Tajemnica odnalezionego płótna Cezanne'a

Verlaque and Bonnet #5

by M.L. Longworth, Małgorzata Trzebiatowska (Translator)

Przyjaciel z klubu palaczy cygar prosi Antoine'a, by wybrał się z nim do mieszkania René Rouqueta, emerytowanego listonosza, który znalazł u siebie zwinięte płótno. Ponieważ jego mieszkanie należało kiedyś do Paula Cézanne'a, Rouquet jest przekonany, że trafił na skarb. Ale kiedy Antoine przybywa na miejsce, okazuje się, że René nie żyje, płótno zaginęło, a nad ciałem stoi tajemnicza profesor historii sztuki.

Odnalezienie płótna nie rozwiązuje zagadki. Zarówno faktura, jak i kolory na obrazie wskazują na Cézanne'a. Lecz kim jest ta uśmiechająca się modelka? To z pewnością nie ponura Mme Cézanne. Kto zabił René? Kto ukradł płótno? I do czego jest w stanie się posunąć, by je odzyskać?

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, France, Cozy Mystery, Art, Crime, Mystery Thriller

324 pages, Paperback

First published September 15, 2015

About the author

M. L . Longworth has written for The Washington Post, The Times (London), The Independent, and Bon Appétit magazine. She divides her time between Aix-en-Provence, where she writes, and Paris, where she teaches writing at New York University's Paris campus.

Reviews

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

What does one read when enjoying a very Sunny day in the Ardennes, part of Wallonië which is the French speaking part of Belgium. I brought The Savage Sword of Conan which is a bit bloody for such Tranquil surroundings and a blue sky.
So the best option is a cozy mystery taking place in the Provence where Verlaque & Bonnet live, work, eat, drink and love each other. This time both have separtly decided they want more of this relationship but as the book closes both know what they want but have not yet informed the other partner.
oh and there is the mystery of the lost Cezanne, a picture unlike anything hé did before. Also the story about how Cezanne met this woman called Manon and she made him happy.
But mainly the story is about art theft and how both Verlaque and Bonnet find the stories and the truth.
This book has no urgence to get or go anywhere soon, it meanders towards the end and the answers we as readers really want and of course get.
Another excellent book in a fun cozy series. And are as fun as the three part tv series that is out and waiting for a second season.
And I have yet to read a few more of the so far 10 novel series.
New to the books, start at the beginning.

[Linda (NOT RECEIVING NOTIFICATIONS) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Verlaque's finally growing on me.

When I read Death at the Chateau Bremont and Murder in the Rue Dumas, the juge tried my patience on more than one occasion. He also gave Professor Marine Bonnet second thoughts. My personal opinion was she should have dumped his bum and let him stew for a while until he realized Marine's importance in his life. His taste for cigars, superiority on the best tasting wines and opinions of food played a large part of his life and I thought Marine came in second place at various moments.

This time around Verlaque had a paunch, from said wine and food, that everyone seemed to notice but him.

I skipped #3 and #4 because our library didn't have the books available, but I had no problem visiting Verlaque, Marine and Aix once more. Verlaque had softened now and he loves Marine. The secondary story about the artist Cezanne and his friendship with a woman had me googling his life.

There was a murder surrounding the mysterious, alleged and possibly long-lost painting with Verlaque and Commissioner Paulik (I liked this guy from day one) searching for clues. Marine included her BFF, Sylvie, along with her parents while pondering evidence.

Beside the interesting characters and solid suspense, I've enjoyed this series because it took me to a country I have never visited. Besides various areas in France, Verlaque jaunted over to Italy. The descriptions were crisp; I could almost smell the roasted chicken, hear the music in a cafe, felt what it was like while Verlaque squeezed himself in narrow alleyways or sped down the road in his 1963 Porsche.

[Elena · Rating 4 out of 5]

So far, might be my favorite in the series. Love the mixture of art, Cezanne's life, typical and somewhat cliched outlook (but in a good way) on french living and the mystery. But as with previous books in the series, mostly the atmosphere.

