eter Mayle sets his latest irresistible tale in the thyme- and lavender-scented south of France. Bennett, a suave if slightly threadbare English ex-patriot who is fast approaching the end of his credit, advertises his "services" in The International Herald Tribune. In no time, he is being paid handsomely to impersonate the mysterious and very wealthy Julian Poe. "A lark that's perfect for summer reading."--Baltimore Sun.

It's no secret that Peter Mayle (author of A Year in Provence) loves Provence, so it's no surprise that Mayle's new novel is set that area: it takes place in Saint Martin and in Monaco. Bennett is an Englishman scraping together his last few francs, desperate to stay in France. He places an ad promising "anything considered," a wealthy truffle entrepreneur hires him for slightly illicit work, and the plot is off--a combination of a thriller, romance, and page turner. And through it all emanates the whiff of lavender, the curve of country hills, the bubble of champagne, and the sounds and tastes of Provence.

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