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Capucine Culinary Mysteries #2
Crime Fraiche
Très chic Parisian Commissaire Capucine Le Tellier sets off on a hunting holiday that proves deadly for more than just the pheasants…
Before Capucine and her husband, distinguished food critic Alexandre de Huguelet, even arrive at her oncle's 16th-century château, a fatal hunting accident has upset their idyllic destination. What's meant to be a peaceful bon voyage to the countryside--rustic picnics, dinners en plein air, and of course, a sip or two of Calvados--quickly sours as more "accidents" befall the guests. But the local gendarmerie lack the investigative finesse to draw any conclusions, let alone suspects, forcing Capucine to puzzle out the crimes herself. And when the bodies lead to a celebrated cattle ranch, the stakes rise beyond small-town grudges to the struggle surrounding France's most beloved gastronomic traditions.
Before Capucine and her husband, distinguished food critic Alexandre de Huguelet, even arrive at her oncle's 16th-century château, a fatal hunting accident has upset their idyllic destination. What's meant to be a peaceful bon voyage to the countryside--rustic picnics, dinners en plein air, and of course, a sip or two of Calvados--quickly sours as more "accidents" befall the guests. But the local gendarmerie lack the investigative finesse to draw any conclusions, let alone suspects, forcing Capucine to puzzle out the crimes herself. And when the bodies lead to a celebrated cattle ranch, the stakes rise beyond small-town grudges to the struggle surrounding France's most beloved gastronomic traditions.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published July 1, 2011
26 people are currently reading
297 people want to read
About the author
Alexander Campion
7 books19 followersAlexander Campion started out as a true New Yorker, graduating from Columbia and migrating downtown to Wall Street. Early on, someone, a little apologetically, proposed he spend six months maximum in Paris helping out with a new venture his firm had just acquired. He stayed thirty five years, eventually becoming a restaurant critic and progressing inevitably to gastronomic thrillers.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
August 3, 2012
This was a book tale divided between husband, Alexandre a food critic, and his talented wife, Capucine,Commissaire of the PJ. Capucine and Alexandre have been trying to get away for a week in the country at Capucine's Oncle Aymerie's home in Normandy.
We are shown vivid pheasant and rabbit hunting while most everyone is drunk upon Calvados ( a form of brandy.) In fact, for me, the hunting was a bit too much. It did set the scene for shootings though. A man gets shot and the gendarmes are only too quick to label the crimes as 'accidents.' The local police do not want Capucine's involvement and go to great lengths to let her know.
Meanwhile back in Paris, there is an unusual rash of burglaries being committed by 'La Belle'. a young woman who faints, is brought home, then steals one item of value. How to entrap 'La Belle' while training her staff, is also a worry for Capucine.
As this book takes place in France, there is a great amount of french being used and I suggest a good dictionary to sit next to you.
It was a pleasant read.
We are shown vivid pheasant and rabbit hunting while most everyone is drunk upon Calvados ( a form of brandy.) In fact, for me, the hunting was a bit too much. It did set the scene for shootings though. A man gets shot and the gendarmes are only too quick to label the crimes as 'accidents.' The local police do not want Capucine's involvement and go to great lengths to let her know.
Meanwhile back in Paris, there is an unusual rash of burglaries being committed by 'La Belle'. a young woman who faints, is brought home, then steals one item of value. How to entrap 'La Belle' while training her staff, is also a worry for Capucine.
As this book takes place in France, there is a great amount of french being used and I suggest a good dictionary to sit next to you.
It was a pleasant read.
November 18, 2018
It was, as the 2-star rating suggests, just okay. I could not understand why it was larded with French phrases, as if trying to show that Campion knows the language. It was the written equivalent of actors in comedies playing French people with silly accents. The characters never really engaged me, and the plot was average.
November 28, 2017
A good book, but hard to read thoroughly if one is not familiar with French.
