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Christian Dittus
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English

A NOËL KILLING

Mary Lou Longworth

A Provençal Mystery

Christmastime in the south of France is as beautiful as ever, but when a shady local businessman drops dead in the middle of the festivities, Verlaque and Bonnet must solve the case while keeping the holiday spirit alive

Antoine Verlaque, examining magistrate for the beautiful town of Aix-en-Provence, doesn't like Christmas. The decorations appear in the shops far too early, festive tourists swarm the streets, and his beloved Cours Mirabeau is lined with chalets selling what he regards as tacky trinkets. But his wife and partner Marine Bonnet is determined to make this a Christmas they can both enjoy, beginning with the carol sing at the Cathedral Saint Sauveur, a beautiful service in a packed church.

Just as the holiday cheer is in full swing, a man is poisoned, sending the community into a tailspin. The list of suspects, Verlaque and Bonnet quickly discover, almost fills the church itself, from the visiting vendors at the Christmas fair to the victim's unhappy wife and his disgruntled business partner. In A Noël Killing, with the help of an ever-watchful young woman named France, the pair must solve the murder while the spirit of the season attempts to warm Verlaque's stubborn heart.
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Published 2019-11-01 by Penguin Books

Comments

Monumental Television Limited, the UK production company that optioned Mary Lou Longworth's Verlaque and Bonnet mystery series will go into production for Britbox (the UK-based streaming service) and ITV. The actor Roger Allam will be starring. The plan is to shoot end of May 2021 in the UK, and then in France in September 2021.

[...] The enchanting setting and the likable characters make the reader feel right at home. Armchair travelers and gourmets will have fun. -- Publishers Weekly

[...] A typical Longworth cassoulet of good food, fine wine, and murder. – Kirkus Reviews

Film option for the series to Monumental Pictures (Alison Owen's company, producer of Netflix's HARLOTS).

Tv series developed by Monumental Productions has been greenlit by Britbox (the UK-based streaming service) and ITV. The actor Roger Allam will be starring. Their plan is to shoot end of May 2021 in the UK, and then in France in September 2021.