When one of the wealthiest and most hated men on the French Riviera is murdered, finding his killer becomes a privilege—and a danger.
It’s a Mediterranean winter in 1888. Though Cannes glistens, it’s darker behind closed doors. A real estate crisis has ripped through the city’s storied fortunes, upending lives. Courtesan Lola Deslys has survived the ruins unscathed…until she’s drawn into the desperation of a former, and unfaithful, acquaintance. With the threat of debtors’ prison hanging over her head, Lola’s latest client is running out of time and luck.
Her client has solicited Lola to reclaim an incriminating contract from the ruthless banker at the heart of the crisis. Many want to see the swindler dead, and when he’s found murdered, everyone is a suspect—including one of Lola’s closest friends. The only clue to finding the real killer: a shattered portrait. The only hope: to follow its pieces through the back alleys and deadly deceptions of the belle époque.
On the French Riviera during the Belle Epoque, a murder draws two women into the dangerous shadows of Europe’s privileged elite…
One spring evening in 1884, beautiful young courtesan Lola Deslys discovers the lifeless body of a chambermaid hidden in the gardens of the Hôtel Beau Rivage in Cannes. Even more distressing is that Lola knows the girl well. When the inquiry into her murder fails to reveal a single substantial clue, Lola is persuaded by novelist Guy de Maupassant to delve into the case on her own.
Eager to exert her independence and defy conventions, Lola agrees. But she needs help in her investigation, and there’s no better partner in her pursuit—however unlikely—than Miss Gabriella Fletcher, a highborn, well-educated, and currently disgraced English governess.
To solve this dreadful crime, Lola and Miss Fletcher must navigate the depths of respectable society. But will their determination suffice in a city where fortune, secrets, men, and appearances reign supreme?
Things are finally looking up for Rosie: she's debt-free, or at least almost, her trailer is in great condition, and she even has time to take her three kids on a Christmas vacation. But she knows the smooth sailing can't last. Rosie is always there for a friend in need, and before she knows it, she has her hands full. Again. To cover for her best friend, Véro, she fills in as housekeeper for a renowned psychoanalyst. On top of that, pal Mimi calls to say she's landed in the hospital, so Rosie agrees to take care of her rebellious teenage son, Léo. When Rosie sees a teenage girl who seems to be in trouble, she enlists Léo's help to investigate.
Funny and suspenseful, Rosie Maldonne's third investigation returns to the criminal underworld of southern France.
Rosie Maldonne thought she hit it big when she stumbled upon an envelope of cash in Queen of the Trailer Park. But with a nasty flu keeping her laid out, school fees due, and Christmas on the way, she finds herself back in the red. Time to find a real job. After weeks of searching, Rosie is losing hope when the man of her dreams happens to post a new position: cleaning for an elderly person. Perfect! She lands the job, but the new role brings more than the promise of romance. When orphaned twins appear on her doorstep-desperate and on the run-Rosie agrees to hide them. Harboring illegal immigrants and a diamond necklace stolen from the Mafia a year ago is stressful work. Paranoid and seeing suspicious people everywhere, Rosie contemplates fleeing to Amsterdam or seeking help from her new prince charming. In this hilarious and suspenseful second investigation, Rosie has no choice but to roll up her sleeves and keep her ever-expanding family from harm.
Rosie Maldonne is outspoken and sexy. She’s also unemployed, and, with three children and a cat, life is a little tough. The four of them—well, five, if you count the cat—live in the South of France, in a run-down trailer near a vacant lot. They make do, living off her part-time waitressing job and a little help from the state.
Rosie thinks things are finally turning around when she meets handsome police officer Jérôme—until she realizes that his appearance coincides with her friend Véro’s disappearance. Then, something even stranger happens: Rosie finds a package with a crazy amount of money in the trash can of a fast-food joint. With so much going on, Rosie has some big questions: Where is Véro? Is Jérôme too good to be true? Who put all that cash in the trash? And what happens when they want it back?