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November 16, 2020Despite the amount of reading which I do, I'm not really a literary sort, familiar with the classics and lesser works of the pantheon of Western Lit, so I completely missed the homage to Madame Bovary in the story until it was revealed by Campion about two thirds of the way through the story. Perhaps those of you who are more attuned to such things will catch it on first sight.
So, now that we've experienced crime and punishment along with gastronomic excess in the heart of Paris, Campion takes us out to the countryside, for more rustic fare. Capucine and Alexandre journey to chateau Maulevrier to visit her favorite uncle Aymerie (Jacques' father) at his country estate. It's the heart of the hunting season when they arrive, and their visit falls shortly after a tragic shooting accident, when the manager of a neighbor's beef cattle ranch is killed on a partridge hunt. Though Alexandre is at first not comfortable outside the city, he soon begins to act like a true country squire, strutting about with his walking stick with a flask of spirits concealed in its knob, and hunting partridges and rabbits with the rest of the gentry.
When that death is followed rapidly by several other shootings, Capucine is convinced by Oncle Aymerie that she must bring her Police Judicaire skills to bear and find the guilty parties, thought the local gendarmes have dismissed the deaths as merely the typical toll of the sport of the local nobles and peasantry. At the same time, Capucine's brigade of investigators in Paris are faced with capturing a beautiful thief, dubbed a modern day Robin Hood by the press, who steals from rich artists after gaining their sympathies by fainting of hunger in a public place.
We get to experience simpler dishes at country inns, such as "a tangy dish of marinated herrings cooked with shallots, coriander leaves, herbes de Provence (Jacques Pepin mentioned these on his show last night) , and bay leaves, served on a bed of tiny, round ratte potatoes sautéed in the herrings' oily marinade" or "a carpaccio of raw beef sliced so thin it was translucent, seasoned only with salt, pepper, a trickle of excellent olive oil, and a few drops of lemon juice". Those darned French! It all just sounds too good.
Capucine learns a few things about navigating the political landscape of both the country and the city when she reaps the negative consequences of pulling a few (family) strings to go over the head of the local police and get herself assigned to the case. Some of the old gendarmes turn out to be sharper than you'd expect. It all boils down to the world's oldest motives, sex and money, in the end, but the meandering nature of the investigation gives us plenty of time to savor the hunt - literal and metaphorical.
So, now that we've experienced crime and punishment along with gastronomic excess in the heart of Paris, Campion takes us out to the countryside, for more rustic fare. Capucine and Alexandre journey to chateau Maulevrier to visit her favorite uncle Aymerie (Jacques' father) at his country estate. It's the heart of the hunting season when they arrive, and their visit falls shortly after a tragic shooting accident, when the manager of a neighbor's beef cattle ranch is killed on a partridge hunt. Though Alexandre is at first not comfortable outside the city, he soon begins to act like a true country squire, strutting about with his walking stick with a flask of spirits concealed in its knob, and hunting partridges and rabbits with the rest of the gentry.
When that death is followed rapidly by several other shootings, Capucine is convinced by Oncle Aymerie that she must bring her Police Judicaire skills to bear and find the guilty parties, thought the local gendarmes have dismissed the deaths as merely the typical toll of the sport of the local nobles and peasantry. At the same time, Capucine's brigade of investigators in Paris are faced with capturing a beautiful thief, dubbed a modern day Robin Hood by the press, who steals from rich artists after gaining their sympathies by fainting of hunger in a public place.
We get to experience simpler dishes at country inns, such as "a tangy dish of marinated herrings cooked with shallots, coriander leaves, herbes de Provence (Jacques Pepin mentioned these on his show last night) , and bay leaves, served on a bed of tiny, round ratte potatoes sautéed in the herrings' oily marinade" or "a carpaccio of raw beef sliced so thin it was translucent, seasoned only with salt, pepper, a trickle of excellent olive oil, and a few drops of lemon juice". Those darned French! It all just sounds too good.
