ADIEU, HARRY HUSBAND! BONJOUR, NOUVEAU MONDE! A dead husband with a secret life is always a winner (fictionally speaking, of course), but what about a secret past for a special treat? In fact, a past so secret even Harry the husband didn't know about it. That’s the delicious underpinning of this sprawling, exuberant, generous-spirited cozy mystery with a yummy side of international adventure. It might be sadder except that once Harry dies, his widow, Merle Bennett realizes almost immediately it was no wonder she didn't know anything about him. They’d pretty much been leading separate lives. Still, the will’s a shock. And so is an intriguing surprise—Harry left her a family home in a tiny French village. But who was Harry’s family? Finding out is half the fun. Merle sets out to claim her inheritance, adolescent son in tow, and thus begins a sojourn reminiscent of A Year in Provence, or perhaps Under The Tuscan Sun all mixed up with something by Carolyn Hart, maybe, or M.C. Beaton. Because Malcouziac, Merle’s tiny Dordogne town, is the quintessential village—just perfect for a murder. And a rollicking good time. Once Merle gets there, she finds…well, France! An unexpected romance! Mystery galore! Murder! And not just murder, but the unnerving experience of being a suspect. Once her passport is confiscated, what can she do but stay and restore her ancient battered house? While enjoying the tender attention of the unusually well-educated, handsome and…yes, quite mysterious roofer she’s hired.

The long awaited sequel to Blackbird Fly is here. Merle Bennett is turning fifty, and her four sisters are helping her celebrate by going to France on a walking tour of the Dordogne. But one sister invites along a law colleague whose annoying ways upset what Merle had hoped would be just 'wine, women, and walking.' When Gillian Sargent, the sixth wheel, finds an injured dog beside the road the idyllic summer vacation takes a dark and dangerous turn. Why is the dog special? Who is after her? And what will they do to get the dog back? Truffles, wine, romance, and intrigue in the heart of France. All five Bennett sisters are lawyers. One is writing a blog about their trip, baring family details. As the intrigue heats up, one of Merle's boyfriends shows up from New York while her French boyfriend arrives unexpectedly. The delicate karma of sisterhood is rife with bickering, tears, and French law as the questions about Gillian Sargent pile up. Who exactly is she? What is she hiding? And where the hell has she gone with the dog? Do you love women's suspense? Are you a not-so-secret lover of all things French? Come along on a trip to France with the Bennett sisters. Praise for Blackbird Fly, the first Bennett Sisters novel: "This was a fabulous book. There was drama, love, obsession, murder, betrayal and plenty of surprises. A lovely, layered tale of a woman's struggle after had husband dies and she is left to make sense of the financial irregularity he has left behind. This is one of the best novels that I have read this year." "I really enjoyed the way the writer wove this story. I enjoyed the characters, the settings, the emotions, the mysteries and the romance. Made me reflect on my own life, my values and what's important." "A little something for everyone. Adventure, interesting characters, (non-syrupy) romance and a satisfying end. Although I think this book is mostly apealling to women, it had enough adventure and suspense to appeal to the male reading public as well." "Such a great story, the story kept a good pace and the characters were engaging. I read it in day. The author knows how to tell a story." "If the life you knew changed in an instant, would you cling to what you had, or risk letting go of what you to know in search of who you might become? That is the central theme in this enjoyable read with an interesting cast of characters. Would love a sequel just to see what choices the various characters make." And the sequel is finally here. Read The Girl in the Empty Dress to go back to France with Merle and her sisters. Will she choose her nice, stable lawyer boyfriend or last year's fling, Pascal? Will her sisters be there for her or let her make her own mistakes? Find out about all five sisters and that mysterious friend in this new, exciting sequel to Blackbird Fly.

One of the Bennett Sisters got engaged at the end of 'The Girl in the Empty Dress.' Now it’s Christmas and time for an engagement party. Merle’s French lover arrives just in time and sweeps her off her feet again. But is he really here for the engagement party and the holidays, or does he have a secret agenda—like he did in 'Blackbird Fly'? When Pascal takes Merle to see a drag revue she is even more confused. What is he up to? Is he working with French consulate on wine fraud? How is the French drag queen involved in all this? Festivities, fun, food, and fraud in the novella that answers some of the questions posed in 'Blackbird Fly.' Will Merle finally shed herself of the shame of her late husband's family? Does she have a future with Pascal? Read on!