[Kasia · Rating 4 out of 5]

❤

[Pamela Mingle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mystery. Romance. Aix-en-Provence. Cézanne. What more could you want in one book? The Mystery of the Lost Cézanne, by M.L. Longworth, the fifth installment in the Verlaque and Bonnet series, entertains readers with all this and more.

The mystery itself is set in motion with the murder of a retired postman, René Rouquet, who lived in an apartment in Aix in which the most famous son of the city, Paul Cézanne, had once resided. Prior to the murder, M. Rouquet told a former neighbor that he’d discovered a previously unknown painting of Cézanne’s in the apartment. During the investigation of the murder, the authorities are able to track down the missing painting, which indeed has all the earmarks of a Cézanne. They begin to investigate the murder on the assumption that whoever killed M. Rouquet knew abut the Cézanne and had come to steal it. The old man got in the way.

Beginning with the third chapter, the story switches to the year 1885, and Cézanne himself becomes a featured character. The “lost Cézanne,” discovered in René Rouquet’s apartment, is a painting of a woman. The flashbacks to the nineteenth century develop the relationship between the artist and the woman he painted. I felt that just when the story between artist and subject was getting interesting, the author cut it off. We find out later what happened, but it was disappointing not to see it finish on the page.

This is the first Verlaque and Bonnet I’ve read. The mystery plays out in the traditional way and reaches a satisfying conclusion. I loved the two protagonists, Judge Verlaque and his girlfriend, law professor Marine Bonnet, and would read another of these mysteries just to see how their relationship develops.

The city of Aix is a character in the book, as much as any of the people. I’ve been there once, and I wasn’t more than a few pages into the book when I ran to get my travel journal to see what I’d written about the various places mentioned in the story. I loved being able to picture Saint Saveur, the Church of St. John of Malta, the Cours Mirabeau, the plane trees and fountains. I haven’t looked at my pictures yet, but there will be plenty of time to do that. I intend to read the first four books in the series. I want to find out what all these people were up to in the earlier mysteries!

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a wonderfully diverting read on a day when one is housebound due to seriously unpleasant weather. I say that because it does take a bit of patience and concentration because there are many
and varied ingredients in this boeuf en daube.
I would definitely state that this is not the book to start your adventures with in the series. But I liked it very much as I make my way through this series. I have not been reading the books in order. I just have one more to jump to, #7, before I get to wait for the latest Noel offering that should be in my hands soon.
There are separate groups of busy bees working on this murder investigation including Antoine Verlaque's cigar club, the residents of the building where Cézanne had once lived, the Bonnet club of women plus Marine Bonnet's father, the police force with Paulik running the show and even Verlaque's father enters the fray. Yes, a host of characters. While this may trouble some more than others, in this case I found it realistic as in - who wouldn't want to be part of finding and/or authenticating a hidden Cézanne painting?
There is also a portion of the narrative providing a guided tour of Cézanne historical hot spots in Aix-en-Provence.

Library Loan

[The Lit Bitch · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve only read one of the Verlaque and Bonnet mystery, but I really really liked it and it’s a series that I feel invested in. The plot isn’t overly complex but yet there are a lot of characters to keep the reader interested. The previous book was set on an island in the south of France, while this book was set in a small French town which I absolutely loved. This series reminds me of Clue…..a classic whodunit with a charming setting, basic characters, and a mystery that is simple enough to follow but with enough twists to keep the reader interested.

The setting added a lot of interest for me in this book. So many books are set in Paris, but Longworth shows her love of France by taking the reader to lesser known region of the beautiful country and exposing them to something familiar but yet new and refreshing.

I also loved that she incorporated aspects of the art world. I liked that there was some exposure to the art world and the world of art forgeries. While I am not a huge fan of Cezanne’s art, I love art from that same period in general. Longworth choose to incorporate a fictional back story around Cezanne’s character and I thought this too added to the novel. Sometimes I don’t think that always works, but in this case it worked for me.

The thing about this series is that I haven’t really felt connected to the main characters (Verlaque and Bonnet) as much as I had hoped, but at the same time it doesn’t really matter to me because the setting and the way the Longworth describes France is so captivating. I feel like I am right there on the streets of France following Verlaque and Bonnet on their adventures.

