les petits meurtres d'agatha christie

I am writing reviews for the website Cinema Sentries now, too. Here's an excerpt of my latest review of a French-language Agatha Christie mystery series, "Les Petits Meurtres D'Agatha Christie, Set 1 DVD Review: Who Needs Poirot?." Please don't be put off by the prospect of subtitles. These shows are really terrific.

... Christie's famous sleuths, Hercule Poirot and Miss Jane Marple, have been replaced by two sets of French investigators. In the first six mysteries, set in the 1930s-era France, Superintendent Larosière (Antoine Duléry) and his trusty sidekick, Inspector Lampion (Marius Colucci) solve a variety of murders. Larosière, who loves fine food and has an eye for the ladies, can be both dismissive and gentle with poor Lampion (sometimes at the same time). Lampion seems to have trouble just trying to keep up with his brilliant yet mercurial boss. They are a witty pair, and these renditions definitely have brought a sense of humor to the fore. Although frequently funny, the pair is also deadly serious about crime and catching criminals — they continually remind the contemporary audience that the guillotine awaits their convicted murderers. There is also a dash of romance in these mysteries; they are French, after all. Larosière may find himself attracted to both a lady in peril as well as a possible suspect. Lampion also finds romance — with different men he meets during the course of their cases. ...

Lampion and Larosière

black diamonds and dr. seuss

First published as Book Review: Black Diamond by Martin Walker and Book Review: The Dr. Seuss Bookshelf from Oceanhouse Media on Blogcritics.


Black Diamond

Black Diamond is the third book in a mystery series by author Martin Walker. Dubbed a mystery of the French countryside, the recent paperback release from Vintage once again features Detective Bruno Courrèges, the only policeman in the small town of St. Denis, in Périgord, a former province of France, now called the Dordogne.

Detective Bruno is not just a smart cop, but a connoisseur of fine wine, food, and the inestimable local black truffles – black diamonds. Perigord truffles are a multi-million euro business and are at the heart of this entertaining mystery. Walker takes readers behind the scenes of the truffle trade, where one may be surprised (or not) to learn that there is a lucrative black market for substituting inferior Chinese truffles for southern France's local gems.

A murder, a father-son feud, and Bruno's own romantic complications with British girlfriend Pamela (and a woman from his past) keep the charismatic detective quite busy throughout this mystery. Black Diamond starts off at a leisurely pace, and although Walker includes some exciting scenes and intrigue, the overall feeling one gets from the book is similar to one of the long, multi-course dinners that Bruno is so fond of enjoying or preparing. The mystery and supporting characters are intriguing, but what really makes the story is its love and indulgence of the local setting, and especially its appreciation for fine food and wine.

Walker is the senior director of the Global Business Policy Council, a private think tank based in Washington, D.C. He lives in Washington, D.C. and the Dordogne. In Black Diamond he writes eloquently about such diverse topics as "green" cuisine, local politics, ethnic struggles, and organized crime. Readers familiar with the Dordogne region of southern France or dreaming of a future visit will enjoy following Bruno around St. Denis and its environs (and restaurants). His clever crime-solving is just an added bonus. After reading Black Diamond readers will definitely want to check out or revisit the first two installments of the series.

The Dr. Seuss Bookshelf

Oceanhouse Media released an exciting new app this week, the Dr. Seuss Bookshelf. A free download in the App Store, iPad®, iPhone® and iPod touch® owners can now access and organize all of their favorite Dr. Seuss books, games, and camera apps.

An aid for both parents and their children, the opening screen is divided into four sections. "My Apps" highlights any Dr. Seuss apps that the user already has on their device, with an easy-to-use side-scroll menu for selection. Directly below is "Favorites," where one can drag and drop favorite or more frequently-used apps. The top two sections feature available Dr. Seuss apps, in the "Store" and "Featured" sections. An app can be selected with a tap, which displays the price, item description, and another button to tap for purchase.

There are more than 45 Dr. Seuss apps available in the App Store. Additional browsing criteria includes sorting by Type (Dr. Seuss Classic Books, The Cat in the Hat's Learning Library, Games, Cameras), Price (ranging from $0.99 or less to $8.99), or Age (ranging from age 3 and under to ages 9-12). There is also a search feature where one can type in a specific title or query to help select an app. To get a sampling of what's on offer, the $0.99 or less price range includes some free apps for parents and kids to try out and see if they like them - The Cat in the Hat LITE, Dr. Seuss's ABC LITE, Green Eggs and Ham LITE, and the Dr. Seuss Camera - Happy Birthday Edition.

