Meurtre rue Saint-Jacques: A Murder Mystery in Easy French (Petits meurtres français) (French Edition)

Thank you France Dubin! I've already ordered the next book in the series. I studied Spanish and German earlier in life and as a visual learner I've found French very difficult, with so many silent letters, and the complicated verb conjugation. Having slogged slowly through Marcel Pagnol's La Gloire de Mon Pére and Le Chateau de Ma Mére, I found this book delightful. I could get the gist without looking anything up, and looking up a few words in each chapter helped with any mistakes I made. And there's always the English version of the book which follows the French version in the paperback, where the translation isn't word for word, but gives the meaning phrase by phrase. The language and idioms are up to date, what you really hear in France. And the exercises after each chapter are excellent, broadening the vocabulary with useful everyday words. If you're planning a trip to France and want to brush up on your French, I highly recommend this book. I'm planning to enjoy more of France Dubin's books before my next visit there.

Thank you so much for the book. I have spent many, many hours studying French on Duolingo for almost a year. I felt that it was time to start reading books. I tried Harry Potter, The Little Prince, and The Stranger in French, but they were all a bit difficult for me. So I bought your kindle book and read the whole thing in a couple of days. It was so fun and interesting. Very hip and even provocative at times. Thanks!

When the owner of a Paris apartment is mysteriously found dead on the floor of his kitchen, the two American women travelers that have rented the property are suddenly prime suspects of murder.Thus starts an engaging suspenseful tale of the accused trying to find the real culprit and prove themselves innocent. It is written using easy French language with some additional more challenging vocabulary to help the reader advance in their French skills'. It's a well written "page turner". Once I started reading, I didn't want to stop until I coud read it from start to finish. Recommend.

I really liked the idea of following a "murder story". I really think this author is good at writing French that is accessible to a Late Beginner/Early Intermediate level reader. I did not have to look up too many words, and, thankfully, it was not entirely in first person, so one could test out knowledge of a few tenses. It has dialogue so the ways of speaking get covered. As to the murder story, it starts out with an opener at the murder scene. Then jumps back to a rather long lead into that point -- 18 chapters, in fact. Those 18 chapters are very much like so many other readers that are preparing one to go on a trip to France. Begins back in the states, so we get packing suitcases, going to the airports, the flight, getting a taxi, going to the rented room, going out, getting meals, types of food, etc. I've read that kind of thing in many other french learning books (which may by why I didn't have to look up too manyt words). The murder investigation is only from Chapter 19-29. It presents several possible suspects and their motives, and finally reveals the culprit. But I was also taken aback, as a previous reviewer was, that after a murder which occurred in her apartment, and for which she is a suspect, she and her friend are allowed to continue inhabiting the apartment. When I purchased the book, I missed that the story was repeated in it's entirety in English which, at intermediate level, I don't think is needed. My fault for not seeing that. I thought I was getting a longer story. So while, I enjoyed it, I'm really looking for something in intermediate french, that is a sustained story, not necessarily about planes, trains, taxis, and getting around Paris. That being said, if you are at the high beginner stage, and like having the story complete in both languages, this author writes in a very accessible manner.

Let's start with a confession: I consume books by France Dubin like being turned loose in a Parisian boulangerie - I gobble them down and eagerly await the next one. If you are anywhere past beginning French, you should do yourself a favor and dig in to the feast that awaits you with any/all of her books. There are so many language books that are, well, some flavor of tedious to get through. Dubin's books are just plain fun to read - you're not even really aware that you are improving your French - you're just enjoying the pleasure of good writing and a good story. They are not what you had in 10th grade French - these are stories for adults about adult things and they are occasionally spiced with mild 'naughty' terms, all part of the fun. After her earlier series, I'm delighted that Mme Dubin has now joined the mystery genre, and the only thing to say here is: more, more! Or rather: encore, encore!

Such a fun way to review French language reading the engaging mystery story. I also appreciated the fun exercises at the end of each chapter.

"Meurtre rue Saint-Jacques" by France Dubin is a unique tool for French learners. Through the gripping plot set in Rue Saint-Jacques, readers are exposed to authentic French language usage, helping them improve their reading comprehension and vocabulary acquisition. The descriptive writing style enhances their understanding of French culture by vividly portraying the atmospheric setting and immersing them in the nuances of French society. This book goes beyond mere language learning; it offers an opportunity for students to delve into the intricacies of French customs, landmarks, and social dynamics. I highly recommend it.

O livro conta uma história de duas amigas que viajam juntas e passam por uma experiência nada agradável. Apesar de ter frases longas e completas, achei um bom livro para quem ainda está na transição do básico/ intermediário.Achei super legal que foi escrito por uma prof que queria mais materiais para os alunos dela.Obrigada por terem incluído esse livro no Kindle Unlimited. Faz meu dinheiro valer a pena!

If you are looking to improve your French this is a great way to start. We are a group of friends who meet regularly and this book has provided much enjoyment for us all. It is both funny and well written. Particularly the "everyday french" phrases which are really helpful. We also like to listen to the book in Audible as well.We have now started another of France's books.

A great story well written in French and English. The book is written at around the A2 level, I found it easy and enjoyable to read which allowed me to read for much longer and learn new words easily through the context of the rest of the story. There are also language exercises between each chapter.I have already bought the rest of the murder mystery series and I will definitely looks at the author's other books too.

I’m learning French, and reached a point where I wanted to widen my vocabulary. This book, which is largely written in the present tense, kept me focused. I also found myself doing the exercises at the end of each short chapter. I’ll be looking for another by the same author!