Where to Start Reading Camille Aubray
If you are new to Camille Aubray, the best entry point depends on which style of her writing you want to experience first. Because she writes under two different names—her own name for historical fiction and C.A. Belmond for lighthearted cozy mysteries—readers have two distinct paths to choose from.
- For Historical Fiction Lovers: Start with Cooking for Picasso (2016). This bestselling debut under her real name establishes her signature style: a rich, dual-timeline narrative that blends romance, family secrets, high art, and mouth-watering French cuisine on the Riviera.
- For Cozy Mystery and Romance Fans: Start with A Rather Lovely Inheritance (2007), published under her pseudonym C.A. Belmond. This is the first book in the Penny Nichols series, introducing a whimsical, globe-trotting mystery adventure that must be read in order.
The "Penny Nichols" Series (Writing as C.A. Belmond)
Written under the pen name C.A. Belmond, this series follows Penny Nichols, an American historical researcher who discovers she has inherited a mysterious estate from her eccentric great-aunt. Alongside her lawyer cousin (and eventual partner in sleuthing and romance) Jeremy Laidley, Penny travels through glamorous European locales—including London, the French Riviera, and Italy—unraveling ancestral secrets and dodging greedy relatives.
Unlike her standalone historical novels, the Penny Nichols books feature a continuous narrative arc, evolving character relationships, and ongoing subplots. It is highly recommended to read this series in strict chronological publication order:
- A Rather Lovely Inheritance (2007) – Penny learns of her Great-Aunt Penelope's passing and is sent on a research quest across Europe to claim her villa and uncover family secrets.
- A Rather Curious Engagement (2008) – Penny and Jeremy delve deeper into ancestral archives, navigating art thefts, high-society dynamics, and a mysterious engagement.
- A Rather Charming Invitation (2010) – The duo finds themselves invited into a web of intrigue involving historic estates, hidden documents, and long-lost letters in England and France.
- A Rather Remarkable Homecoming (2011) – The final chapter brings Penny's journey full circle as she settles her inheritance, faces final confrontations, and solidifies her future.
Standalone Historical Fiction Novels
Under her real name, Camille Aubray writes standalone historical novels. These books do not share characters or direct plot connections, meaning they can be read in any order. However, they share thematic threads: meticulous historical research, strong female protagonists navigating turbulent times, and vivid, transportive settings.
- Cooking for Picasso (2016)
Set in the French Riviera town of Juan-les-Pins in 1936, this novel follows a young French chef, Ondine, who is hired to cook privately for a mysterious guest—who turns out to be Pablo Picasso during a critical turning point in his life. Decades later, Ondine's granddaughter Céline uncovers family secrets hidden within her grandmother's old recipe book. - The Godmothers (2021)
A departure from the Riviera, this multigenerational family saga is set in Greenwich Village and Brooklyn during World War II. It follows four very different Italian-American sisters-in-law (Filomena, Amie, Lucy, and Petrina) who must band together to run the family's enterprise when the men are sent off to war, uncovering deep-seated secrets and crime family politics along the way. - The Girl from the Grand Hotel (2024)
Returning to her beloved South of France, Aubray sets this glamorous thriller during the fateful summer of 1939. At the glamorous Grand Hotel in Cannes, as the world prepares for the inaugural Cannes Film Festival, a young American woman named Annabel finds herself caught between Hollywood stars, Nazi spies, and undercover agents on the eve of World War II.
What to Know Before You Start
Aubray's books are famous for their sensory detail. When reading her historical fiction, prepare for an emphasis on local cuisine, art history, and cultural milestones. Her background in screenwriting (writing for daytime television dramas like One Life to Live and studying under Fay Weldon and David Hare) shows in her quick pacing, sharp dialogue, and dramatic structures. Whether you choose her cozy European mystery capers or her lush wartime historical dramas, her stories celebrate women who take charge of their own destinies in vibrant, beautifully rendered periods of history.