1 of 1 copy available
Welcome to picturesque Provence, where the Lady of the Chateau, Séraphine Demargelasse, has opened its elegant doors to her granddaughter Darcy and her three friends. Twenty years earlier, the four girlfriends studied abroad together in France and visited the old woman on the weekends, creating the group's deep bond. But why this sudden invitation?
Amid winery tours, market visits, and fancy dinners overlooking olive groves and lavender fields, it becomes clear that each woman has a hidden reason for returning to the estate after all these years. Then, following a wild evening's celebration, Séraphine is found brutally murdered.
In the midst of this shocking crime, a sinister Instagram account pops up, exposing snapshots from the friends' intimate moments at the chateau, while threatening to reveal more.
As they race to uncover who murdered Séraphine—and is now stalking them—the friends begin to suspect each other. Because the chateau houses many secrets...several worth killing for in this "mesmerizing story of betrayal and revenge" (Megan Collins, author of The Family Plot).
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Creators
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Publisher
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Release date
May 23, 2023 -
Formats
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OverDrive Read
- ISBN: 9781668013038
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EPUB ebook
- ISBN: 9781668013038
- File size: 7311 KB
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Languages
- English
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Reviews
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March 1, 2023
Four best friends, all with secrets to hide, embark on a vacation to remember at a beautiful old ch�teau in the scenic countryside of Provence. It's been 20 years since Darcy and her friends have stayed with Darcy's grandmother S�raphine at her ch�teau. One day, Darcy, Arabelle, Jade, and Vix all unexpectedly receive invitations from S�raphine, and they each have a personal reason to accept the invitation. The vacation seems perfect with all the wineries, lavender fields, markets, and dinners--until S�raphine is found viciously murdered. While the friends try to figure out who murdered S�raphine, a mysterious Instagram account surfaces, exposing private moments from the vacation and threatening to reveal more. The old ch�teau holds many secrets, including the murderer and stalker. Can Darcy and her friends find out who the murderer is before someone else winds up dead? VERDICT While the plot in this novel from Goldis (When We Were Young) is unique, it is slow-paced and filled with clich�s and unlikable characters. Avid mystery and suspense readers will be able to predict the ending, but some readers will enjoy the twists and turns.--Anna Kallemeyn
Copyright 2023 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
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April 1, 2023
Provence is the stunning backdrop for this murder mystery, in which a much-anticipated vacation turns deadly and friends struggle to discover the killer in their midst. Visiting the lush lavender fields and olive groves of the French countryside is a dream come true for Darcy, Jade, Vix, and Arabelle when Darcy's Grand-m�re S�raphine invites them to stay at her chateau. The women have known each other for decades and are looking forward to their reunion. But not long after their arrival S�raphine is stabbed to death. Reeling from the horrific attack, the four friends are even more unsettled when they receive a follow request from an anonymous Instagram account entitled @imwatchingyou88. The feed contains photos of the women at the chateau and includes menacing messages: "You can't hide," and "I know what you did. You won't get away with it." In the tradition of a classic Agatha Christie locked-room mystery, everyone in the chateau is a suspect, and each of the women may have a motive unknown to the other three. At least three of them have serious financial issues and could benefit if they are included in S�raphine's will. Goldis is in firm control of her plotting and stealthily employs the unreliable narrator trope with alternating first-person chapters told by Darcy, Jade, Vix, and Arabelle as well as S�raphine; the groundskeeper, Raph; and S�raphine's housekeeper, Sylvie. They all have reasons for hiding their truths, but past traumas and secrets slowly come to light. A messy extramarital affair, a missing Van Gogh painting, and a Holocaust-era betrayal spin the plot toward shocking revelations that do not stop until the very last page. Sex, lies, and secrets turn deadly in this modern-day tale built on classic plot devices.COPYRIGHT(2023) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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