Publication: 23rd August 2018 by Orion Publishing
When Penelope Kite swaps her humdrum life in Surrey for a picturesque farmhouse in the south of France, she imagines a simple life of long lunches and chilled rosé. What she doesn’t imagine is a dead body floating in her swimming pool.
Convinced that the victim suffered more than just a drunken accident, Penelope plunges headlong into local intrigue and long-simmering resentments in order to uncover the truth.
But with a meddling estate agent, an unfriendly Chief of Police, a suspiciously charming Mayor, and the endless temptation of that second pain au chocolat, life in the delightful village of St Merlot is certainly never simple…
This was such an entertaining and refreshing read. With eccentric characters and a twisty but, at the same time, hilarious plot, you just need to sit down and enjoy this captivating mystery set in the beautiful South of France.
Now that she is single and her children are grown-ups and have their own families, Penelope Kite decides it is time to think about herself. So she leaves England and her selfish family behind and she moves to a small village in Provence where she’s bought an old farm in need of renovation, Le Chant d’Eau. But the start of her new life is quickly disturbed by the appearance of a dead body in her pool. The local police doesn’t seem to be very interested in finding out the truth about the murder or who is causing a series of incidents against her life, so Penelope starts investigating on her own with the help of her best friend Frankie. Between secret love affairs, misunderstandings, and feuds, everyone in the small Provençal village seems to be hiding something and Penelope turns into Miss Marple to find out the truth.
I am always excited when I discover a new author and I am already a fan of Serena Kent (the pen name for the husband and wife author team Deborah Lawrenson and Rob Rees). I found myself completely immersed in this charming and well-planned out novel. From Clemence Valencourt, the estate agent who refuses to eat croissants, to Didier, the electrician obsessed with James Bond and Pink Floyd, from the handsome and charming mayor of the village to the unhelpful and arrongant chief of police, this novel has a cast of colourful characters who made me laugh out loud with their quirks. Add evocative descriptions that make you dream of the warmth of the South of France, of orchards and vineyards, of tasty food (those croissants!) and good wine and you have an entertaining and witty novel.
DEATH IN PROVENCE is such a fun and enjoyable read and I’d like to thank Alainna Hadjigeorgiou and Orion for inviting me to take part of the blog tour.
Serena Kent is the pen name for the husband and wife author team Deborah Lawrenson and Rob Rees. Deborah has previously published eight novels including The Art of Falling, The Lantern, The Sea Garden and 300 Days of Sun.
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