While this mystery series is simple and not overly complex, and at times there are a lot of secondary characters, I didn’t feel like this book was boring in the least. I read it in like a day, it was so charming and the setting and the Cezanne artwork angle really captivated me for some reason. It was just what I needed to break up some of the heavy reading I’ve done lately.

On another note…..I’m absolutely in love with the cover designs of this series! I love the cover designs for this series! They are quirky, colorful, interesting, and whimsical. They totally made me want to read the series even more! I love love love the design!

See my full review here

[Filip · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just couldn't get into this book. The two are protagonist again spend more time separated from each other than together, so no playful banter this time. And when did interact, they argued all of the time, like silly children instead of discussing their issues. Of course these don't get resolved until the end of the book because... reasons? The story also falls flat, without any memorable characters. We're treated to the same information (especially about Cezanne) over and over again and the ending is pretty lackluster. The parts of the book that take place during Cezanne's time are more interesting but they're pretty inconsequential and don't really serve any purpose apart from maybe spoiling the solution to a secondary mystery in the main plot.

I think it was the worst book in the series, but well, only one volume left.

[Alexia Gordon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too much focus on details having nothing to do with the mystery and too little focus on the mystery. Whether or not Cezanne had a secret mistress seemed more important than the fact that someone was murdered. The third person POV was clumsiliy handled--an exercise in head-hopping. The shifts back and forth between the 19th and 21st centuries was distracting. It took away the tension and slowed the pace of an already slow investigation. It was also dropped unexpectedly, leaving the end of the story to be told anticlimactically by a 21st character

[Monika · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kryminał z wątkiem malarstwa Paula Cezanne'a w tle.
Fabuła dzieje się we francuskim miasteczku Aix, w którym niegdyś mieszkał Paul Cezanne. W jego starym mieszkaniu śmiercią nienaturalną zmarł lokator, który przed śmiercią dawał do zrozumienia że odnalazł obraz malarza. Sędzia Verlaque podąża śladem mordercy i obrazu. Jednocześnie starając się złapać zabójcę jak i potwierdzić proweniencję odnalezionego dzieła. Dla amatorów gatunku lub dla miłośników wątków o sztuce w książkach (czyli mnie).
Jednak drażniły mnie francuskie wtręty (pretensjonalne) i ciągłe podkreślanie tego jaką markę ktoś nosi (też pretensjonalne, choć może chodziło o podkreślenie różnic klasowych, które jakieś znaczenie mogą mieć dla fabuły). Drażniły mnie miejscami drętwe dialogi, które starały się wyłożyć co się wydarzyło i dlaczego ktoś zachowuje się w konkretny sposób.
Dużo jest tu dobrego jedzenia i wina - nie czytać na głodnego!
Książka należy do cyklu "Verlaque i Bonnet na tropie" - ale nie trzeba czytać poprzednich tomów.

[Michelle Blackburn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn’t realize this was the fifth book of a series when I checked it out. I have happily watched the streaming tv show based on some of these books. I enjoyed the read and will probably start the series but this one did have a few negative points. I don’t understand how someone participated with the crime and that’s all I can say without spoilers. And I lost track of who some of the characters were.

[Libraryassistant · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well now, this was fun! Twisty-turny in fun but not particularly suspenseful ways, intercut with imagined history, and so deliciously French. There was a spot talking about walking down a little shortcut street that everyone knows since they are children and I flashed right back to M.F.k. Fisher’s Map of Another Town. Very evocative.
So far this one and the one about the disappearing Museum have been my favorites of this series but I am kind of reading them out of order.

[Ver · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was enjoyable to learn about Cezanne's life and work and the mystery surrounding the artist was good too. I'm generally not a fan of inventing the events regarding some famous person and for me the chapters regarding Cezanne's past were unnecessary. They didn't bring much into the story, apart from several pages more to the book. The chase for the missing picture was a bit amusing and definetely interesting. We also get to meet the parents of the judge and his girlfriend, which is a nice addition to the story.

