It’s Eat Pray Love meets murder mystery in Lise McClendon’s deliciously cozy chronicles of sisterhood, international travel … and a soupçon of danger.
A dead husband with a secret life is always a winner (fictionally speaking, of course), but what about a secret past for a special treat? In fact, a past so secret even Harry the husband didn’t know about it. That’s the delicious underpinning of … know about it. 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!
BLACKBIRD FLY – Book One
A dead husband might be sadder except that once Harry dies, his widow, Merle Bennett realizes almost immediately it was no wonder she didn’t know anything about him. They’d pretty much been leading separate lives—several of them, as it turns out. Still, the will’s quite a shock. And so is an intriguing surprise—Harry left her a family home in a tiny French village. Or maybe a family home. Because who was Harry’s family? Finding out is half the fun.
Merle sets out to claim her inheritance, adolescent son in tow, and thus begins a sojourn reminiscent of A Year in Provence mixed up with something by Carolyn Hart, maybe, or M.C. Beaton. Because Malcouziac, Merle’s tiny Dordogne town, is the quintessential village—just perfect for a murder. And a rollicking good time.
THE GIRL IN THE EMPTY DRESS – Book Two
Law practice is in the Bennett sisters’ blood—along with designer suits and stilettos. But they’ve decided to ditch the more predictable Caribbean cruise or spa weekend at a five star hotel to celebrate Merle Bennett’s 50th birthday hiking the French countryside of Dordogne. There’s just one catch: Merle’s little sister Francie has decided to bring along a sixth wheel: a work colleague named Gillian Sargent, whose utter aloofness wouldn’t be so bad. Except she seems to be hiding something…
GIVE HIM THE OOH-LA-LA – Book Three
It’s Bridget Jones does Christmas in the Big Apple, and this year it promises to be especially festive, as all five Bennett sisters are in town for a very special occasion: Annie, the oldest Bennett, is engaged at the tender age of fifty-five. But while Bohemian Annie is securely and happily in love with a devoted fiancé, Merle-in-the-middle is navigating the roller coaster of her own love life: Pascal, her one-time French summer fling, has unexpectedly flown to New York for the holidays. But why? A relationship ultimatum? Or is there something more mysterious in the works? Because a festive family outing to a drag revue at Pascal’s request just begs more questions to be answered…and the unfolding of dangerous connections to Merle’s own family.
THE THINGS WE SAID TODAY – Book Four
Annie is finally getting hitched to Callum Logan in the picture-postcard idyllic Scottish Highlands. The mother of the groom has generously put up the Bennett family in her Kincardie House estate, a gorgeous hunting lodge that’s been in the Logan family for generations. But Annie has reservations. Meanwhile, Merle and Francie are navigating relationship crises of their own. And amidst the Highlands’ signature fog, rain, sheep, and heather—not to mention the festivities’ decadent five course meals and family drama—a rare rainstorm with hurricane-force winds is heading right for the wedding party. And Jinty Arbuckle, the high-strung estate housekeeper, struggles to keep the Kincardie House in order and its brash American guests happy, all the while guarding secrets of her own.
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love all the sisters are lawyers
They got better and better as I read! Great word play and humor.
The characters and their stories are amazing! The interactions between the sisters is so true! Great story telling with a wonderful mystery in each story – keep you guessing until the end of the book!
It was a slow start reading the first book but I’m glad I kept reading. Very good writing and interesting characters and story line.
I did not really begin to be interested in this set until about a third of the way into the first book and I didn’t really like Merle at first. But when she got to France, both the story and the character improved a great deal. There is drama, suspense, romance, and mystery. All four books have a wine theme, but all are quite different.
I got off to a slow start with this one so I read the synopsis again. It had everything I like in a book so I kept at it. Wonderful payoff for my effort!!! The story line kept me interested and guessing. The characters were engaging. There is wine, murder, and twists and turns. I’ve only finished the first book in the set and can’t wait to start the next one. This book was a lot of fun to read!
After reading the first one…I had to finish the series. Great and enjoyable reading.
I really enjoyed the characters and storylines. The characters and setting descriptions were well deveoped.
Good characters. Entertaing. Enjoyed the series
I enjoyed the entire series!
This series was wonderful. Really enjoyed all of the stories. Very nice to to read , in order. I followed through till the end . Loved the outcome & all that went on in between.
I loved these characters! The setting, the plot line…I loved it all.
In Book One, “Blackbird Fly”, readers meet the Bennett sisters, all lawyers like their father, who become involved in the life of their middle sister, Merle Strechie who inherits an old two story house in the small town of Malcoziac, France when her husband Harry (Harold) dies suddenly at age 56. When Merle learns that Harry did not leave her the money he had promised to put aside for their 15 year old son Tristan’s private school and college education, she decides that she must go to France to sign the papers and sell the house. She tells her sisters, Annie, her favorite and the oldest sister, Stasia, the next in age and happily married with two children, and Francie and Elise, the younger sisters, her plans to go to France, sign the papers and sell the house. She learns that a squatter, Justine, lives in the house and refuses to leave. Neither the mayor of the town, nor his nephew the gendarme, are of help to Merle and most of the people in the town avoid her because she is a foreigner. Only her next-door neighbor, a retired clergyman, Father Albert, offers to help her. She finds that the more than fifty year old house is very dirty and needs indoor plumbing, electricity and extensive roof repair. Merle hires Pascal d’Onscon, a roofer, and they become romantically involved. Book Two, “The Girl in the Empty Dress”, takes place a year later when Merle returns to France with her sister so they can hike to her house and then vacation there. Francie brings Gillian, one of her law associates, with her. Gillian is unhappy and unfriendly until she finds a wounded dog and then disappears with it. The sisters learn that the dog is a famous, very expensive dog and that there is a big reward for its return to its owner. Thieves threaten harm to both Merle and her sister, Elise, unless the dog is returned to them. Pascal, who turns out to be not only a roofer but also a member of a Special Police Force tracking illegal French wine, helps Merle and Elise and captures the thieves. Book Three, “Give Him the Ooh-la-la”, takes us five months later to New York City where Pascal joins Merle in attending Annie’s engagement party to Callum Logan. Pascal is called from headquarters in France to locate the source of very old, expensive wine which appears on the wine market periodically. Merle helps him locate the perpetrator. Book Four, “The Things We said Today”, takes us to Scotland and the Logan house where Annie is to marry Callum. We learn of Callum’s family secret and share in Annie’s feelings about the marriage and about Pascal’s and Merle’s feelings towards each other and not wanting to live apart for long periods of time, As you can see, I loved the books and could not put them down. I became a part of the Bennett family and wanted to share in everything that happened to them.
Character’s were great,kept having twists and turns
Great series: sisterhood, wine, cheese, love, French countryside, and mysteries. Several LOL moments.
Love the Bennett 5….
3 1/2 is a better rating from me.
Light reading, I assume these authors who write about women suddenly up and moving to another country have actually been to the countries they write about. So it would be much more realistic if getting a visa to live, let alone work, out of country would be mentioned. Otherwise, the character building of the sisters especially was interesting. I live in the area the book takes place in, so was fun reading about areas I go to on a regular basis. Though some of the way the French people were described certainly has not been the case in our lives.
Nursing home drama, or I should say assisted living.Weird things going on, people arguing, accusing suspecting one person, then another. These assisted living sleuths finally catch the wrong doer!
This series of books is about 5 sisters who are all lawyers.