Looks like it’s cooking cozy week here at The Cozy Owlet, and this time we’re exploring a historical cozy set in 1950s Paris. Fun fact – when I first realized I could get access to ARC as a book blogger last year, Mastering the Art of French Murder was one of (if not the) the first books I requested. I was so excited by the premise – a cozy mystery set in post-war Paris, prominently featuring Julia Child? Sign me up!

It took a bit longer than I expected, but here I am, months later, with enough time to read and think about the novel. (Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington books for the gift copy!) Delicious food, historical immersion, and murder investigations – Mastering the Art of French Murder promises a lot. But can it deliver?

A French feast of a novel

Look, if you’re picking up a historical cozy mystery featuring Julia Child as one of the main characters, you’re in it for the food. And in this regard, Mastering the Art of French Murder does not disappoint. The novel features Tabitha Knight, a (fictional) American in post-war Paris who lives with her maternal grandfather (and his *close male friend*). Grandpère and Oncle Rafe happen to live right across the street from Julia Child, who’s pre-cooking celebrity and taking classes at Le Cordon Bleu. It’s a lucky thing too, because Tabitha can’t cook even simple fare without causing some kind of kitchen disaster. Julia takes Tabitha under her wing for some cooking lessons (much to her grandfather’s joy).

As you might expect, the book is full of mouth-watering descriptions of well-made French omelettes, roast chicken, and a braised ham that made me consider getting some groceries. Not only that – Cambridge includes tips and tricks on how to best cook this dishes in question. There’s guidance from Julia on how much butter to use (almost always more) and how to make a great mayonnaise – a pursuit that lasts most of the novel. There’s something special about imagining food cooked by a renowned master of the craft in a cute little home kitchen. It doesn’t get more cozy than a home-made lunch, served by Julia Child for her close friends.

One thing to note is that the novel doesn’t contain any recipes or even an aggregate collection of cooking tips at the end. It didn’t mar my enjoyment in the least – but it’s something I’m so used to in this type of mystery that I thought it might be worth calling out here.

An (anachronistic?) American in Paris

Cambridge clearly did her research while working on this novel, and the attention to detail is wonderful. We’re talking everything from shopping habits (open-air markets!) to contemporaneous indecency laws (apparently women could only wear pants if cycling?). Julia and Paul Child feel like real people with real lives. So does Dorothy (Julia’s sister) and even her real-life actor paramour Ivan . Purely from the facts, Cambridge has put in the work to make this feel like post-war Paris.

So why the question mark in the title, you ask? The historical accuracy does not always extend to the writing, which is sprinkled with anachronisms. (At one point in my reading notes, I simply wrote down “Database???”) Tabitha may experience life like a woman in 1950s Paris – but she doesn’t speak like one. Each time I came across such an entry, I’d find myself jolted out of the narrative. And in some ways, this feels like an unfair criticism – after all, the facts themselves are so well-researched! But if the point of a historical setting is immersion and empathy, I found that the modern language threw me out of the world. (I do have high hopes this can be fixed in future entries in the series! It wouldn’t stop me from picking up the next Tabitha Knight novel – but a repeat might stop me from round 3.)

Straddling mystery and adventure

So we’ve got great food, lovely historical details – but what about the murder? One night, Tabitha attends a party at the Childs’; the next night, one of the guests turns up, murdered by Julia’s chef’s knife. Enter the reticent and surly French inspector who (of course) instantly suspects Julia and Tabitha, for reasons primarily of convenience. Tabitha can’t help but nose around the murder investigation, especially since the closed circle of suspects all work with Dort at the theater.

I’ve been pretty vocal about my thoughts on the “mystery” element of the cozy genre. Usually, I find that these stories are light on the fair-play elements of the mystery, and tend to act more as an adventure. I was pleasantly surprised to see that Cambridge, in Mastering the Art of French Murder , has created more of a puzzle. There are clues and hints dropped earlier than usual for the genre. The solution itself is perhaps a little guessable from a genre-awareness perspective, but I still enjoyed reading it.

That said, there are still some areas for improvement on the mystery. It’s tough writing a historical mystery – clues and oddities that would stick out for the characters might not hit a modern audience so clearly. Cambridge struggles with this, at times explaining clues so much you can’t help but notice. There are other integration challenges, most notably with the inclusion of a Cold War narrative that only starts midway through the book. Come for the poulet rôti, stay for the spy shenanigans, I guess?

Reader’s notes & rating (⭐⭐⭐✨)

If I seem harsh above, it’s not because I didn’t enjoy the read. Colleen Cambridge has written a wonderfully cozy book that has me wishing for a big plate of French home cooking. Rather, it’s because Mastering the Art of French Murder feels like a good cozy that could have been great. Just a little more attention to language and plot integration would have elevated this fun weekend read to one of my favorites of the genre this year. Thus, 3.5 stars, and I’m excited to see what comes next from Colleen Cambridge and An American in Paris.

Mastering the Art of French Murder by Colleen Cambridge will be released on April 25, 2023.