This book invites readers to again spent time with the Killers of a Certain Age. Although I have not read the first in this series, I felt that I was able to jump right in.
Readers meet four women who have a spectacular skill set including proficiency in disguise, strategy and killing. They are Helen, Billie, Natalie and Mary Alice. These women are called back into service to avenge a colleague’s murder and the mayhem then briskly takes off.
This book is full of action, drama, excitement, good characters, a variety of global settings and more. It is a kind of James Bond for the older woman (but not too old) vibe. I found it to be very enjoyable.
I have read other series by this author. This one is a bit different. Kudos to Raybourn for doing something new …and succeeding.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for this title. All opinions are my own.
The American in Paris mysteries are so enjoyable. The sleuths in this three book, post WWII, series are Julia Child and her fictional friend Tabitha. Both enjoy living in Paris with its markets, neighborhoods, foods and more to explore. These settings are delightfully described.
Of course, Julia is learning to cook and makes sublime meals. She also tries to help Tabitha achieve some culinary mastery. Julia cooks for her husband Paul in a marriage that comes across as strong and supportive. Tabitha cooks for her grandfather and uncle; the latter is not her relation but is in a relationship with Tabitha’s grandfather.
This time the murder mystery takes place in the world of haute couture. I loved this setting and learned a lot about French fashion during the time period. Readers may be startled to know that Madame Lannet’s close friend thinks that the murder was committed by Christian Dior. Mon Dieu! And, there will be more than one murder.
Tabitha and Julia are on the case. Readers of the series will be happy to welcome them and the regulars back to print. Some will wonder if Tabitha will finally have her romance with a certain detective. Qui sait?
This book is one that it is easy to recommend. I very much enjoyed it and hope that the series will have a long life.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for this title. All opinions are my own.
The Four Queens of Crime were among the very best of the best writers of detective fiction’s Golden Age. They were Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers, Margery Allingham and Ngaio Marsh. Anyone who loves classic crime stories knows their names and all serious mystery readers have a treat in store for them if, somehow, these authors passed them by.
Limoncelli has included these four as key characters in two books, of which this is the second. She also includes an historical personage in Lilian Wyles, a police inspector. I thought the first book was very good and found this second title to be even better.
In this story set during WWII much happens. There is murder, at least one missing person, stolen pharmaceuticals, spies and many suspicious activities. There are also friendships and other relationships.Everything comes together in a crackerjack plot.
I highly recommend this title to those who enjoy historical mysteries.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Press for this title. All opinions are my own.
Description:
from the publisher
DCI Lilian Wyles is confronted by a troubling case, one that only the four queens of crime can help solve—even amidst the ongoing war efforts.
Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, Margery Allingham, and Ngaio Marsh are back in the follow-up novel to The Four Queens of Crime.
1941, London. When DCI Lilian Wyles finds a young woman murdered at King’s Cross Station, she needs the help of someone she can trust, but Richard Davidson, her former Scotland Yard partner, has joined MI5 and is busy tracking black market routes outside of London, so for now, she is on her own.
After having met the four queens of crime during a murder investigation two years earlier, DCI Wyles has kept in touch. But Agatha, Dorothy, Margery, and Ngaio are all involved in the war effort and have problems of their own.
Agatha is volunteering at the University Hospital Pharmacy, where a dangerous anesthetic has been stolen. Dorothy has heard unsettling information from her connections at the BBC regarding members of the Royal Navy. Margery, who has been in the countryside helping families escape the city from the bombing, is worried about one of her charges whose older sister has gone missing. And Ngaio, who has relocated to New Zealand and is volunteering as an ambulance driver, has begun gathering secret intelligence from wounded soldiers and sailors that may put her in danger.
When the four queens contact DCI Wyles for help, the information they share makes the final pieces of the puzzle fall into place. DCI Wyles once again finds herself collaborating with her old partners in crime to solve the mystery and close the case in this thrilling sequel, perfect for fans of Nicola Upson and Anna Lee Huber.
Editorial Reviews:
“An intricate and tense whodunit . . . Fans of British historicals will appreciate the challenge.” —Publishers Weekly
“Limoncelli skillfully handles bringing four iconic mystery writers to life, as well as highlighting women pioneers in law enforcement . . . This twisty mystery delivers.” —Library Journal
“London and the English countryside in 1941 are vividly brought to life . . . Limoncelli skillfully weaves facts and fiction to create an exceptional, page-turning historical mystery.” —Booklist
In the Spirit of French Murder is the fourth in a wonderful historical mystery series that features Julia Child as a main character. I dare anyone to read about her cooking without getting hungry! Also, Paris is beautifully evoked and might make a person want to visit. Other areas in France also come into the story.
Look at the cover. It reflects some things that are important in this novel. Also, it is possible that the title of this one has more than one meaning.
Anyone who has read the earlier books, will be delighted to visit with the many familiar characters including Tabitha, her love interests, her uncle and grandfather, the market stall owners and more. Note that I don’t think that it is necessary to have read the other books to enjoy this one but I think readers might want to.
What is the significance of the warnings of a psychic? What do the bluets mean? Will the murders be solved? Read this entertaining, atmospheric story to find out.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for this title. All thoughts are my own.
Pub date: 28 April 2026
Post first published on 17 April 2026
Note the other titles in this series are reviewed on my blog.
Description:
from the publisher
After moving to France, Tabitha Knight has a new friend in fellow expat and Cordon Bleu student Julia Child, whose culinary tips can come in quite handy. But something’s cooking in postwar Paris, and it isn’t just cheese soufflé…
Tabitha has enjoyed an entertaining afternoon in Julia’s kitchen, but her return home is a bit jarring. As she arrives at her grandfather’s rue de l’Université mansion, a woman bursts out the door babbling about messages from spirits and a warning Grand-père must heed. Oncle Rafe angrily sends the woman on her way, and neither man will answer Tabitha’s questions.
It’s not the last she sees of the mysterious visitor. While she’s on a date that evening, she’s accosted by her again—and learns that Madame Vierca is a medium who claims to have visions of a dark fate that awaits Grand-père and Oncle Rafe. The very next night, Tabitha’s messieurs host a soiree at their new restaurant, inviting fellow Resistance fighters from the war known as the Nine Bluets. To commemorate the work of the Resistance network, the vase on the dinner table sports nine of the pretty blue flowers.
But shortly after the revelers leave the restaurant, one of Grand-père’s old friends is found dead on the street . . . and one of the nine flowers is missing from the vase. When a second member of the Nine Bluets is found poisoned the next day, and a bluet flower is left with the body, Tabitha cannot ignore Madame Vierca’s frightening predictions about her dear messieurs. She has no choice but to share her suspicions and fears with the enigmatic and unruffled Inspecteur Merveille.
Tabitha soon finds herself caught up in an investigation that takes her and Merveille to the seediest, most dangerous parts of the Left Bank—home of strange, fantastical legends, disquieting events, and unusual people. As she and Merveille desperately try to find a killer, they know they don’t have much time before the rest of the Nine Bluets are targeted . . . including Grand-père and Oncle Rafe.
Joyce's mystery and fiction book reviews with some non-fiction too! 