[Virginia B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really really good! Part of a series new to me, will start now at the beginning, if I can find it. Wonderful characters, beautifully described life in Aix-en Provence, past and present, ingenious, believable mystery, all nicely tied up at the end. Maybe even a 5.

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series keeps getting better!

[Vicky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Besides the interesting romantic development of the two main characters, I always learn something about Aix or Paris. Cezanne is one of my favorite artists. Having been to Aix en Provence and Cezanne’s studio, this installment in the Verlaque / Bonnet series was especially enjoyable.

[Lynn Horton · Rating 4 out of 5]

WHAT I DID NOT LIKE: I'm accustomed to complex plots and multiple characters—Daniel Silva is my favorite author, and he's not known for simplicity. The Mystery of the Lost Cezanne opens with so many characters that they impede the story. It's as if the author is trying to cram in as many stereotypes as possible up front, stacking the deck to deal later. Some of the characters—again, to me—were drawn distinctly, making it easy to scramble them later in the book.

WHAT I DID LIKE: I am very familiar with France, and Ms. Longworth's time there is apparent in her details. She does a great job of conveying ennui, and I pictured the TGV station in Aix, and that beautiful city, as I read. I smiled at her description of a rainy Paris night, remembering more than one pair of soaked shoes. (Reminder to self: waterproof.) Her depiction of the art world—forgers, assessors, auctioneers—is strong.

SUMMARY: Once the plot settled out to focus on fewer characters, I enjoyed this book. I see Ms. Longworth compared to another favorite author, Donna Leon, which I believe is a stretch. But The Mystery of the Lost Cezanne certainly is enjoyable and pleasant, and gives a reader that delightful gift of armchair travel.

Recommended.

[Karla Huebner]

Book five in the series was a generally pleasant romp. Given the central importance of Cezanne to this book, I'd say that here we have pretty clear evidence that Sylvie's original expertise as an art historian has been forgotten. Instead, Marine's father suddenly shows himself to be an amateur Cezanne specialist. Not that that's impossible in a book set in Cezanne's home town, but in one of the other books, Marine's father unexpectedly revealed a taste for fine cheese despite Marine's parents having been depicted all along as food ignoramuses (so apparently just Marine's mother lacks a palate). Well, I'm quibbling since the book is enjoyable and continues to develop at least some of its characters, but there are some continuity problems in the series.

[cynthia carlson · Rating 3 out of 5]

So disappointed

I have so enjoyed the first books in the series. This one was annoying because I'm tired of authors going back and forth in time. This one used a narrative of Cezanne through a leap to his era. This could have been handled differently especially since the main characters use a diary from then to clear things up. The villains were predictable and so was the mystery. Anyway after reading a little over half I skipped to final 3 chapters and didn't feel I'd missed a thing. I will read the next but not for a while.

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Offered by our local librarians as part of "outdoor browsing" during the Covid pandemic, Longworth is a new author to me. This mystery, the fifth in a series, is set in Aix-en-Provence with its art, history, and culture skillfully embedded in the plot. The protagonist, Antoine Verlaque, and his fiancé, Marine Bonnet, are a unique team: he is a magistrate from a wealthy, prestigious family, and she is a law professor from a distinctive family.

Part of Aix-en-Provence's fame and charm is its connection to Cezanne; when a retired postman is murdered in what was Cezanne's apartment over 100 years before, and a question surfaces about a stolen yet unknown painting, Verlaque and Bonnet use every contact, personal and professional, to solve the murder and to prove the veracity of the painting.

Some of the chapters take place in 1885, with Cezanne meeting Manon, the sister of his friend, Philippe Solari, on one of her frequent walks. A quick mind, she has a keen interest in art and nature, which intrigues him. The story of their developing friendship is told through their discussion of his technique, his understanding that his art may never be understood, and many references to his artist friends and their opinions about his art. She understands his color variations, not one element of his subject standing out, or "joining hands" as he explained his meticulous color changes.

Not as lovely as reading about Aix-en-Provence's history but learning about organized crime's connection to art theft was an unexpected thread, debunking any mythology that art theft is glamorous as depicted in film. Another myth crashed: not all the French are foodies or grew up eating the leisurely meals depicted in film and literature. Bonnet explains that growing up in the 70's, many French families ate bland meals. Their mothers were post WW II babies and didn't learn to cook because they were out in the work force, celebrating their independence from the farmhouse kitchen. I didn't mean to bore you with that.

