MURDER AND THE MISSING DOG

The murder of an enigmatic woman may have roots in World War II.

Ariel Shepard’s husband left her a decrepit château in Burgundy that’s already been the scene of a murder she solved with some help from Katherine Goff, another American who owns a small antique shop, and Pippa Hathaway, an ebullient British mystery writer. Ariel’s dreams of a restored château hosting a bed and breakfast and perhaps some cooking classes are proceeding slowly, but she’s found skilled workmen who’ve made a portion of the place habitable. She’s so focused on restoring it into a paying proposition that when she and Katherine discover the body of Madame Toussaint curled in the antique shop’s doorway, she tries to ignore the mystery. Although the elderly lady had always been accompanied by her dog when she brought Katherine small items to sell, he’s nowhere to be found. Brigadier Allard of the gendarmerie, who’d been in charge of the previous death at Ariel’s château, thinks there may be a connection between Madame Toussaint’s bits and pieces and a series of museum robberies. And Raoul, a prized worker who’s assisted with many of Ariel’s restoration needs, has a connection to the dead woman. So despite her reservations, she and her friends start hunting for clues. Her discovery of the dog and a box of old letters and photos leaves her even more confused. Her relationship with Allard becomes warmer even as he warns her not to get entangled with murder.

All the charms of adjusting to life in a little French town with plenty of minor and major mysteries to solve.