Death at the Chateau Bremont: A Verlaque and Bonnet Mystery
M. L. Longworth
Penguin, June 2011
ISBN: 978-0143119524
Introducing a seductive new mystery series set in Provence-featuring chief magistrate Antoine Verlaque.
Antione Verlaque is a slightly cranky, somewhat older, but not yet entirely jaded, magistrate of Aix-en-Provence, France. When the heir of the local aristocracy turns up dead, he reluctantly begins an investigation. What at first seemed like an accident turns out to have more mysterious circumstances.
Longworth's strength lies in her ability to paint a picture of the setting. The south of France is a locale most can only dream of visiting, let alone living in, and her descriptions are intoxicating. The rhythm of daily life with cafes, tobacco shops, gardens, groves and jaunts to the sea are fabled, to be sure, and she makes them real for a modern reader.
Death at the Chateau Bremont is a pleasure to read, partly because Longworth concentrates more on commonplace occurrences than on bizarre and extraordinary events. The characters are memorable, the plot is intricate and multi-dimensional, and the narration is fluid, it subtly and slowly draws the reader into a compelling and atmospheric tale. Death at the Chateau Bremont is definitely a winner and I recommend it without reservations! I am already looking forward to reading the next Verlaque and Bonnet mystery.
M. L. LONGWORTH has written for The Washington Post, The Times (London), The Independent, and Bon Appétit magazine. She divides her time between Aix-en-Provence, where she writes, and Paris, where she teaches writing at New York University’s Paris campus.
ISBN: 978-0143119524; ISBN10: 0143119524; Imprint: Penguin; On Sale: 6/28/2011; Format: Paperback; Original edition; Pages: 320; $14.00
