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Death in Provence audiobook

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Death in Provence Audiobook Summary

The first entry in a clever, lighthearted mystery series set in modern Provence–a delightful blend of Agatha Christie and Peter Mayle–featuring the irrepressible Penelope Kite, a young-at-heart divorcee with a knack for stumbling across dead bodies.

It’s love at first sight when Penelope Kite sees Le Chant d’Eau–The Song of Water–the stone farmhouse tucked high in the hills above the Luberon valley, complete with a garden, swimming pool, and sweeping mountain vistas. For years, Penelope put her unfaithful ex-husband and her ungrateful stepchildren first. Since taking early retirement from her job in forensics at the Home Office in England, she’s been an unpaid babysitter and chauffeur for her grandchildren. Now, she’s going to start living for herself. Though her dream house needs major renovations, Penelope impulsively buys the property and moves to St. Merlot.

But Penelope’s daydreams of an adventurous life in Provence didn’t include finding a corpse floating face down in her swimming pool. The discovery of the dead man plunges her headlong into a Provencal stew of intrigue and lingering resentments simmering beneath the deceptively sunny village. Having worked in the forensics office, Penelope knows a thing or two about murder investigations. To find answers, she must carefully navigate between her seemingly ubiquitous, supercilious (and enviably chic) estate agent, the disdainful chief of police, and the devilishly handsome mayor–even as she finds herself tempted by all the delicacies the region has to offer. Thank goodness her old friend Frankie is just a flight away . . . and that Penelope is not quite as naive as her new neighbors in St. Merlot believe.

Set against the exquisite backdrop of Provence, steeped in history, atmosphere, and secrets, Death in Provence introduces an irresistible heroine and a delightful new mystery series.

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Death in Provence Audiobook Narrator

Antonia Beamish is the narrator of Death in Provence audiobook that was written by Serena Kent

Serena Kent is the nom de plume of Deborah Lawrenson and her husband Robert Rees. They met at Cambridge University and pursued completely different careers, she in journalism and fiction; he in banking and music. They live in a house full of books in England, and an old hamlet in Provence which is also in dire need of more bookshelves.

About the Author(s) of Death in Provence

Serena Kent is the author of Death in Provence

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Death in Provence Full Details

Narrator Antonia Beamish
Length 9 hours 59 minutes
Author Serena Kent
Category
Publisher HarperAudio
Release date February 19, 2019
ISBN 9780062894793

Subjects

The publisher of the Death in Provence is HarperAudio. includes the following subjects: The BISAC Subject Code is Fiction, Mystery & Detective, Traditional British

Additional info

The publisher of the Death in Provence is HarperAudio. The imprint is HarperAudio. It is supplied by HarperAudio. The ISBN-13 is 9780062894793.

Global Availability

This book is only available in the United States.

Goodreads Reviews

Pauline Reid

February 26, 2019

Book Review/Recommendation on - Death in Provence by Serena Kent..This book was a recommended read by Ellen Read.Penelope Kite who lives in Esher (Surrey) in England, is house hunting in France. Penelope has taken early retirement and is seperated. Her children were upset with the fact that she was abandoning them, but she told them she wanted a life of her own. She finds a lovely place in the south of France (St Merlot) that needs renovating, but to her horror she discovers a dead body in her swimming pool. Not only does she find a body, in her swimming pool, but, some time later in the book she is in middle of a war fare of bullets!! Snuck into a secret sheltered spot, to find the Ace of Spades ...... and ???? Also featured in this book, is Penelopes friend, Frankie, who lives in England, who flies out and helps Penelope put the puzzle together of who has done it..This book is a wonderful piece of entertainment. The banter between Penelope and Frankie is funny, Frankie, who seems to goad Penelope into different situations that might give them a clue at who the murderer is. Frankie, being more the sparkly type with plenty of energy which she, herself swears is to do with HRT. Although Penelope is the main character in this book, Frankie seems to steal the highlight on many occasions due to her boldness and hi gusto attitude of asking and poking her nose into situations, actually, I'm left wondering if Frankie stars in the other books? I adored the story line, it kept me interested through out. .I recommend this book to anyone who likes Agatha Christie books, as this is a cosy mystery, to anyone who likes historical fiction, as this is set in France, who likes to read a bit of French, as there is the odd french word and anyone who likes funny, witty, light hearted books.

Cara

October 14, 2018

A delightful mystery involving an ex-pat British woman who moves to Provenance and stumbles onto murder and danger. Thoroughly enjoyed the pages!

