Suddenly French Mysteries

SUDDENLY FRENCH MYSTERY SERIES 

~ Beach Reads Tackling Modern Issues~

Step into the Suddenly French Mystery Series, where culinary creativity meets clever sleuthing and a dash of legal insight. Follow Claire Fontaine, a private chef and former criminal attorney who struggles with French foreign accent syndrome, as she uses her sharp mind, legal expertise, and passion for justice to unravel captivating mysteries filled with vibrant characters and a touch of humor. Perfect for fans of Janet Evanovich and Elle Cosimano.

The Suddenly French mystery series is loosely inspired by the ancient proverb traditionally depicted as the three wise monkeys: hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil.
Each book explores a different aspect of perception—how we listen, what we see, and what remains unsaid—through character-driven, contemporary mysteries.
Three mysteries. Three ways of perceiving the world. One truth that refuses to stay silent.
 

THREADS OF DECEPTION:
 Thirty-five-year-old Claire Fontaine had it all as a successful D.C. defense attorney until a criminal explosion shattered her career and left her with a debilitating French foreign accent syndrome. To make matters worse, her neurologist ordered her to take a break from the law and the FBI urged her to lay low. She's also broke. Her only marketable skill is the culinary expertise she's gained through countless cooking classes for singles. Forced to embrace a new path as a private chef, Claire accepts the invitation of a rising fashion designer friend to move back to her Southern California hometown to cater for a fashion TV show—only to find said friend dead.

Desperate to prove it wasn't a suicide but a murder, Claire teams up with her childhood best friend, Suggie Oh, the town's beloved accountant. She also forms a tension-filled alliance with charismatic Detective Ben Torres, who reluctantly accepts her cooperation and with whom she's forced to share an apartment.
As she investigates, Claire glimpses into the world of competitive fashion, political campaigns, and ex-lovers' vendettas. But getting closer to the truth may not be as safe as juggling knives in a dark kitchen.

COSPLAYED TO DEATH:
A gripping coastal mystery where true crime meets pop culture, perfect for fans of Agatha Christie with a modern twist and a hint of romance.

When former DC attorney Claire Fontaine returns to her California beach town to heal from a deadly law firm explosion, she expects peace, ocean breezes, and a fresh start as a private chef. Instead, she finds herself investigating two murders during an international surfing competition—where cosplayers, Olympic hopefuls, and old grudges collide in deadly ways.
With her neurological French accent constantly questioned, an online troll sabotaging her new catering business, and her retired-cop father becoming a prime suspect, Claire must navigate surf culture, extreme body modification, and buried secrets to catch a killer. But as she gets closer to the truth, she discovers that some transformations hide darker motives—and that choosing between her legal past and culinary future might not be the real question at all.

A mystery with California sunshine, complex characters, and a heroine who refuses to pick just one lane.

SPIRITS OF THE LAW:
A fall festival. An old mansion. And a death that’s anything but accidental.

When a car plunges off a cliff during Caper Cove’s beloved harvest celebration, former criminal attorney turned caterer Claire Fontaine assumes it’s a tragic accident, until the medical examiner reveals the truth: the victim, a local psychic, was already dead.
Now Claire finds herself investigating beneath the looming shadow of LaMaison, a storied cliffside mansion rumored to be cursed. As she prepares to cater its extravagant Halloween Ball, Claire uncovers a century-old injustice tied to stolen land, silenced women, and a ghost who may not be ready to rest.
Things turn personal when Claire spots a woman who looks exactly like her sister Aurora, missing for twenty years, on the mansion grounds. Is it coincidence, wishful thinking…or something far more unsettling?
With quirky friends, a skeptical detective roommate, and her sharp legal instincts, Claire must untangle a mystery where the past refuses to stay buried, before another death turns this cozy coastal town upside down.

An atmospheric, modern mystery filled with small-town secrets, historic intrigue, and fall vibes.