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Bennett Sisters #5-6
Bennett Sisters Mysteries #5-6
It's Eat Pray Love meets murder mystery in Lise McClendon's deliciously cozy chronicles of sisterhood, international travel ... and a soupçon of danger.
That's the delicious underpinning of this sprawling, exuberant, generous-spirited cozy mystery series with a yummy side of international adventure. A little bit chick lit, a touch of cozy mystery, a whole lot of humor, romance, suspense--all in one box set!
These two books continue the adventures of the five lawyer sisters that started with Blackbird Fly. On to The Girl in the Empty Dress, Give Him the Ooh-la-la, and The Things We Said Today. .. (also available in box sets) to these two stories that follow Merle Bennett's journey from the US to France, with her French boyfriend, Pascal.
THE FRENCHMAN
Ooh-la-la, who doesn't love a Frenchman?
Merle Bennett goes back to France -- and her Frenchman -- in this fifth installment of the Bennett Sisters mysteries. Sure that La Belle France will cure all her ills, and help her write a novel about the French Revolution, she sets out to prove her theory correct. Pascal, her Frenchman, scoffs at this. As a policeman he knows France is pretty to look at but not all that pretty under the surface.
While Merle writes and renovates her stone cottage, Pascal encounters an old enemy, a man he put in prison years before. When Pascal disappears Merle isn't sure if their relationship is over, or something terrible has happened.
A soupçon of danger, a brush with 'madame guillotine,' and the quirky characters of the French countryside, all collide in this installment of the Bennett Sisters Mysteries, set in la belle France-- where, obviously, wine, sunshine, sunflowers, and Frenchmen cure all ills. Or do they?
ODETTE AND THE GREAT FEAR
A Gothic Romance by 'Merle Bennett'
Deep in the French countryside-- as the country reels through rebellion, beheadings, and starvation-- a goat-herder named Odette is trying to survive. Just that-- survival is on her mind. Since she marched to Versailles with a group of Parisian women to protest the high prices of wheat, her life has spun out of control. She's fled the capital for the countryside. But what will happen to her? Can she stay in the Dordogne where the kindly farmers have taken pity on her?
'Odette and the Great Fear' is a novella from the novel, 'The Frenchman,' by Lise McClendon. Merle Bennett, the main character, is writing a novel. Here the story is fleshed out, characters come into focus, and outcomes are decided. Will Odette and her handsome stranger find each other? How did the Count get his horrible scar? Will the villagers burn out the nobles for good?
All these delicious details, mixed with a terrifying and exhilarating time in history, make 'Odette and the Great Fear' a quick but intriguing read.
Next up in the series is 'Blame it on Paris,' Bennett Sisters Mystery #8, after the Sister's French Cookbook, filled with delicious recipes inspired by the series. Get the cookbook for free by signing up for the newsletter at the author's LiseMcClendon.com - I hope you enjoy the books.
That's the delicious underpinning of this sprawling, exuberant, generous-spirited cozy mystery series with a yummy side of international adventure. A little bit chick lit, a touch of cozy mystery, a whole lot of humor, romance, suspense--all in one box set!
These two books continue the adventures of the five lawyer sisters that started with Blackbird Fly. On to The Girl in the Empty Dress, Give Him the Ooh-la-la, and The Things We Said Today. .. (also available in box sets) to these two stories that follow Merle Bennett's journey from the US to France, with her French boyfriend, Pascal.
THE FRENCHMAN
Ooh-la-la, who doesn't love a Frenchman?
Merle Bennett goes back to France -- and her Frenchman -- in this fifth installment of the Bennett Sisters mysteries. Sure that La Belle France will cure all her ills, and help her write a novel about the French Revolution, she sets out to prove her theory correct. Pascal, her Frenchman, scoffs at this. As a policeman he knows France is pretty to look at but not all that pretty under the surface.
While Merle writes and renovates her stone cottage, Pascal encounters an old enemy, a man he put in prison years before. When Pascal disappears Merle isn't sure if their relationship is over, or something terrible has happened.
A soupçon of danger, a brush with 'madame guillotine,' and the quirky characters of the French countryside, all collide in this installment of the Bennett Sisters Mysteries, set in la belle France-- where, obviously, wine, sunshine, sunflowers, and Frenchmen cure all ills. Or do they?
ODETTE AND THE GREAT FEAR
A Gothic Romance by 'Merle Bennett'
Deep in the French countryside-- as the country reels through rebellion, beheadings, and starvation-- a goat-herder named Odette is trying to survive. Just that-- survival is on her mind. Since she marched to Versailles with a group of Parisian women to protest the high prices of wheat, her life has spun out of control. She's fled the capital for the countryside. But what will happen to her? Can she stay in the Dordogne where the kindly farmers have taken pity on her?
'Odette and the Great Fear' is a novella from the novel, 'The Frenchman,' by Lise McClendon. Merle Bennett, the main character, is writing a novel. Here the story is fleshed out, characters come into focus, and outcomes are decided. Will Odette and her handsome stranger find each other? How did the Count get his horrible scar? Will the villagers burn out the nobles for good?
All these delicious details, mixed with a terrifying and exhilarating time in history, make 'Odette and the Great Fear' a quick but intriguing read.
Next up in the series is 'Blame it on Paris,' Bennett Sisters Mystery #8, after the Sister's French Cookbook, filled with delicious recipes inspired by the series. Get the cookbook for free by signing up for the newsletter at the author's LiseMcClendon.com - I hope you enjoy the books.
329 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 6, 2019
About the author
Lise McClendon
123 books228 followersLise McClendon is a fiction writer living in the Rocky Mountains of Montana. She has been a film reviewer, a film maker, a journalism professor, and a PR flack. Since her first novel, The Bluejay Shaman, in 1994, she has served on the national board of Mystery Writers of America and the International Association of Crime Writers/North America, as well as on faculty of the Jackson Hole Writers Conference where each year she critiques, speaks, and learns from writers new and old.
Check out the Lise McClendon Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/LiseMcClendon
Lise McClendon also writes as Rory Tate in the 2011 thriller, JUMP CUT. Her new novel by Rory Tate is PLAN X, available now. Read her latest novel, Château des Corbeaux, 17th in the Bennett Sisters mystery series that began with Blackbird Fly.
Check out the Lise McClendon Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/LiseMcClendon
Lise McClendon also writes as Rory Tate in the 2011 thriller, JUMP CUT. Her new novel by Rory Tate is PLAN X, available now. Read her latest novel, Château des Corbeaux, 17th in the Bennett Sisters mystery series that began with Blackbird Fly.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
June 5, 2020
After months of looking at this on my Currently Reading list, I realized that I was not interested in reading Volume 2, the finished manuscript of the fictional book being written in Volume 1. So I’m done.
January 2, 2021
Well, the 1st book was only fair. I did not even read volume 2 because it was all in the 1st book within a book format. Totally unfair and unethical of author and publisher and what's more, Amazon, I am disappointed in you!l
February 15, 2021
I quite enjoy the Bennet sisters mysteries - not too demanding, not to serious, pleasant recurring characters. I do get annoyed at the Americanisation of France, the authors inability to distinguish between a village and a town and references to concepts that have no place this side of the Atlantic - like a”block” in a village street. Or the labelling of the riverside path along the Seine as a sidewalk. I can get past those things, but the romanticised approach to the French Revolution and the book within the book made this a less than enjoyable read. More detail on Pascal’s situation would have been preferable.or a sub-plot. Then I found I’d paid for book 6 even though I’d read 90% of it within book5. Feeling cheated!
August 23, 2019
Riveting story of love and suspense
The author works her magic with compelling characters and story lines. "The Frenchman" is interspersed with the writings of the main character, who is working on her own historical novel. It's fun to see her weaving her own life into her novel. There is plenty of suspense, but the reader is never disappointed in the outcome. I loved both the main story and the one about "Odette and the Great Fear"!
