THE HONEST FOLK OF GUADELOUPE

Barbara Rosenblat’s elegant French enunciation and gutsy portrayal of Anne Marie Laveaud make this mystery ever more entertaining. Laveaud is a seasoned French-Algerian judge who is assigned to two high-profile investigations in 1990s Guadeloupe—the suicide of a prestigious environmentalist and the murder of a white female tourist found on the beach. When Laveaud is removed from the suicide case, she becomes suspicious. Rosenblat portrays her characters with intriguing verve, adding pizzazz to the plot’s twists and turns. As Laveaud gingerly tiptoes between damaging Guadeloupe’s tourism and getting close to identifying killer’s motives, Rosenblat reveals the strength and courage that are necessary for Laveaud to stay the course. B.J.P. © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2015]