Kirjahaku

First in the Catherine Patterson MysteriesA cast of characters, English and French, all living in the Deux Sevres, in the Poitou-Charentes region of western France, suddenly starts to experience a series of bizarre, frightening and even life threatening events. Catherine, an Englishwoman who runs a chambres d'hotes, along with her husband, is left alone as guests cancel or leave unexpectedly and her website is sabotaged so that no new reservations are made. And then a strange man appears to take a room, a Mr. Saleem, who claims he's from Egypt. He appears pleasant enough, but there are times when his veneer vanishes and Catherine gets a glimpse of a more sinister person. Catherine has a large network of friends and acquaintances and she's never lacking for excitement, so when things start happening, not only to her, but to those people close to her, alarm bells go off. Little does she know that her tiny bit of mystery and list of bizarre happenings are really all wrapped up in international espionage. *****Reviewed By Emily-Jane Hills Orford for Readers' FavoriteGM Haley's mystery novel, Danger in the Deux Sevres, is a fascinating tale of adventure and espionage. The story starts off like a gentle tour of the French countryside around Deux Sevres, complete with the quiet life of its residents, the camaraderie, and the history. Elements of mystery are interspersed throughout narrator Catherine's jaunts and meetings with friends and colleagues. The old and the new, the history of the region, and the influx of non-French residents, international spies, and advanced technology intertwine to weave a grand tale.

Second in the Catherine Patterson Mystery series.It is amazing how Catherine seems to attract dead bodies at her chambres d'h tes in rural southwest France. Even local Inspector Maupetit seems to think it odd that mystery, murder and the urge to do some amateur sleuthing all focus around this woman and her picturesque little corner of the world. When her neighbour has her garden dug up for a small pond, the contractor stumbles over a skeleton. The forensic experts deduce that it is a very old skeleton, but there are tissue remnants of a more recent body being buried next to the skeleton. Only this body has mysteriously disappeared. And her friend, Marie, is being accused of murdering her husband, while Catherine's husband, Karl, discovers one of the chambres d'h tes guests dead in the barn. The mystery thickens as the local mayor becomes involved, perhaps not as directly as suspected, all while his son is preparing for his wedding to another of Catherine's friends.Vengeance in the Vendee is GM Haley's second book in the Catherine Patterson Mystery Books. The collage of characters, both friend and foe, interweaves into a fascinating tale with ever mounting tensions that lead to an unexpected climax. The wedding makes for a final backdrop of the picturesque setting of Vendee. The unique character of the location is well presented, both visually and in the dialogue that characterizes the French and the not-so-French residents of the local community, as well as the visitors to the chambres d'h tes. A lively and interesting read, with a good mystery. Readers will be looking forward to the next Catherine Patterson mystery, especially since dead bodies seem to always appear where she least expects to find them.

"THIS IS AN ENTERTAINING NOVEL THAT WILL DELIGHT FANS OF SLEUTHING, MYSTERY AND MURDER." - Readers' Favorite.The tourist season is almost over and Catherine is happy to have four guests staying at her chambres d'h tes and g te for an indefinite time: Monsieur Risot, timid and skittish; Monsieur Latou, garrulous about his house renovation; Mr. Colberry, a boisterous man keen to search the local brocantes for antiques and Eva, a Dutch book collector. Leaving her eccentric guests in the care of her husband Karl, Catherine accompanies her friend Marie to a family gathering at a chateau, having been persuaded by the likely appearance of a resident ghost.Within a short time events take a turn for the worse when one of the chateau guests is gunned down and Catherine is witness to a body being discovered in the river Charente. Disconcerted, she returns home to find her guests have been acting strangely and one of them has disappeared. Suspecting all is not as it seems, Catherine finds herself once again involved in circumstances beyond her control. Events conclude when Inspector Maupetit, having regularly ignored Catherine's concerns, finally takes action with Karl giving law enforcement a helping hand.