The Chateau Murder by Greg Mosse, Reviewed

I picked up The Chateau Murder by Greg Mosse with some curiosity, drawn to the promise of a cozy French village mystery set in a grand, decaying chateau. The atmospheric writing is genuinely one of the book’s strengths—Mosse paints the wintery grounds, the opulent yet crumbling interiors, and the surrounding village with vivid, immersive detail that made me feel the chill and the tension in the air. The premise, centered on a suspicious death amid a dysfunctional family gathering, had real potential, and I appreciated the occasional clever misdirection.

That said, I struggled to stay engaged throughout. The characters, with the exception of Russell the dog, felt shallow and largely unlikable. The family members, ex-wives, and staff came across as caricatures driven by petty rivalries and bitterness, but without enough depth or nuance to make me care about their secrets or motivations. Zoe Pascal, the returning amateur sleuth, is pleasant enough, yet even she didn’t pull me in as much as I’d hoped. I kept waiting for an emotional hook or a truly surprising revelation — Why did Adélaïde insist upon Zoe coming to the castle? A third of the way through the book and the reader still doesn’t know — , but the story unfolded predictably, and the murder itself was resolved with surprisingly little impact on anyone involved.

In the end, this was a book I could easily put down—though I did finish it, mostly out of mild curiosity rather than compulsion. For me, The Chateau Murder earns a solid but unenthusiastic three and a half stars: enjoyable enough for a light winter read if you’re in the mood for French ambiance and don’t mind surface-level characters, but it didn’t leave me eager to continue the series.

 You can order your copy here.

 

I received an advanced digital copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

 As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Remembering Charlotte MacLeod: A Tribute on the Anniversary of Her Passing (January 14, 2026 – 21 years since her departure on January 14, 2005)

Today marks the solemn anniversary of the passing of one of the most delightful voices in cozy mystery fiction: Charlotte MacLeod. I first discovered her brilliance back in the 1990s with Rest You Merry, a charming book expanded from a short story that launched the unforgettable Peter Shandy series (I reviewed it recently on my food and lifestyle blog, Olla-Podrida, you can read it here), and it remains a favorite that sparked my lifelong love for her work.

Though I’m not one for New Year’s resolutions, I set myself a personal challenge for 2026: to read (or reread) every book MacLeod ever wrote. It’s an ambitious goal—she penned over 30 novels across multiple series, each quirky, humorous, and utterly unique. Just finishing The Luck Runs Out (the second in the Peter Shandy series) reminded me why her writing captivates so deeply. Her descriptions are pure magic, like this vivid portrait of the secondary character Iduna Bjorklund—a larger-than-life figure painted with such wit and warmth that she leaps off the page.

  "...his wife appeared at the appointed spot, looking smaller and daintier than ever beside a woman in a rose-colored coat and hat, whose contours were reminiscent of the Goodyear Blimp's. Spent and beleaguered as he was, Shandy felt a surge of fury. How dare this human zeppelin inflict herself and all her folderols on them after all they'd been through. His lips formed a terse word. Before he could utter it, Iduna moved toward him, smiling, and he had to smile back. It would have been impossible not to. To begin with, Iduna didn't move, she floated, buoyant and merry as a pink balloon in the hand of a child at a Fourth of July parade. Nor did she merely smile, she glowed with inner goodness that made him think of the vast iron cook stove in his grandmother's kitchen back on the farm. Here, he knew by certain instinct, was a woman who made wonderful cookies and would give you some."

 MacLeod had an extraordinary gift for creating eccentric, memorable characters from wildly diverse backgrounds—people you won’t encounter in any other mysteries. Her books are literate yet light, filled with gentle humor, clever plots, and zero gore or gratuitous violence.

Charlotte Matilda MacLeod was born on November 12, 1922, in Bath, New Brunswick, Canada. Her family emigrated to the United States in 1923, and she became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1951. After attending the Art Institute of Boston, she worked as a copywriter for Stop & Shop Supermarkets in the late 1940s and early 1950s, later rising to vice president at the advertising agency N. H. Miller & Company before retiring in 1982. 

By day she crafted ads; by early morning (starting at 6 a.m.) she wrote mysteries, only beginning new books on Sundays and often working in her bathrobe to resist errands. Her cozy style—humorous, literate, with likable protagonists and delightfully odd secondary characters—sold over a million copies in the U.S., Canada, and Japan. She co-founded the American Crime Writers League and served as its president. Among her honors: the Nero Award for The Corpse in Oozak's Pond (1987, also Edgar-nominated), the Malice Domestic Lifetime Achievement Award (1998), and multiple American Mystery Awards.

