The Sinister Superyacht: a Provence Cozy Mystery

Julie Cavallo Investigates #3

by Ana T. Drew

Un yacht de luxe.
Un meurtre à huis clos.
Une enquêtrice inattendue…

Le magnat Jean-Louis Ponsard connaît une mauvaise année.
Des investissements imprudents, des commandes annulées, des contrats qui tombent à l'eau...
Son année de misère touche le fond de la Méditerranée le jour où son yacht devient le théâtre d'une mort suspecte.
Pour ne rien arranger, la victime n'est pas n'importe qui.
C'est sa belle-mère, qu’il honnit.

À bord, le traiteur Julie Cavallo et son extravagante mamie Rose fouinent un peu, pendant que la piste est encore chaude. Mais chaque cabine de luxe cache un secret.
Chaque passager a un alibi, ou alors aucune raison de vouloir la mort de la victime.
La discrétion est de rigueur.
L'équipage ne pipe mot, tout comme les comptoirs en marbre, les boiseries précieuses et les robinets en or.
Lorsque les flics prennent les choses en main, ça part en vrille, et pas seulement pour la famille Ponsard.

Julie saura-t-elle plonger dans les bas-fonds ténébreux, démêler cette affaire, et en ressortir vivante?

« Le superyacht sinistre » est la troisième enquête de Julie Cavallo, mais ce roman peut aussi se lire indépendamment. De l’humour, une touche de romance et une intrigue rebondissante — un cosy crime à dévorer d'urgence!

Genres: Cozy Mystery, Mystery, Crime

ebook

Published October 31, 2020

About the author

Chanticleer Mystery & Mayhem Book Awards First Place winner, Ana T. Drew is the evil mastermind behind the recent series of murders in the fictional French town of Beldoc.

When she is not writing cozy mysteries or doing mom-and-wife things, she can be found watching “The Rookie” to help her get over “Castle”. She lives in Paris but her heart is in Provence.

>>> Sign up for her monthly newsletter to be notified when her next mystery comes out and get a free novella and a cookbook!

Reviews

[Deb · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick little mystery. This is the third in the series. I had not read any books by this author prior to this one. I think it would have helped with the characters backstories. I received a digital ARC for this book.

[Penny · Rating 3 out of 5]

J'ai mieux aimé ce tome que le précédent, mais ça reste une lecture moyenne
Cette enquête se déroule sur un yacht, je trouve cela sympa, même si les scènes sur le bateau ne durent pas sur tout le roman (jusque vers 39 % environ).
Le cadre, la provence, est plaisant. Beldoc est une petite ville (fictive, je crois) charmante
En ce qui concerne la scène de suspense, la manière dont Julie s'en sort est peut-être un peu facile, mais ce n'est pas super gênant
La fin est assez chouette (le dernier chapitre), une bonne conclusion !
Ce cosy mystery n'est pas le meilleur que j'ai lu, mais cela reste agréable, et pour l'instant, je poursuis la série. Le premier tome avait été un coup de coeur pour moi. Soit le premier tome était meilleur, soit c'est parce que c'était le deuxième cosy mystery que je lisais (en ne comptant pas les hercule Poirot).

[Westveil Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was granted complimentary access to a review copy of The Sinister Superyacht in exchange for an honest review as part of my participation in the blog tour for this title with Goddess Fish Promotions. Thank you to Ana T. Drew and Goddess Fish Promotions for the opportunity! This has not swayed my opinion; my thoughts are my own and my review is honest.

Tour plog Post: https://www.westveilpublishing.com/?p...

Julie Cavallo is back, and this time she's taken up employment on French tycoon Jean-Louis Ponsard's private yacht. Unfortunately (fortunately?) the owner's insufferable mother-in-law does not survive the trip, and once again Julie finds herself doing a little more detective work than pastry baking.

As usual, the banter and inter-character relationships in this book are very well done and entertaining. I absolutely love spending time with Ana's characters, and I always feel like I'm actually there eavesdropping on a conversation rather than sitting back with a book, reading it on the page. I also really like the paranormal elements to the plot this round! As someone who usually sticks to SF/F genre books and only ventures out into other genres to mix things up, seeing "fantasy-esque" elements in another genre is always a perk!

My one complaint is that this book really took its time setting up before the murder is discovered. I am a fairly quick reader, and at 248 pages this didn't require too many stops and starts, maybe 2-3, but I did put it down to attend to other business once before it was clear what the mystery this round would be. I prefer my mysteries to get right to the murder.

