"Masterfully maintains suspense . . . with twists and turns galore and a cast of charming, loyal friends, all set against the special atmosphere of Paris. . . . A tour de force." -Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Penelope Magnificent spends as little time as possible with her awful parents-a grocery-mogul father and a fashion-obsessed mother who loves expensive purses more than she does her daughter. But when they mention an important trip to Paris, Nell begs to come along. Paris holds something very dear to her: her old au pair Perrine-Pear-who lives there. Pear used to write to Nell every week, promising to come to her rescue, but recently the letters stopped. With the help of a savvy bellboy named Xavier, Nell sets out from her parents' ultra-fancy Parisian hotel to find her beloved Pear. But Pear's old neighbors and coworkers are strangely tight-lipped. And as Nell's search for the truth takes her and Xavier to some of the darkest, most mysterious parts of the city, a sinister plot comes to light involving the destruction of a cherished-and delicious-part of Parisian life. Food, fashion, and intrigue abound in this delightful caper from the author of The Secret Starling.