Publication Date: May 26, 2026
In Paris, murder is a dish best served with chocolate éclairs.
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.
Murder Most Delicious by Danielle Postel-Vinay transports us from New York City to Paris, summoning a range of aromas through food, wine, flowers, chocolate, and desserts.
When disgraced sommelier Olivia has a job interview in Paris, she thinks it’s a chance to redeem herself. Little does she know she’ll be thick in a murder scene when her potential boss is poisoned and drops dead. We are introduced to a cast of characters from the neighborhood watch in the area where the restaurant is located. Amateur sleuths, along with those who are trained or have been trained to solve murders and crimes, work hand in hand to solve the case. The informal investigation is being led by Augusta Dupin, who has retired as a detective and become a recluse, but sends the others out to search for clues at specific locations.
The book is divided into four parts, with many chapters and some group chats in each section. There are vivid descriptions that touch on all five senses as we walk through Paris and its many businesses. The story has a good flow and depth, with some dots connecting and more crimes than anticipated. As clues are gathered, they are discussed, verified, kept, or tossed, and we learn more about the crimes committed. The whodunnits were tallied, and when the murderer and the crimes were revealed, it was a shock to the group, but I’d seen hints and wasn’t surprised by the reveal or the outcome. Augusta’s cat is a cute addition to the story, and there’s even some romance.
Murder Most Delicious has secrets and crimes committed as Olivia and her new Parisian friends try to figure out whodunnit.
I am a life-long Francophile and author of the book Home Sweet Maison: The French Art of Making a Home. I was born in the beautiful state of Wisconsin and have lived extensively in France, Japan, England and Bulgaria. I am married to Hadrien, a Parisian whose family has taught me much about French culture. We currently live in the Hudson River Valley of New York and visit France as often as possible. You can find my other books under the name Danielle Trussoni.
