Blake Pierce is author of the bestselling RILEY PAGE mystery series, which includes seven books (and counting). Blake Pierce is also the author of the MACKENZIE WHITE mystery series, comprising four books (and counting); of the AVERY BLACK mystery series, comprising four books (and counting); and of the new KERI LOCKE mystery series.

Book Review: A Murder in Paris by Blake Pierce

First Impressions and Why I Picked This Up

After falling hard for my first Blake Pierce read—the one with the unforgettable jail interviews (I’ll remember the title at some point!)—I dove into *A Murder in Paris* expecting another thrill ride. As a long-time fan of Pierce’s cozy mystery series, I was excited to check out this new addition. The premise, a cozy whodunit in the romantic yet mysterious streets of Paris, with a 55-year-old protagonist finding herself amidst a mid-life crisis, had promise written all over it.

Plot and Pacing: The Drag and Delay

Let’s just say the start was slow. And by slow, I mean *unfolding-paged-after-page-just-to-get-to-the-actual-murder* slow. The opening scenes, featuring some heavy-handed family drama with Diana’s daughters, could’ve been a quirky slice of life, but instead, it veered toward melodrama. When your book is titled *A Murder in Paris*, one might expect the actual murder to happen before you’re halfway through the story.

While the story takes a while to build, I will say that the plot conceptually is intriguing. A woman at a crossroads, facing a whirlwind of changes after her ex-husband’s engagement, mixed in with a mysterious, high-stakes murder—it’s all there. But with such a delayed murder reveal, it felt more like a contemporary novel about a woman’s mid-life identity crisis, with a crime plotline squeezed in as an afterthought.

Diana, the (Maddening) Protagonist

Diana was a mixed bag for me. On the one hand, she’s a well-constructed character in some respects—an obsessive planner who’s suddenly adrift. However, once she makes the choice to chase this new adventure, her actions seem entirely out of character. Here’s this seasoned manager, known for her level-headedness and methodical planning, suddenly acting on every whim like a teenager with a freshly minted license to freedom. I kept hoping her experience and wisdom would show up, adding some much-needed maturity to her decisions. Instead, she leaps into Parisian chaos with hardly a pause to think.

The mid-life crisis trope, as relatable as it can be, just didn’t feel genuine with Diana. Her character development felt forced rather than organic, and I couldn’t shake the sense that she was behaving inconsistently—not just for someone in her situation, but for someone with her established personality. Her reactions to situations, especially with her daughters, often left me raising an eyebrow.

Predictability and The Masquerade Ball Debacle

One of the biggest letdowns for me was the sheer predictability of it all. By the time the masquerade ball scene rolled around, I’d already pegged the necklace thief long before the reveal. Everything felt just a little too convenient for Diana—each clue and event falling into place as if orchestrated by an unseen hand rather than chance. The lack of twists or genuine surprises took a lot of the fun out of the mystery. A big part of the allure of mysteries is that element of unpredictability, and in this book, I knew what was coming way too often.

Highlights from Kindle

Final Thoughts: Not My Cup of Cozy

In the end, *A Murder in Paris* felt less like a Pierce-style mystery and more like a slow-burn self-discovery novel with a side of amateur sleuthing. While the concept of a protagonist in her mid-50s on a mission of self-rediscovery is a refreshing touch for a cozy mystery, the execution didn’t quite hit the mark for me.

While I won’t be continuing this series, my enthusiasm for Blake Pierce’s work isn’t entirely dimmed. He’s got some great series under his belt, and I’m more than willing to give his next work a try. But as for Diana’s journey, I’ll leave her to wander Paris without me.