Capucine learns a few things about navigating the political landscape of both the country and the city when she reaps the negative consequences of pulling a few (family) strings to go over the head of the local police and get herself assigned to the case. Some of the old gendarmes turn out to be sharper than you'd expect. It all boils down to the world's oldest motives, sex and money, in the end, but the meandering nature of the investigation gives us plenty of time to savor the hunt - literal and metaphorical.
November 15, 2024
This is an entertaining, light read. However, the descriptions of hunting in France as well as the explanation of how cattle become beef on one’s plate turned my admittedly squeamish stomach. It’s all part of the story but I could have done without that.
On the plus side, the protagonist of the book is a delightful character and her marriage relationship is sweet and often amusing. This is a book to read when you want something that doesn’t tax your brain too heavily.
On the plus side, the protagonist of the book is a delightful character and her marriage relationship is sweet and often amusing. This is a book to read when you want something that doesn’t tax your brain too heavily.
June 13, 2018
Set in Paris and in the French countryside, two cases to solve. Interesting characters.
November 23, 2018
A delectable culinary mystery set in Paris and Normandy. Light, frothy, and entertaining.
January 1, 2012
I received this book for free through Goodreads giveaways and I expected that I would read it quickly. For some reason, it took me a long time to get into this book. I'd start it, but I just had a terrible time getting into the story; I felt like I really missed out on a lot of background information from the first book (I haven't read that one yet.) But during some holiday downtime, I sat down and dedicated some time to this story. And once I was into the tale, I was very interested in the storyline and I began to learn more about the characters.
As much as I love the French language, the art, and the food, I must admit that I really know little about life in France, either Paris or in the rural areas. So I think that really made it difficult for me to immediately immerse myself in the story. But I am a bit of a Francophile, so I wanted so much to like the tale. I am glad that I stuck with the book because I really got into the story by the time I was about 70 pages into it. The story was interesting and while I couldn't relate to the characters, I liked them.
I thought that the smattering use of the "f-bomb," while probably accurate, was highly unnecessary in this book. I suppose it gave a clear delineation between the titled gentry in the country and the cosmopolitan Parisians, but still detracted from the story. And the number of unfamiliar words was a bit much - I knew all of the French words and I figured out the majority of what was new, but the language was a bit esoteric. I found one spelling/grammar error (birth is used instead of berth on p. 4) - it was actually kind of funny as written: "...gave him as wide a birth as they could."
Overall, I thought it was an interesting story and I learned a bit about French cuisine and culture along the way. I will certainly look for the first book in this series, The Grave Gourmet.
new words: bulwark, deontology, savate, polemics, exegesis, pulchritude, salubrious, gibbosity, mycology, augury, phallocrat, debouched, lumpenproletariat, recondite, bumf, fug, sybarite, econiche, lissome, scandium, legumicidal, synecdoche
interesting quote:
"The one lesson she could never seem to learn was that le mieux est l'enemi du bien - better is the enemy of good." (p. 263)
As much as I love the French language, the art, and the food, I must admit that I really know little about life in France, either Paris or in the rural areas. So I think that really made it difficult for me to immediately immerse myself in the story. But I am a bit of a Francophile, so I wanted so much to like the tale. I am glad that I stuck with the book because I really got into the story by the time I was about 70 pages into it. The story was interesting and while I couldn't relate to the characters, I liked them.
I thought that the smattering use of the "f-bomb," while probably accurate, was highly unnecessary in this book. I suppose it gave a clear delineation between the titled gentry in the country and the cosmopolitan Parisians, but still detracted from the story. And the number of unfamiliar words was a bit much - I knew all of the French words and I figured out the majority of what was new, but the language was a bit esoteric. I found one spelling/grammar error (birth is used instead of berth on p. 4) - it was actually kind of funny as written: "...gave him as wide a birth as they could."
