What do you think?
Rate this book
Madame Renard Investigates #2
Five Dead Men
When the bodies of five men are discovered in a secret vault at the villa Belle Époque, suspicion falls upon the villa’s former owner, enigmatic Pascal Deveraux.
Actor, gambler, general good-for-nothing - Pascal has lived a life of privilege and excess. But with no evidence to implicate him in murder, the case goes unsolved.
Called in to investigate the cold case, it’s not long before Margot’s enquiries re-open old wounds. Aided by policière municipale, Alia Leon, the investigation moves swiftly from the smugglers’ trails of the Pyrenees to the cannabis clubs of Barcelona. And it’s there, in the dark medieval streets of the city’s Gothic Quarter, that someone finds a reason to silence her.
Actor, gambler, general good-for-nothing - Pascal has lived a life of privilege and excess. But with no evidence to implicate him in murder, the case goes unsolved.
Called in to investigate the cold case, it’s not long before Margot’s enquiries re-open old wounds. Aided by policière municipale, Alia Leon, the investigation moves swiftly from the smugglers’ trails of the Pyrenees to the cannabis clubs of Barcelona. And it’s there, in the dark medieval streets of the city’s Gothic Quarter, that someone finds a reason to silence her.
290 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 27, 2022
33 people are currently reading
5 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
June 16, 2022
Five Dead Men is book two in the Madame Renard Investgates series by Rachel Green. I read the first book and enjoyed it, so looked forward to reading this second book.
I really enjoy the mysterious plot in this and how the story twists and turns, keeping you guessing and turning the pages. The pacing was good. This was an easy read that I was able to finish relatively quickly.
I enjoyed the characters as well. Each person had a purpose and was well written. The dynamics of the relationships were intriguing to read. I think the characters were definitely a highlight of this book.
Overall, Five Dead Men is a solid mystery that thoroughly entertained me.
Thank you to Rachel’s Random Resources for the free review copy and tour invite. All opinions are my own and unbiased.
I really enjoy the mysterious plot in this and how the story twists and turns, keeping you guessing and turning the pages. The pacing was good. This was an easy read that I was able to finish relatively quickly.
I enjoyed the characters as well. Each person had a purpose and was well written. The dynamics of the relationships were intriguing to read. I think the characters were definitely a highlight of this book.
Overall, Five Dead Men is a solid mystery that thoroughly entertained me.
Thank you to Rachel’s Random Resources for the free review copy and tour invite. All opinions are my own and unbiased.
June 29, 2022
Five Dead Men manages to squeeze a lot of story into relatively few pages (approximately 230) but leaves nothing out – this fact alone impressed me and I was not disappointed with the story. I had not read the first book but that wasn’t a draw back but may have given me a little more of the background.
The opening chapter draws the reader in really quickly and is a fantastic hook – from there we are introduced to the main characters and provided detail in to them from the young police officer who is finding her feet in the police force wearing her fathers ‘hand me down’ uniform, to the direct and uncompromising gardener to the lead character Margot.
The story follows the investigation from where the Five bodies were found to the Gothic Quarter in Barcelona and at every turn Pascal Devereux, who grew up in the house where the bodies were found, appears leading Margot to question his involvement. But was he involved?… you’ll have to read it to find out.
If you are a fan of crime/murder novels then Rachel Green novels will be right up your street. A delightful read!
We received a copy of this book free of charge in return for an honest review. All opinions are our own
The opening chapter draws the reader in really quickly and is a fantastic hook – from there we are introduced to the main characters and provided detail in to them from the young police officer who is finding her feet in the police force wearing her fathers ‘hand me down’ uniform, to the direct and uncompromising gardener to the lead character Margot.
The story follows the investigation from where the Five bodies were found to the Gothic Quarter in Barcelona and at every turn Pascal Devereux, who grew up in the house where the bodies were found, appears leading Margot to question his involvement. But was he involved?… you’ll have to read it to find out.
If you are a fan of crime/murder novels then Rachel Green novels will be right up your street. A delightful read!
We received a copy of this book free of charge in return for an honest review. All opinions are our own
June 2, 2022
I must admit in advance to not having read the first book in the series but, for the most part, that wasn't a major issue.
Margot has been asked by Judge Deveraux to look into a matter relating to a family property - Belle Epoque - and the disturbing case of five dead men being found in an underground tunnel beneath the grounds. (At this point, I didn't yet know of Margot's background, only that her husband had been a police detective, so I did wonder why Margot was chosen to investigate matters)
Anyway, that aside, Margot stays in the area and is eventually invited to stay at the home of policière municipale, Alia, and her father, Didier (also a former police officer), and together they look into the mystery. No-one was ever caught, and the discovery of the bodies has left an indelible stain on the property which is now left vacant by its former owners (whose plans to redesign the grounds led to the finding of the bodies in the first place).
Several years have since passed, and the case has gone cold, the bodies still unidentified. That doesn't deter Margot, who is intrigued and determined to get to the bottom of things. With Alia and Didier, and one of Alia's friends, they find themselves with some leads - the main one being Pascal Deveraux who grew up at Belle Epoque with his sister.
Pascal is an odd chap, the kind who'd make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up, but there is no evidence to conclusively tie him to the murders. Even so, you get this feeling that he had to be involved somehow.
Margot feels much the same, and she won't rest until she knows for sure what happened. Well, rather her than me, because he really has a creepy, smug vibe about him.
So, just imagine how Margot feels when he turns up unexpectedly when she's in Barcelona following a lead in a cannabis club.
Too much of a coincidence, right?
Absolutely, and that glimmer of an opportunity to catch Pascual out is what lands Margot in deep, deep trouble.
Has she got it all wrong, or will she finally be the one to catch the killer of those five dead men?
The story is atmospheric in its settings, from the rural French countryside to the seedy backstreets of Barcelona's Gothic Quarter, the tension mounts incredibly towards the story's conclusion - it's a breathless race to the end, dangerous and heart-breaking for those close to the action.
The characterisation is sublime, from the crotchety gardener and housekeeper to the "unsettling" Deveraux siblings. Alia and Didier appear to have a wonderful father/daughter relationship, but a surprising twist changes that dynamic and Margot is pivotal in steering Alia towards leading her own life; their interactions are touching and, hopefully, long-lasting.
Now that I fully understand Margot's history, I hope there is more to come from her. She's a fierce femme fatale, definitely someone not to be messed with.
Margot has been asked by Judge Deveraux to look into a matter relating to a family property - Belle Epoque - and the disturbing case of five dead men being found in an underground tunnel beneath the grounds. (At this point, I didn't yet know of Margot's background, only that her husband had been a police detective, so I did wonder why Margot was chosen to investigate matters)
Anyway, that aside, Margot stays in the area and is eventually invited to stay at the home of policière municipale, Alia, and her father, Didier (also a former police officer), and together they look into the mystery. No-one was ever caught, and the discovery of the bodies has left an indelible stain on the property which is now left vacant by its former owners (whose plans to redesign the grounds led to the finding of the bodies in the first place).
Several years have since passed, and the case has gone cold, the bodies still unidentified. That doesn't deter Margot, who is intrigued and determined to get to the bottom of things. With Alia and Didier, and one of Alia's friends, they find themselves with some leads - the main one being Pascal Deveraux who grew up at Belle Epoque with his sister.
Pascal is an odd chap, the kind who'd make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up, but there is no evidence to conclusively tie him to the murders. Even so, you get this feeling that he had to be involved somehow.
Margot feels much the same, and she won't rest until she knows for sure what happened. Well, rather her than me, because he really has a creepy, smug vibe about him.
So, just imagine how Margot feels when he turns up unexpectedly when she's in Barcelona following a lead in a cannabis club.
Too much of a coincidence, right?
Absolutely, and that glimmer of an opportunity to catch Pascual out is what lands Margot in deep, deep trouble.
Has she got it all wrong, or will she finally be the one to catch the killer of those five dead men?
The story is atmospheric in its settings, from the rural French countryside to the seedy backstreets of Barcelona's Gothic Quarter, the tension mounts incredibly towards the story's conclusion - it's a breathless race to the end, dangerous and heart-breaking for those close to the action.
The characterisation is sublime, from the crotchety gardener and housekeeper to the "unsettling" Deveraux siblings. Alia and Didier appear to have a wonderful father/daughter relationship, but a surprising twist changes that dynamic and Margot is pivotal in steering Alia towards leading her own life; their interactions are touching and, hopefully, long-lasting.
Now that I fully understand Margot's history, I hope there is more to come from her. She's a fierce femme fatale, definitely someone not to be messed with.
June 7, 2022
Five Dead Men by Rachel Green is the first book that I have read by the author. Indeed, a good recipe for a mystery thriller plot. The story starts with a mysterious tone and sparks interest right away. I must say that It is really a page turner. A short read to finish within a day. Although, by the time it reaches climax the plot slows down. But, in the end it picks up pace and ends well. The characters are good, but I felt that the villain should have been painted more of a black. The character somewhere loses its glory and nature. Otherwise, The book is really enjoyable and entertaining.
Definitely, 4 stars for the book. Thanks to Rachel's Random Resources for providing me an opportunity to read and review the book.
Read more on bibliophileverse.blogspot.com
Definitely, 4 stars for the book. Thanks to Rachel's Random Resources for providing me an opportunity to read and review the book.
Read more on bibliophileverse.blogspot.com
July 19, 2022
A cold case with five dead men, none of them have ever been identified. Amateur sleuth Margot Renard is asked by a friend to investigate and she heads off to seek the truth.
Five Dead Men is the second book to feature Margot and I have previously reviewed the first book, Body on the Rocks.
Margot is invited to investigate and receives help from the local police officer Alia. I really liked the dynamic between the two women. Alia is following in her father's footsteps but this leaves her in his shadow. She wants to spread her wings and possibly change career while Margot supports her by encouraging her confidence.
There are really only a couple of suspects so the emphasis of the plot is on uncovering the truth and finding evidence. There is a grittiness to the case as Margot finds a connection to a cannabis club in Barcelona. This creates added drama to the plot as the cold case warms up!
I felt that Margot was frequently in danger as the plot progresses and the tension increased. There is little graphic violence or forensic detail as the deaths occurred in the past, although the final chapters include some attacks as the drama escalates.
Five Dead Men in an enjoyable murder mystery.
Five Dead Men is the second book to feature Margot and I have previously reviewed the first book, Body on the Rocks.
Margot is invited to investigate and receives help from the local police officer Alia. I really liked the dynamic between the two women. Alia is following in her father's footsteps but this leaves her in his shadow. She wants to spread her wings and possibly change career while Margot supports her by encouraging her confidence.
There are really only a couple of suspects so the emphasis of the plot is on uncovering the truth and finding evidence. There is a grittiness to the case as Margot finds a connection to a cannabis club in Barcelona. This creates added drama to the plot as the cold case warms up!
I felt that Margot was frequently in danger as the plot progresses and the tension increased. There is little graphic violence or forensic detail as the deaths occurred in the past, although the final chapters include some attacks as the drama escalates.
Five Dead Men in an enjoyable murder mystery.
June 29, 2024
I liked this one better than the first, but there's still a bit of unreality to what Margot is capable of doing given her background and training. There's one more book in this trilogy; I suspect her benefactor/mentor is going to die which will inform a lot of what happens next. Much like the first one, we knew who the perp was from the beginning, so it was just a matter of revealing the lunacy.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews