Death in Paris by Emilia Bernhard

"Death in Paris" is the first book in A Death in Paris Mystery series. Two expatriate women take on their first case as amateur sleuths. When Edgar Bowen dies from drowning in his soup, the police rule his death an accident. However, Rachel Levis suspects foul play due to a bottle of Rose’ wine, which Edgar despises, found at the scene. At the reading of Edgar’s will, Rachel is tasked with organizing and cataloging the books in Edgar’s library. This is the stepping stone for Rachel and her best friend, Magda Stevens, to pursue their own investigation. Emilia Bernhard does an outstanding job of illuminating how difficult it is to uncover the truth in a case, especially for untrained sleuths when all signs point to an accidental loss of life. There are references throughout the story to television shows, movies, and mystery novels. Rachel and Magda use the knowledge they have gleaned from these sources to help them in their quest to find evidence that will prove Edgar was murdered. I derive pleasure from Rachel and Magda’s entertaining discussions about their findings, which remind me of the relationship between Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. The author has created relatable characters in which humor, disagreements, frustrations, and supportive friendship encompass the women’s partnership. The marvelous descriptions of the City of Paris, especially the sidewalk cafes, plus the realistic characterizations of Parisians, brings back delightful memories of my visit to Paris. The glossary of French words and phrases is helpful, especially where the translation of an expression cannot be ascertained from the context. I appreciate the brief summation of the French legal system and the breakdown of police rankings as I am unfamiliar with them. I enjoyed this debut mystery, the camaraderie between characters, the beautiful setting, and look forward to reading more stories featuring Rachel and Magda.