A review by booksare42
Death and Croissants by Ian Moore

adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

This review was originally posted on my blog: https://booksare42.com/
 

Have you ever picked up a book and after you finished it though, “ahh, this is exactly what I needed?” That’s how I felt about Death and Croissants by Ian Moore. After being on the verge of a reading slump, my library hold came through and this book was exactly what I needed. 

Death and Croissants takes place in the Loire Valley in France. Richard, a seemingly uninteresting person who runs a bed and breakfast, finds himself caught up in a mystery when a bloody hand print shows up on his wall and a guest goes missing. Valérie, one of the other guests at his B&B is on the case and Richard is tangled up in the mess, whether he likes it or not. To make matters worse, someone has murdered one of his hens, which makes the matter personal. 

I absolutely loved Richard. I have a soft spot for characters who find themselves caught up in chaos and mysteries even though it’s the last thing they want to be dealing with. On one hand, he just wants to live a quiet life making breakfast for guests and watching his films, but on the other he’s thrilled because the chaos is the most excitement he’s felt in years. He’s such a reluctant hero and I found myself rooting for him throughout the book. I also enjoyed his sense of humour, he had a few moments that made me laugh-out-loud.

Valérie, the other main character, was a whirlwind of mysterious energy. It’s clear that there’s more to her than meets the eye and that she’s a force to be reckoned with. I thought Valérie and Richard made the perfect team. I love a quality detective duo and Valérie and Richard did not disappoint in this department. 

I loved the setting of this book. All of the best cozy mysteries take place in quiet little towns or villages. The cast of characters and suspects was memorable and intriguing. I loved learning more about the people in town and trying to piece together how they might be connected with the crime. I hope that some of the characters make future appearances later on in the series. 

As far as the plot goes, this was exactly what I want to see in a cozy mystery. It wasn’t overly violent. There was a decent cast of suspects, but not so many that I couldn’t keep track of what was going on and who was who. There were twists and turns that kept me reading past my bedtime to figure out who the guilty party was. There was also the slightest inkling of a romantic subplot that in no way took away from the overall story. 

Overall, I thought this was a thoroughly enjoyable read. It’s perfect for fans of Agatha Christie or Richard Osman or anyone looking for a cozy mystery. I’m looking forward to continuing on with this series and seeing what trouble finds Richard and Valérie next.