Read time: 5 minutes
📱📖 Read on Kobo
⏱ Duration: 4 hours
🏷️ Publisher: Kensington Publishing
📅 ARC courtesy of NetGalley | To be published: March 31, 2026
Book Blurb:
Hugo has traded a high-stakes career as an FBI profiler and U.S. Embassy head of security for a quieter life running a bookshop in Paris’s Marais district. But peace doesn’t last long. When a prominent American chocolatier receives a blackmail threat demanding half a million euros, Hugo is pulled back into investigation mode. The chocolatier’s factory, housed in a former convent with a shadowy past, soon becomes the center of something far darker when an employee is found dead. Teaming up with Lieutenant Camille Lerens, Hugo must unravel secrets buried deep in Parisian history—before The Shadow strikes again.
Let’s talk … Murder!!!
It took me until the acknowledgments to realize The Most Mysterious Bookshop in Paris continues a long-running series. That revelation explained so much of my confusion. As a newcomer, I spent most of the book wondering how our freshly minted bookseller, Hugo, seemed to have endless high-level contacts across law enforcement and politics. The mystery of that, it turns out, was purely meta: I had started mid-series without knowing.
For a bookshop mystery, there’s surprisingly little time spent in the actual shop. Hugo hires an assistant and immediately hands him the keys before darting off into Parisian intrigue. That said, the mystery itself? Genuinely engaging. The blackmail angle, the chocolate factory with a layered historical past, and the eventual whodunit all worked for me. Once the investigation was in full swing,
What didn’t quite land for me were the emotional beats on either end of the story. Without the series’ backstory, I felt detached from the relationships and callbacks that longtime readers will likely savor. I can see how fans of Hugo’s previous outings would find this a smooth continuation. But as a standalone, it wobbles just a bit out of context. Unfortunately, both the prelude and the ending leaned heavily on series context, making them feel emotionally flat if you haven’t followed Hugo’s journey from the beginning. I closed the book satisfied with the mystery, but not particularly compelled to go backward or forward in the series.
Would I recommend it?
If you’re already familiar with Hugo Marston’s previous adventures, this one is a worthy addition, mysterious, atmospheric, and laced with chocolate and Parisian charm. But if you’re new like me, you might want to start earlier in the series to fully understand its cast of characters and connections.
Read-alike recommendations
- The Cracked Spine by Paige Shelton – Features a genuine bookshop mystery, perfect for readers who wanted more of that setting here.
- Murder at the Brightwell by Ashley Weaver – Cozy mystery with strong period detail and clear character grounding.
- The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles – For readers who love wartime secrets and literary history.
- Death in the English Countryside by Sara Rosett – A cozy yet intelligent mystery with strong sense of place.
- The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George – For readers chasing Parisian literary vibes over crime.
A Question for You, Bookish Detectives
Do you stick with a mystery series if the plot works but the characters don’t quite pull you in—or is that your cue to quietly slip the book back on the shelf?
Book Links
Want to purchase this or any of your favorite books while supporting a local bookstore? Consider purchasing using the sites below. These sites work with independent local bookstore owners to fulfill your book orders.
#SupportLocal
- Indiebookstores.ca
- Bookshop.org
- Goodreads | StoryGraph | Fable | Hardcover
- Find out more Hugo books on Mark Pryor’s author page
- Check out more books from Kensington Publishers
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This is a careful and honest read. You name the central issue cleanly—not the mystery itself, but the way emotional weight depends on prior investment. That distinction matters. I appreciate how you hold the book accountable to its series context without faulting the craft where it succeeds. The read-alikes are generous and precise, too. A trustworthy review.
Thank you 😊 it was indeed a good book but might have been better with context.
This is a fair and grounded review. You make the distinction that matters—between a mystery that works and a series that assumes prior emotional investment. That kind of clarity helps readers choose wisely rather than reactively. The restraint here builds trust.