MYSTERY

Murder Visits a French Village

by Susan C. Shea
Severn House. (A Château in Burgundy Mystery, Bk. 1). Mar. 2023. 224p. ISBN 9781448310180. $30.99. M
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New Yorker Ariel Shepherd is devastated by the sudden death of her husband of only four years. When she learns that he bought a rundown French château they’d visited on their honeymoon in a small village in the Burgundy region of France, she decides to make a new start. She immerses herself in the time-consuming renovation of the château and hires a historian, Christiane Breton, to research its history. However, after only a few visits, Christiane is found dead in the château’s moat. With the help of two new friends, fellow expats Pippa and Katherine, Ariel is determined to find out who wanted Christiane dead. After Ariel finds Christiane’s husband beaten and left for dead, she redoubles her efforts to find the person behind these crimes and restore peace to her new hometown.
VERDICT The quirky village residents make this an appealing series debut. Characters from Shea’s “French Village Murder” series also appear in this book, but that does not detract from the storyline. Recommended for those who enjoyed the author’s previous series and for fans of M.L. Longworth, Martin Walker, and Serena Kent.
Reviewed by Jean King , Mar 01, 2023
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