With that said, all of the character introduction as Julie and Rose are getting oriented on the yacht is so entertaining I didn't notice the above complaint until the murder actually happened and I checked on my percentage read. If you love hanging out with well-written characters or don't mind a "slower" start (in a sense,) then perfect!

4 out of 5 stars, really enjoyable mystery! I would recommend this to anyone who reads mystery novels or wants a fun, light read.

[Lisa Hernandez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Clean, bright little cozy mystery set in a fictitious French town, this installment of is series was interesting & well thought out. Second in the series surrounding pastry chef Julie & her band of amateur sleuths, this one begins with a murder aboard a luxury yacht & follows the team & the local police as they piece the crime together.
Ultimately what falls flat is the addition of Julie’s ‘snapshots’ ostensibly ‘visions’ that guide her on the way to solidifying theories or helping solve the crime out right. This foray into the psychic seems unnecessary as Julie could just as easily have deduced or stumbled on the needed confirmation through standard means (snooping or eavesdropping or just recollection of an event or conversation would do it). Instead, these premonitions are often thrown in to push the story along but without a lot of relevance other than plot device.
A pleasant read for sure, but would be more enjoyable as just a simple cozy mystery without the head scratching inclusion of the physic aspect.

[Denise]

This is a well written quick read. This is the third book in this series. Julie is catering for a wealthy couple on their superyacht when the owner’s mother-in-law mysteriously disappears and is presumed dead. She was a horrible, mean woman and there is no lack of suspects who would have had a reason to want her dead.

I found this installment a little slower and a bit less focused on the actual murder investigation than the previous books seemed to. I also was frustrated with the lack of progress in the romance between Julie and Adinian that was previously introduced. They’re both adults and are obviously interested in one another, yet they kind of blow hot and cold like teenagers and are making little forward momentum. Even with my having those issues, this is still a solid addition to the series and it was nice to see Julie learning to embrace what she calls her ‘snapshots’.

[Nancy (The Avid Reader) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Our favorite caterer/amateur sleuth Julie Cavallo is back and this time around she is working onboard a yacht catering to the rich. Julie has brought her Grandmother Rose along for the ride.

The Sinister Superyacht was a fun little read even though it was a bit slow to start. The Sinister Superyacht was slow in the beginning building up the suspense slowly while revealing its secrets one at a time.

Once again the Julie Cavallo Investigates mysteries kept me on the edge of my seat with The Sinister Superyacht just ramping up the adrenaline a little bit at a time until that final climax and then bam right in the face when it was all revealed. What a rush!

In the beginning, when one of the passengers went missing I thought yeah murder has been committed here. Right away I am thinking yeah I know who did it but then along came Julie to keep me guessing and prove me wrong. I can’t wait for Julie’s next mystery to see what is laid out on the table.

As always I highly recommend The Sinister Superyacht to all cozy mystery readers. I also recommend the first two books in the Julie Cavallo Investigates mysteries, The Murderous Macaron book #1, and The Killer Karma book #2 as well. All the books in The Sinister Superyacht can be read as a standalone. So one-click your copies today to help Julie solve some murders!

[Traci · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this is my favorite of the 3 books so far. Ms Drew does a wonderful job of creating characters who are authentic and spark emotions in readers, both positive and annoyances. Once again Julie finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation and thoroughly drags Grandma Rose into it as well. The mystery is well written with plenty of probable suspects I appreciate Ms Drew including descriptions of France and the everyday culture as well. Highly recommend this series for cozy fans who like sassy characters

[Ana Drew]

The Sinister Superyacht: a Provence Cozy Mystery is LIVE !

I'm thrilled to let you know that the third Provence cozy mystery is out now on Amazon and Kindle Unlimited. It can be enjoyed as a standalone.

Here's a taste:

By Wednesday, I’d bucked up compared to Monday’s gloom and doom.
I was simply too excited to keep sulking. That’s right, I was excited about being questioned by the police.
And, before you judge me, go reflect on your own kinks!
...
Commissaire Reboul trails his pencil down the passenger and crew list. “Julie Cavallo, gluten-free pastry caterer. Correct?”
“Oui, monsieur.”
“Your fame precedes you.”
“Really?”
I know Valerie and a few patrons at the shop quite like my confections, but have they been so vocal about it that the word has reached police detectives in Corsica? How awesome is that!
Cocking his head, Reboul sizes me up. “I hear you helped Capitaine Adinian solve the Maurice Sauve case this summer.”
“Oh. That’s right.”
“Did the victim get into any arguments?” he asks.
“She did. She was mean to everyone,” I say. “Myself included.”
“Can you be more specific?”
“She wouldn’t touch my pastries.”
He pulls back and makes big eyes at me. “I can’t even… That’s just… How dare she?”
--
Get it on Amazon!