[Kimberly Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rene Roquet, a retired postal worker, lived in Paul Cezanne's former apartment. He was a disagreeable & miserly man with a secret. Pierre, a former neighbor of Rene & friend of le juge Antoine Verlaque, calls Verlaque when he is unable contact Rene.

Entering Rene's apartment, Verlaque finds Rene dead and a young American woman, Rebecca Schultz, (well known Yale Art Historian, who happens to specialize in the work of Cezanne) searching the apartment, which is in disarray. Rebecca claims that she did not kill Rene, that she found him dead after entering the apartment via the open door.

After questioning Rebecca, Verlaque allows her to leave, but to remain in Aix-Provence... of course Rebecca disappears. Soon thereafter Verlaque finds the missing portrait in the possession of Momo, the young street vendor & friend of Rene, whom Rene gave it to for safe keeping.

While Verlaque searches for the murderer & providence of the painting, his girlfriend, law professor marine Bonnet, her father, & her friend Sylvie research the life of Cezanne, the possibility of an affair w/ the woman in the portrait, & the history of Michaud's Bakery where Cezanne purchased his baked goods.

In alternating chapters, the story goes back in time to 1885, to tell the story of Paul Cezanne & (for the purposes of this book) the affair he had w/ Michaud's counter girl, Manon Solari, the fictional sister of Cezanne's real life friend Philippe Solari and the enigmatic portrait. [I hope that made sense]

At one point the, while Verlaque is traveling w/ the painting to have it authenticated by a well known art professional, the painting is stolen from the train by Rebecca, who later returns it...

While the story has an excellent premise and the portion about Cezanne & Manon being well written, the book held my interest; however, I found the introduction of Rebecca (whom I never did warm to) & her actions very convoluted. Therefore -★.

[Cooper · Rating 3 out of 5]

Summary: A retired postal worker, living in the apartment once home to Paul Cezanne, is found murdered. Could it be he found a long-lost Cezanne painting and was killed for it? This Provencal cozy mystery is about to become a TV series on BritBox.

Reading this series is like taking a leisurely walk down the streets of Aix-en-Provence and enjoying the sun and foods of the region. And hence the story itself takes it time in revealing its secrets. Although we're introduced to many characters fairly quickly, and I couldn't keep track of who was who, I really didn't care. The characters themselves were so fun and real, it was like I was attending my very own bizarre French HOA meeting.

I love the personal relationships between Verlaque and his girlfriend Marine. And within this mystery, we are told of a possible short, intense, and tragic love affair between Cezanne and a local Aix young woman.

As the murder investigation begins, it gives us a sweet twist of a lost Cezanne painting and those who would kill to have it. Was it a local who wanted to own a piece of history, was it someone in a local crime family to be used as collateral, or was it all just a sad accident. Then a second murder is committed, and Verlaque is no closer to knowing who the killer is or the true motive.

Although I do love this series, this story was the weakest so far. I found myself rather confuses as the story moved towards its end. I kept going back and rereading sections to try and figure out what was going on. I'm not even sure who killed the second victim. Was it the same people who killed Rene? I'm not sure. Maybe I missed it.

But I will continue on with the series. I enjoy Aix too much to leave it behind.

