Rate this book

Murder In The South Of France (2011)

by Susan Kiernan-Lewis(Favorite Author)

3.17 of 5 Votes: 4

languge

English

genre

Romance

publisher

San Marco Press

series

Maggie Newberry Mysteries

review 1: This was a quick read with an ending I didn't see coming. I always appreciate endings that surprise me, but this one is a little too unbelievable for me. I enjoyed the descriptions of France and the use of French phrases (I speak French) but the cops were too incompetent for me and the relationships between characters weren't developed well enough for me. I will read the next book in the series because I got the first three books as a set (free on my kindle). It was entertaining enough to pass a lazy Sunday afternoon.
review 2: Author Susan Kiernan-Lewis is a seasoned author, but this book is first in a series of mysteries featuring Maggie Newberry, and the first Kiernan-Lewis book that I have read. I got an e-version and it took me awhile to get around to re... moreading it. In the meantime, from what I read on the author's blog, she may have changed the ending and definitely has changed the title, which was Murder on the Cote d'Azure in my version, but is apparently now Murder in the South of France.Nevertheless, I will tell you I enjoyed Maggie's personality, witty dialog, and the intertwining plot the author has conceived. The story opens as Maggie has traveled from her native Atlanta, Georgia to the exotic and pricy French Coast to meet a man who has information about her "kidnapped" niece. Maggie's sister had gone to France to attend an Art Institute several years previously, but had dropped out, picked up a serious drug habit, and in short, never came home, gradually dropping all contact with her family.Maggie's parents had been recently informed that their daughter's abusive husband had taken the child and that shortly thereafter, their younger daughter Elise had died. Maggie was there on the assurance that the man who had called her dad could access the child and help spirit her out of the country with Maggie escorting Elise's daughter Nicole, now around 6 years old, to Atlanta with a fake passport.Maggie is in the advertising business back home, speaks lousy French, and has no other option than to trust the English gentleman who has offered to help get the child. Instead of taking Maggie with him, he gets a French friend of his to more or less become Maggie's tour guide while the Englishman goes to find the child. Complication #1 is that Maggie falls for the Frenchman, Laurent, who by the way, speaks very poor English. When the Englishman returns with a child, Maggie must say adieu to Laurent, but he swears his love and promises to be in touch. However, once she is back in Atlanta, the story turns to complication #2, the stressful work environment of the ad agency full of colorful characters, including Gerry, the boss who is a nervous wreck over the danger and violence which is occurring in Atlanta. Another woman at the agency adds to Gerry's stress level by declaring her love for him totally out of the blue. Before long, Gerry decides he is selling the agency and moving his family out of the country. In the meantime Maggie's parents have taken custody of the troubled little girl, who has not spoken a word of either English or French and perhaps has some autism issues.Maggie is still waiting for Laurent to call or write, but when she does get a call, it is not Laurent. It is none other than Elise's drug dealer French husband who insists that Maggie pay him $5000.00 or he will take his daughter back! And he is no longer in France, but at a hotel in Atlanta.So, questions arise...is Elise really dead, is Nicole really her daughter, and were Gerard and Elise actually ever married? Before the book ends, Laurent reappears, there are several murders, though they happen in Atlanta. The police in Atlanta don't come off looking too efficient, and Maggie decides to do her own investigating. This does require another trip to France, where she uncovers several valuable clues, and returns to Atlanta just in time to be part of the harrowing climax. less

Download links for: Murder in the South of France

Advertising