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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.
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