And keep an eye out for a hilarious Christmas novella - The Mayor Who Canceled Christmas: An uplifting cozy mystery set in Provence - coming December 4th !

[Sherrie Cronin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the first book in Ana T. Drew's collection (The Murderous Macaron) and decided to give book three a try. I’m glad I did.

Pastry chef turned sleuth Julie remains witty and fun, delighting the reader with quotes like “Because, as humans, when there is nothing we want, it’s a tried and tested sign we’re dead.” Plus, her adventures as a temp crew member aboard a lavish yacht make for an enjoyable armchair adventure.

I have a fondness for those who bend (and even twist) the rules of any genre, so I was happy not to see the requisite dead body show up by page five. In fact, I had a fine time reading about life on the yacht before the murder. However, even I began to get antsy when 30% into my kindle copy everyone remained alive and healthy. (Fear not, murder does happen soon after.)

Author Drew does something else unusual in this series. She blends (no — she lightly feathers in) a subplot involving a past tragedy and possible psychic powers. In the first book, it seemed at odds with the light tone of the rest of her story, like chili powder in an orange chiffon cake. ( I like them both, just not together.) There is a second book in this series that I missed and I’ve discovered that some of the backstory behind this “chili powder” has been revealed in book two. That’s good to know.

Perhaps because I’ve encountered it before, however, sleuth Julie’s mental snapshots now seem more like chili powder in a chocolate cake — still odd but less unappealing. Perhaps this incongruous mix is growing on me.

I’ve already recommended Drew’s first book to others, and I’ll do the same with this one. I’ll probably pick up her second book and read it as well, just for fun. And honestly, no matter what one says in a review, there is no more sincere compliment than that.

[Patricia Soh · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wish I can say that I enjoyed the book. I had loved the first two in the series as they were good cozy mysteries with plot twists and some good deductive skills. I am unsure about the third where the focus seems to be on rather redundant comments or conversations that were a tad silly and a bit of an eye-roll. Overall, it’s still a heartwarming story but the mystery was a little dull, and the final reveal of the murderer was not earth - shattering. It was also painfully frustrating to see that the lead’s romance is still going nowhere.

[Christine Woinich · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very entertaining mystery. I loved all the characters, the little bit paranormal, and how the mystery worked itself out. Julie was an enjoyable detective, determined and observant. I enjoyed this story and look forward to more in the series. I may also check out the two in front of this one.

I received a copy of this story through Goddess Fish Promotions, and this is my unsolicited review.

[Kasey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice change of pace!

These cozy mysteries are a welcome pallet cleanser after devouring several other, high-intensity books and series. It's like a casual walk in a lovely garden compared to the thrillers I normally read. Now, I'm invested in the characters and will continue to enjoy the stroll!

[Mickey Kay Troxell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this 3rd book in the series. I read this one after reading the 4th forward. So, reading these books out of sequence works too. The characters and author are fantastic! I look forward to reading more from this author and hopefully about these characters!

I am giving this review freely. I volunteered to offer an honest review after receiving a copy of this book from the author.

[Charity Chimni · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Julie's latest adventure! The witty banter throughout was entertaining. I loved the budding relationships and can't wait for more. Julie and her team are getting more confident in their sleuthing skills. I can't wait for their next adventure!

[lisa jung · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cozy Mystry

This is book 3 of this fun cozy mystery series. With great characters and a mystery that will keep you turning the pages this is a great addition to the series. Looking forward to what will be served up next.

[Shelly Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

the sinister super yacht

Julie is back at it again ! This time at sea, Julie and Rose find themselves wrapped up in another mystery. This one is a whopper! Recommend this book but would prefer you start fresh in the series from the beginning.

[Dolly · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Fun Mystery

I enjoy mystery novels. This one was a fun read. Although there is a mysterious death, the way Julie, the baker, goes about solving the mystery, has its humorous edge. There is an element of magic to the book, also, which made it more fun.

[Madeleine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is #3 and it took me on quite an adventure. I love these fun mystery books. Loved the writing.

[Romy Mi · Rating 4 out of 5]

toujours aussi agréable de retrouver tout ce petit monde =)