DRESSED FOR DEATH IN BURGUNDY

An American living in Burgundy continues her unfortunate penchant for mysteries.

After several years, Katherine Goff has finally won acceptance in the small French town of Reigny-sur-Canne by solving an unusual case of murder (Love & Death in Burgundy, 2017). In fact, her life may soon be much improved financially if Michael, her musician husband whose former rock band stole his songs, finds success in his new partnership with a country singer. He’s currently recording in Memphis while Katherine and the dogs hold down the fort at their charming but shabby cottage and watch their neighbor Pippa Hathaway, an awkward, naïve Brit, try to write a murder mystery. When Katherine helps out a friend by driving a van of tourists visiting the Château de Bellegarde into the medieval town of Avallon for some shopping and a visit to the costume museum of Madame Roussel, she and Pippa find the body of Mme. Sabine, the butcher’s wife, stuffed into a mannequin’s costume. Pippa thinks that trying to solve a real murder will help her write a better mystery, and Katherine, who’s a bit bored in Michael’s absence, joins her. Since Pippa speaks almost no French, Katherine must ask all the questions. Their snooping brings them to the attention of the police, who are not pleased and even suspect that Pippa may be involved. Katherine gets some help from Jeannette, a teen who does cleaning at the museum and has seen things she doesn’t realize are clues. Although Michael wishes his wife would stay away from murders, it’s the clueless Pippa who’s targeted by the killer.

A comedy of errors full of amusing characters, a fine feeling for life in small-town France, and a suitably twisty mystery.