A Deadly Éclair

Mimi Rousseau is starting to be more optimistic about her Bistro and Inn. The debt her late husband hid from her in the past had paralyzed her belief in the future. With the aid of Bryan Baker, who liked to invest in promising prospects, she is more confident and secure for the future.

The dream of opening her own business felt unattainable when she moved back home to Nouvelle Vie in Napa Valley. Then her best friend, Jorianne James, introduced her to Bryan and everything changed. When Bryan turns up dead after an out-of-towner’s wedding party, all Mimi can do is worry. It looks like someone is setting Mimi up to take the blame. She has to find the killer before she ends up behind bars for the rest of her life.

The wedding is the talk of the town. Famous talk show host Angelica Edmonton has chosen Mimi’s inn as her perfect wedding venue. Everything seems to be going smoothly until Angelica’s father, Edison gets drunk and causes a scene. As the evening passes, Mimi starts to relax. Even when she witnesses a few arguments between Bryan and several members of the wedding party, she feels the dinner is a hit. Early the next morning, Mimi receives a knock on her door and opens it to reveal a frantic Angelica demanding that she call the police.

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Series: A French Bistro Mystery – Book #1
Author: Daryl Wood Gerber
Genre: Cozy Mystery/Culinary
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books

Rating:

A Deadly Éclair, is the series debut by Agatha Award-winning author Daryl Wood Gerber. Like her other series, Ms. Gerber creates a cast of characters that bond together to make a murderous event into an enjoyable experience for the reader. Her writing is smooth and tantalizing, with enough twists and turns to keep the reader enthralled to the end.

Mimi is a great chef. However, she has a lack of confidence that could almost be crippling if not for her family and friends standing beside her encouraging her to spread her wings. Her employees are more family than anything else, and she treats them like family as well. Chef C, at first, is like a cranky old aunt but is nice, happy, and enjoys teasing those around her. Most of the characters are fun, exciting, and compliment Mimi. They bring reality to the story and a kinship to the reader.

The murder is conducted in an unusual fashion leading to worry and fear for Mimi as well as being a hit to her self-confidence. Mimi isn’t a detective in any sense of the word, but she falls into the role with ease, even if it is only to save her hide. She receives help from everyone, including her mother, and the police detective involved in the case to solve the crime and clear her name.

This book is very well written, with rounded characters that inspire as well as entertain. The investigation has plenty of red herrings to satisfy even the pickiest reader. The cooking ideas and recipes are mouth-watering and will make the reader hungry. The action is subtle but is throughout the book. The unmasking of the villain is a bit disappointing but does answer all the questions posed throughout the story. The motive for the murder was not apparent until the suspects were thoroughly examined. Most readers will not know who the killer was until the very end.

A Deadly Éclair is highly recommended. The series will be a hit with readers. Those who enjoy culinarily themed cozy’s will be in heaven. Fans of mysteries and authors that rely heavily on food as an integral part of the story will enjoy this book. This series is a wonderful addition to Ms. Gerber’s growing collection of work.