French cheese, fine wine and… a mystifying murder?
A delightful afternoon stroll turns to disaster when the guests of an artists’ retreat in the French mountains spot the body of a man at the bottom of a cliff.
Amongst them is Melissa Craig who, binoculars at the ready, suddenly finds herself at the centre of a very puzzling mystery. Was it an accident, or was he pushed?
Her suspicions are confirmed when another body is found days later in almost exactly the same spot. It can’t be a coincidence; someone in this idyllic French village is up to no good, and it’s up to her to find out who.
Between the eccentric locals and mischievous guests, Melissa finds herself with no shortage of potential suspects: was it the surly handyman with a dark past, or perhaps the short-sighted widow with an excellent golf swing? But the real question is: how close to the edge will Melissa have to tread to find the culprit…?
My review
This is the third part in the series and I have read the previous 2 as well. It’s always nice to be able to follow the recurring characters from the beginning, but you can also read it as a stand alone.
The author takes us on a trip to sunny France, where, once again Melissa and Iris are in the middle of a murder case. Of course Melissa would not be Melissa if she did not try to find the perpetrator.
So, while she racks her brain under a baking sun, we learn a bit more about the village and it’s history. A pinch of romance is also added and the whole story is covered with an emotional veil.
It’s a very likeable story, a typical cozy mystery novel and out of the three, this one pulled my hearstrings the most. 4 stars.
Thank you, Betty Rowlands, Bookouture and Netgalley.
About the author
Betty Rowlands burst on to the crime scene by winning the Sunday Express / Veuve Clicquot Crime Short Story of the Year Competition. Her success continued with her nine highly acclaimed Melissa Craig mysteries. She is an active member of the Crime Writers’ Association and regularly gives talks and readings and serves on panels in crime writing conventions.
B for Bookreview 