Oceanhouse Media will be updating the Dr. Seuss Bookshelf regularly, with sales and holiday-themed products. Children and adults should enjoy this nice addition to their already impressive collection of Dr. Seuss apps.

death and love in the south of france

Article first published as Book Review: Death at the Chateau Bremont, A Verlaque and Bonnet Mystery, by M. L. Longworth on Blogcritics.

Author M. L. Longworth (M.L. stands for Mary Lou) has lived in Aix-en-Provence, France since 1997 and it shows in her delightful debut mystery, Death at the Chateau Bremont. The book is dubbed "A Verlaque and Bonnet Mystery," and is intended to be the first in a series. The characters and settings of the novel are so enjoyable that readers will be happy to come back to Provence and discover new adventures with chief magistrate Antoine Verlaque, and his ex-girlfirend and law professor, Marine Bonnet.

A young count, Etienne de Bremont, has taken a fatal fall out the attic window of the family's broken-down chateau and Verlaque, as le juge d’instruction, must determine if his death was an accident, suicide, or something else entirely. Verlaque had broken up six months ago with the woman who may be the love of his life, Marine Bonnet, who also happens to be Bremont's childhood friend. The inquiry into Bremont's death may be a convenient way for him to get close to Marine again, as he asks for her help on the case, but will it also be convenient for Marine, who is trying in vain to get over him?

In the course of their investigations the two also turn up possible links to the Corsican and Russian mafias as well as consume some wonderful wines and travel to the Cote d'Azur. The mystery is involving, and all of the people that Verlaque and Bonnet meet along the way are interesting, but the main charms of the book lie in their dance around each other and all the little details of life in southern France. No matter how pressing the case may be, Verlaque always has time for a multi-course lunch and some good wine. He is a connoisseur of not just wine and food, but also fine cigars.

There is a wonderful scene with Verlaque's cigar club that illustrates how the French know how to indulge in such pleasures. Their lives are measured in what they eat and drink and how they talk and joke with each other. There is always time for an espresso, or to meet a friend at the local cafe for a glass of wine in the evening.

As Pierre, one of the cigar club members who isn't independently wealthy, muses as he drinks fine champagne, "He closed his eyes and sipped, as if he was enjoying every bubble, and in fact he was. Bookstores didn't — couldn't — pay well, and being in the cigar club was his sole luxury. He repeatedly told himself that he would happily eat beans and rice all week in order to smoke hand-rolled Cuban cigars once a month with his group of friends." It's all about priorities. Longworth, like author Alexander McCall Smith, is good at writing about the little things that make life worthwhile, that indeed should be the bigger things in life.

Longworth also brings Aix-en-Provence to vivid life. Men and women greet each other, regardless of sex, with the bises, the double-kiss to each cheek. Cafe life is life. Shopping for the latest style, and paying great attention to one's appearance, is also part of the routine. For anyone who has traveled to the south of France Death at the Chateau Bremont will be especially enjoyable, as the reader gets to join Longworth's characters as they stroll the Cours Mirabeau.

Cours Mirabeau, Aix-en_Provence

Aix was not my favorite place to visit when I was in the south of France, so I was as happy as the character of Marine when they escaped the land-locked city, which is loomed over by Cezanne's famed Mont Ste. Victoire, and headed for Cannes and Nice. The author was just as at home there, describing the terrible traffic but wonderful sights, such as villas overlooking the ocean, and landmarks like the Hotels Carlton and Negresco and Old Nice.

Verlaque and Bonnet are both complex personalities, and the course of their true love is not likely to run smoothly, but in Death at the Chateau Bremont and, I'm sure, subsequent novels, the reader will want to join them as they eat and drink and solve their way through a mystery in Provence. You might want to crack open a bottle of wine, or make a cup of espresso and pick up some brioches — but make sure they are good ones, or the food snob Verlaque would not approve — before settling down to read this entertaining mystery.

well-coiffed

As I continue to unpack and put away our things I am unearthing (new to me ) old things. Some really fantastic family photos, for instance.


My grandmother always looked elegant and sophisticated. Whether at the beach or posing for a formal portrait or holding a crying baby. Does anyone look this well put-together anymore? Considering that it was the early thirties and she and my grandfather and my mother, their young baby, lived in France and England at the beginnings of the Second World War, it seems doubly amazing to me how fantastic she looks.


Did people just take more time to get themselves together? Of course the woman didn't have to rush out to a nine-to-five job alongside her husband in those days, but she wasn't exactly sitting home eating bon-bons, either.


There is something different about how we all decide to present ourselves to the world these days. It's beyond the fact that we live more casual lives. We don't think we need to present a good appearance, barring job interviews. And some of the get-ups I've seen job seekers wear, that last outpost of coiffed, is also fading away.


Here's to Grand-mère. I don't think I've ever looked that well put together. I may never. But I enjoy the fact that I'm related to someone who sure knew how to dress.