Monsieur Pamplemousse and the Tangled Web by Michael Bond is one in a series featuring Monsieur Pamplemousse, who retired as a detective with the Sûreté and is now a restaurant reviewer with a prominent French guidebook publication. The situations he and his faithful bloodhound Pommes Frites find themselves in are always amusing. Fun to read, I'm reading them as I find them.
This one takes place in the spring.
from the back of the book:
Crime Review concludes a positive review with this:The treasured creator of Paddington Bear delivers another witty crime caper
When Monsieur Pamplemousseis summoned into the head office of Le Guide by the director, Henri Leclerq, he is unaware of the chaos about to ensue. Accompanied by his faithful bloodhound Pommes Frites, Pamplemousse sets off to solve Lerclerq's plaintive conundrums -all of which relate back to his mobster uncle-in-law.
The crime-solving duo gallivant around Pars, and find themselves tangled up in increasingly arbitrary problems -a letter about a juicy steak horrifyingly turned into a brisket, a dead restaurant owner, and the imminent arrival of the vivacious Caterina, the mobster's niece. Pamplemousse's attempts to unravel each dilemma quickly prove impossible as they overlap and tangle at every turn.
They’re a delightful cross between whimsy and French farce, with a cast who wouldn’t look amiss in an episode of ‘Allo ‘Allo. The books have charm in abundance, sharp characterisation and gentle wit. It doesn’t matter a jot that this is something like the 21st book in the series. It’s never too late to join this particular party. So pull up a chair, open a glass of good French wine, and get to know Pommes Frites and his eccentric but sharp-witted owner.
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Isn't Pamplemousse French for grapefruit? :-D
ReplyDeleteYes, and the dog is named Pommes Frites, and they are working for a restaurant guide. Cute lol
Deletesounds like a fun read thanks
ReplyDeleteHappy Saturday
"Fun" is the perfect word for them :)
DeleteYou have read some of these before if I remember correctly. Are they worth adding to my to read list? I am assuming they must be as you have read at least one before. Happy weekend. hugs-Erika
ReplyDeleteI picked one up because the author wrote the Paddington Bear books. These are for adults, and I was curious. I've seen gotten a few more. I'd certainly suggest trying one to see if you like their attitude. I laugh out loud reading them.
DeleteI love these stories! They are such fun. Valerie
ReplyDeleteI was surprised at how different from the Paddington books they are. I don't know really what I was expecting, because these are after all written for adults. I'm quite taken with them :)
DeleteI wish there was still at least ONE used book store in my town. This sounds like something I would LOVE to read.
ReplyDeleteWe still have several used book stores here, but except for the one time when I bought the few they had I have never seen them again. Amazon does have used copies available, and I think they're available as e-books.
DeleteWhat is an e-book? OK, that is a bit of a joke, but you need an e-reader and I don't even own a cell phone. You KNOW that shows how low tech I am!!
DeleteI know I don't have an e-reader either lol but I do read some on the computer and sometimes books are available that way. I've had good luck ordering used books online through the years, though not lately. I was hard to convert to a cell phone. I'm happy with it now, but it was a hard sell and an even harder sell to switch to a "smart" one.
DeleteI don't order anything online, and even though Linux is supposed to be less easy to hack, I still have that fear that my info would get splattered all over the internet, like people who are on Facebook have to deal with now. If I want to order something, I get either Scott or Sally, who both have Amazon Prime accounts. So far, I haven't had the urge to buy anything online.
DeleteAlso, since I seldom go anywhere unless I'm with a friend who has a cell phone, I see no need to pay for something I will probably never use. I would have to get rid of my home phone if I were to get a cell phone. Since I am home more than I'm on the go, I see no reason for a cell phone. Well, maybe if I want to put photos on Instagram, but . . . .
I can see why you would need one, especially since you like to take long hikes. If something happened to you on one of those trails, you would need to notify someone quickly. But for me, that's one way I save money each month.
I've been mail ordering stuff since my childhood lol when I used to send in box tops or order books from a book club. There were people back then who refused to do that because you were sending your bank routing number or credit card number through the open mail where it could be easily stolen. I remember the warnings. I don't order for other people, though. You're lucky to have folks willing to do that for you.
DeleteWe don't have a landline at all. I got the cell phone so people could reach me more than so I could call out. Back in the day I was needed more as a family resource than I am now.
Sounds like the perfect cozy mystery series. :)
ReplyDeleteI just found the first one on Kindle for $3.03.
Thanks! :)
They are quite funny. The first one is the best place to start, I think :)
DeleteI must see if I can find this book at the library.
ReplyDeleteThese can be hard to find. I hope your library has one.
DeleteSounds like a fun read, I love the names of the characters ...lol 😉. Hugs, J 😊 x
ReplyDeleteYes, the humor is priceless lol
DeleteI'm going to watch for these
ReplyDeleteI came across a few of them in a used book store years ago and picked them up because I recognized the author's name. I've never seen another one in person and have had to order the others online or through the local book store.
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