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Death in Provence
Graham R. Wald Book Review

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Plot Summary of Death in Provence
"

Intrigue, Nov 2003, 24.95, 391 pp.
ISBN 1890768528

Superintendent Lauriant is in a small French village to bury a man and wait until his widow's grief eases a bit so they can find out if they can have a future together. While there, he is prevails upon by Chief Inspector Gischard to try to solve the murder of Gilles Mondras, a man universally hated by all who knew him. Lauriant learns that Gilles had enemies from both sides of the tracks and from people who believed he was a traitor during WW II. In a DEAD MAN'S MORNING readers are treated to a very cerebral brain twister.

The big issue in France in the late 1960's is freedom for the colony of Algeria. When Marc-Henri Cailleburt, who is adamantly opposed to granting Algeria its independence, is murdered, government officials are afraid that his death could cause civil unrest. State secretary, Hector Biaggi orders Superintendent Lauriant to find out what happened. THE SINS OF THE FATHER is a fun police procedural starring a very sympathetic and kind-hearted protagonist who believes in justice

Both stories that make up this collection are solid police procedurals due to the superb protagonists, a dedicated individual trying to see that justice is served, French style.

Harriet Klausner
"

Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar

Review Analysis of Death in Provence
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot

Composition of Book
descript. of violence and chases - 10%
Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 40%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 30%
How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 20%




Tone of story - suspenseful (sophisticated fear)
How difficult to spot villain? - Very difficult--no foreshadowing/clues
Time/era of story: - present (2000-2010)
What % of story relates directly to the mystery, not the subplot? - 70%
Kind of investigator - police procedural, British
Kid or adult book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
Any non-mystery subplot? - life in that culture
Crime Thriller Yes
Murder Mystery (killer unknown) Yes

Main Character
Gender - Male
Profession/status: - police/lawman
Age: - 40's-50's
How much violence does he/she use? - none
Ethnicity/Race - French
How sensitive is this character? - middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Very much smarter than other characters
Physique - very athletic

Main Adversary
Identity: - Male
Age: - 40's-50's
Profession/status: - mastermind
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - a moderate amount
Motive of antagonist - revenge
How sensitive is this character? - hard edged
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - average physique

Setting
Europe Yes
European country: - France

Style
Person - mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment
How many deaths? - 2
Amount of dialog - significantly more dialog than descript
Most similar books to Death in Provence
Belshazzar's Daughter by Barbara Nadel
The Lost Army of Cambyses by Paul Sussman
Blind to the Bones by Stephen Booth
A Place of Hiding by Elizabeth George
Pasta Imperfect by Maddy Hunter


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