Overall, I thought it was an interesting story and I learned a bit about French cuisine and culture along the way. I will certainly look for the first book in this series, The Grave Gourmet.
new words: bulwark, deontology, savate, polemics, exegesis, pulchritude, salubrious, gibbosity, mycology, augury, phallocrat, debouched, lumpenproletariat, recondite, bumf, fug, sybarite, econiche, lissome, scandium, legumicidal, synecdoche
interesting quote:
"The one lesson she could never seem to learn was that le mieux est l'enemi du bien - better is the enemy of good." (p. 263)
July 27, 2016
Capucine and her husband have been invited to her uncle's chateau for a weekend of hunting. This is the first time her uncle has invited her back to the house since she joined the police force. Aside from mending family bonds, her uncle is also suspicious about a shooting that took place on a hunt several weeks earlier. Two more hunting deaths seem to indicate that his suspicions were accurate, but the local police force is determined not to investigate.
This was a well-written mystery. There were an adequate number of suspects and the reader had to guess at potential motives. The setting was well-developed; I could picture myself in the French country-side. The descriptions of mushrooms were lovely. Food was always talked about in a detailed and loving way that reflects the author's history.
Also, I liked the relationship between Capucine and her husband, Alexandre. Alexandre is a well-known food critic and he is a fabulous character. At times Capucine was endearing, but she so frustrated me when she refused to stand up for herself when people talked down to her or insulted her. Isabelle, Capucine's co-worker, was another character that bothered me; she was abrupt, hot-tempered and didn't seem very bright so Capucine's determination to help Isabelle get a promotion seemed inexplicable. Perhaps their relationship was better explained in the first book in the series, but I found Isabelle incredibly unlikable.
This book is very graphic about animal deaths and probably not ideal for vegetarians. Not only are there brutal hunts, but also, there are detailed descriptions about the slaughter of cows. The murders of humans were much less graphic.
Perhaps it's just my current mood, but I found the office politics exhausting. Nobody seemed to care about getting a job done. Everyone was worried about stepping on toes or advancing their own careers. Justice seemed irrelevant to everyone except Capucine. I realize this is reflective of life, but I read mystery novels as an escape.
My final issue with the book was (this isn't really a spoiler because there were several different crimes committed during the course of the book) it felt like some who should be punished weren't and some who shouldn't have been severely punished were. I prefer endings where it feels complete and where justice has been adequately served.
This was a well-written mystery. There were an adequate number of suspects and the reader had to guess at potential motives. The setting was well-developed; I could picture myself in the French country-side. The descriptions of mushrooms were lovely. Food was always talked about in a detailed and loving way that reflects the author's history.
Also, I liked the relationship between Capucine and her husband, Alexandre. Alexandre is a well-known food critic and he is a fabulous character. At times Capucine was endearing, but she so frustrated me when she refused to stand up for herself when people talked down to her or insulted her. Isabelle, Capucine's co-worker, was another character that bothered me; she was abrupt, hot-tempered and didn't seem very bright so Capucine's determination to help Isabelle get a promotion seemed inexplicable. Perhaps their relationship was better explained in the first book in the series, but I found Isabelle incredibly unlikable.
This book is very graphic about animal deaths and probably not ideal for vegetarians. Not only are there brutal hunts, but also, there are detailed descriptions about the slaughter of cows. The murders of humans were much less graphic.
Perhaps it's just my current mood, but I found the office politics exhausting. Nobody seemed to care about getting a job done. Everyone was worried about stepping on toes or advancing their own careers. Justice seemed irrelevant to everyone except Capucine. I realize this is reflective of life, but I read mystery novels as an escape.
My final issue with the book was (this isn't really a spoiler because there were several different crimes committed during the course of the book) it felt like some who should be punished weren't and some who shouldn't have been severely punished were. I prefer endings where it feels complete and where justice has been adequately served.
