Leafing through a book behind a pillar in the American Library in Paris, mystery writer Cara Black seemed herself a bit of a private investigator uncovering clues far from the prying eyes of the crowd. Moments later she would give a presentation on her inspiration, her research, and the development of her much-abused yet still youthful protagonist Aimée Leduc, the hero of her thirteen mystery novels all set in Paris. And from talking with Black about her craft, it becomes clear that she puts together books the way Aimee Leduc uncovers mysteries. Continue reading “Cara Black’s Paris Murders”
Step into a postcard of Paris with this excellent guide to the City of Light. Illustrated by more than 300 color photographs, “No Worries Paris, a photographic walking guide” by Jerry and Janine Sprout takes readers on a visually luscious journey to the city’s striking monuments, as well as into the cobblestone crannies of its villages and along the glamorous fashion boulevards. 
Politeness, friendliness, and formality at its most French —The French revel in their complications despite the frequent inconvenience of getting tangled in them. For one thing, it confirms their cherished impression that they are unique on earth, a blest condition known locally as the French Exception. For another, it makes everybody else jump through Gallic hoops to do things their way. Even Charles de Gaulle, who occasionally admitted to despising his compatriots as unworthy of his idea of France, asked in a moment of exasperation, “How can you govern a country with over 300 kinds of cheese?” 
Burgundy is a lush region of France, steeped in history and immersed in wine. Imagine a cooking school in a grand château, with a 3-star chef and guests from around the world….under a distant cloud of loss and betrayal. Joan Shore’s new book “Red Burgundy” is a story of progress vs. tradition, commerce vs. culture, the foreign and the familiar. (And the possibility that if you’re very lucky — or very unlucky — the past may catch up with you!) 
A spectacularly opulent relic of royal wealth and power comes alive in “Versailles” a new book by Valérie Bajou, who is a curator at the Château de Versailles and is a renowned specialist of French painting in the 19th century.
Visual Editions has republished or in their words “re-imagined” a classic by French novelist Marc Saporta (1923-2009). The new edition includes an introduction by Tom Uglow and drawings by Salvador Plascencia.
Flat Hunter
Finding a place to hang your hat in Paris