Tripfiction

August 25, 2018

Perfect reading material for literary wanderlust to PROVENCESerena Kent is the author name of husband-and-wife writing duo, Deborah Lawrenson and Rob Rees and they clearly work well together as they have produced a delightful cosy murder mystery set in the heart of Provence.Penelope Vine has reached retirement age (at the ripe age of 50!); she has tended her family, she has invested enough of her time working in forensic pathology, she is divorced. So it is time for this merry divorcée to strike out on her own. Relocation has tempted her! With the help of sharply turned out estate agent, Clémence Valencourt, she finds the supremely delapidated Chant d’Eau and decides to buy it. Her own family members feel she should seek help as this is a decision that really doesn’t suit anyone but her – maybe medication for menopause might help, therapy, a good talking to…. But she is set upon her mission, the stunning views of her new acquisition are to die for. Only someone does die, as we know right from the outset. A body is retrieved from her derelict swimming pool, seemingly that of local drunk and gambler, Manuel Avore, adorned with a playing card, the Ace of Spades (the card of death).Clémence seems to pop up at the drop of hat “..always here, there, everywhere” which proves to be just a little unnerving. Factor in her seemingly clandestine meetings with other locals – including the handsome Mayor, Laurent Millais – and Penelope feels she has to cast a keen eye over her activities.As Penny observes the unfolding investigation, she starts poking around herself (after all she has spent quite some time working in the forensic pathology department of the Home Office) and when she finds some old bones whilst someone appears to be taking a pot shot at her, she is all the more determined to get to the bottom of this village murder mystery that seems to centre on her newly acquired on home. Clearly she will not be able to settle into her new life until everything is resolved! But her prying is not appreciated by some of the locals…The flavour of the area imbues the storyline with colour, smells and scenery. Penelope’s house is near Apt and as she starts to uncover the mystery that unfolds, she takes in her locale, from Bonnieux, past Lacoste (where the Marquis de Sade had his château) and many more delightful villages and scenery. This novel is an absolute delight for foodies and even Le Sanglier Paresseux at Caseneuve, where Penny meets up with handsome Mayor Millais, is featured in the book (top tip, by the way). The terrace proves to be the perfect place to sample Vacqueyras red wine.The closed and almost incestuous nature of village life in the South of France is well depicted, old family feuds seem to rumble down the generations, gossips freely exchange information, local festivals are ubiquitous, and the odd game of Pétanque (Provençal boules) is featured in the village square. The boulangerie is at the heart of the narrative with its splendid array of pastries which are just too tantalising for the reader stuck elsewhere,The novel starts out with a real spring in its step, there is humour and sangfroid as this cosy caper evolves. It then flatlines as the various strands dovetail in a slightly convoluted fashion. Perfect reading material, however, for literary wanderlust to Provence.

Patricia

November 21, 2018

A clever story that combines good humour, memorable characters, and an intriguing mystery, as it brings the readers into the heart of life in Provence. I loved it!

Agi

August 21, 2018

Penelope Kite is a 50 year old retired divorcee, and after years of being at everyone's beck and call she decides to start a new life by purchasing an old house in the south of France. The house is gorgeous but in need of many renovations, but Penelope is up for this challenge. She's happy - until she finds a body floating in her swimming pool! Penelope soon finds out that there is more to this death as initially supposed and with police that's not so willing to cooperate, she has to use her skills she's learnt as a former forensic pathologist's assistant. Who did it? And why? Is it something bigger, as there are also few attempts on Penelope's life?The characters were really well - rounded, though I must admit it took me time to get used to Penelope. I'm not sure why, I had problems to get into the book and to warm to her character though there is really no particular reason why - it's just one of those things. There were, however, very many characters, and till the end I had problems to match them, to know who is who and why and if they're the baddies or the good ones, if they're significant to the plot or they're only mentioned because they just fit in to the scene. But they were also very well rounded and quirky, for example the drop - dead gorgeous mayor, Penelope's larger than life best friend Frankie who takes no prisoners and Madame Valencourt, with her brilliant diet tips. Penelope was mature, she was smart and sassy and I admired her willpower and she was really brave to drop everything like this and move to another country The mystery was really well tackled, and it was full of surprises. There were twists that I haven't seen coming and to be honest, I have suspected probably all of the characters throughout the whole story. I think I don't have to mention the fact that I didn't guess who was the perpetrator even though, now when I look in retrospective, there were enough clever hints and tips from the author on the way. My bad. Serena Kent's writing style is incredibly inviting and vivid. The book is set in the south of France, Provence, just like the title suggests, and the descriptions of the places, people and food were picturesque. She has managed to also reflect the spirit of the French villagers, to capture their personalities and mentality in such a realistic, true to life way. She easily brought to life the town, the landscapes, the croissants and characters. On the other hand, those many, many detailed descriptions slowed down the reading for me a little and there were moments that I had a feeling that nothing's happening actually, that we're there to admire the setting, and it also felt repetitive, with the repetitions of what has happened, what we've discovered and how far in the investigation is. Altogether, "Death in Provence" was a really cosy read, light and breezy. It was humorous and I really liked the characters' sense of humour. There was this real French vibe to it and writing style was so warm and inviting - I am already looking towards Serena Kent's next book!Copy provided by the publisher in return for an honest review.

