Blackbird Fly

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 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 show more 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 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 show more 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

Take a bit of mystery, add some chicklit, a dash of adventure, and lots of humor and what do you get? A great book by author Lise McClendon. The first book in the new Bennett Sisters Series has hit the mark.

When middle sister Merle becomes a widow with the sudden death of her husband Harry, she discovers that he was living a life she wasn’t aware of. She isn’t surprised by some of the things as she realizes they have been leading separate lives for quite some time. However, she soon finds out that she has been left Harry’s family home in France which leads her to many unexpected things; a squatter that doesn’t plan on leaving, a sudden death which hints to murder, a handsome and mysterious roofer, and being considered suspect show more number one by the police.

I found myself quickly drawn to Merle who is in her late 40’s and trying to decide the next journey in her life. Should she fix up the home in France to sell or should she make it a part of her future? I laughed, I cried, I got mad (at the police like Merle), and even started to fall for the mysterious roofer. I can’t wait to read the second book in the series to found out what happens next to Merle and her sisters. show less

Slow start.

The first part of the book drug out for me. The writer gave away where the main character would go to rediscover herself but we had to wait through mindless what should I do for pages before it happened. I was disappointed with the end honestly. I was hopefully for an early retirement or something. I don't know. I guess its only a book one, so introduction to a series and all. Overall the writing was good, and the main character had depth but the other characters were meh. It was easy to get them confused.

Poor Merle, her husband has died and she realizes she isn’t as sad as she should be, maybe she didn’t love him anymore? But when secrets start coming to the surface she realizes there was a lot more wrong with her marriage than she thought. And the only asset he left her was a house in France that Merle didn’t know he owned, so when she takes a trip to France to get the house ready to sell there is much more trouble ahead.

This is a great story of family secrets and discovering who you are (or who your late husband was). Parts I figured out before Merle did but sometimes that’s to be expected. I liked Merle I thought she was a strong woman who maybe should have listened to her instincts but then where would the fun be in that!?! show more I liked this story very much; I liked the characters and the French setting. The little town was full of narrow minded people and secrets and Merle drops herself right in the middle of the whole mess and comes close to paying a heavy price for it. I felt this was more a family secrets novel than a straight up mystery and was very well written. The only thing I don’t understand is the title but that didn’t keep me from enjoying this book.

Denice Stradling narration was really good, her male French voices took some getting used to, but I ended up pretty enthralled in the story and the great narration.

This was a new author and narrator for me and I look forward to reading more by this author and listening to more by this narrator.

4 Stars
I received this book from the Solid Gold reviewer program at http://audiobookjukebox.squarespace.com/ and iambik show less

American Merle Bennett life becomes unravelled when her husband dies and his secrets are revealed. To recover she travels to France to access the house that he has left her. Only for her to discover a mystery. One that was connected to her husband's family.
It took a while to get into the rhythm of the book, but I found that it was worth it, and I liked the character of Merle, and quite a few of the other characters.

Merle Bennett thought about it after her husband had a fatal heart attack and she didn't know when she stopped loving him so it was hard to be the grieving widow everyone wanted her to be, as all he ever did was work. When she learned her wealthy husband played his hunches with the market and had planned to cash in his investments, he died in his chair before he had a chance. That wasn't the only shock she had as the mortgage on a home she didn't want was refinanced and her son's college money was no where to be found. She did learned that Harold's parent's home in France was debt free so she decided to move in and start all over as she was just forty-nine and a lawyer, but there was a squatter hat didn't want to go and the town was her show more enemy thinking she would kick the elderly woman out! As time went on Merle had more problems and she just wanted to leave town, but she was advised to not leave, due to a suspicious death. show less