FLEUR DE LIES is Book 9 in Maddy Hunter's Passport to Peril cozy mystery series. Even though FLEUR DE LIES is part of a series, it can be read and enjoyed without having read the previous books. Each book follows Emily Miceli, as she leads a tour group of 80-somethings to exotic locales. The ensuing hilarity and murder make for an exciting ride. FLEUR DE LIES has it all -- humor, a dash of tender sentiment, and a great mystery! The setting of this mystery is France, with stops at Normandy and Paris among others. Maddy Hunter gives lush descriptions of the French countryside and pairs that with the quirkiness of the tourists.

In spite of the large cast of textured and fabulous supporting characters in FLEUR DE LIES, the story never seems too cluttered and they don't distract from the mystery. Emily's transsexual ex-husband and perky new cosmetics representative, Jack/Jackie is a one of the many fun characters in FLEUR DE LIES. Instead, the characters and side plots just add to an overall enjoyable reading experience. The snappy dialogue and funny exchanges between the elderly members of Emily's tour group throughout the story had me laughing. By the end of the story, the old folks felt like friends and never seemed too obnoxious.

The side story involving one of Emily's seniors and a French local adds a nice change of pace, which I enjoyed. Having the long-ago lovers reunite brings a tear to the eye and is very sweet. The added mystery tying in with that side story and the identity betrayer of the resistance during WWII is just as compelling as the present day murder mystery.

The mystery itself never lost my interest and the number of possible suspects and methods employed by the murderer kept me guessing until the end. Emily is likable and makes a good, but reluctant, sleuth. The supporting characters-- Jack/Jackie, the Texas makeup mavens, the warring funeral directors (pro-cremation vs the pro-burial), and even the miscellaneous men named Dick--help make FLEUR DE LIES by Maddy Hunter a must-read for cozy mystery fans. I can't wait for the next book in this very funny and always entertaining mystery series!

Book Summary

Déjà Vu All Over Again

When intrepid travel agency owner Emily Andrew-Miceli takes her band of tech-savvy seniors to France, they say “Bonjour” by cruising down the Seine River. Along for the ride are a colorful cast of cruise-goers, including four sales reps who are the crème de la crème of the cosmetic industry and a group of morticians looking for a little joie de vivre as they sort out business conflicts. But once a guest is found dead along Normandy’s famed Alabaster coast, Emily bids adieu to the hopes of a fatality-free trip. Was it a mishap? Or was murder the entrée du jour? Traveling from the medieval alleyways of Rouen to Monet’s famous water lily garden, Emily must untangle a web of lies that began a half-century ago, on the very eve of the D-Day invasion.