Murder on the Ile Sordou

Praise for
Death in the Vines

“Judge Antoine Verlaque, the sleuth in this civilized series, discharges his professional duties with discretion. But we're here to taste the wines, which are discussed by experts like Hippolyte Thebaud, a former wine thief, and served in beautiful settings like a 300-year-old stone farmhouse. So many bottles, so many lovely views. A reader might be forgiven for feeling woozy.”

—Marilyn Stasio,
The New York Times

“Though the plot is hair-raising, what keeps you glued to this mystery is its vivid portrait of everyday life in Aix, which deftly juxtaposes the elegance of the city . . . with quotidian woes and pleasures.”

—Oprah.com

“As much as the mystery intrigues—in this case some intertwined crimes involving a local winery, a missing elderly woman, and a rich man's suspicious construction project—what really makes Longworth's books enjoyable are the atmosphere and details that she includes of the South of France.”

—
The Seattle Post Intelligencer

“A lovely, almost cozy police procedural that deserves to be read with a glass of wine in hand. Longworth paints such a loving picture of Provence that it's likely you'll start planning a vacation trip to France the moment you set the book down.”

—
The Denver Post

“This is an intelligently written police procedural with the warm comfort of a baguette with banon cheese.”

—
Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine

“Enjoyable . . . the book's real strength is its evocation of place.”

—
Publishers Weekly

Praise for
Murder in the Rue Dumas

“Fans of European sleuths with a taste for good food . . . will have fun.”

—
Publishers Weekly

“What really makes Longworth's writing special is her deep knowledge of French history, landscape, cuisine, and even contemporary cafés and restaurants. This is that rare atmospheric mystery that is street-wise and café-canny.”

—
Booklist
(starred review)

“Longworth's gentle procedural succeeds on several levels, whether it's for academic and literary allusions, police work, or armchair travel. With deftly shifting points of view, Longworth creates a beguiling read that will appeal to Louise Penny and Donna Leon fans.”

—
Library Journal

“French-set mysteries have never been more popular [and] among the very best is a series set in Provence featuring Monsieur Verlaque, an examining magistrate, and his sometime girlfriend, law professor Marine Bonnet.”

—
The Denver Post

Praise for
Death at the Château Bremont

“This first novel in a projected series has charm, wit, and Aix-en-Provence all going for it. Longworth's voice is like a rich vintage of sparkling Dorothy Sayers and grounded Donna Leon. . . . Longworth has lived in Aix since 1997, and her knowledge of the region is apparent on every page. Bon appétit.”

—
Booklist

“A promising debut for Longworth, who shows there's more to France than Paris and more to mystery than Maigret.”

—
Kirkus Reviews

“Mystery and romance served up with a hearty dose of French cuisine. I relished every word. Longworth does for Aix-en-Provence what Frances Mayes does for Tuscany: You want to be there—NOW!”

—Barbara Fairchild, former editor in chief,
Bon Appétit
magazine

“
Death at the Château Bremont
is replete with romance, mystery, and a rich atmosphere that makes the south of France spring off the page in a manner reminiscent of Donna Leon's Venice. A wonderful start to a series sure to gain a legion of fans.”

—Tasha Alexander, author of the Lady Emily mysteries

“Longworth has a good eye and a sharp wit, and this introduction to Verlaque and Bonnet holds promise for a terrific series.”

—
The Globe and Mail

“
Death at the Château Bremont
offers charming French locales, vivid characters, and an intriguing who-done-it.”

—Kevin R. Kosar, author of
Whiskey: A Global History

“Here's hoping the series lasts for years.”

—
RT BookReviews

“Your readers will eat this one up.”

—
Library Journal

ALSO BY M. L. LONGWORTH

Death at the Château Bremont

Murder in the Rue Dumas

Death in the Vines

A PENGUIN MYSTERY

Murder on the Île Sordou

M. L. LONGWORTH
has lived in Aix-en-Provence since 1997. She has written about the region for the
Washington Post
, the
Times
(UK), the
Independent
, and
Bon Appétit
magazine. She is the author of a bilingual collection of essays,
Une Américaine en Provence
, published by Éditions de La Martinière in 2004. She divides her time between Aix, where she writes, and Paris, where she teaches writing at New York University.

PENGUIN BOOKS

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First published in Penguin Books 2014

Copyright © 2014 by Mary Lou Longworth

Penguin supports copyright. Copyright fuels creativity, encourages diverse voices, promotes free speech, and creates a vibrant culture. Thank you for buying an authorized edition of this book and for complying with copyright laws by not reproducing, scanning, or distributing any part of it in any form without permission. You are supporting writers and allowing Penguin to continue to publish books for every reader.

Excerpt from “The Day Lady Died” from
Lunch Poems
by Frank O'Hara.

Copyright © 1964 by Frank O'Hara. Reprinted by permission of City Lights Books.

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGING-IN-PUBLICATION DATA

Longworth, M. L. (Mary Lou), 1963– author.

Murder on the Île Sordou : a Verlaque and Bonnet Provençal mystery / M.L. Longworth.

pages cm

“A Penguin mystery.”

ISBN 978-0-698-14648-8

1. Murder—Investigation—Fiction. I. Title.

PR9199.4.L596M89 2014

813'.6—dc23 2014010451

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Dedicated to my cousins

There are many islands off the coast of Marseille. Some are closed to the public, but Frioul and the Île d'If can be visited by boat from Marseille's old port. Sordou, however, has been invented by the author.