Description

(from inside flap dj) Puzzling problems surrounding an inheritance lead Lucille Abbey to unexpected solutions in the byways of Paris.

Lucille, the vivacious young director of a secretarial agency, decides to inquire into the dismissal of three of her most efficient secretaries by the absentminded Professor Hallam. Her investigation takes her to the professor's country home where he is involved in taking inventory of his deceased mother's effects. This apparently innocent occupation proves to be the cover for an intriguing plot in which the professor is victimized and his mother's seemingly worthless paintings are stolen.

In Paris on holiday Lucille discovers that the professor's affairs and aspects of her own past are related. This and an enigmatic chain of events concerning the theft of the paintings provide suspense, romance and adventure for the ever-growing Cadell audience.

Notes

Cadell is pure comfort-read and this is one of her best. Typical for her, the mystery is slight and leans heavily on coincidence, but it's not really about the paintings, it's about the characters, and they're a delight. Lucille is smart, no-nonsense and clear-eyed -- about herself and others -- without being unkind. And the Professor, well, we have a weakness for eccentric/quirky/neurodiverse leads, especially in these vintage books -- a character who can't see the sense in convention, where the convention of the day is sexism, has extra appeal -- and Cadell does these characters really well (see also: The Past Tense of Love). It's also always a pleasure to see two emotionally mature characters find each other -- no temper tantrums on either part, no big mis, etc. A cozy way to spend a few hours -- recommend!

Tags

1960s, English, Europe, England, Europe, France, beautiful/handsome, beauty and beast, business owner, calm/tranquil, clever, comfort-read, competent, cozy, determined, divorced, eccentric/quirky/neurodivergent, f/m, female, intelligent, lovers, enemies to, mystery, practical, professor, recommended, rich, romance, secretary, single, stodgy fiance(e), strong, tall, thin, ugly

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