[Senga krew_w_piach · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pozdrawiam z uroczego Aix-en-Provence, miasta Paula Cezanne’a. Ten tom poświęcony jest życiu słynnego malarza, które to kryło pewien sekret nie znany szerszemu gronu. Sekret, za który warto zabić. Kolejny część przygód mojej ulubionej pary tropicieli zimnych drani znów różni się bardzo od poprzednich. To jest super u Longworth, że nie powiela tych samych motywów, ale ciągle kombinuje. Tym razem fabuła skonstruowana jest dwutorowo i toczy się w dwóch epokach historycznych - Aix dziś i pod koniec XIX w. Sporo czasu spędzamy także w Paryżu, gdzie coraz bliżej poznajemy rodzinę sędziego Verlaka, co pozwala domyślać się źródeł jego nie najłatwiejszego charakteru. Zaprzyjaźniamy się także z rodziną Marine, szczególnie z jej tatą, który okazuje się być super miłym i mądrym starszym panem. Spotykamy pozostałych ulubionych bohaterów znów mogąc uszczknąć kęsy z ich życia. W relacji Antoine i Marine robi się poważniej - wchodzi na etap, który wymaga nazwania pewnych rzeczy wprost. W tym tomie nie ma zbyt wiele poezji, za to jest mnóstwo rozmów o sztuce, o tym jak ją oglądać, o jej przyszłości i różnych szczegółach technicznych. Ciągle uczę się z tej serii czegoś nowego.
Sama zagadka jest być może nieco naciągana i z hollywodzkiego filmu, ale zupełnie mi to nie przeszkadza, bo w ogóle nie to jest w tych książkach najważniejsze.
Muszę się jednak do czegoś przyczepić - w „Tajemnicy odnalezionego płótna” bardzo spadł poziom redakcji i tłumaczenia. To co zachwycało mnie w poprzednich tomach gdzieś przepadło, jest mnóstwo literówek i błędów, niedokładności, jakby praca nad książką odbywała się w dużym pośpiechu. Trochę szkoda, bo seria Longworth wyróżniała się dbałością o język na półce z kryminałami.

[Shannon · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was a disappointment! It reminded me very much of another mystery series set in the French County side: BRUNO, CHIEF OF POLICE, by Martin Walker. I was hoping for a better experience, but it just followed standard (and trite) procedure. Both series are redundant and not worthy of a second outing.

The best thing about this entry, were all the interesting bits of history concerning the life and painting techniques of Paul Cezanne. I wish it had stuck to the brief chapters that followed his life and work in 1885, while living in Aix-en-Provence, where this story is set.
Instead, we are faced with a confusing group of witnesses, suspects, and various red herrings, that do nothing to advance the plot.
I didn't find any character appealing, with the possible exception of Marine, the main character, Antoine's girlfriend. Although, she and one of the witnesses, Rebecca, are both art professors at universities and each comes with a set of parents who play a pivotal role in their daughter's lives! Therein lies the central problem with this story: there are simply too many people whose parents and/or other extended family members are essential to the plot line, but which end up creating a morass of bewilderment as the poor reader slogs through, trying to keep all the connections straight! Personally, I could have come up with several better conclusions!

The first chapter with its description of how Epiphany is celebrated in France and the charming look at the importance of a "King Cake" was fun and amusing to read. Unfortunately, it was downhill from there!

[Rusty · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author offers an interesting premise when an unknown painting of a joyeous young woman is found in the former apartment of Paul Cezanne. Now occupied by a man named Rene Rouquet who discovers it, he is found dead, probably murdered. As Verlaque investigates, he discovers that the retired postal worker believed he had discovered an unknown paintaing by Cezanne. However, as the those who should know examine it, some believe that it is an expert forgery and others, that it does not match the type of painting the artist did at the time.

The story goes two directions. First, there is the investigation of the painting theft and the murder. Second, the tale moves backward in time to the life of Cezanne when he occupied the apartment. I liked this approach and found that I wanted to know much more about the painter himself. He was an intensely private man and rarely made friends beyond those he long known. In a brief internet research I did not find the painting described in this novel. However, he painted 900 oil paintings, many of which have not yet surfaced and I could find no mention of a mistress beyone his wife

One of the most fascinating aspects may be the descriptions of life in Aix-en-Provence and the area surrounding it. In addition, I found myself smiling when Verlaque loses the painting on a train ride to get yet another expert opinion about it. Nice touch of humor. Of course, much is predictable but who doesn't like such books? I liked it.

[Susan Arenson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eh. I read another of her mystery books and liked it, and proceeded to get a bunch more. This one was choppy and the mystery not particularly compelling or satisfying. She switches perspectives not only within sections but also within paragraphs! We will be hearing the point of view of one person and then suddenly we're seeing through the eyes of another. It was confusing and only exacerbated the feeling of choppiness. The Cezanne part of the story, while I see the purpose, also felt awkwardly inserted and ultimately unfinished in favor of the mystery. Finally, the random French phrases were annoying. If you wrote the book in French originally, great. But let the translation be complete. If you wrote it in English, we know it's set in France and people are speaking French. It's one thing to throw in "Bonjour" or "merci," it's another to pepper the book with entirely random French phrases one has to look up because there are no translations. I worry I sound like the Ugly American here, but I didn't see the purpose of putting things in French with no apparent pattern or reason. I didn't hate the book but it wasn't a strong read.

[Terri Pilate]

A man is found dead in his Aix-en-Provence apartment which also was Paul Cezanne's apartment when he was alive in the 1800's. The man had called his recently former neighbor frantic that someone was following him. The neighbor was friends with Judge Inspector Verlaque who also made his way to the man's apartment. The dead man had been heard at the local bar saying that he had found a painting that he was sure was a Cezanne. But the painting in question, when it is finally found, does not look like a typical Cezanne portrait. It is also unsigned. The young woman in the portrait is bright, and smiling, and was not Cezanne's wife. Thus begins the next in the Verlaque and Bonnet series. Dr. Bonnet enlists her Cezanne-loving father to help in solving the mystery as Verlaque and the Inspector work their way through clues to solve the mystery of the painting, the murdered old man, and the woman who seems to show up in many unexpected places.

This entry into the series is of yet my favorite book. The book is full of historical references to Paul Cezanne and I loved the descriptions of Paris and Aix.

[Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another solid book in the series. However, as I noticed with Book #4, the author is really trying to mix up her style now, and I prefer sticking to the approach that drew me in to the earlier books. (That’s part of why I personally like series in general—you know some of what you’re going to get, going in.) In this book, the author has interspersed a historical fiction story about Cezanne in various chapters throughout the book. The premise is that Verlaque is writing this story, but I literally just began to skip over those chapters. I don’t appreciate historical fiction, and this was especially bad because they were trying to insert very specific characteristics of the modern day characters into the Cezanne world (and this is why I don’t appreciate historical fiction—I feel like it can distort facts/truth in your head, without you realizing it). At any rate, the bulk of this book is set in modern day, and even when skipping the historical fiction chapters, the modern day mystery is solid, and very well done. I’m eager to read Book #6.

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Mystery of the Lost Cezanne by M. L. Longworth is a Verlaque & Bonnet Provencal Mystery, Book #5.
“a beguiling mystery that finds Verlaque & Bonnet searching for a murderer in a crime tied to Provence’s greatest artist, Paul Cezanne”
This is a wonderful read, full of interesting, well-detailed characters, picturesque locations, food, wines, culture, historical ‘tidbits’ and, of course, a well-plotted mystery.
My favorite reads are books with interesting, detailed locations, sprinkled with historical events, people and things. The Mystery of the Lost Cezanne has all of the above.
This title gave me so much interesting information regarding the post-impressionist painter, Paul Cezanne and art, in general.
The author’s note (which I have come to look forward to) says “Paul Cezanne did have an affair with a mysterious Aixoise in 1885, a curiosity I first read in a New Yorker article, later confirmed when rereading Paul Cezanne: Letters, edited by John Rewald in 1976.”
Ahhh… fact and fiction intertwined. I love it. *****

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Aix, Paul Cezanne, who painted there, looms large as a hero, so when the occupant of the house where Cezanne lived finds a woman's portrait he thinks is a lost Cezanne, no one can completely deny it because there have been rumors the painter had an affair with a local woman. The man who found the painting is killed and the painting is stolen, but the real question becomes the identity of the smiling woman in the portrait. Bouncing back and forth between 1885 and contemporary Aix, the book reveals the woman's name - Manon - to the reader before she is uncovered in the story, but it makes it no less interesting as Verlaque and Marine track notes kept in the town's favorite bakery where Manon worked. The story involves a gorgeous American art historian who catches Verlaque's father's interest and a fake art expert who declares the painting a fake. I enjoyed this because I've been to many of the places - the Luberon and Gorde - where parts of the story take place.