The Bennett sisters travel to Scotland for oldest sister Annie's wedding to a handsome Scot, taking over his family hunting lodge in the Highlands for a week. But is Annie, fourteen years older than her groom, ready to give up her independence in her middle 50s? This is just one of the obstacles to the general happiness in a week with a torrential rainstorm, a recalcitrant housekeeper, a sister who tipples, and another who chases after a sketchy Frenchman. Will Merle accept Pascal's invitation to go back to France with him? So many questions, so many sisters. How will they sort it all out? Find out in "The Things We Said Today," the third full-length Bennett Sisters novel after "Blackbird Fly" and "The Girl in the Empty Dress."

Ooh-la-la, who doesn't love a Frenchman? Merle Bennett goes back to France—and her Frenchman—in this fifth installment of the Bennett Sisters mysteries. Sure that La Belle France will cure all her ills, and help her write a novel about the French Revolution, she sets out to prove her theory correct. Pascal, her Frenchman, scoffs at this. As a policeman he knows France is pretty to look at but not all that pretty under the surface. While Merle writes and renovates her stone cottage, Pascal encounters an old enemy, a man he put in prison years before. When Pascal disappears Merle isn't sure if their relationship is over, or something terrible has happened. 'The Frenchman' includes chapters of Merle's novel, a glimpse into life during the turmoil of the Revolution. With goats and a handsome stranger! 'Odette and the Great Fear,' Merle's novel, will be available as an e-book with more chapters included. A soupçon of danger, a brush with 'madame guillotine,' and the quirky characters of the French countryside, all collide in this new installment of the Bennett Sisters Mysteries, set in la belle France—where, obviously, wine, sunshine, sunflowers, and Frenchmen cure all ills. Or do they?

Deep in the French countryside—as the country reels through rebellion, beheadings, and starvation—a goat-herder named Odette is trying to survive. Just that—survival is on her mind. Since she marched to Versailles with a group of Parisian women to protest the high prices of wheat, her life has spun out of control. She's fled the capital for the countryside. But what will happen to her? Can she stay in the Dordogne where the kindly farmers have taken pity on her? 'Odette and the Great Fear' is a bonus novella from the novel, 'The Frenchman,' by Lise McClendon. Merle Bennett is writing a gothic romance by that name, and sample chapters are included in 'The Frenchman.' Here the story is fleshed out, characters are made clear, and outcomes are decided. Will Odette and her handsome stranger find each other? How did the Count get his horrible scar? Will the villagers burn out the nobles for good? Read 'The Frenchman' for the story of how Merle Bennett came to write 'Odette and the Great Fear.'

Watch this space for the next Bennett Sisters Mystery. Francie, sister number four, has her own adventure in law, love, and France. Coming August 24. Preorder now!

What's more delicious than reading about French food and wine? Making it yourself! These recipes inspired by the mystery series featuring the five Bennett Sisters will delight and encourage you to give your home-cooking a very French spin! From Cassoulet to Kir Royale, twenty-five delectable dishes from the land of Haute Cuisine! Whether you've read the mystery series set (mostly) in France or not, you'll find something to pique your taste buds in this delicious collection for foodie readers everywhere!

More international intrigue, murder, and romance for the Bennett Sisters overseas in the newest entry to the bestselling women's fiction and suspense series. The next to youngest Bennett Sister, Francie Bennett (Blame it on Paris) is a hard-charging attorney whose boyfriend Dylan Hardy invites her to join him in Paris to help with a client. When Axelle Fourcier left Paris behind after the student riots of 1968, she vowed never to go back. She made a life for herself in America as a professor. But now a beloved aunt, age 104, has died and left her an inheritance to be shared with a cousin she never met. A fabulous Belle Epoque apartment in Paris filled with pop art from the '50s and '60s is just the start of Axelle's discoveries in Paris. Wrangling with her slick cousin for the proceeds is distasteful but oh so French. Then the apartment is broken into, a friend is murdered, and Axelle's fears that the French state is once again conspiring against her seem very plausible. Francie tries to deal with her cranky client, her own new relationship, and her boyfriend's nine-year-old daughter, as the estate problems spin out of control. Intrigue, romance, Paris and the Dordogne, and a soupçon of murder, wrapped in the legal and art world of France bring more than a few 'Bolts from the Blue' to the Bennett Sisters.

The full trilogy of DEAD FLAT, a mystery featuring the Bennett Sisters' favorite Frenchman, Pascal d'Onscon. Pascal is a wine fraud policeman who is called out of the Dordogne to investigate a bottle scam in Champagne as a favor to his boss. Thus begins a whirlwind August for Pascal and Merle, as he must also rescue his sister from a bad domestic situation, investigate the suspicious death of a vintner, and decide if he will accept a desirable promotion that will take him to headquarters in Paris—and away from his life with Merle Bennett.

