Cathy C. (cathyskye) -
After reading Martin Walker's delightful Bruno Chief of Police mysteries and now this charming series opener, I might be forgiven for believing that all crime in the south of France seems to tie into World War II. A lot happened then, and old resentments seem never to be forgotten, only handed down from one generation to the next. Yes, the mystery in Death in Provence does hark back to that period of time, and it is a good, strong puzzle to solve, but I found myself liking other things even more-- especially the main character, Penelope Kite.
Penelope is a fiftysomething woman with a good head on her shoulders. Her background working with forensic scientists means she has a good idea of how investigations should be conducted and how evidence should be handled. I had to give her a lot of credit because she always kept the local police apprised of her findings regardless of how shabbily they treated her. Which brings up another point.
A year or so ago, I read the first book in another mystery series set in the south of France, and the major reason why I did not care for it is that the main character spent most of her time whining about how her new neighbors didn't think she was wonderful and accept her into their midst in five seconds or less. For the most part, newcomers in key tourist areas like this are not going to be accepted quickly (if at all). Their habit of investing in properties at inflated prices means that young local families can't afford to buy their own homes. Resentment grows if the newcomer only lives there for a week or two each year, and it festers if other things are (or are not) done. I loved watching how Penelope conducted herself. This is one woman who is really looking forward to her new life, and she's going about it in just the right way.
Death in Provence contains an excellent recipe for a continuing series: a puzzling mystery to solve, a dash of humor, the wonderful cuisine of Provence, a beautiful farmhouse to restore, and the perfect woman to handle it all. I look forward to the next book. Allons-y!
Penelope is a fiftysomething woman with a good head on her shoulders. Her background working with forensic scientists means she has a good idea of how investigations should be conducted and how evidence should be handled. I had to give her a lot of credit because she always kept the local police apprised of her findings regardless of how shabbily they treated her. Which brings up another point.
A year or so ago, I read the first book in another mystery series set in the south of France, and the major reason why I did not care for it is that the main character spent most of her time whining about how her new neighbors didn't think she was wonderful and accept her into their midst in five seconds or less. For the most part, newcomers in key tourist areas like this are not going to be accepted quickly (if at all). Their habit of investing in properties at inflated prices means that young local families can't afford to buy their own homes. Resentment grows if the newcomer only lives there for a week or two each year, and it festers if other things are (or are not) done. I loved watching how Penelope conducted herself. This is one woman who is really looking forward to her new life, and she's going about it in just the right way.
Death in Provence contains an excellent recipe for a continuing series: a puzzling mystery to solve, a dash of humor, the wonderful cuisine of Provence, a beautiful farmhouse to restore, and the perfect woman to handle it all. I look forward to the next book. Allons-y!
