Book Review: Monsieur Pamplemousse on the Spot

This is one of those books that I stumbled across enroute to looking something else up. Michael Bond is the author of the children's books about Paddington the bear, which I thoroughly enjoyed as a child and as a parent reading them to my own kids. I thought I would give his books for adult readers a try.

Monsieur Pamplemousse is an undercover food critic for The Guide, a prestigious French culinary guidebook. He is also an amateur detective; mysteries seem to find him. He fancies himself to be something of a modern Sherlock Holmes. In this adventure (one of many; the series spans decades) Pamplemousse and his trusty sidekick, a large blood hound appropriately named Pommes Frites, are taking a well-earned vacation at a renowned resort called Les Cinq Parfaits. Alas, the head dessert chef has disappeared, and M. Pamplemousse is on the case!

I have to say, the story was a little difficult to follow, but perhaps that is because I didn't begin at the beginning of the series. I also found some of the references to be rather dated, but the book was published in 1986 (which seems like only yesterday ...) On the whole, it was fun to read. I quite enjoyed all of the hoity-toity food and wine references. Mr. Bond has his tongue firmly planted in his cheek as he writes these books. I have one of the more recent ones checked out from the library, and I will happily give it a try to see how the series has developed.

(Cross-posted at the Spring Reading Challenge)