A writers’ retreat in the French countryside. An adorably shabby manor house with a pool. An amazing chef. And a dead keynote speaker.
After the oddly successful murder and crime festival Berit Gardner helped her Cotswolds village put on, she is looking forward to a quiet getaway. Her dear friend and bookstore owner Emma has concocted this retreat in a French chateau. She invited authors, agents, and publishers in hopes that representatives of various states of the process can connect. To sweeten the deal, she has convinced airport paperback bestseller (and notoriously unpleasant person) John Wright to be the keynote speaker to open the conference. The gambit works, the slate is full. Now she just needs the next ten days to go smoothly.
It was like they were attached by an asymmetrical link where only one of them knew they were connected. She wondered if this was what being a stalker felt like. An intoxicating feeling of power and an all-seeing knowledge. Almost…almost like when you were writing, the few times when it flowed freely. ~Loc. 4150
When Wright dies, slumped in his chair while Berit is speaking, it naturally throws a wrench in the plans. No one is going to miss the guy, but they do need to make sure there isn’t a murderer in their midst. Berit, her trusty editorial assistant Sally, local cops, and even an appearance from Det. Ian Ahmed, try to figure out how Wright died, while still trying to keep the conference on track.
I was eager to read this after Bivald’s Murders in Great Diddling, which I found to be a refreshing take on the English cozy village classic. This outing for Berit was less compelling. It was outlandish and yet somehow less believable. I enjoyed it well enough, but I missed the sharpness that she had at home.
Thanks to Poisoned Pen Press/Sourcebooks for the advanced reader copy. Read via NetGalley.
Just Another Dead Author
Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press
Publication date: August 12, 2025
Print length: 384 pages (English)
ISBN-10: 1728295793
What fan of crime fiction hasn’t dreamt about a luxury trip on the Orient Express? It turns out it still runs from Paris to Istanbul and it is the setting for Sulari Gentill’s latest mystery novel.
Joe Penvale, successful mystery writer, has just finished his cancer treatment. As a celebration, he and his sister Meredith decide to get a sleeper suite aboard the Orient Express. They also hope it will inspire him to start on his next novel. Steeped in tradition and vintage details, they sip champagne and enjoy five-star service.
A plush upholstered seat takes up one wall. On the opposite wall are curved doors that open to reveal a wash basin, complete with complimentary toiletries. The Art Nouveau veneer in the cabin is a pattern of flowers and swagging at picture-rail height. On the table under the window, a lamp, a platter of hors d’oeuvres, and a silver bucket containing a bottle of champagne chilling in ice. ~Loc. 127
They also get acquainted with fellow travellers. Staying in the next cabin is a French-speaking detective named Napoleon Duplantier with more than a passing resemblance to M. Poirot. On the other side is an unfriendly man that no one seems to have had a conversation with.
The next morning somewhere in the French Alps, the taciturn passenger is missing and his cabin is covered in blood. Presumed dead, a search turns up nothing suggesting he may have jumped (or been thrown) out of the train. The ever-professional crew organize an unofficial task force of passengers with law enforcement or legal backgrounds — which includes Joe and Meredith.
The mystery unfolds well and keeps you reading. The final climax is a little messy but the solution is ultimately satisfactory. The best part is the amateur detecting and the nods to classic train mysteries. Astute readers will recognize hints of The Wheel Spins, in addition to the clear references to Agatha Christie, Patricia Highsmith, and Alfred Hitchcock.
Thanks to Poisoned Pen Press/Sourcebooks for the advanced review copy. Read via NetGalley.
Five Found Dead
Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press
Publication date: August 19, 2025
Print length: 320 pages (English)
ISBN-10: 1464219710