The Books of the Dead is the second in a series, following Death in Paris, which I have not yet read. I found The Books of the Dead to be a novel that will appeal to lovers of cozy mysteries who are able to suspend some disbelief.
Our two sleuths, Magda and Rachel, are American ex-pats who live in Paris. They have a relationship with a French Inspector, Boussicault, who involves them in solving some of his cases. Why this would happen is the what requires a reader’s suspension of disbelief.
The case involves several murders and the theft of valuable pages from historic books. Suspects include those who work for or do research at the Biblioteque Nationale. Each suspect has a backstory that gives credence to why they may have committed the crimes. While solving the case along with our detectives, the reader gets to dash around Paris, spending a sufficient amount of time in cafes and bars.
The end of the book includes some extras. For example, there is a glossary of French terms.
I found this book to be an easy and relaxing read. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this book in exchange for an honest review.
Praise for Death in Paris:
“[A] très charmant debut . . . Though set in the present, the book has a timeless quality . . . Fans of cozies and the City of Lights, or drawn to the theme of female friendship, will eagerly await an encore. Pair this with Cara Black’s beloved Aimée Leduc series.”
—Booklist, starred review
“[A] delightful debut and series launch… Bernhard fills the novel with entertaining characters, conjures up an authentic Paris, and gives the reader intelligent, if frothy, fun.”
―Publishers Weekly
“A vivid picture of the delights and day-to-day of Paris living… Rachel and Magda are a wonderful sleuthing duo and I enjoyed them hashing out the information about the suspects, in true Parisian fashion.”
―Night Owl Reviews
“A fun romp through Paris’s chicest districts alongside two delightful amateur sleuths.”
―M. L. Longworth, author of the Provençal Mystery series
“With a dreamy location, plenty of sensory details, a passel of suspects, and a dash of suspense, Death in Paris is as luscious as a pain au chocolat served at a sidewalk cafe. Bernhard’s debut promises a wonderful new series set in the most beautiful city in the world.”
―Juliet Blackwell, New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Key
“Bernhard has crafted a delightfully atmospheric mystery, a pièce de résistance filled with the flavor of Paris, France.”
―Allyson K. Abbott, author of Murder on the Rocks
“A captivating cozy murder mystery with a bonus tour of everyone’s favorite city.”
―John Pearce, author of Treasure of Saint-Lazare
Joyce's mystery and fiction book reviews with some non-fiction too! 