 MacLeod’s series include:

 

Peter Shandy (my personal favorite): Set at the fictional Balaclava Agricultural College, starring the agronomy professor Peter Shandy and his wife Helen. Start with Rest You Merry (1979) and continue through gems like The Luck Runs Out (1981), Wrack and Rune (1982), and more—up to Exit the Milkman (1996).

 

Sarah Kelling & Max Bittersohn: Witty Boston upper-crust adventures. 

 

Canadian-set mysteries under the pen name Alisa Craig (RCMP officer Madoc Rhys and the Grub-and-Stakers gardening club series).

  

She also wrote stand-alone novels, short stories, anthologies (like Christmas Stalkings and Mistletoe Mysteries), and non-fiction, including a biography of Mary Roberts Rinehart.

MacLeod spent her later years in Maine, where she battled Alzheimer's before passing at a nursing home in Lewiston on January 14, 2005. I still mourn her loss—her voice was one of kindness, cleverness, and joy in the everyday absurdities of life.

If you love cozy mysteries with heart, humor, and unforgettable characters, do yourself a favor: pick up the Peter Shandy series. Start with Rest You Merry during the holidays or dive into The Luck Runs Out for pure delight. These are timeless gems that deserve rediscovery. Thank you, Charlotte MacLeod, for the laughter, the cleverness, and the cozy escapes. You are deeply missed.

Happy reading—and may your mysteries always be merry!
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Val McDermid’s Winter Made Me Fall Back in Love with the Season

  

Val McDermid’s Winter caught me at exactly the right moment. I’ve always had a complicated relationship with the season: as a child I adored it, as a working adult I tolerated it, and now, creeping toward what the poets politely call “the winter of life,” I mostly dread it. Yet somehow this slim, illustrated volume turned the gloom around for me. Reading it felt less like opening a book and more like settling down for a long, fireside chat with an old friend who happens to love the very things I’ve started to resent—the iron-cold air, the early dark, the whole damp Scottish midwinter package.

McDermid writes with the ease of someone talking across a kitchen table, drifting between memories of childhood sledging in Fife, Hogmanay in Edinburgh, night trains to London, and the proper way to carve a neep. Philip Harris’s delicate illustrations are far more than decoration; they give the pages the glow of lantern light on snow. I found myself lingering over them the way you linger over a Christmas card from someone you actually like. Along the way you pick up gentle insights into how she plots her novels (scribbled notes on random scraps of paper—comfortingly chaotic), and you’re reminded of traditions—Up Helly Aa, First Footing, Burns Night—that still matter in a country that refuses to let winter have the last word unchallenged.

By the final page I was surprised to feel something close to affection for the season again, or at least for its stories. McDermid handed me a borrowed coat of Edinburgh snow and made it fit. If you’ve ever loved winter and then fallen out with it, this gentle, funny, beautifully made little book is the reconciliation you didn’t know you needed.

It is being released today. You can (and you MUST!) get a copy here.

 Disclaimer: I received an advanced digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. 

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The Elvis Presley Cookbook; Fun Facts and Simple Southern Comfort Recipes Fit for a King, a Review

 

I’ve never been a huge Elvis Presley fan—his peak fame came a bit too early in my life for me to fully appreciate the King in his prime. But comfort food cookbooks? Those are my weakness, and The Elvis Presley Cookbook; Fun Facts and Simple Southern Comfort Recipes Fit for a King completely won me over. 

This charming book is packed with nearly 100 hearty, nostalgic recipes straight from Elvis's table—think iconic Peanut Butter and Banana Sandwiches, Pork Chops with Sauerkraut, Split Pea Soup, Tomato Fritters, fluffy Buttermilk Biscuits, Tennessee Jam Cake, and even Chocolate Soda. It's more than just recipes; it's a backstage pass to Graceland, loaded with Elvis trivia, personal stories from his cooks, fun facts (like how he preferred meatloaf over steak because it was quicker to eat, or his holiday ham salad request while serving guests turkey), and what he always kept stocked (Oreos, Pepsi, and chocolate/vanilla ice cream). There are recreated menus for special occasions, like his wedding reception or the Beatles' visit, so you can host a full "Elvis" meal.

