I was attracted by Une Certaine Idee du Paradis
written by Elisabeth Segard and released by Callmann-Levy because of its title and because of the synopsis I had read. Lockdowns, red, yellow, orange zones, some escapism in real places, or in places similar after all to the the one where I live in, was more than necessary.
This one is an adorable book. You will be catapulted in a corner of french that is little, but precious and where, the most important fact is the procession and feast of Saint Roch, celebrated every August 16th; but in this story there will also be also a crime because...You musn't never think that little towns are boring. Sometimes they are more interesting and "capturing" than not a big city where anonimity is unfortunately a limit.
Mouy-sur-Loire, 1 504 citizens, is an adorable corner of the world where life is like suspended; its citizens are connected together, they live their tribulations, joys, happinesses sharing events, and facts. A place where, just recently Facebook and other social medias entered prepotently in the existence of all these people. There are people with a certain past: like Violet, who bought a country house close to the village when her poor husband disappeared leaving her cheerfully wealthy so that she changed her existence, leaving the city for a calmer place.
For Saint Rock in August 16th there is great participation of local folk and tourists. It's the moment of the year where all the community earn more money thanks to the people of the village and surrounding areas.
You find in the town a café that it is a restaurant as well, the school, a pharmacy, a doctor, a store where they sell clothes, and something else.
As it happen often, in these little towns, one of the most respected persons is the priest, friar Marcel, in this case, organizer every year of the feast dedicated to Saint Roch and constantly worried because everything must be organized well.
He is not alone....
Cédric Boquet, biologist, returned to Mouy, for starting a business.
Of course every new entry brings a lot of curiosity in the citizens of the town because they don't tend to see too many times unkown faces and, in particular if someone wants to start to live in their town they want to try to understand who that person is, and if, of course he/she is a decent one.
The new entry is a weird lady with strong opinions and city habits. Her name is Nathalie Aubispaud and she bought the house at Verronnerie or the so-called des Ours.
The first meeting is with Ahmed; Ahmed, is in the town from more than 10 years and doesn't want to be surrounded by nasty people asking the impossible. Nathalie has clear ideas: she wants to plant a lot of veggies and aromatic herbs: she is an addicted of the every authentic and natural food but, she starts to be considered by everyone too snob. "Elle se prende pour une princesse" will say once Ahmed with which she had had a discussion.
But, while Nathalie tries all her best for being accepted by this little community, she dies. Apparently it could have been considered an incident, because she fell, but someone injured her head, and this one becomes a case of homicide.
No one wants to believe that Nathalie has been assassinated. Why? Who? These ones are not facts so common in the town where being in the first page of a newsmagazine is difficult: spreading the news of a murder on Facebook means a lot of likes and celebrity.
In the while someone is put in jail accused of having killed Nathalie. Not happy of the police investigation Violette Laguille starts of asking questions to a lot of people on Nathalie and someone is not happy because of it...
I can't tell you more or I will discover too much! ruining your reading but I can tell you that this one is a captivating reading that will bring you in real places, as the one where it is sets the book.
At the end of the book historical facts about the town and the legend of Saint Roch!
Highly recommended.
I thank Elisabeth Segard for the copy of her book!
Anna Maria Polidori
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