Mystery, romance, adventure, and more are in store for the youngest of five sisters, lawyers all, when she signs up to work at a lavender farm in Provence in Lost in Lavender, a Bennett Sisters Mystery. Facing a crossroads—both career and personal—the youngest of the five Bennett Sisters, Elise, does what she does best: she runs away to think. This time she runs to a farm in Provence that produces heaven-scented lavender for oils. The area is famous for the beautiful purple flower, the symbol of this southern region of France. Her sisters are stumped. Elise never seemed like the farming type, or even gardening, for that matter. But she's signed up for a farm stay vacation, an idea she got from an unlikely source, the trophy wife of one of her law partners. When she arrives, courtesy her older sister Merle who drives her to the Luberon from the Dordogne, she discovers she is the only guest at the picturesque family farm who is not a college student. The rest are all doing a French language exchange program and are 20 years younger than Elise, leaving her feeling like an outsider and wondering about her life choices. Not only is her judgment in men and careers awful, but she can't even plan a decent vacation. Meanwhile in the Dordogne, Merle's niece, Willow, arrives for some R&R before she starts law school. But she brings a few surprises with her, a boyfriend plus Elise's fianc�. Or is it ex-fianc�? It will take several sisters—and of course Pascal—to unravel the facts as all descend on southern France for July in the heat and lavender. Suspense, romance, intrigue, and humor as the summer heats up for the Bennett Sisters again. Another delicious adventure in international travel and cozy mystery as the Bennett Sisters fight their way to truth, justice, and a perhaps a summer fling, deep in the French countryside. A summer fling in France never hurt anyone, now did it?

Part Two of the trilogy into policeman Pascal d'Onscon's adventures in France. Merle Bennett met Pascal in 'Blackbird Fly.' He is a wine fraud investigator with the Police Nationale. First read number one in the trilogy: 'Bottle of Lies,' where Pascal is sent to Champagne to investigate a sham label on a bottle of the iconic bubbly. While in the 'Grand Est' — the eastern part of Franc e—he must also rescue his older sister, Suzette, from an uncomfortable personal situation, taking him with her when he goes home. Now, in this second part, 'Outside the Bubble' brings Pascal back to Merle Bennett in the Dordogne. But whether he can stay is another kettle of "poisson."

The Bennett Sisters meet in Wales for the holidays, gathering at Elise's new boyfriend's country home. The Albion 'flock' comes together at their country house in Wales this year for their traditional solstice to Twelfth Night family gathering. Elise joins her summer fling, new boyfriend, Conor Albion, but finds some of the relatives are hostile to both of them. When Elise receives an unwanted attention from one of them, two of her sisters decide to come to the nearby village for emotional support. Elise won't run away from her problems this time—but how will she deal with this indecent proposal? Elise is in an awkward position but is determined not to run away from her problems. The presence of two of her sisters helps give her courage, but will it ruin her relationship with Conor and his family? Meanwhile Conor's parents tell him they won't support his golf 'hobby,' leaving him unsure of his financial and professional future. Then an uninvited guest descends, giving a promise of chaos to the gathering. Will Annie and Merle be able to help Elise with her problem? Will the sisters stay for the announced but doubtful twelve-course French New Year's Eve dinner? Will the unwanted guest ruin the entire holiday? First of a new trilogy, Birds of a Feather! The next installment will release in February, then concludes in March. Follow Lise McClendon here on Amazon to get updates about new releases!

Wales in winter is cold, frosty, and rainy. Definitely not France in summer. And yet the Bennett Sisters find the isolation of a rambling country house near Monmouth as mysterious and treacherous as any village in the Dordogne. When the Bennett sisters get together, as they say, anything can happen. Part 2 of the trilogy BIRDS OF A FEATHER continues the events of Swan & Peacock, where the sisters converge to give Elise emotional support after unwanted attention from one of her boyfriend's family. A distant French cousin arrives unexpectedly, throwing the household into chaos, just as their annual New Years bird shoot is about to take place. Will crazy cousin Sabine and her entourage manage to deliver an elaborate New Years Eve réveillon dinner? Will Elise's guilty parties get their comeuppance? Will the liquor cabinet be drained again? Will the Bennett Sisters have more than a quiet village holiday on their plates this year? Pascal and Merle, Annie and Callum, Elise and new boyfriend (from Lost in Lavender) Conor take on a flock of family kerfuffles in this second part of BIRDS OF A FEATHER. Read on, mes amies! On to the conclusion, Part 3: Fly the Nest, coming soon

On a wintry Welsh night a woman dies alone after an angry confrontation. Who killed her, or did she die of natural causes? Was a bad oyster to blame? Was it her alcohol consumption? Did she merely get lost in the hedges and expire of hypothermia? In this, the conclusion to the three-part BIRDS OF A FEATHER, the Bennett Sisters and their cadre of boyfriends, relatives, and actual policemen join hands to solve the mystery. Deep in the Welsh countryside, answers will be revealed. Read the start of the story at BIRDS OF A FEATHER 1: Swan & Peacock, followed by 2: Crazy as a Loon.

