Status
Series
Description
"When Jean-Marc Sauvet, successful lawyer and the best friend of Aix-en-Provence's examining magistrate Antoine Verlaque, accepted a small role in a local theater's summer production of Marcel Pagnol's Cigalon, he had no idea that the lead actress would be played by the great Liliane Poncet. But Jean-Marc's excitement about rubbing elbows with one of France's legendary film stars is quickly extinguished. The lead actor, Gauthier Lesage, is rude and unenthusiastic, and nobody understands how he got the part. Chaos reigns backstage thanks to the absentminded theater director. And everyone seems to be harboring a secret. When one of the actors goes missing for good, it's up to the soon-to-be-a-father Verlaque and his police commissioner, Bruno Paulik, to untangle the threads of a mystery that seems to get more complicated every day . . ."--… (more)
User reviews
It is quite chaotic at the small Vendome Theater in Aix. Murder - Mayhem - Secrets - Theater Egos - Jealousies
This series is a mystery, a police (French police)
The book, indeed the entire series, is so atmospheric; the characters so interesting, smart and pleasant, that I feel very comfortable passing the time with them!
We are with Bruno Paulik a bit more this time as Verlaque is an emotional roller coaster, what with the impending birth of his and Marine’s first child.
I enjoyed reading this title and this series very much. I can’t wait for more! *****
Otherwise, the book was as enjoyable to read as all the rest - a nice mini-break to France from the comfort of my couch. Now that Verlaque and Marine have reproduced, my anticipation of future books is somewhat dampened, as I don't think parenting and solving crimes a sensible mix, but I will happily read the next one and hope to be proved wrong.
Apparently the BBC has made a TV show of this series, called Murder in Provence, available on BritBox. I watched the trailer the other day and ... everyone is British. I mean, I realise the BBC is a British production company, but the setting is in France, and all the characters are French, at least they are in the books. Listening to Verlaque and Marine speak in very British accents was unnerving. But the show did appear to be humorous, and I admit to being intrigued - possibly enough to sign up for the free month trial.