Monsieur Pamplemousse on the Spot

Monsieur Pamplemousse #3

by Michael Bond

Vintage paperback

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Humor, Crime, Detective, Food

Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1986

About the author

Michael Bond, CBE was an English children's author. He was the creator of Paddington Bear and wrote about the adventures of a guinea pig named Olga da Polga, as well as the animated BBC TV series The Herbs. Bond also wrote culinary mystery stories for adults featuring Monsieur Pamplemousse and his faithful bloodhound, Pommes Frites.

Reviews

[Ivonne Rovira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ah, Monsieur Pamplemousse! How could I have stayed away from you for so long? It has been years since I delighted in the first two books in your series, but I neglected you. Having bought you in paper, I was enticed away by Kindle and audio books. What a loss!

But, thanks to your appearing in the Kindle format, I am back! And I adored every page of Monsieur Pamplemousse on the Spot, the third book in the series. In it, Aristide Pamplemousse, a secret restaurant critic for the prestigious Le Guide, a rival of The Michelin Guide, is savoring a meal at Les Cinq Parfaits, one of the dozen finest restaurants in all France, located on the border with Switzerland. But he discovers that the owner’s son and the dessert chef of Les Cinq Parfait, Jean-Claude Parfait, has disappeared mysteriously. The timing could not be worse: An oil-rich Middle Eastern potentate, with whom France wishes to remain on good terms, is scheduled to arrive any day for his annual dinner at Les Cinq Parfaits.

Needless to say, Monsieur Pamplemousse and his trusty sidekick, the bloodhound Pommes Frites, solve this mystery and another in the most hilarious, yet clever way possible. I couldn't put the book down! I promise not to stay away too long this time! Highly, highly recommended.

[Sina & Ilona Glimmerfee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aristide Pamplemousse ist unterwegs im Auftrag des Restaurantführer ‚Le Guide‘. Voller Freude auf die kulinarischen Leckereien, die sich ihm bieten werden, muss er leider feststellen, dass der Patissier verschwunden ist. Nicht nur, dass er nun auf dessen Spezialität Soufflé Surprise verzichten muss, wird sein ganzes kriminalistisches Geschick und die ausgezeichnete Spürnase von seinem Bluthund Pommes Frites benötigt, denn ein wichtiger Gast reist an und das Wohlbefinden der französischen Nation steht auf dem Spiel.

Dies ist eigentlich schon der dritte Fall den Pamplemousse und Pommes Frites zu lösen haben, aber die beiden ersten Teile sind leider nicht in deutscher Sprache erschienen. Dieses Buch ist eine gute Mischung aus Krimi, Haute Cuisine und humorvollen Szenen. Sowohl Pamplemousse als auch Hund Pommes Frites sind mir sehr sympathisch. Ganz nebenbei lernt man noch sehr viel über Wein und französische Küche und damit der Leser auch selber in diesen Genüssen schwelgen kann, sind Rezepte u.a. von Paul Bocuse und Vincent Klink (Soufflé Surprise) beigefügt.

Warum man vielleicht zu diesem Buch greifen sollte:
1. Man verliebt ist in die Haute Cuisine
2. Man gerne tierisch-menschliche Detektivgespanne mag
3. Man sich gerne nebenbei über Wein und Delikatessen bilden möchte

Fazit: Ich bin sehr froh, dass ich über den Paddington Bären, dessen geistiger Vater Michael Bond ist, auch zu diesen beiden Charakteren gefunden habe, die auch aus seiner Feder stammen. Für mich wird es bald ein erneutes Wiedersehen mit Pamplemousse und Pommes Frites geben.

