrupted by the news of a murder. Tabitha decides to investigate as the murdered woman was a young girl, about Tabitha’s age, and it’s hard to comprehend that someone from the theater where she worked at coat check murdered her. And she was murdered with Julia Child’s chef knife!

“Mastering the Art of French Murder” was one of those audiobooks I couldn’t wait until I had time to listen to. It was like returning to your favorite series episode where all characters are familiar and friendly (except the bad guys). Tabitha is spunky and intelligent, and her uncle and grandpa are warm and very French, but I enjoyed Julia Child the most. Of course, by now, with many movies and series about her, almost everybody is familiar with Julia’s endearing personality. The audiobook’s narrator did an outstanding job with Julia’s voice – I could practically see the famous chef entering the Tabitha kitchen with exciting news and an even more exciting, mouthwatering dish.

This is the first mystery novel in this “An American in Paris” series, and I’ll be anxiously awaiting Tabitha’s next adventure. Perhaps she will join forces with Inspector Merveille, whose dark as the steely blue ocean eyes may see not only the next murderer but Tabitha’s intelligence and beauty. And I’ll be looking forward to more recipes because when one follows Julia’s instructions to Tabitha, it’s possible to end up with the perfect omelet sprinkled with fresh tarragon!

MASTERING THE ART OF FRENCH MURDER, by Colleen Cambridge, narated by Polly Lee, Kensington Books, 2023