Full Reader FAQ
1. What is the reading order of the Julie Cavallo Investigates series?
Each Julie Cavallo mystery can be enjoyed as a standalone cozy mystery set in Provence, Paris, or elsewhere in France. However, reading the books in order offers the richest and most satisfying experience, since Julie’s personal life, relationships, and the town of Beldoc evolve from one mystery to the next.
Here is the chronological reading order of the books already published or on preorder:
2. Is Beldoc a real place?
No, Beldoc is a fictional town. However, it is inspired by several small towns and villages in Provence that I love. Think sun-warmed stone façades, bustling weekly markets, lavender fields, and neighbors who know far too much about each other.
In the books, Beldoc is located on the Rhône River, about half an hour from Arles in southern France. If you have ever traveled through Provence, you may recognize a street, a square, or a bakery or two.
3. Are any of your characters based on real people?
Yes and no. Every character is a blend. I never copy one real person wholesale. Instead, I mix traits, gestures, habits, speech patterns, and fragments of personality from different people I have known.
The one clear exception is Rose. Julie’s grandmother is heavily inspired by my own maternal grandmother, including many of her delightful and occasionally exasperating idiosyncrasies. Even so, Rose is not a carbon copy. Fiction reshapes reality into something new.
4. Are some of your books based on true stories?
Not entire books, but many plotlines are inspired by true stories and real-life cases.
For example, Mayor Victor Jacquet’s decision to ban the Christmas tree in The Canceled Christmas is based on real-life events that took place in several French cities, where Green mayors objected to the tradition for environmental reasons.
The retired mobster Napoleon “Big Napo” Albertini’s backstory in The Twelve Suspects of Christmas draws heavily on a memoir by Jean-Pierre Hernandez, alias Gros Pierrot, a former member of the crime syndicate known as the French Connection (Quand j’étais gangster, Flammarion, 2014).
The stolen Marc Chagall artworks featured in The Snow Globe Affair are also inspired by a real criminal case known as L’Affaire Chagall, which involved the massive theft and partial recovery of the artist’s works.
And here’s something that may blow your mind. There’s a true story that seems to have been “inspired” by one of my books.
Remember the Fragonard painting discovered by accident in The Murderous Macaron? A year after the novel was published, a remarkably similar discovery happened in real life. I wrote a blog post about it.
Reality is often stranger and bolder than fiction. And sometimes, life imitates art… with suspicious precision.
5. How many more books will there be after The Fatal Farandole?
The Julie Cavallo Investigates series will conclude in about three or four more books. Julie’s journey has always had a destination. I plan to bring her story to a satisfying and intentional close.
Not to worry! I am already developing a brand-new mystery series set in France. A different flavor, with the same mix of humor, heart, and suspense that you have come to love.
6. Do you hate modern art?
No, I do not hate modern art, although there are a few works I find horrendous. My criticism is less about aesthetics and more about economics. What I am truly skeptical of is the contemporary art market. Too often, vastly overpriced works are used as vehicles for tax evasion, money laundering, or the redirection of public funds into private hands.
This theme appears in The Deadly Donut, where a police officer explains the financial playbook behind such schemes.
7. Do I need to visit Provence to enjoy the books?
Not at all. You do not need to travel to southern France to enjoy the food, culture, humor, and mystery in the series. But if you have visited Provence, you may find yourself smiling at the details. Either way, bring your appetite.
8. Are the books cozy mysteries or darker crime novels?
On the surface, the books are classic cozy mysteries:
Life is a tragicomedy, after all.
9. Is there a free starter book?
Yes, although not exactly a starter novel. You can read a free short story on the Bonus Content page. I also offer a free novella and a recipe book to newsletter subscribers.
Joining the newsletter is the best way to stay informed about new releases, exclusive scenes, bonus content, and the occasional rabbit-hole research discovery.
Each Julie Cavallo mystery can be enjoyed as a standalone cozy mystery set in Provence, Paris, or elsewhere in France. However, reading the books in order offers the richest and most satisfying experience, since Julie’s personal life, relationships, and the town of Beldoc evolve from one mystery to the next.