September 20, 2011
Story.Crime Fraiche, a Capucine Culinary Mystery, is a story of who dun it, why, and how, all served up with thick cream and a mixture of French Aristocracy and the divide of classes. A little bit of everything in this book. Capucine Le Tellier is a French Commissaire who is married to a food critic, who naturally, loves his food. I had to bastardize many of the French names to finish the book Capucine became Cappy, Alexandre became Alex, etc. The Commissaire takes her hubby off to the countryside to meet her Aristocratic family, and introduces him to the country life of hunting, wild game, cattle ranches and searching for mushrooms. Along the way people are getting shot. Local cops do nothing. The Commissaire becomes involved, solves the murders, plus another mystery of thieving in Paris, which includes a lot of intrigue along the way, as well as Frances immigration problems. Many descriptions of the preparation of French meals is included. Plenty of male interference and not much help from higher ups in the French police force. Cappy favours a female officer for promotion, who does not seem to be up to the job. The Commissaire also shows a laissez-faire attitude towards the female immigrant thief. Intrigue at the cattle ranch also includes owners wife’s infidelities. Used my French/English dictionary for the first half of the book, but not needed for the second half. I enjoyed reading this book as I spent my teen years running around France and Europe and obviously had to eat, however, I learned to stick with soup and breads in France! Also,lived on a cattle ranch in America, and learned about cattle, wild game and of course hunting for Morel mushrooms,I agree with the author, the secrets of where to find these little lovelies are just as well kept in America, as where to find the mushroom in France are. Bringing home a basket of mushrooms for breakfast is always a delight! If one likes descriptions of cooking, and murder, then one will like this book.
March 21, 2016
An exceptionally sophisticated mystery assuming you enjoy France and French food. Since the author is an American who has spent 35 years in France, part of it as a food critic, I assume the other books in the series are similar. Unfortunately, I am not a Francophile and found myself confused by the language and insufficiently moved by the elaborate explanations of food. Since this normally Parisian based series took place in the country, I found myself skipping detailed hunting scenes and appalled by the termination of what seemed to be adorable white cows. So now you've had your caveats and can decide whether this series is for you. I think I'll head back to Scotland where they mention haggis but thankfully don't explain what it really is.
April 23, 2016
The setting of this novel in the country was a nice change of pace, but in fact, I enjoyed the secondary storyline of the Belle in Paris better than the main one.
Capucine and Alexandre end up at her uncle's house, with her trying to solve the murders of several people working at a cattle farm. The beef production parts were pretty gross, but I was most annoyed by the various hinting parties that occurred throughout the book.
Also, I felt terrible for poor Mo Mo, who got beat up, but didn't jeopardize the case by breaking his cover.
I still enjoyed reading this mystery overall, and love Alexandre and Capucine's relationship, as well as the banter between Isabelle and David.
Probably my least favourite Capucine book, but still a good read.
Capucine and Alexandre end up at her uncle's house, with her trying to solve the murders of several people working at a cattle farm. The beef production parts were pretty gross, but I was most annoyed by the various hinting parties that occurred throughout the book.
Also, I felt terrible for poor Mo Mo, who got beat up, but didn't jeopardize the case by breaking his cover.
I still enjoyed reading this mystery overall, and love Alexandre and Capucine's relationship, as well as the banter between Isabelle and David.
Probably my least favourite Capucine book, but still a good read.
September 10, 2011
The book seems well written, however I had a really tough time connecting with any of the characters. This non-connection made it difficult for me to make myself read and therefore, I didn't enjoy the book as much as I should.
This mystery by Alexander Campion is set in 16th Century Paris and has a lot of twists and turns.
Not everyone can or should like the same thing necessarily...so I encourage you to read the book yourself and see what you think.
This book was provided to me free of charge by Kensington Publishing for an honest review. These are my opinions.
This mystery by Alexander Campion is set in 16th Century Paris and has a lot of twists and turns.
Not everyone can or should like the same thing necessarily...so I encourage you to read the book yourself and see what you think.
This book was provided to me free of charge by Kensington Publishing for an honest review. These are my opinions.
March 3, 2012
I had a feeling that this would be a good read and I was not disappointed. Alexander Campion was exceptionally talkative in his narration of the story that took place outside of Paris an hour away. His details of hunting whether it was for pheasants, rabbits, or mushrooms was reminiscent of when I was a boy. Capucine's finding the criminals was instructive to say the least. I enjoyed the book for its light reading and its handling of the various cases. I would recommend this book to anyone.
