When Merle Bennett's husband dies suddenly her whole world is turned upside down. Not least because of his death: the secrets he left behind, and the things Merle discovers about herself, make a new life not only possible but mandatory. She inherits her husband's house in a small village in southwest France and armed with a long list of chores to keep her busy, organized, and sane, she arrives to remodel the place. But when she arrives a deranged squatter won't let her inside.Â
Secrets from the post-war period, when France was left to wither by Nazi occupation, and secrets of a newer kind, occupy what should by rights be a fine French summer. With her teenage son in tow, a sexy roofer in her kitchen, and a nasty discovery in the garden, there is plenty to keep her mind off her endless to-do list. A story of murder, self-discovery, and family, deep in the heart of France.Â
In her first stand-alone suspense novel, Lise McClendon reaches deep into the past to find a France untouched by the outside world of tourism and fashion. Writing in a "lyrical, often humorous style," she brings both the pain and rewards of rebirth and the rich French countryside to life.Â
Now a series, the Bennett Sisters' adventures continue in The Girl in the Empty Dress, Give Him the Ooh-la-la (a novella), and new for 2016, The Things We Said Today.
Check out Lise's kick-ass thrillers written as Rory Tate, Â PLAN X and Jump Cut. Read more at lisemcclendon.com/
"This book brought me back to wanting to keep reading until the very end. Pour yourself a nice Merlot and keep turning the pages."Â
"An intriguing story, a mystery with heart."
"The characters were real and completely developed. All loose ends were tied up very nicely. This book climbed inside the main characters, flaws and all."
"A very well written story, with characters that are interesting, likeable, and you care about them. There are dead bodies, suspense, and mystery. It's just a great story!"Â
"It would be a great chick flick!"
"A heartbreakingly beautiful story of love, loss, sisterhood, and the ties that bind us together."---Jenny Siler.
