Bluette Matthey

A compelling mix of old and new characters and cold and current crimes make for a riveting mystery set in the south of France.

Homicide Hérault is the sixth book in author Bluette Matthey’s international mystery series featuring former military turned computer geek turned tour company operator Hardy Durkin. The mystery includes both the cold case of the murdered soldiers and another, which occurs right in front of the tour group and an entire audience of festival-goers.

The story is packed with tantalizing descriptions of food, drink, and the countryside of the Languedoc region through which the cyclists travel. The author slips in a wide range of interesting historical details about Roman settlements, the annihilation of the Catholic splinter sect, the Cathars, and the more recent and relevant to the story, events of the Algerian War, which ended in 1962.

Hardy calls on his Legionnaire friends, Lieutenant Colonel Alain Clotiers and Captain Luc Buvain, introduced in book one of the series, to hand off the investigation into the dead men. This turns out to be a wise move as factions still exist in the area that have a lot to lose should the truth behind the soldiers’ murders come to light.

The story takes a surprising turn when Durkin and the Legionnaires inadvertently uncover a human trafficking operation while investigating the cold case. The plot is compelling, with twists I never saw coming.

With its unusual and historical setting and mix of old and new, I recommend HOMICIDE HÉRAULT to mystery readers interested in international, off-the-beaten-path travel, unique history, and fans of the previous books in the series.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours.… (meer)

Two men, both military, one American, one French, are desperate to deliver a film that will rock French politics. Others are out to stop them. Decades later their bodies are discovered by a group of Americans on a biking holiday in Beziers, France. Luckily, their tour guide is none other than Hardy Durkin, a man of talent, ability and a more than a whiff of mystery. As multiple forces attempt to control the fallout from the finding of the bodies, a second murder occurs at a flamenco performance and once again, Hardy and his trekkers are in the thick of it...
If there was ever a book that shouldn’t be judged by its cover, Homicide Herault is it. My apologies to the cover designer but in my opinion, it hinders rather than helps. Inside this blah cover is a fun, lively book packed with historical tidbits, amazing description of the small towns that dot the South of France, food, wine, along with spies, intrigues and of course a set of murders that must be solved.
The writing is good, the pace is swift, and the author makes use of an omniscient POV to narrate the story from multiple viewpoints. A lover of murder mysteries, I enjoyed the investigation and dramatic resolution of the crimes. I especially loved the history of the region including the tragic stories of Cathars and the Knights Templar. The travel descriptions made me drool with envy and Beziers in now at the top of my bucket list of places to visit.
I highly recommend this enjoyable read for lover of murder mysteries set in unique locations with the added bonus of a history lesson threaded through the story.
I rate this book: 5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐… (meer)

There’s nothing better than a really good mystery that also serves as a quasi-travel guide. After reading the latest book in the Hardy Durkin series, I would love to visit Switzerland to see this beautiful country. As for the mystery, it’s believable, the characters are well-developed, and it’s so refreshing to read a novel that isn’t laden with profanity. This is a book you could give to your teenager to read, after you’ve read it yourself of course. Matthey’s descriptive writing style puts you in the middle of the action and you just can’t help but love the kind hearted, well-meaning, Hardy Durkin. As our author works her way through the alphabet, I’m eager to see what she has in store for Hardy’s next adventure – this time in France… (meer)

STORY-LINE ENGADINE AERIE BY BLUETTE MATTHEY: Release date 4-26-17

In Engadine Aerie, Hardy Durkin is in Switzerland helping his friend, Abbey, with a new skiing business adventure. Everything seems normal until Hardy and Princess Maryam find a murdered body on the ski trail. With attempts on his life, Isis, and terrorist on his trail, Hardy's in for a rip-roaring time. Add in the beautiful falcons and scenery, well you guessed it, Hardy's solving another case.

CHARACTERS, PLOTTING, DEVELOPMENT:

From the start of Engadine Aerie, the reader's enmeshed in the beauty and history of Europe, past and present. With great attention to detail, Matthey, gives insight to the past and present politics, as well as, wonderful history lessons on the Knights Templar. The action begins almost immediately and continues to roll to the end of the novel. With twists and turns, plots and sub plots, villains and possible villains, the action's kept at high peak.

The plotting's smooth and steady as Matthey unfolds her story-line. With many threads to weave together, Matthey skillfully wove a masterful tale creating a worthy suspense thriller. The story developed slowly, as Matthey had many plot lines and characters to bring together. Matthey's descriptions of the areas in her story were so vivid I could see them in my mind's eye. With traitors, conspirators, political maneuvering, jealousy, degenerate princes, and villains a plenty, this is an action packed novel.

Finally, in concluding my review of suspense novel, Engadine Aerie, I found a well-written story-line with well-developed characters. Also, Matthey research seemed in-depth and thorough.

ENGADINE AERIE RECOMMENDATION: STARS 4

What a multi-national story, filled with action, twists and turns. I found this book suitable for anyone who enjoys an action packed story relevant to today.

FINALLY, PLEASE NOTE:

Additionally, I received a copy of this book and chose to voluntarily review the book with an honest reviews for suspense novel, Engadine Aerie. Lastly, book reviews of any novel are dependent on the book review author’s opinion. Consequently, all book reviews on-line and on my blog, are my opinions. In addition, no one influenced my voluntary reviews for suspense novel, Engadine Aerie.

ENGADINE AERIE ABOUT THE AUTHOR

PROVIDED BY: Bluette Matthey
Bluette Matthey is a 3rd generation Swiss-American and an avid lover of European cultures. She has decades of travel and writing experience. She is a keen reader of mysteries, especially those that immerse the reader in the history, inhabitants, culture, and cuisine of new places. Her passion for travel, except airports (where she keeps a mystery to pass the time), is shared by her husband, who owned a tour outfitter business in Europe.
Bluette particularly loves to explore regions that are not on the “15 days in Europe” itineraries. She also enjoys little-known discoveries, such as those in the London Walks, in well-known areas. She firmly believes that walking and hiking bring her closer to the real life of any locale. Bluette maintains a list of hikes and pilgrimages throughout Europe for future exploration. She lives in Le Locle, Switzerland, with her husband and band of loving cats. Bluette can often be seen hiking in the Jura Mountains along the Swiss-French frontier. For more information, please visit Bluette’s web site. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, and Niume.… (meer)