Thank you to Harper Perennial #partner, for the advanced copies of Murder Most Delicious in exchange for my honest review.
Publisher: Harper Perennial
Published: May 26, 2026
Summary:
Starting over in Paris was supposed to be the opportunity of a lifetime for American sommelier Olivia Beech—until her dream job ends in murder.
Once a rising star in the wine world, Olivia was one of a handful of women in the world to hold the distinction of being a Master Sommelier before COVID stole her sense of taste—and her career. Adrift and depressed, she gets a second chance when beloved celebrity chef Jacques de Bizet invites her to Paris for a job interview. But as the interview begins, he collapses, poisoned, making Olivia the prime suspect.
Olivia is in trouble, but she has an advantage: her extraordinary nose is still sharp enough to detect the subtlest of scents, including the poison that killed Jacques. Olivia knows she’s innocent, but how can she prove it?
Enter the Paris Neighborhood Watch, an eccentric circle of locals determined to protect their quartier. At the helm is the mysterious Augusta Dupin, a brilliant but agoraphobic detective, aided by her intuitive British shorthair cat, Chateaubriand. Olivia and Augusta join forces with a group of neighborhood amateur sleuths—a pâtissier, a café owner, a part-time librarian, a florist and a kind-hearted cop who may be falling for Olivia—to solve the crime, a search that helps them find not only the killer but fresh purpose in their lives.
Warm, witty, and brimming with food, friendship, and intrigue, Murder Most Delicious transports you to a cozy Parisian neighborhood where the comforts of French daily life soothe the soul even in the darkest times.
My thoughts:
This is such a charming, cozy mystery set in Paris — and while it’s a city I have never been, I felt completely transported there, with the vivid writing and all the amazing scents and descriptions of food and wine!
As with most cozy mysteries, we have a cast of quirky characters that really help bring this story to life. From the “Neighborhood Watch” group to the rather interesting ex-detective, they are all eager to help figure out what happened to the legendary chef, and prove new-comer Olivia had nothing to do with it.
I loved that even with the coziness of this book, there is some depth wrapped in. Themes of identity and finding oneself as well as second chances are deftly woven into the plot.
This was a fun, enjoyable read with just enough twists and turns to keep you guessing.
Audio thoughts:
Imani Jade Powers did an amazing job with this audiobook. Her French accent was a great compliment to the narration and only served to enhance the overall listening experience.
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