Lise McClendon

First of a cozy mystery series. ADIEU, HARRY HUSBAND! BONJOUR, NOUVEAU MONDE!
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 this sprawling, exuberant, generous-spirited cozy mystery with a yummy side of international adventure.

It might be sadder except that once Harry dies, his widow, Merle show more Bennett realizes almost immediately it was no wonder she didn't know anything about him. They’d pretty much been leading separate lives. Still, the will’s a shock. And so is an intriguing surprise—Harry left her a family home in a tiny French village. But 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, or perhaps Under The Tuscan Sun all 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.

Once Merle gets there, she finds…well, France! An unexpected romance! Mystery galore! Murder! And not just murder, but the unnerving experience of being a suspect. Once her passport is confiscated, what can she do but stay and restore her ancient battered house? While enjoying the tender attention of the unusually well-educated, handsome and…yes, quite mysterious roofer she’s hired. show less

I really liked this novel - so many appealing aspects: a mystery that primarily takes place in a small French village, delicious food and wine, a romance, a woman rediscovering herself and her life. I was engaged from the start, when Merle learns her recently deceased husband owned a house in France that she knew nothing about. This was a well-written, literary novel that kept me turning the pages. If you like stories with a variety of nuanced characters and a likable heroine, detailed show more descriptions that make you feel like you're right there, a clever mystery and several possible murder suspects, French food and wine (ooh la la!), you'll want to read this book. And there are 13 books in this series! Can't wait to continue reading about the Bennett sisters. Thanks to author Lise McClendon and Amazon for a digital reader's copy. All comments and opinions are my own. show less

This is another entry in the fantastic Bennett Sisters series by Lise McClendon. Lost in Lavender centers on the youngest Bennett sister, Elise. In an attempt to relieve her dissatisfaction with her job as a lawyer and her insipid boyfriend, Elise decides that a working vacation at a lavender farm in Provence just might do the trick. However, once there, Elise realizes all the other guests are foreign students half her age and the work is harder than she thought. In order to find some show more entertainment Elise accompanies the students to a village lavender fair. Then, the mystery begins. Elise disappears with a mysterious, shady Frenchman.
With the opening scene, the author so immerses you in the French countryside and the smell of lavender, that you wish you were there. Throw in a couple of murders, bats, screams in the night, young relatives, who eloped, angry parents, mobsters and smugglers, a house too small and overflowing with guests and you get a highly entertaining read. I have read over half a dozen of the books in the series and eagerly await every release. My only complaint with this book is, I wish we saw more of the handsome Pascal and his Blackbird, Merle. Will they ever marry? "sigh" show less

Thanks to the author and NetGalley for a digital advance reader copy. All comments and opinions are my own.

I like this well-written series of which I’ve read a few (with more on my TBR shelf), and this one contains all the elements that make them enjoyable – a little romance, a little drama, always a mystery, French food, wine (ooh la la!) ... and France!!

Merle Bennet is a widowed former attorney with several lawyer sisters living in the U.S. who are always involved in each other’s show more lives. She has one college-age son and lives most of the time in France with her likable (and sexy) French boyfriend Pascal d'Onscon, who is a wine fraud agent and new owner of a recently purchased vineyard.

A neighboring vineyard owner is being secretive about his winery operation. This hostile neighbor is also under house arrest in a nearby town due to Pascal’s murder investigation from book #17. Pascal is trying to harvest his grapes but rental equipment appears to be repeatedly sabotaged. Merle’s son Tristan and her sister Stasia both arrive from New York, then suddenly leave for Paris for “an adventure.”

This is #18 of the Bennett Sisters mysteries. I’ve read a few of them, including #17: Château des Corbeaux. Author Lise McClendon is a skillful writer, and her plots are well thought-out and intriguing. The Bennett sisters and their partners are likable with a variety of personalities and quirks. McClendon says “This installment of the Bennett Sisters Mysteries follows closely on the events of Château des Corbeaux, recommended but not required reading beforehand!”

If you want a trip to France without the jetlag, enjoy a bit of mystery and a healthy romantic relationship between competent mid-life characters, this is the book (and series) for you. show less