The Mystery of the Lost Cezanne (A Provenal Mystery)

The fifth entry in this acclaimed series finds Verlaque and Bonnet searching for a murdererin a crime tied to Provences greatest artist

The latest bookin the Verlaque & Bonnet Mystery series,The Curse of La Fontaine, is available now from Penguin Books!

A friend in his cigar club asks Antoine Verlaque to visit Ren Rouquet, a retired postal worker who has found a rolled-up canvas in his apartment. As the apartment once belonged to Paul Czanne, Rouquet is convinced hes discovered a treasure. But when Antoine arrives at the apartment, he finds Ren dead, the canvas missing, and a mysterious art history professor standing over the body.

When the painting is finally recovered, the mystery only deepens. The brushwork and color all point to Czanne. But who is the smiling woman in the painting? She is definitely not the dour Madame Czanne. Who killed Ren? Who stole the painting? And what will they do to get it back?

Like Donna Leon and Andrea Camilleri, M. L. Longworths enchanting mysteries blend clever whodunits with gustatory delights and the timeless romance of Provence.The Mystery of the Lost Czanneadds a new twist by immersing Antoine and Marine in a clever double narrative that costars Provences greatest artist.

Art theft is a hot topic on the mystery scene, and no ones heist is livelier than Longworths. Kirkus Reviews