The Vineyards of Champagne

Readers will recognize author Juliet Blackwell from her two mystery series - Witchcraft Mysteries and Haunted House Renovations. In The Vineyards of Champagne, Blackwell has created a mystery of sorts. 

Rosalyn Acosta is heading to the Champagne region of France to select new vintages for her Napa-based employer. The catch - she is not much of a champagne drinker and is in a deep depression because of the death of her young husband.  

On the plane she meets Australian vineyard owner Emma Kinsley. Emma, with a broken leg to deal with, is trying to organize letters from World War I between a French solider named Emile Legrand to her great grandmother Doris. During the war women called marraines de guerre - godmother of the war - wrote to soldiers to keep their morale up.

Because Doris' mother originally came from France, Doris grew up a Francophile and felt she was doing her part during WWI. Emma has been trying to locate someone related to Legrand in France in hopes that they might learn what happened to him and if her great grandmother's letters survived.

The story switches back and from the present day to the war years. Under constant siege by German bombs, the women and children of Reims take shelter in a labyrinth of caves under the city. They are the famous champagne caves where bottles of the precious vintage of hidden from the Germans. 

During the night the bravest among them creep out to pluck the ripe grapes for champagne. Among them is Lucie Marchal. She and her family are among the many who have sheltered in the caves. Lucie also corresponds with Emile because they grew up together.  

Rosalyn discovers a cache of old letters and begins to piece together the mystery hidden deep within the cave, and maybe even begin to enjoy her life again. 

The Vineyards of Champagne is a poignant tale of courage, love and devotion to tradition even in a time of crisis. A lovely story worth at least two glasses of Veuve Clicquot or Madame Pommery's champagne.

Letters from Paris

Claire grew up in Louisiana living with her grandmother after her mother's death in a car accident. In Letters from Paris, Juliet Blackwell weaves a beautiful story into a mystery. The story is told through two points of view: Sabine, a young French model, and Claire. As a child Claire discovered a mask of a beautiful woman in her great-grandfather's belongings and it became her friend during her childhood. 

She finds a note in the book which says "He will never let me leave alive." Throughout her life the words in the note and the exquisite face on the mask captivate Claire. Her grandmother always said Claire was destined for greater things. While she is home in Louisiana she tries to research the mask maker and finds the Moulage Lombardi is still in business. Startled to discover the mask she has is a famous one, she heads to Paris to track down the L'Inconnue de la Sein - The Unknown Woman of the Seine. 

After wandering as a tourist through Paris, she finally decides to locate the atelier. It is still operated

by the same family - a grumpy mask maker named Armand and his lovely cousin Giselle. In their shop Giselle tries to manage the customers, but she speaks no English and Armand speaks English, but is rude and uncaring. Out of the blue, Claire decides to offer her services as a translator/salesperson, while she tries to discover who the L'Inconnue is.

What she finds is poignant and beautiful. A lovely story woven skillfully together with past and present. 

Fore other books by Juliet Blackwell, click here.