  

The layout is delightfully vintage and comforting—just flipping through it feels like a warm hug. Most recipes have colorful food photos, plus tons of black-and-white shots of Elvis, movie stills, and even contributions from former staff. The recipes themselves are simple, budget-friendly, and straightforward—no fancy techniques or hard-to-find ingredients. Perfect for novices or seasoned cooks craving classic American comfort: fried dishes, casseroles, rich desserts, and family-style Southern flavors from the 1950s and beyond. 

  

Nothing groundbreaking here, and that's exactly the point—these are timeless, hearty dishes meant for everyday eating and sharing. I can't imagine a single one I wouldn't love, and I plan to cook my way through the whole book. For me, the nostalgia, insights into Elvis's life, and pure comfort-factor make it a winner. Elvis superfans will go wild, but even casual fans of vintage Americana or food history will find it irresistible.

A wonderful tribute that's as much cultural keepsake as cookbook. 4 out of 5 stars. 

It’s scheduled for publication on July 7^th; you can pre-order your copy here.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for providing me with an advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

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Elementary Beginnings: A Beginner’s Guide to Sherlock Holmes

 

(In honor of Holmes’s birthday—January 6)

January 6 is a red-letter day for mystery lovers. It has long been accepted by Sherlockians as the birthday of the great consulting detective himself, Sherlock Holmes. The date comes straight from the Canon—Holmes casually mentions his birthday as January 6 in “The Adventure of the Gloria Scott.” As with so many things Holmesian, fans seized on that single, tantalizing detail and turned it into a tradition worth celebrating.

 And what better way to celebrate than by reading—or rereading—Sherlock Holmes?

 As I launch this new book blog (an offshoot of my food and lifestyle blog, Olla-Podrida, which many of you already know and love), it felt only right to tip my deerstalker to the detective who helped ignite my lifelong love of mysteries. Think of this space as a place where books, stories, and the pleasures of reading get the same thoughtful attention I’ve always given to recipes, tablescapes, and everyday rituals.

 So, if you’ve never read Sherlock Holmes before—or if it’s been years and you’re wondering where to start—here’s my personal beginner’s guide: five stories that showcase everything we love about Holmes, Watson, and the world Conan Doyle created. 

The Speckled Band 

If I had to pick just one Holmes story to hand to a first-time reader, this might be it. Gothic, sinister, and genuinely suspenseful, The Speckled Band has all the elements of classic Holmes: an imperiled client, a terrifying setting, and a solution that is both shocking and meticulously logical. It’s Holmes at his most dramatic—and most memorable. 

A Scandal in Bohemia 

No introduction to Sherlock Holmes is complete without Irene Adler. This story shows us a side of Holmes we don’t often see: outwitted, impressed, and quietly humbled. It’s clever, stylish, and emotionally nuanced, and it proves that brains—and bravery—come in many forms. 

The Red-Headed League 

Utterly delightful from start to finish. The premise alone—a mysterious club exclusively for red-headed men—feels wonderfully absurd, yet Conan Doyle turns it into a brilliantly constructed puzzle. This story captures Holmes’s playful side and reminds us that even the strangest details can matter. 

The Final Problem 

You can’t read Holmes for long without encountering Professor Moriarty, the criminal mastermind who finally meets Holmes at the edge of the Reichenbach Falls. This story is essential—not only for its drama and emotional punch, but because it shows the stakes of Holmes’s world and the depth of Watson’s loyalty. Even if you know what happens, it’s impossible not to be swept along. 

The Hound of the Baskervilles 

Atmospheric, moody, and endlessly rereadable, this novel is often the one people remember most vividly. Foggy moors, a legendary curse, and a spectral hound—The Hound of the Baskervilles blends folklore with rational detection in a way only Conan Doyle could manage. It’s a perfect bridge between classic mystery and gothic suspense. 

If you’re new to Sherlock Holmes, these five stories will give you a wonderful sense of why the detective has endured for well over a century. And if you’re already a fan? January 6 is the perfect excuse to return to Baker Street. 

I’m so excited to begin this new chapter—sharing books, stories, and literary curiosities here, alongside the food, home, and everyday pleasures that have always been part of Olla-Podrida. If Sherlock Holmes taught us anything, it’s that careful observation makes life richer—and I can’t wait to explore that together, one book at a time.

 Happy Birthday, Mr. Holmes.

 

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