Death in Provence: A Novel

Penelope Kite, Book 1

By: Serena Kent

Narrated by: Antonia Beamish

The first entry in a clever, lighthearted mystery series set in modern Provence - a delightful blend of Agatha Christie and Peter Mayle - featuring the irrepressible Penelope Kite, a young-at-heart divorcee with a knack for stumbling across dead bodies.

It’s love at first sight when Penelope Kite sees Le Chant d’Eau - The Song of Water - the stone farmhouse tucked high in the hills above the Luberon valley, complete with a garden, swimming pool, and sweeping mountain vistas. For years, Penelope put her unfaithful ex-husband and her ungrateful stepchildren first. Since taking early retirement from her job in forensics at the Home Office in England, she’s been an unpaid babysitter and chauffeur for her grandchildren. Now, she’s going to start living for herself. Though her dream house needs major renovations, Penelope impulsively buys the property and moves to St. Merlot.

But Penelope’s daydreams of an adventurous life in Provence didn’t include finding a corpse floating face down in her swimming pool. The discovery of the dead man plunges her headlong into a Provençal stew of intrigue and lingering resentments simmering beneath the deceptively sunny village. Having worked in the forensics office, Penelope knows a thing or two about murder investigations. To find answers, she must carefully navigate between her seemingly ubiquitous, supercilious (and enviably chic) estate agent, the disdainful chief of police, and the devilishly handsome mayor - even as she finds herself tempted by all the delicacies the region has to offer. Thank goodness her old friend Frankie is just a flight away...and that Penelope is not quite as naïve as her new neighbors in St. Merlot believe.

Set against the exquisite backdrop of Provence, steeped in history, atmosphere, and secrets, Death in Provence introduces an irresistible heroine and a delightful new mystery series.

©2019 Serena Kent (P)2019 HarperAudio

Fun Read

The story kept me interested and actually made me feel like I was in Provence. I liked the narrator too. She had personality and kept me from feeling like I was being read to by a disinterested elementary school teacher.

Fun

Really enjoyed this book, it's characters and of course imagining myself in living in France

I was hankering for a trip to Provence...

This is a fun, cozy mystery. If you are a francophile you'll be at home in this book. It took me away from the rainy PNW and that's just what I wanted. The narrator is great and the French is pronounced correctly. While I'm not sure I like the idea of imitating a native speaker of one language speaking another, this didn't seem over the top. I think the series has potential!

Great Narrator.

The narrator was fantastic. The story came alive. I could see the house and the sweet town. The story was interesting and I loved the characters.

I loved it and rushed to get the second one

I enjoyed the descriptions of life in Provence. I have no idea how accurate it is but it sounds like what I would hope it is. The narrator is truly remarkable and I have no idea how she is able to switch so easily among the different voices and accents.

Loved it

Super pleasant vacation book! Enjoyed the setting and characters. Hope she writes more! I would read all of them!

A wonderful story!

The narrator was fabulous and the story intriguing. What a beautiful setting for a mystery to unfold. Loved every minute of it!

Fully enjoyed it!

I can’t wait for the third installment! Please tell me there’ll be more! The first and second novels are fun and entertaining!

A top notch story and reading

One of the best stories I’ve listened to. Fabulous Great characters and of course who doesn’t love Provence!

Cute, not great

Yes we know, everything is better in France, not really a mystery, overall just okay.