A Noël Killing

By M. L. Longworth

Christmastime in the south of France is as beautiful as ever, but when a shady local businessman drops dead in the middle of the festivities, Verlaque and Bonnet must solve the case while keeping the holiday spirit alive.

Provençal Mystery Series #8
Watch the series! Murder in Provence is now on Britbox.

Antoine Verlaque, examining magistrate for the beautiful town of Aix-en-Provence, doesn't like Christmas. The decorations appear in the shops far too early, festive tourists swarm the streets, and his beloved Cours Mirabeau is lined with chalets selling what he regards as tacky trinkets. But his wife and partner Marine Bonnet is determined to make this a Christmas they can both enjoy, beginning with the carol sing at the Cathedral Saint Sauveur, a beautiful service in a packed church.

Just as the holiday cheer is in full swing, a man is poisoned, sending the community into a tailspin. The list of suspects, Verlaque and Bonnet quickly discover, almost fills the church itself, from the visiting vendors at the Christmas fair to the victim’s unhappy wife and his disgruntled business partner. In A Noël Killing, with the help of an ever-watchful young woman named France, the pair must solve the murder while the spirit of the season attempts to warm Verlaque’s stubborn heart.

“Full of gourmet meals, silky wines, and sumptuous homes, these cozy mysteries transport you to the south of France . . . Perfect for the gourmands or Francophiles in your life.” —Slate

• Language: English
• Publisher: Penguin Group
• Release date: Nov 12, 2019
• ISBN: 9780525505839

Reviews for A Noël Killing

[auntie0nanuuq · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

A good story, interesting premise: The one character we all dislike dies by mistake, which makes for a more complicated case... Who was the murderer, who was the intended victim... What about the bicyclist pushed off by a car? But seriously? This book was long, drawn-out & Boooooooooooor-ing! And although, the wrong person was murdered, we still cheered!

[murderbydeath · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In general, this series has been excellent in every way, but this one wasn't its strongest entry.The narrative meandered. A lot. It took several chapters to get a grip on what was going on, and who was doing what to whom. There's a slow build up to the crime, which I don't mind, but because everything else was slow too, it was a battle to keep my attention on the book. Once things did start moving, they felt scattered and disorganised, though this improved quite a bit as the story progressed. Still, of the books I've read this month, this is the one I'm struggling most to remember anything about. It wasn't unpleasant or badly written, it just wasn't a strong plot and it lacked the usual strong writing, or perhaps strong editing.I'm happy to blame it on Covid and hope that the next one measures up to the first 7.

[brianewilliams · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is an excellent whodunnit set in modern day France: a good story, an intricate plot, a great sense of place and an ensemble cast of interesting characters. Aix-en-Provence and the French way of life play a prominent part in the story set in the Christmas season. It's a good introduction to an established series of crime novels. Recommended.

[diana.hauser · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A NOEL KILLING is written by M. L. Longworth. The title is Book #8 - a Verlaque and Bonnet Provencal Mystery.It is Christmastime in Aix-en-Provence and the holiday markets and traditional festivities all make an appearance.Intelligent, realistic characters; dazzling locations; thoughtful plots; wonderful food and wine - all offer up a very good read.I like this series and particular title very much. ****