The author works her magic with compelling characters and story lines. "The Frenchman" is interspersed with the writings of the main character, who is working on her own historical novel. It's fun to see her weaving her own life into her novel. There is plenty of suspense, but the reader is never disappointed in the outcome. I loved both the main story and the one about "Odette and the Great Fear"!
April 18, 2021
Bennett Sisters Mysteries: Volume 5 & 6
Not quite up to the first four books, but still an enjoyable read. Merle is off to France again, and reunites with her boyfriend, Pascal, but the past has caught up with Pascal. The ensuing chase and mystery keeps Merle running all over France; however, she still finds time to help a friend and finish her book! Looking forward to the next book in the series. Highly recommend!
Not quite up to the first four books, but still an enjoyable read. Merle is off to France again, and reunites with her boyfriend, Pascal, but the past has caught up with Pascal. The ensuing chase and mystery keeps Merle running all over France; however, she still finds time to help a friend and finish her book! Looking forward to the next book in the series. Highly recommend!
November 30, 2020
Enjoyable
Merle goes to France with a plan for a more extended stay and finds graffiti on her house and the garden damaged. Pascal is very busy with a case. Meeks writes a novel set during the French Revolution. The writing seems clumsy at times or perhaps it is the editing with missing words... But still an escape.
Merle goes to France with a plan for a more extended stay and finds graffiti on her house and the garden damaged. Pascal is very busy with a case. Meeks writes a novel set during the French Revolution. The writing seems clumsy at times or perhaps it is the editing with missing words... But still an escape.
December 12, 2020
Writing was good but I didn't like the format of two stories in one. I wasn't really interested in the novel the main character was writing. Very slow moving. I gave up half way through the first book in this set.
February 3, 2021
Lost interest in this one 1/4 of the way through, maybe because I should have read the other part of the series first? (This was free on kindle.) Didn’t much like any of the characters, and didn’t care what happened to them!
March 31, 2021
Fascinating story
I enjoyed the story of the Bennet sisters and all the trouble Merle gets into. However it's a little confusing when Merle started writing a book and she would interrupt the story and you'd be reading the story she's writing.
I enjoyed the story of the Bennet sisters and all the trouble Merle gets into. However it's a little confusing when Merle started writing a book and she would interrupt the story and you'd be reading the story she's writing.
April 24, 2021
Excitement in a foreign land.
A rugged love story within another love story. Much about France, the country sides and the people, both during the revolution and now. Trust of friends and neighbors makes for an exciting story. Enjoyable reading leading to the next book.
A rugged love story within another love story. Much about France, the country sides and the people, both during the revolution and now. Trust of friends and neighbors makes for an exciting story. Enjoyable reading leading to the next book.
August 11, 2021
Good
Still great writing and characters. It was a bit blah and seemed rushed like the Author ran out of vision for this character. The next installment sounds good but I used my allotment of $ so back I go to the free book cubs. Enjoyed the 6 I read. Thank you
Still great writing and characters. It was a bit blah and seemed rushed like the Author ran out of vision for this character. The next installment sounds good but I used my allotment of $ so back I go to the free book cubs. Enjoyed the 6 I read. Thank you
June 21, 2022
not my favorite
This was good but not my favorite. Interesting concept of having Merle’s novel actually something for us to read. I didn’t like how you read a lot of it throughout the other book then having us re-read it again. Other than that, I liked the actual mystery.
This was good but not my favorite. Interesting concept of having Merle’s novel actually something for us to read. I didn’t like how you read a lot of it throughout the other book then having us re-read it again. Other than that, I liked the actual mystery.
November 28, 2020
Fun series set in France
December 16, 2020
Interesting
Book five continues the story of the Bennett sisters. The author brings the characters and places to life. The story followed book four very well
Book five continues the story of the Bennett sisters. The author brings the characters and places to life. The story followed book four very well
June 15, 2021
Good Reading. Enjoying series.
September 7, 2022
Am absolutely loving this series and have already downloaded books 7 and 8. Can’t wait to start reading more of Francie’s hi-jinx.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews