By Michelle Wan
Review by Cara Black

Uncork the chilled, dry Bergerac

Deadly Slipper, Michelle Wan's debut mystery, dropped me in the untamed valleys of the Dordogne; a region known for truffles, foie gras en croute, pigeonniers and orchids. Orchids? Oui, the region's full of wild orchids we discover. Even a rare unknown species of Lady's Slipper orchid that Julian Wood, an expat British orchidologist, dreams of finding. Julian's more at home with the local villagers who spoon their creme fraiche over a prune tart, than Mara Dunn. Mara, a French-Canadian decorator, has moved to France to discover clues to the disappearance of her twin sister Bedie, nineteen years ago in the Dordogne.

Mara discovers an old camera in a junk store containing film. She's convinced the camera belonged to her sister Bedie, an orchid buff, especially by the photos of orchids. Even more, it might provide clues to the last whereabouts of Bedie. Was Bedie the victim of an accident...or murder? Why hasn't her body ever been found?

Mara overcomes Julian's reluctance to help her promising him Bedie's photo of the Lady's Slipper. But for Julian does this provide the key to botanical fame or the marker to a shallow grave? What secrets do local aristos, the de Sauvignac's, hide in their moldering chateau, or La Binette who sells goat cheese and her simple son, Vrac know about the fissures and cracks in the forest floor. And why does the Commissaire ignore Mara's demand to re-examine her sister's disappearance?

Make sure the digestif's nearby after pan-fried Sarladaise pototoes dressed in parsley and garlic then sit back and savor a plot full of twists and turns as windy as the Dordogne back roads.

Enjoy!

To purchase Deadly Slipper, go to www.booksite.com.