Here is the chronological reading order of the books already published or on preorder:
- The Murderous Macaron
- The Killer Karma
- The Sinister Superyacht
3.5. The Canceled Christmas - The Shady Château
- The Perils of Paris
- The Bloodthirsty Bee
- The Snow Globe Affair
7.5. An (un)Orthodox Christmas - The Deadly Donut
- The Twelve Suspects of Christmas
- The Ruthless Rice
- The Fatal Farandole
2. Is Beldoc a real place?
No, Beldoc is a fictional town. However, it is inspired by several small towns and villages in Provence that I love. Think sun-warmed stone façades, bustling weekly markets, lavender fields, and neighbors who know far too much about each other.
In the books, Beldoc is located on the Rhône River, about half an hour from Arles in southern France. If you have ever traveled through Provence, you may recognize a street, a square, or a bakery or two.
3. Are any of your characters based on real people?
Yes and no. Every character is a blend. I never copy one real person wholesale. Instead, I mix traits, gestures, habits, speech patterns, and fragments of personality from different people I have known.
The one clear exception is Rose. Julie’s grandmother is heavily inspired by my own maternal grandmother, including many of her delightful and occasionally exasperating idiosyncrasies. Even so, Rose is not a carbon copy. Fiction reshapes reality into something new.
4. Are some of your books based on true stories?
Not entire books, but many plotlines are inspired by true stories and real-life cases.
For example, Mayor Victor Jacquet’s decision to ban the Christmas tree in The Canceled Christmas is based on real-life events that took place in several French cities, where Green mayors objected to the tradition for environmental reasons.
The retired mobster Napoleon “Big Napo” Albertini’s backstory in The Twelve Suspects of Christmas draws heavily on a memoir by Jean-Pierre Hernandez, alias Gros Pierrot, a former member of the crime syndicate known as the French Connection (Quand j’étais gangster, Flammarion, 2014).
The stolen Marc Chagall artworks featured in The Snow Globe Affair are also inspired by a real criminal case known as L’Affaire Chagall, which involved the massive theft and partial recovery of the artist’s works.
And here’s something that may blow your mind. There’s a true story that seems to have been “inspired” by one of my books.
Remember the Fragonard painting discovered by accident in The Murderous Macaron? A year after the novel was published, a remarkably similar discovery happened in real life. I wrote a blog post about it.
Reality is often stranger and bolder than fiction. And sometimes, life imitates art… with suspicious precision.
5. How many more books will there be after The Fatal Farandole?
The Julie Cavallo Investigates series will conclude in about three or four more books. Julie’s journey has always had a destination. I plan to bring her story to a satisfying and intentional close.
Not to worry! I am already developing a brand-new mystery series set in France. A different flavor, with the same mix of humor, heart, and suspense that you have come to love.
6. Do you hate modern art?
No, I do not hate modern art, although there are a few works I find horrendous. My criticism is less about aesthetics and more about economics. What I am truly skeptical of is the contemporary art market. Too often, vastly overpriced works are used as vehicles for tax evasion, money laundering, or the redirection of public funds into private hands.
This theme appears in The Deadly Donut, where a police officer explains the financial playbook behind such schemes.
7. Do I need to visit Provence to enjoy the books?
Not at all. You do not need to travel to southern France to enjoy the food, culture, humor, and mystery in the series. But if you have visited Provence, you may find yourself smiling at the details. Either way, bring your appetite.
8. Are the books cozy mysteries or darker crime novels?
On the surface, the books are classic cozy mysteries:
- An amateur sleuth
- Little to no graphic violence
- A strong sense of community
- Omnipresent humor and lightness
- Plenty of food
Life is a tragicomedy, after all.
9. Is there a free starter book?
Yes, although not exactly a starter novel. You can read a free short story on the Bonus Content page. I also offer a free novella and a recipe book to newsletter subscribers.
Joining the newsletter is the best way to stay informed about new releases, exclusive scenes, bonus content, and the occasional rabbit-hole research discovery.