A Cyclist's Guide to Poppies & Predicaments - (A Cyclist's Guide Mystery) by Ann Claire (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

Springtime in Provence brings flower-filled meadow, sun-drenched coastlines--and a bachelorette cycling tour that guide Sadie Green hopes to pull off without a hitch. However, the ride takes a deadly detour when a killer crashes the party in USA Today bestselling author Ann Clair's latest mystery for armchair travelers and Francophiles!

Sadie Greene has broken her streak--her crime streak, that is. For months, her bicycle tours through France have been blissfully uneventful, marred only by the occasional punctured tire or crushed croissant. Thus, when Sadie takes on a last-minute booking for a bridal party, she expects love, laughter, and champagne toasts. But more than pre-wedding jitters come along for the ride.

A bossy bride, rowdy party games, and a tagalong stranger threaten to turn Sadie's carefully planned itinerary into a tour de farce. She can shift gears to keep the bride happy, but she can't please everyone. A road-rager targets the group. So does a killer. To add to Sadie's horror, the murder victim is found wearing the bride's tiara.

While the police dig into the victim's past, Sadie suspects a deadly case of mistaken identity. Fearing the real target may still be on her tour, Sadie once again says "I do" to a murder investigation. As her suspect list spins out of control, Sadie uncovers secrets and motives that could shatter the bridal party. Love, life, and liberty are on the line as Sadie races to unmask a killer before the wedding turns into a wake.

Review Quotes

Praise for A Cyclist's Guide Mysteries

"Managing her freewheeling bunch gives Sadie little time for sleuthing. But no worries-they have that covered and then some!" --Kirkus Reviews on A Cyclist's Guide to Villains & Vines

"Poor, overwhelmed Sadie is the perfect heroic foil to the Silver Spinners' madcap antics in this second book of the Cyclist's Guide mystery series...The appearance of her sweetheart, Detective Jacques Laurent is a nice touch that helps further ground her despite all the chaos of her latest cycle tour." --Criminal Element on A Cyclist's Guide to Villains & Vines

"Claire's sun-soaked southern France setting is almost another character in A Cyclist's Guide to Crime & Croissants, and readers will enjoy her in-depth descriptions of picturesque villages and droolworthy French cuisine. It's enough to make anyone want to travel to Sadie's new (tragically fictional) home of San-Souci-sur-Mer--despite the seemingly high risk of murder...A fun, fast-paced ride through France, and readers will be left eager for a return trip." --BookPage on A Cyclist's Guide to Crime and Croissants

"Aside from the rain and the murders, a good time is had by all." --Kirkus on A Cyclist's Guide to Crime and Croissants
 
"Set against the charming backdrop of the landscapes and gastronomy of French culture, Claire's novel is a lighthearted whodunnit with a touch of continental flair." --Boulder Weekly on A Cyclist's Guide to Crime and Croissants
 
"Delights the reader with an armchair tour of Southern France...A wonderful series kick off with an enchanting main character." --Deadly Pleasures Magazine on A Cyclist's Guide to Crime and Croissants

"Fasten your bike helmets and prepare for a thrilling ride through the French countryside with a plucky heroine, a group of cycling tourists, and a murderer. A delightful blend of mystery, travel, and joie de vivre!" --Ellery Adams, New York Times bestselling author on A Cyclist's Guide to Crime and Croissants

"Lovely book! Ann Claire spins a delicious fast-paced mystery across the French countryside with a spirited amateur sleuth, a vibrant cast of characters, and a mélange of memorable suspects. Grab this one tout de suite!" --Cleo Coyle, New York Times bestselling author on A Cyclist's Guide to Crime and Croissants

"Storybook villages, delicious French cuisine, a mysterious gendarme, and murder. An original new voice in mysteries, Ann Claire hits all the right notes with scents, scenery, the people, and the fantastic food. Intriguing characters will keep you wondering as they bicycle through charming towns to the brilliant conclusion. Warning: you'll want to stock up on French cheeses and croissants!" --Krista Davis, New York Times bestselling author of the Domestic Diva Mysteries on A Cyclist's Guide to Crime and Croissants

"I thoroughly enjoyed this cycling tour through the French countryside. Descriptions of the scenery were vivid enough to make me feel like part of the group, and the food was superbe! Tour owner, Sadie Greene, was both savvy and relatable as she wrangled a diverse set of cyclist suspects with aplomb. I'd be happy to follow her anywhere." --Laurien Berenson, author of Peg and Rose Stir Up Trouble and the Melanie Travis Canine mysteries on A Cyclist's Guide to Crime and Croissants

"Take a ride through the south of France with A Cyclist's Guide to Crime and Croissants. This delightful cozy mystery is equal parts transporting, enthralling, and delicious down to the very last buttery crumb!" --Kate Lansing, author of the Colorado Wine Mysteries on A Cyclist's Guide to Crime and Croissants

"So enjoyed spending time with Sadie Greene and friends in the picturesque French countryside--highly recommend adding the Cyclist's Guide series to your list. Ann Claire's mysteries are always clever, engaging, and humorous. A true delight!" --Cynthia Kuhn, author of the Lila Maclean Academic Mysteries and the Starlit Bookshop Mysteries on A Cyclist's Guide to Crime and Croissants

About the Author

Ann Claire is the USA Today bestselling author of the Cyclist's Guide Mysteries and the Christie Bookshop Mysteries, as well as the Bookmobile Mystery Series and the Santa Fe Café Mystery Series written under the pennames Nora Page and Ann Myers. She lives with her French husband in Colorado, but regularly travels to visit family in Southern France. A member of Sisters in Crime and the Pikes Peak Writers, she can be found on Instagram @AnnClaireAuthor or @AnnClaireMysteries on Facebook.