Peril in Paris, by Rhys Bowen, is part of the Royal Spyness Mystery series. Lady Georgianna (now pregnant) has joined her husband in a trip to Paris. It's supposed to be a nice holiday for her, but a working vacation for him (WWII is brewing). Her friend is working for Coco Chanel (who creates a rather ghastly maternity dress for Georgianna) getting ready for a fashion show. While attending a gathering where she meets Gertrude Stein (and Hemingway), she encounters a most obnoxious American tourist. Now, an important contact will be attending that fashion show had Darcy asks his wife to meet her and gather the important information she is carrying. Instead of that contact, however, the American tourist is found ... dead ... in the chair the contact had been assigned ... so ... was it a case of mistaken identity, or not? Lots of interesting twists and turns, just a great read!

The Ginger Gold Mystery books, by Lee Strauss, are always a fun read, and Murder in France is no exception. The family is in France, Ginger is holding a party, one which includes people from the fashion industry. The adventure begins when the body of one of them is found in the swimming pool the next morning. There was a lot of drinking going on, might it be an accident? Lots of fun twists here ... Ginger remembers a blue glass, but only one, and now it is missing. The man who was supposed to tend bar got sick at the last minute so other staff, some from the establishment where he works fill in. Rivals in the fashion industry were at the party and a big show is coming. Someone from Ginger's past shows up and recognizes her from her, um, war time job and name. How is this all connected? A one day read!

Reading Hermit With Dog