[Jill H. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy this series of little mysteries, written by the author of the Paddington Bear books. The relationship between Monsieur Pamplemousse and his dearest friend, his dog Pommes Frittes is delightful. The stories are slight and a quick read but they are so much fun. In this adventure, M. Pamplemousse (a reviewer for a leading restaurant guide and former Surete detective) and his pal are reviewing a haute cuisine restaurant where the disappearance of one of the owners is causing much distress. Of course, M. Pamplemousse is caught up in the mystery and with the help of Pommes Frittes they are hot on the trail of a possible gang of "white slavers" in a local private girls' school. He dallies with a games mistress, wrecks his car and dodges an attempted murder but still has time to enjoy the food and drink provided at the restaurant. A fun book with a soupcon of Gallic wit.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh my! Pommes Frites just isn’t having a good adventure. Missing chefs, disappearing schoolgirls, a “Grosse Legume”. And food. The books in the series make me too too hungry.

[Clare Coffey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good outing for M.Pamplemousse. This character and the books that he is in, cries out for a tv adaptation. I could see Charles Dance in the role.

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

so many funny adventures with food critic and his dog, what they get themselves into!!!

[Sho · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another gastronomic romp with a bit of slapstick, a 2CV, a bloodhound and the eponymous M Pamplemousse and his roving eye

[Roberta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another good Pamplemousse.

[Sheuringd1988 · Rating 5 out of 5]

A bit more serious than previous books

But still quite funny. I especially enjoyed the Monsieur's fascination with Sherlock Holmes, and his thoughts on how the famous detective would solve the case. Pommes Frites was a bit confused with his new role as Watson, but a helpful partner nonetheless. Again the food sounds so delicious! I'm totally hooked on this series and can't wait to read the next one.

[Eugene · Rating 3 out of 5]

With his 3rd entry in the series, Bond hits his stride. It’s still as light and fluffy as the previous outings, but here the story is fairly alive as the characters and their interactions are (somewhat) more believable and the action is of interest; as well, the resolve is quite satisfying. Here’s hoping the series continues at this level, as there’s always room for an entertaining mystery waiting to be read.

[nimrodiel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had a hard time getting into this story. M. Pamplemousse seemed extremly stiff, and just in the right spot at the right time for the wrapping up of the mystery.

The book seemed to focus a little too much on Monsier Pamplemousse's love of good food and wine for me. I looked forwards to reading Michael Bond's adult books being a fan of the Paddington books from a young age. However I find I just didn't enjoy this as much as I thought I would.

I will not be reading the rest of Monsier Pamplemousse's adventures.

[Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once again Monsieur Pamplemousse and his trusty bloodhound, Pommes Frites, are left to their own devices to solve a mystery of national importance to France, making certain 'sacrifices' along the way - all for the good of the country of course. Though food is not one of them. No Mickey D's behind the wheel of the car for this man. He packs a folding table and chair in the boot of his 2CV and a picnic lunch for any drive longer than a few hours. Fun book though I think I'll give this series a break for awhile. Just reading about all the wonderful food makes me hungry.

[Roberta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another outing for Monsier Pamplemousse and his trusty bloodhound, Pommes Frites. One reviewer said that she might enjoy the books more if she had a rudimentary knowledge of French. It hadn't really occurred to me that it was necessary because it seemed to me that the French words are either very common words and phrases that everyone sort of picks up or they were used in ways that it isn't absolutely necessary to translate the words to understand the story. I mean, Pamplemousse is a funny name regardless of knowing what it translates to in English, non?

[Lore · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the first half of this book - it was witty, light-hearted, and an easy read, but the second half became less so. Much of it was repetitive, overly ambiguous or just strange - perhaps it contained references I just didn’t understand, but I just didn’t get it. I’d be up for trying another book, perhaps the first in the series as I really did enjoy the first part.

[T · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fun and quick read. With food, a mystery, a bloodhound and a little innuendo, how can you go wrong?

[Margaret]

Amusing but not as funny as the first Pamplemousse book I read. Still, I would try another. Do wish I had a rudimentary understanding of French when reading this series - I think it would help!

[Lynn Palin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved Monsier Pamplemousse and his dog, Pommes Frites!

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

remarkably silly & enjoyable.

[Bitsy]

1986