May 4, 2015
This is the second book in the series, and will probably be the last one I read. While there's quite a bit going on, it felt like a very slow read to me. I couldn't connect with any of the characters, and while the book covered a lot of information, I didn't think the story was very well developed. Yes, the book talks about food, restaurant, mushrooms, but it felt to me as if the author wrote the story that may have been assigned to him rather than a story about things (food, crime, hunting) he enjoys and is passionate about.
June 2, 2016
There were some good police investigation and police action parts in the book. I like the fact that Capucine is a female police commissioner. The murderer turned out to be someone that I did not suspect which I always like. There is a lot of eating and drinking in the story as it has been ordained "a Capucine culinary mystery." I found the book to be mildly entertaining. I would not recommend it unless you love reading about Paris and the French countryside and all the food and drink that abounds. I don't think I will read the other books in the series.
October 28, 2012
This was just an OK mystery for me. The French policewoman/blue blood Capucine and her overweight but adorable food critic husband Alexandre go back to Capucine's roots and investigate the cause of several apparent hunting accidents. They all seem so very french, so it was hard to get to know the characters well. I usually like mysteries set in foreign settings, but for some reason, Capucine left me cold.
September 4, 2011
Emp;oyees of a French cattle raising enterprise are dying in hunting accidents, Police woman Capucine is asked to investigate. This would be a entertaining work if the author had not over used so maany French terms to show that he had lived in France for 35 years. I mostly got a snob and elitist effect from him. Free copy for review purposes.
July 2, 2011
Not a bad little mystery. Kind of light and fluffy like a good dessert, but surely worth the read. In a similar vein as Peter Mayor's books with a bit more Miss Marple thrown in. I look forward to reading Campion's first Capucine book.
April 29, 2012
This is a gem of a mystery book. I enjoyed the first in the series - The Grave Gourmet - and this latest book did not disappoint. It was interesting to read about life in the French countryside and Normandy cuisine. I look forward to the next Capucine Culinary Mystery.
June 14, 2012
Not really well-written; when you want us to believe your character is a star policewoman, don't have her walk away quietly after a dressing-down by a subordinate. The characters are not crafted believeably or developed in a meaningful way. I won't be looking for the rest of this series.
August 7, 2012
Typically, when I pick up a culinary mystery, I devour it (pun intended!) However, I had a really hard time getting into Crime Fraiche. I found that a little disappointing. The book does pick up toward the end, however and readers who are looking for a leisurely paced read might enjoy it.
August 22, 2012
The second in the Capucine Culinary Mysery series starring the irresistable French flic Capucine Le Tellier and her distinguished food critic husband Alexandre de Huguelet is all the more entertaining for being largely set in the countryside of Normandy.
November 11, 2012
I enjoyed this book as much as the first one in the series. The only thing I had difficulty is the larger volume of words that were from the French language. I can usually imagine how they are pronounced, for the most part, but this book seemed to have more than the first.
October 1, 2015
did not care for the story line, the writing or the characters at all. Returned another book along this line to the library unread. maybe this is the way things are done in France, but I don't like it. Too full of pomp and swagger to be a good read.
August 10, 2016
I enjoyed the French settings of both Paris and the countryside. I am currently reviewing my French via Duolingo so enjoy that connection. Capucine is a strong female protagonist and her husband Alexandre is a "foodie" so there is lots to enjoy.
July 10, 2011
A fun glimpse into French country bourgeois life. Delicious meals and charming characters. The author truly has a great vocabulary - french and english.
September 24, 2014
It was ok. I expected more suspense that I got. Also, there were a lot of french words and phrases used. I felt like I should have the Food Lover's Companion handy for reference.
November 2, 2011
Did not finish reading this book. The characters were not overly interesting and the plotline was a bit slow.
October 15, 2011
I actually enjoyed this book. It would have gotten a 4 star rating but it was just so slow and long winded in a couple of places. I will watch for the next Alexander Campion novel though.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews