Kill for an Orchid

Death in the Dordogne #4

by Michelle Wan

The fourth book in the "Death in Dordogne" series, Kill for an Orchid spans two hemispheres and three centuries, taking readers on a suspenseful journey of greed, obsession and murder.

Life is finally coming together for Mara and Julian in their idyllic corner of the French countryside. They are even contemplating marriage! However, their happy prospects hit a nasty bump when Véronique, Julian's not-so-ex-wife, turns up unexpectedly, threatening blackmail and trouble.

Trouble indeed: Veronique is brutally murdered, and the local gendarmes' top suspect is Julian himself. However, a mysterious list of names found among Véronique's effects leads Mara to ask if these individuals are linked to the crime. But how? And why? As Mara seeks answers to these questions, Julian has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to journey to China to solve the riddle of his mystery orchid. Is it the legendary Yong Chun Hua — the flower of eternal youth? To his peril, he soon learns that he is not alone in his quest. As he treks through the mountains of Sichuan piecing together the orchid's dark secret, he soon finds himself in a race for survival against a determined and deadly adversary. In France Mara, comes face to face with the horrendous truth behind Véronique's death. A world apart, these two must somehow help each other to thwart a cunning and ruthless killer.

Genres: Mystery

320 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

Michelle Wan was born in Kunming, China, in the middle of an air raid. Her early years were spent in India, and she has subsequently lived in the USA, England, Paris, Harare, and Rio de Janeiro. Her passions include French food, Brazilian novellas, walking, and orchids. She and her husband, a botanist, visit the Dordogne annually to photograph and chart wild orchids. She speaks English, Portuguese, and French. She is a great-grand niece of Sun Yat-Sen. Her first Dordogne mystery, Deadly Slipper, which introduced Mara Dunn and Julian Wood, was published in 2005.

Series:
* Death in the Dordogne

Reviews

[Bev]

Filled with scientific info on orchids as well as suspenseful adventures, I have enjoyed this series set in the Dordogne region of France (and also in China as Julian searches for a rare and elusive orchid). I hope that there will be a fifth book to look forward to.

[H.L. Gibson]

I'm heartsick that I've reached the end of Michelle Wan's mystery series. As I've said of many good books before, it's like leaving great friends behind. What makes this one so bittersweet is the open-ended way in which Wan left Mara and Julian's relationship. What reader won't beg for just one more installment of the couple as they hash out their tumultuous romance always played out over the backdrop of Julian's orchid obsession?

Wan's message against bioprospecting and big pharma was well done and eye-opening especially in light of what is occurring today with certain medicines being forced on an unsuspecting public in the name of health and safety when, as usual, it's all about money and greed.

[Laura]

At first it was just fun catching up with the main characters, Julian and Mara, and their cadre of friends and then I started to get involved in the mystery - trying to figure out how the plot lines intersected and where the search was heading. Finally, Wan does a tidy job of incorporating her knowledge of Orchids into the storyline. Spoiler alert: On the last page, when Mara says "Stay.", is she speaking to Julian or the dog who's collar she holds in her hand?

[Wendy Hearder-moan]

Certainly makes one think carefully about taking “safe” herbal medicines! Or any medicines, for that matter, although I do hope we can trust Health Canada.
As far as the orchid story is concerned, I am hoping that Julian might yet find his prize.

[Libby Smith]

Finally managed to get hold of this book - I have been trying for 3 years as it just wasn't available in Australia, and 2nd hand copies were outrageously expensive! Glad I persisted as I enjoyed this as much as the other 3 books in the series. The search for the elusive Slipper orchid leads the main characters Julian and Mara 0n a dangerous romp through both the Dordogne and China. The enigmatic ending makes me hope that we might meet these characters again. I hope so!

[Francine]

"... in pursuing the thing he most wanted to find, he had lost the one person he most wanted to keep." The story of Julian and Mara seems doomed: an ex-wife, a tall Chinese botanist and a Canadian compatriot complicate their life. Julian compulsive search for Cypripedium incognitum will led him to China and put his relationship with Mara in jeopardy. Left in Dordogne, Mara suffers from insomnia and search for a killer all on her own. Will they ever be in sync?

[Francesca Tonni]

Mi è piaciuto parecchio, l'ho assaporato con calma, forse troppa, ma la storia è scritta bene e l'intreccio è ben nascosto e la storia che tiene, certo le coincidenze sono parecchie, ma ho imparato dalla vita che non sono impossibili, mi piacciono i gialli che non sono svelati troppo in fretta.

[Renée Mee]

Really good book and entertaining as usual. Fast moving. Who would think the world of orchids involve so much intrigue.