Greed — P.A. Wilson

PRAISE FOR GREED

"A twisting, turning, headscratcher of a mystery, with fascinating characters and every flavor of the Provence region of south-east France."

Subterfuge in a not-so-sleepy French village...

With her private eye business turned boring, and her boyfriend on the other side of the globe, Charity needed a break. Her best friend Lu has the perfect solution: two weeks in France to soak up the sun, the cuisine, and the excellent wine. They could even do a favor for Charity's neighbor, Delores, and check in on one of her old acquaintances who has suddenly fallen out of touch.

The trip turns sour when Charity and Lu find a ransacked house and no sign of Delores' friend. Audrey Wylie may have fallen into the hands of the local smuggling ring, and only a handsome lieutenant from the local gendarmerie has any interest in finding her.

Matthieu Durand is instantly drawn to Lu, sparking an intense holiday romance. He risks his job to help Charity and her, even while they're blocked at every turn by the indifferent contempt of his superiors. His immediate boss, Colonel Fitzroi, seems a little too quick to dismiss the disappearance as something benign, and even warns Matthieu off the case. It takes more than that to stop Charity from poking her nose in, however, and her PI instincts tell her that someone doesn't want Audrey to be found.

The three follow clues around the twisting streets of Pina Sur Midi, searching for Audrey and the dangerous individuals who have taken her. The town's colorful exterior hides a criminal past and a dark, threatening present, and Charity and company will have to peel back the facade and find the truth before Audrey turns up dead.

With time running short and their adversaries staying one step ahead, it's not looking too good for her - unless Charity can crack the case and figure out where she's being held. One thing they're all sure of...

This will be a holiday to remember.