In this third "Happy Hoofers Mystery" the ladies are in France, dancing on a bateau each night while living and sight seeing in Paris for the week. The Hoofers are a group of five 50 ladies who love to dance, Gini, Tina, MaryLouise, Pat and Janice. They all have other jobs/professions and do this on the side. They are entertaining on the trip so get a free trip out of the deal.

Janice narrates this story. She is an actress who is also beautiful so attracts men like flies to a picnic. She says what she thinks and this gets her into trouble. When the owner of the bateau is found murdered on the top deck, the hoofers are not sure what is going to happen to their dancing. When his wife is also killed, the bateau is shut down until the murderer is found. The ladies take advantage of the situation to do some sight seeing. If you have never been to Paris, and I have not, you will enjoy the wonderful descriptions of the sights they visit. The ladies are not as active in solving the murders this time around, but when Janice stumbles onto some things, she puts herself in danger.

Once again the characters were fun, interacted well with one another and were smart. In this book there are also some entanglements. Janice is quickly attracted to one of the characters, but makes the decision that she does not want to have intimate relations with him so quickly. She is also pursued by one of the band members from the ship. Pat also has a relationship with the police captain, but again it is not serious and her partner at home is not cheated on. This story seemed to be more about the location than the mystery itself. Mary McHugh has written another mystery with an emphasis on friendship. There are both fashion tips from Janice and recipes from various chefs and restaurants. A nice book for cozy mystery lovers, especially if you enjoy armchair travel and great food. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book via Netgalley. ( )

Takes place in Paris, over the course of about a week, starring 5 amazingly beautiful and talented, fifty-something, American tap dancers with varying personalities, a la the Spice Girls.

Although classified as a mystery, little time is devoted on the story compared to the time raving about the city of Paris, from a tourist's point of view. Also covered extensively are recipes and menus encountered.

Overall frothy and unsurprising, while still being cozy and reassuring. Some of the characters would have benefited from more attention from the author, to round them out a bit. However, it is understandable that the magnificence of Paris would make everyone and everything seem stale and predictable in comparison.

I would recommend this to light mystery lovers who have not been to Paris.

**eARC Netgalley** ( )

The group of women known as the Happy Hoofers have bagged the gig of a lifetime--dancing nightly on a Bateau Mouche in Paris! The story reads like a travelogue of love to the City of Lights. From street names, stores, restaurants, museums, Giverny and Versailles, I really felt like any murder was taking second place to the wonderful city the women were visiting. There is murder, and Jan, of course, is drawn to and possibly drugged by a suspect. Police Chief Genevieve knows what she's doing and the investigation propels along without too much aid from the Hoofers. The food and recipes shared in the book sound delightful and I can't imagine how the next city and adventure will measure up to Paris! ( )

I just finished reading Cancans, Croissants, and Caskets by Mary McHugh. It is the third book in The Happy Hoofers Mystery series. The Happy Hoofers are off the Paris, France! They are dancing on the Bateau Mouche. It is a boat that does dinner cruises on the Seine. They will dance each evening for a week (five days). The ladies rented an apartment to stay at while they are in Paris. The Happy Hoofers include: Janice Rogers (actress), Tina Powell (travel writer for a bridal magazine), Gini Miller (documentary filmmaker), Mary Louise Temple (housewife), and Pat Keller (family therapist). This book is told from the perspective of Janice Rogers. Each book is told from a different Happy Hoofers perspective (which I really do not like). The ladies arrive in Paris early on Bastille Day (they did not plan well). They are to perform that evening on the boat. They first take a quick nap and then head to the Bateau Mouche to check in with the owner, Henri Fouchet. They meet his wife, Madeleine Fouchet as well as the singer, Suzette Millet and the band. Suzette is a lovey singer who is wanting to leave the boat to go to America. She has been offered to sing at Le Bateau Mouche, a nightclub in New York. It is named after the boat and owned by Alan Anderson.

At the end of their first performance, everyone heads to the upper deck for the fireworks. A scream rings out. Henri Fouchet has been shot. Captain Genevieve Chantal arrives to investigate the murder. Who wanted Henri dead and why? There are several suspects. During the day the Happy Hoofers sight see around Paris and at night they dance on Bateau Mouche until there is another death. Madame Fouchet is found dead. That is the end of dancing on Bateau Mouche. There is romance is the air for Janice. She has two men interested in squiring her around Paris. Pat is enjoying Paris with Captain Chantal. While out enjoying the Paris nightlife, Janice stumbles upon an important clue. Will it get her killed?

I did not like Cancans, Croissants, and Caskets as much as the previous two books in the series. The mystery was too simple. I did not like that the Happy Hoofers do not actually work to solve the mystery. It just kind of happens. The best part of a cozy mystery is following the clues along with the characters to solve the crime. There are fashion tips from Janice that I found to be a little simple (and a little idiotic). It does include some lovely French recipes. I give Cancans, Croissants, and Caskets 3 out of 5. I found Cancans, Croissants, and Caskets was too similar to the previous books in the series. I am tired of Janice attracting every man within a 50 mile radius and they fall in love with her (happens in every book). Is she Bridget Bardot (I am really dating myself with this reference)? We did not get many details on each character (we got a little at the very end of the book) because each book focuses on a different character (I wish we would just have one main character). This book focuses on Janice. I got really tired of the references to her second marriage (which only lasted two years and ruined her relationship with her daughter) and the honeymoon they went on in Paris. The book focuses more on the sights of Paris and recipes than on the mystery. I was just disappointed overall.

I received a complimentary copy of Cancans, Croissants, and Caskets from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The review and opinions expressed are my own. ( )