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A CYCLIST’S GUIDE TO VILLIANS &VINES is the second book in the Cyclist’s Guide Mysteries by Ann Claire. This charming cozy mystery combines all the elements that keep me coming back for more: delightful characters (both core and auxiliary alike); mouthwatering food; a unique career; and lovely and dramatic descriptions of the locale. Oh, and did I mention the setting is in France?! Oui, s’il vous plaît—sign me up! Plucky protagonist Sadie Greene owns and operates Oui Cycle, an appealing bicycle tour company, pedaling across the French countryside. The author has done her research and brings the setting to life, along with realistic descriptions of the biking and the historical aspects of their visits. I especially loved the dribbles of tour guide tidbits interjected and I found the information on storks utterly fascinating. Yet Ms. Claire manages to keep the mystery and the action moving forward while entertaining her cycle group and readers.
The setup to the mystery is topnotch with a group of chaotic senior cyclists, known as the Silver Spinners at the center of it all. The senior citizens provide humor as Sadie tries to keep them on pace and out of mischief… which is a losing battle. When one of the seniors crashes, a murder victim is uncovered and the mayhem increases. While Sadie hopes it won’t impact their tour, the dead man has a shocking connection to the group and the Silver Spinners are all in for investigating the death. There are plenty of suspects—including the Silver Spinners themselves—and several twists to keep the reader guessing. It was a delight following along as the clues unfolded, yet I didn’t guess the culprit or the reason behind the crime. If you enjoy an armchair vacation with colorful characters while reading a puzzling mystery to solve, then I highly recommend A Cyclist’s Guide to Villains & Vines!
Food and wine are a large cultural component in France and the author includes those aspects in the book. One of the dishes the group enjoys is Tarte Flambée or Flammekueche. This traditional dish is from Alsace, and is similar to a thin-crust pizza topped with crème fraîche, onions, and lardons or bacon. If you’re dining in Alsace, the dough may be cracker-crisp and made with no yeast. Sadie, however, enjoys a puffier pizza-style crust. She also can’t resist adding cheese. It’s also yummy without the meat for a vegetarian version. While there are a lot of steps in making Tarte Flambée, the resulting dish is well worth the effort. Whether eating as a main meal or cut into smaller pieces to serve as an appetizer, this is sure to tempt your tastebuds and have them dreaming of the French countryside.
Amazon Synopsis
Sadie Greene and her Oui Cycle crew vow to wow her most discerning private group yet with a trip they will never forget. It won’t be easy. The Silver Spinners, six globetrotting seniors, arrive with thrilling tales of two-wheeling adventures. Sadie worries she’ll fail to impress such worldly travelers, even with the backdrop of Alsace, a dreamy region of rolling vineyards, delicious cuisine, and fairytale architecture. Sadie is dead wrong. Her group is stunned, but not for the right reasons . . .
Trouble starts when a guest crashes into a corpse on a solo midnight ride. Or so she says. But when body isn’t found, Sadie hopes it was all a bad dream. She aims to reset the mood with a fun, sunny day pedaling through the vineyards. However, an impromptu detour ends in a crash, and a shattered wine barrel isn’t the only victim. A dead man spills out. Sadie still thinks they can ride away unscathed. After all, who would they know so far from home? Murder once again throws a wrench into Sadie’s gears. The corpse has shocking links to her tour.
The Silver Spinners are key witnesses, prime suspects, and dangerously eager to play amateur detectives. Sadie finds herself tangled in the chaos. With her guests’ lives and Oui Cycle’s reputation on the line, Sadie is determined to trail the culprit. But can she stay on course long enough to reach the truth, or is she heading for a fatal collision with a cunning killer?
A special thanks to Kensington Publishing for offering a print ARC copy of A CYCLIST’S GUIDE TO VILLIANS AND VINES to one lucky winner! Contest ends June 8, 2025 at 11:59 pm PST and is limited to U.S. residents only. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below to enter. The winner will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)
Tarte Flambée or Flammekueche, is a traditional dish from Alsace, similar to a thin-crust pizza topped with crème fraîche, onions, and lardons or bacon. If you're dining in Alsace, the dough may be cracker-crisp and made with no yeast. Sadie, however, enjoys a puffier pizza-style crust. She also can't resist adding cheese. It's also yummy without the meat for a vegetarian version.
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup warm water
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon dry yeast
- 3/4 cup crème fraîche (see note below)
- 1 large white or yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 7 ounces (approximately) lardons or bacon, diced or cut into small strips
- Salt and pepper to taste
- A pinch of nutmeg (optional but tasty)
- 1/4 - 1/2 cup grated Gruyère cheese, other pizza cheese, or rounds of goat cheese (optional, although Sadie would say there's no question and she would probably add even more)
- Fresh chives, parsley, or basil for garnish (optional)
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In a largish bowl, mix the flour and salt. Dissolve the yeast and sugar in warm water an let sit for a few minutes until bubbly.
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Add the yeast mixture and the olive oil to the dry ingredients. Mix until a dough forms.
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Knead the dough on a floured surface for about 7 to 10 minutes, until smooth and elastic. You can also knead in a food processor or mixer, according to their dough instructions.
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Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm spot until doubled. A microwave with a mug of steaming hot water inside makes a great proofing box.
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Slice the onion as thinly as possible.
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In a skillet, cook the lardons or bacon until crispy. Drain on paper towels
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Add the crème fraîche to a mixing bowl. Season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg, if desired.
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Stir in the onions.
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Preheat your oven to its highest setting (around 500 degrees (F) if possible). If you have a pizza stone, place it in the oven to heat up for at least half an hour.
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Stretch the dough very thinly on a floured surface. Transfer the dough to a pizza peel (if using a pizza stone) or to your pizza pan.
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Spread the crème fraîche and onion mixture evenly over the dough, leaving a small border around the edges.
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Scatter the cooked lardons or bacon on top. Add cheese if using.
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Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the crust is golden and crispy and the onions and cheese are lightly browned.
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If using a pizza stone, your Tarte Flambée may cook faster, so keep an eye on it.
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Remove from the oven, garnish with herbs if desired, and serve immediately. Bon appétit!
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If you can't find crème fraîche, sour cream (regular or full-fat) will work in a pinch. With a bit of googling, you could also experiment with making your own crème fraîche with the simple ingredients of cream, buttermilk and time.
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I was provided with an advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
That tart looks delicious! New to me author. Book sounds like a great read!
Sounds like a book I will enjoy reading.
Tart looks delicious! Book sounds intriguing and I’m always looking for a new to me author! Thank you for the opportunity!
The book sounds interesting! THe tarte looks and sounds good.
I really enjoyed the first book, an unusual character/setting (moving!) idea! So clever! Looking forward to this new title!