Death and Fromage is the second book in the Follet Valley Mysteries by Ian Moore, featuring B&B innkeeper and reluctant sleuth, Richard.
Title: Death and Fromage
Author: Ian Moore
Series: Follet Valley Mysteries #2
First Published: March 5, 2024
Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press
Genres: Mystery
Acquired: from the publisher
*** Thank you to the publisher, Poisoned Pen Press, for providing me with an advanced copy of this book for review purposes. ***
Richard is a middle-aged Englishman who runs a B&B in the Val de Follet. Nothing ever happens to Richard, and really that’s the way he likes it. Until scandal erupts in the nearby town of Saint-Sauver, when its famous restaurant is downgraded from three Michelin stars to two. The restaurant is shamed, the town is in shock, and the leading goat cheese supplier drowns himself in one of his own pasteurization tanks. Or does he? Valérie d’Orçay, who is staying at the B&B while house-hunting in the area, isn’t convinced that it’s a suicide. Despite his misgivings, Richard is drawn into Valérie’s investigation, and finds himself becoming a major player in solving the crime. After all, the French do take their cheese quite seriously and it’s quite clear there’s nothing gouda happening in the close-knit, small village that Richard calls home.
Richard gets dragged into another murder mystery
A quirky, fun mystery set in a beautiful French locale where the very reluctant Richard is once again drawn into mystery and intrigue by the glamorous Valerie. I love how Richard continues to reference old-school Hollywood films and try his best to avoid getting into situations where any type of intrigue or action might take place. He really is the epitome of the reluctant amateur sleuth.
And while I enjoyed the first book in the series (you can read my review of Death and Croissants here), this one was even more interesting because there was so much food (and cheese) involved! Some of the townfolk that we met in the previous book are back (for better or for worse, LOL) and of course, the glamourous and assertive Valerie is here to make sure Richard doesn’t miss a minute of the action. She’s the one that drives the action in the books but Richard does prove his worth when he needs to.
France and Food and Wine and Cheese – oh my!
I’ve always dreamed of visiting France and indulging in its food culture so diving into a cozy mystery that focuses on all of these things was so much fun. The new characters add a lot of interesting new personalities to the mix so things are kept interesting and fresh.
There are a lot of things to keep track of in this story (characters, motives, twists and turns) but it all hums along quite smoothly. There is quite a lot of humour injected into this murder mystery (understandable when you learn that the author, Ian Moore, is a comedian) so it’s a light, zippy read that would be perfect to enjoy on vacation or a weekend off.
Quote from Death and Fromage
