Reviewed by Wendy Lipke
The title of this book may sound a little bizarre, but the story is set in France, in an area near the Eiffel Tower and this district is a micro city with its sidewalk cafes, traditional bakeries, old fashioned bistros, florists, and a library. There are also a perfumery and a chocolate shop and all feature in this story. As the French find it hard to live without delicious food, the title does fit what the reader will find inside the cover, even though it is a murder mystery.
Young American sommelier, Olivia Beech, has been invited to Paris by celebrity chef, Jacques de Bizet. She is hoping to reclaim her identity after a disastrous situation in America which ruined her reputation. However, they had only just met when Jacques falls dead at her feet after tasting some wine. Surely, she will be the main suspect as she is the only other person there.
Before the police arrive, the local florist, Chantal De Grasse, enters the establishment and whisks Olivia out the back door. She is taken to the home of Augusta Dupin a former detective who is part of the Neighbourhood Watch. This is a small group of local businesspeople who have taken on the responsibility of making sure this area of France retains its safe character. They have had success in the past not because they are the most original investigators but because they are closest to the action. The Watch members are a group of very diverse personalities, but they work together well to achieve their purpose.
They take on the task of collecting all the information from the neighbourhood relevant to this case to solve the crime before the main authorities. They need Olivia because she did not grow up in the area and she sees things differently and has no personal connection to anyone here. They also believe that her special skill, her sense of smell may help them in their endeavours. This becomes an interesting read as it foregrounds Parisian life with its love of food and wine. It is warm and humorous in the way the story unfolds. There is competition, jealousy, strong friendships and even love. The reader learns about the wine and the perfume industry and the problems some people must face daily.
The story is about modern times, highlighting Olivia’s problem, which first brought her to France, the lasting result of COVID. Humour appears in the form of Augusta’s cat Chateaubriand. Another character who caught my attention was the Inspector in charge of the case. Although he plays just a small part in this story, as the focus is The Neighbourhood Watch, it was his name which caught my attention. For viewers of the TV show Father Brown, the name Flambeau, is certainly not one associated with an inspector of police (Hubert Flambeau) unless one considers his quarry.
The author Danielle Postel-Vinay is the French alter ego of the New York Times bestselling author Danielle Trussoni. She has been a Francophile since her first trip to France when she was sixteen. She now has a French husband and has come to know and understand this culture much better. Because she has studied wine seriously, going to vineyards, and taking wine courses with sommeliers, she is able to write about this industry with conviction.
I found Murder Most Delicious to be an interesting read, providing an insight into the wine industry, and the French love of food. As the front cover says ‘In Paris, murder is a dish best served with chocolate éclairs’.
Murder Most Delicious
(2026)
by Danielle Postel-Vinay
Harper Collins
ISBN:978-1-4607-6887-7
$34.99; 304pp