These short books can be enjoyed in about 45 minutes – perfect for a long commute or some bedtime reading!A lovely young woman dies mysteriously at Le Chat Rose… and almost immediately, the dashing Inspector Baudet arrives to declare it a murder. How did he know? And why is staff member Rainger Gagnon acting so suspicious? Then somehow Le Chat Rose’s business license goes missing, and the … license goes missing, and the authorities shut the brothel down. It’s up to Madame to save the day and her beloved maison!
This is the third story in Madame’s Murder Mysteries, a historical cozy series with a sense of humor, a taste of the paranormal, and a touch of romance. Perfect for fans of Posie Parker, Ginger Gold, or Lady Katherine.
These books can stand alone, but you may enjoy the series more if you read them in order.
No swear words, no graphic scenes, no gore, and no cliffhangers.
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“The End of Isabelle” earns 5+/5 Bottles of Champagne…Totally Entertaining!
Ah, Paris! Annette Moncheri continues to engage and entertain with another murder, a host of suspects, intriguing connections, suspicious behaviors, surprises, and the handsome Inspector Thibauld Baudet in charge. The reverie of those visiting Madame’s maison is interrupted with the discovery of a young lady dead in one of the rooms slumped on a sofa. The Inspector arrives curiously quick, and informs Madame he had received an anonymous letter announcing a murder would take place at Le Chat Rose. He directs a lockdown to corral witnesses and maybe the killer, but Monsieur Do-you-know-who-I-am’s demands put everyone on edge. However, Madame is more concerned by the lack of candor from some of her girls.
I love it! I have become so engaged with Madame, Paris, and the mesdames of Le Chat Rose. Annette Moncheri has created a marvelous environment with wonderful characters and vivid descriptions that put me right in the middle of Paris…merveilleux! This third novella of the series is less than 80 pages easily read in an hour, but it is not, I repeat, not short on excitement, clever banter, and a delightful narrative from Madame. It is clever how she speaks directly to us “Dear Readers” offering further insights, reminders of previous events, no spoilers, and a “moral of the story.” Madame is a vampire, but this is peripheral. She uses her skills and talents to gather information, stave off danger, and catch the culprits, but the thirst, her need to rest at dawn, and her inability to travel past the edge of Íle Saint-Louis are delightful quirks in the vampire lore and the reason I give such high praise to Annette’s creativity.
Madame’s Murder Mysteries:
These clean novellas take about 30 minutes to read, maybe 40 for a couple of the longer ones, but they’re a good way to unwind when you’re brain dead. There’s enough to the story to keep the reader interested, enough intrigue to involve the reader but not in an overtaxing way and the storylines and characters are good. Old-style, conversation writing style that’s easy and quick to read. Everyone knows many Madams have soft hearts, but a vampire Madam that’s doesn’t fit the normal formula is the key to these stories, plus Helene the best friend and she’s awesome.
The Murder of Mariano, Prequel – Since I had already the first book The Passing of Pascal, I really didn’t need to read this prequel. Short and quickly read, there wasn’t much new, except for more about the madam’s paintings, the naming of the brothel and justice for a murderer. Written with in conversational style but still reminiscent of Christie and company, which is suitable for the time period set in this series. 3.5*
The Passing of Pascal #1 – This is my first read by this author and I found the book OK. The writing style reminds me a lot of Christie, just with a vampire madam. Well written with a continuous pace and quickly read, the storylines are interesting, the characters were likable and the mystery was easy to solve. 4*
The Expiration of Elise #2 – Another well written, quickly read story set in 1920s Paris about a likable Madam. The writing style, continuous pace and interesting dialog keeps the reader immersed in the story. A good mystery, which I found easy to solve. I enjoy the personality of the Madam, her care for her “family”/staff and her way of settling the score. While set in a brothel, the story is clean with the emphasis of daily life and the camaraderie of the customers and the ladies, and the process of solving the murder. You’ll be glad to know there’s sex after 70. 4*
The End of Isabelle #3 – This read very quickly since the pace was fast and the story intriguing. There are more storylines to add a bit of drama, as well as another murder. Although a vampire and a Madam, she shows the depth of her caring for others; a good vampire if such a thing existed. I still enjoy her method of correcting things. Being a vampire doesn’t always work out in certain situations and it’s interesting to see more variety in the solutions. The conversational writing style works so well for this set of stories. 4*
The Parting of Pierre #4 – Besides a murder, there’s more afoot for La Chat Rose and her vampire Madam. Her ability to change into a bat is humorous in her dealings with several of the dramas unfolded in this story. My favorite character has always be Helene and she’s the perfect best friend with all she does in this story. Read quickly, this is a bit more simplistic than the other stories, but still interesting. 4*
The Death of Daisi #5 – I didn’t care too much for this story, but I kept reading and think with some of the components, this is probably my second favorite story. I like the attraction between two main characters and the ending was good. Interesting to read, easy to figure the murderer and good storylines. Helene has a good role again. 4*
Madame’s Murder Mysteries end.