Death at the Chateau Bremont

June 6, 2011
When filmmaker Ãtienne de Bremont takes a fatal fall out of a window of his Aix-en-Province chateau at the start of Longworth's disappointing debut, his lawyer cousins, Charles and Eric Brey, ask for an inquest, despite the conviction of Ãtienne's widow, Isabelle, that it was an accident. Antoine Verlaque, the examining magistrate, enlists his former lover, law professor Marine Bonnet, in the investigation, as Marine was a childhood friend of Ãtienne and his younger brother, the gambler and polo player François, and is acquainted with the family, staff, and their circle. Soon François turns up dead, a cache of documents goes missing, and shady dealings involving the brothers come to light. Despite the appeal of the intelligent Marine and her refreshingly opinionated friend, Sylvie, the arrogant Verlaque, contrived plot elements clumsily introduced, contradictory descriptions, and a talky conclusion that fails to use the process of detection will irritate the seasoned mystery reader.

June 1, 2011

The death of a cash-poor count offers problems and opportunities for an examining magistrate in Provence.

Aix has grown since the TGV high-speed rail line made the town more accessible. Rents have increased, and trendy shops line the cours Mirabeau in the center of town. But townspeople still greet each other with friendly bises on each cheek when they meet in one of the town's innumerable cafes. Aixoises love their cafes, none more than Marine Bonnet, who calls Le Mazarin her office, since her law school offers on-campus space only to the most senior professors. It's on Le Mazarin's terrace that she and best friend Sylvie console each other over their affairs, most recently Marine's breakup with Antoine Verlaque. Not exactly handsome, and certainly not kind, Antoine still haunts Marine's dreams even when she lies in the arms of her young lover Arthur. So Marine has big butterflies in her stomach as she climbs the stairs to juge d'instruction Verlaque's apartment to help him in his latest case: the death of Etienne de Bremont, who supposedly fell from the window of his family's chateau. Marine, a childhood friend of Etienne and his brother Francois, confirms that a fall by the sure-footed young count is unlikely. But why should the good brother, who worked hard as a filmmaker to support his large family, be lying dead in Saint-Antonin while Francois runs up gambling debts and plays polo with Russian mobsters on the Cote d'Azur? Verlaque and Bonnet want answers—but is that all they want?

A promising debut for Longworth, who shows there's more to France than Paris and more to mystery than Maigret.

(COPYRIGHT (2011) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

July 1, 2011

"We all have our secrets" could be the mantra for this troubled family with noble roots in beautiful Aix-en-Provence. Their story begins with the apparent suicide (by falling from the family chateau) of one of the Bremont sons. Chief Magistrate Verlaque finds the death suspicious, and law school professor Marine Bonnet, who grew up with this family, agrees. But it isn't until another victim turns up that we know a murderer is underfoot. Ex-lovers Verlaque and Bonnet find their own relationship starting to sizzle as they pursue suspects as varied as the Russian Mafia, gambling personnel, and the hired help. VERDICT A beloved home turns sinister in this evocative romantic suspense debut from veteran travel and food writer Longworth. Via great sights and a strong sense of place, readers can leisurely follow Verlaque and Bonnet as they uncover a complicated backstory. Your readers will eat this one up.

Copyright 2011 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from May 1, 2011
This first novel in a projected series has charm, wit, and Aix-en-Provence all going for it. Longworths voice is like a rich concoction of sparkling Dorothy Sayers and grounded Donna Leon. Its blending of aristocratic mystery and guide to Provenal wines, foods, habits, and Aix itself is delightful, and the old-fashioned plotline, with enticing clues nicely planted for the reader, returns refreshingly to the values of the genres golden age. A nobleman with a house in Aix and a crumbling chateau just outside the city falls to his death from a window. Enter the duo of Antoine Verlaque, the sexy chief magistrate of Aix, who, according to French law, must respond to and advise police on all suspicious deaths, and his ex-lover, law professor Marine Bonnet. He seeks her advice because she was close to the victim and the Bremont family. The action proceeds through the classic device of interrogating suspects, including Bremonts playboy brother, who has ties to the Russian Mob on the Cte dAzur. The sexual tension and maneuverings that accompany the interviews are, at times, hilarious. Longworth has lived in Aix since 1997, and her knowledge of Provence is apparent on every page. Bon app'tit.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)