Susan

February 24, 2019

Early retiree Penelope Kite is happily divorced, but the stepchildren she raised are needy and still expect her to pitch in with their busy households. After one too many instances of ingratitude, she buys a decrepit farmhouse on the unfashionable side of Provence and moves to France. But what does she find there but a body in her swimming pool! The police suggest it's an accident--the victim was a well-known local drunk and layabout--not realizing that Penny was the much-relied upon secretary of one of England's leading forensic experts. She's not another nosy old lady--she knows more about dead bodies than they do. Her surly neighbor, her friendly gardener, the baker of superb and calorific pastries, the chic real estate agent who is almost unbelievably helpful, the mayor who couldn't be involved in anything bad because he's so goodlooking, and Penny's best friend Frankie, who makes several trips from England to help out all enliven the cast of characters.

Ellen

December 12, 2018

I so enjoyed Death in Provence.Although I’m still to visit Provence, I’ve always loved the locale, the colours, and the lavender. This story brings them all out and I loved it.It’s a light-hearted murder mystery, filled with intrigue and laughs. A loved the characters. The main character, Penelope Kite is a wonderful, older woman, clever, and determined to discover why there was a body in her swimming pool. Not what she expected when she bought a home in the small village of St Merlot.This is a perfect holiday read. Escape to the sunshine. I highly recommend it.

Linniegayl

September 16, 2022

I listened to the audiobook and enjoyed both the story and the narration. Yes, there is some repetition as other reviewers have noted, but I loved the setting and enjoyed the story.

Virginia

September 15, 2020

Divertidíssimo. Cozy mystery tudo de bom: investigação amadora numa vila francesa com detalhes da vida em provence.

Elysia

October 10, 2018

First of all, hats off to anyone who can pull off writing a book with their husband (and both of them survive the event)... I love my husband dearly, but if you ever want to see us go completely off the rails, put us together on an artistic project. Whoo-boy!That being said, this book is really a fun read. One of the things I loved about it was the name-dropping of Poirot, Cadfael, and some other of my well-known and much-loved British sleuths.... however, I found it exceedingly funny that middle-aged Penelope and her large, boisterous pal Frankie so very much resembled gardening murder sleuths Rosemary Boxer and Laura Thyme (of "Rosemary & Thyme" TV fame)... (also one of my all-time faves, I bought the entire series box set on DVD)... but those names were never dropped. Maybe the authors felt it would be obvious and didn't need to be said? I mean, Penelope even drives a Range Rover (just like Rosemary Boxer!)... though hers is new...... which brings me to one of my pet peeves about this story. Penelope is retired, driving a brand new Range Rover, and dining out for almost every meal - and yet we never know where all her money is coming from. It's just kind of odd... usually in a story, if a character is either broke or has so much money they never have to think twice about buying anything they want (like, oh, say, a house in Provence...), there's usually a plot device (won the lottery, living of major alimony after divorce of millionaire, etc.) that explains it. In this story, not so much.I know every book has to end, and I just sort of wish the rapid-last-twenty-pages-of-murder-explanation had been avoided (it made me a bit dizzy), and I wish that some sort of romance had actually happened in the story to the main character, (whether with the mayor, or the mysterious Camrose who we hear about but never see, or even the guy who runs the bakery... hey, free croissants!) rather than using it as a teaser for a possible next novel. The main characters certainly reveled in their sensory satisfaction (I lost count of how many bottles of rose this lady drank!), so it leaves the reader feeling a bit denied the pleasure of reading about a little romance in amongst the cadavers (not literally... ew!).All in all, a great summer read - but warning: Have a bottle of rose handy, because even if you don't drink it that often, these ladies will have you longing for one before you hit chapter three!

Jacqueline

August 22, 2018

We meet Penelope Kite at the beginning of her new adventure in Provence. Having swapped life in Surrey, where she is at the beck and call of a demanding family, for a farmhouse with potential in the south of France, things immediately start to go wrong. The discovery of a dead body floating in her swimming pool, strange comings and goings on her property, and a painfully slow police investigation, mean her idyllic new life in France is anything but.Thankfully she has plenty of chilled rosé and fresh pain au chocolats, and she soon discovers a rich and varied local community in the village of St Merlot. With a background in forensic investigation she can’t help but try to piece together the suspicious circumstances of her neighbour’s demise, but the unfriendly Chief of Police, overly charming Mayor and an estate agent who keeps popping up unexpectedly, would all rather she left well alone. This was a great fun read that contained all the best bits of life in France, fantastic local characters and attention to detail that anyone who has spent time in a French village will appreciate. With plenty of humour and a mystery to be solved too, all set against the landscape of Provence that came to life from the pages, this book was perfect holiday reading, for the bargain price of 99p.Happily, I know that the next book in the series is well on the way and I can't wait to head back to St Merlot and read more.

Neil

May 21, 2020

There's a clever mystery concealed under the trappings of a holiday novel. Penelope Kite, a British divorcee, has retired at a relatively young age from work as the assistant to a forensic scientist. She buys a villa in rural Provence, and almost immediately finds a body in her swimming pool. Is this just anti-foreigner sentiment, or is there something more at work?A fun cast of characters and lovely descriptions make this an engaging read.

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