Mostly Murders

The first sign of trouble came disguised as gossip. Like a curl of smoke, it slipped through my bookshop’s half-open windows with meandering confidence, snaking its way through the Latin Quarter.

When the rich and prominent Fournier, owner of the glamorous Maison Fournier department store in Paris, dies under very public circumstances right after having an altercation with Emma Greene, she becomes a suspect in his murder. A former French teacher, Emma has left America and a broken engagement behind and settled down in Paris, looking for peace and quiet while running a small bookshop, but when the Paris newspapers loudly declare her a murderess, Emma sets out to prove her innocence with the help of her new friends Cécile, a fellow shop owner, and Luc, an artist and Emma’s assistant.

The character portraits are colourful and entertaining. Emma is a sympathetic main character, and the author does a great job of using Emma’s background as a teacher and granddaughter of an immigrant to explain her aptitude for sleuthing and determination to succeed against the odds. Cécile is an interesting woman combining the eccentric and the exotic with her no-nonsense attitude, penchant for men’s clothing and a talking parrot, and Luc is a spirited young artist who has a never-ending catalogue of contacts all across Paris. Inspector Lefèvre is mysterious and stoic, and even minor characters like Emma’s landlady, Madame Boulanger, are fun and endearing.

I love a good cosy historical mystery with strong-willed female protagonists defying social constraints and randomly finding themselves in the middle of a murder investigation, and Secrets of the Maison Fournier is a great example of the genre. Paris in 1888 is the perfect setting for this atmospheric mystery with a touch of romance and danger, celebrating the beauty and glamour of Paris, the quaintness of tiny, independent bookshops and the magic of friendship.

Many thanks to BookSirens for this ARC. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Secrets of the Maison Fournier releases on February 9th, 2026.

Cosy mystery – Historical fiction