Murder in the Rue Dumas (Provençal Mystery #2)

by M. L. Longworth

Overview

When a shocking murder rocks the theology department at Aix-en-Provence’s university, chief magistrate Antoine Verlaque is on the case

Provençal Mystery Series #2
Watch the series! Murder in Provence is now on Britbox.

When Dr. Georges Moutte is found mudrered, investigator Antoine Verlaque is stumped. Certainly the director of theology at the Université d’Aix had his enemies. Moutte was just about to name the recipient of an elite fellowship as well as his own successor—a highly coveted position—when his lips were sealed permanently. But Verlaque isn't convinced that anyone in the tiny community of academics is capable of murder.

Aided by his on-again, off-again girlfriend, law professor Marine Bonnet, Berlaque must turn Provence upside down, uncovering a world far more complicated than university politics, to find the killer before it’s too late.

A page-turning mystery that transports you to the south of France with its lush portrait of a charming historic town, this continuation of the Provençal Mystery series captivates.

“What really makes Longworth’s writing special is her deep knowledge of French history, landscape, cuisine, and even contemporary cafes and restaurants. This is that rare atmospheric mystery that is street-wise and café-canny.” —Booklist (starred review)

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780143121541
Publisher:	Penguin Publishing Group
Publication date:	09/25/2012
Series:	Provençal Mystery Series , #2
Pages:	304
Sales rank:	162,190
Product dimensions:	5.11(w) x 7.71(h) x 0.81(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

M. L. Longworth has lived in Aix-en-Provence since 1997. She has written about the region for the Washington Post, the Times (London), the Independent (London), and Bon Appétit. She is the author of a bilingual collection of essays, Une Américaine en Provence. She is married and has one daughter.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“French-set mysteries have never been more popular [and] among the very best is a series set in Provence featuring Monsieur Verlaque, an examining magistrate, and his sometime girlfriend, law professor Marine Bonnet.” – The Denver Post

Editorial Reviews

Longworth’s entertaining second mystery set in Aix-en-Provence (after 2011’s Death at the Château Bremont) plunges magistrate Antoine Verlaque and his law professor girlfriend, Marine Bonnet, into the world of academe following a murder. Someone has battered in the head of Dr. Georges Moutte, the chair of the theology department at the University d’Aix, who was about to retire. The body was found by two students who broke into Moutte’s office to learn if either of them had won a prestigious fellowship, but who left the scene without reporting the murder in order to conceal their own breaking and entering. Apart from probing the rivalries among the university’s faculty, Verlaque also looks into the possibility that the killer was an art thief. Fans of European sleuths with a taste for good food such as Martin Walker’s Bruno (Bruno, Chief of Police) will have fun. Agent: Katherine Fausset, Curtis Brown. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly

Praise for M. L. Longworth’s Provençal Mystery series
 
“The Verlaque and Bonnet mysteries . . . plunge you into a languid world of epicurean pleasures and good living.” —Eleanor Beardsley, NPR
 
“Beguiling . . . Longworth evokes the pleasures of France in delicious detail—great wine, delicious meals, and fine company.” —Publishers Weekly
 
“Longworth’s novels . . . are mysteries for foodies, with the plot providing a table upon which the enchanting meals and accompanying wines are served.” —Booklist


Praise for Murder in the Rue Dumas

“Fans of European sleuths with a taste for good food . . . will have fun.” —Publishers Weekly

“What really makes Longworth’s writing special is her deep knowledge of French history, landscape, cuisine, and even contemporary cafes and restaurants. This is that rare atmospheric mystery that is street-wise and café-canny.” —Booklist (starred review)

“Longworth’s gentle procedural succeeds on several levels, whether it’s for academic and literary allusions, police work, or armchair travel. With deftly shifting points of view, Longworth creates a beguiling read that will appeal to Louise Penny and Donna Leon fans.” —Library Journal

“French-set mysteries have never been more popular [and] among the very best is a series set in Provence featuring Monsieur Verlaque, an examining magistrate, and his sometime girlfriend, law professor Marine Bonnet.” —The Denver Post


Praise for Death at the Chateau Bremont

“This first novel in a projected series has charm, wit, and Aix-en-Provence all going for it. Longworth’s voice is like a rich vintage of sparkling Dorothy Sayers and grounded Donna Leon . . . Longworth has lived in Aix since 1997, and her knowledge of the region is apparent on every page. Bon appétit.” —Booklist

“A promising debut for Longworth, who shows there’s more to France than Paris and more to mystery than Maigret.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Mystery and romance served up with a hearty dose of French cuisine. I relished every word. Longworth does for Aix-en-Provence what Frances Mayes does for Tuscany: You want to be there—NOW!” —Barbara Fairchild, former editor in chief, Bon Appétit

“Death at the Château Bremont is replete with romance, mystery, and a rich atmosphere that makes the south of France spring off the page in a manner reminiscent of Donna Leon’s Venice. A wonderful start to a series sure to gain a legion of fans.” —Tasha Alexander, author of the Lady Emily mysteries

“Longworth has a good eye and a sharp wit, and this introduction to Verlaque and Bonnet holds promise for a terrific series.” —The Globe and Mail

“Death at the Château Bremont offers charming French locales, vivid characters and an intriguing who-done-it.” —Kevin R. Kosar, author of Whiskey: A Global History

“Here’s hoping the series lasts for years.” —RT Book Reviews

“Your readers will eat this one up.” —Library Journal

From the Publisher

The idyllic French town of Aix-en-Provence is disrupted by a murder on the local university's campus. Apparently, someone couldn't wait any longer for the theology school's aging dean, Dr. Moutte, to retire. Moutte loved to manipulate his professors and students, so motives abound. While Commissioner Bruno Paulik and his boss, Judge Antoine Verlaque, query the parties involved, Verlaque's lover, Marine Bonnet (a law professor at the same college), investigates in her own amateur-sleuth style. They realize that much more than academic promotion is at stake when the value of Moutte's prized Gallé vase collection is revealed. Seeking answers, Antoine and Marine travel further afield into Italy's Umbrian region. VERDICT Longworth's gentle procedural succeeds on several levels, whether it's for academic and literary allusions, police work, or armchair travel. With deftly shifting points of view, Longworth creates a beguiling read that will appeal to Louise Penny and Donna Leon fans. Readers might benefit from reading the first title in the series (Death at the Chateau Bremont) before embarking on this one, but it's not required.

Library Journal