Pascal d'Onscon, once terrorizing wine fraud scammers across southern France, is now pushing papers for the French bureaucracy in the modern Cité du Vin in Bordeaux. But not for long. He dreams of being a vintner, his hands in the dirt, the grape on his tongue, blending his very own a bottle of wine with his own label. Pascal has spent his life surrounded by French wine and winemakers. The idea that he could run his very own vineyard is tantalizing and keeps him up at night, dreaming of finding a small vineyard he can afford, somewhere in southwest France. His companion, Merle Bennett, the middle of five lawyer sisters, has her own aspirations. Two tiny cottages are begging to be renovated for summer rentals. Will the person camping in the back garden scuttle her plans? When Pascal puts an abandoned vineyard in his sights, he doesn't want to let go. But Château des Corbeaux, owned by two Brits, has a complicated history. Not just recently with vandalism and hostile neighbors, but long ago secrets that resurface. Reluctant sellers, his own finances, and more threaten to derail him as he struggles to work out a way to make his dream a reality.

SUSPENSE, MYSTERY, WINE, and FAMILY DRAMA in this cozy mystery set in France, number 18 in the series. Stretched thin between her sisters in the US and her new life in France, Merle Bennett is feeling the strain of obligations. That is even before Pascal's grape harvest goes sideways, her father falls ill, and her older sister shows up in France unexpectedly. Her son Tristan and sister Stasia then inexplicably disappear. Asking questions like 'how do you make everyone happy' and 'do they even want to be helped,' Merle muddles through, trying to keep her head above water and panic at bay. Can she keep hope alive and her seemingly idyllic life in a French vineyard at least a little bit charming? Is that too much to ask for? Join Pascal and Merle for another adventure in France, roaming the vineyards of the Bordeaux wine region, struggling with things they do not yet understand. Will the neighbors stop harassing them? Who sabotaged the harvester? Where are Tristan and Stasia? Can they harvest the grapes before they spoil on the vines? This installment of the Bennett Sisters Mysteries follows closely on the events of Château des Corbeaux, recommended but not required reading beforehand!

It’s Eat Pray Love meets murder mystery in Lise McClendon’s deliciously cozy chronicles of sisterhood, international travel … and a soupçon of danger. 5 ★ "This is a charming series of the adventures of 5 sisters. Merle the middle sister is the predominant focus of the books and one falls in love with her! Then we meet the rest of the clan. It is impossible to put the books down (my kind of books)! Merle's adventures alone and with her sisters are simply wonderful. There is just enough intrigue to keep one interested and to move on to the next book. I hope you find the books to be as grand as I did." "Enjoyed getting to know the Bennet sisters and their relationships. It was nice reading about some women who have a variety of life experiences. These characters are beyond the age of 30. I think any woman would enjoy reading this but the narrator is in her 50's and I enjoyed her perspective." A sprawling, exuberant, generous-spirited cozy mystery series with a yummy side of international adventure. A little bit chick lit, a touch of cozy mystery, a whole lot of humor, romance, suspense—all in one box set! BLACKBIRD FLY – Book One A dead husband might be sadder except that once Harry dies, his widow, Merle Bennett realizes almost immediately it was no wonder she didn't know anything about him. They’d pretty much been leading separate lives—several of them, as it turns out. Still, the will’s quite a shock. And so is an intriguing surprise—Harry left her a family home in a tiny French village. Or maybe a family home. Because who was Harry’s family? Finding out is half the fun. Merle sets out to claim her inheritance, adolescent son in tow, and thus begins a sojourn reminiscent of A Year in Provence mixed up with something by Carolyn Hart, maybe, or M.C. Beaton. Because Malcouziac, Merle’s tiny Dordogne town, is the quintessential village—just perfect for a murder. And a rollicking good time. THE GIRL IN THE EMPTY DRESS – Book Two Law practice is in the Bennett sisters' blood—along with designer suits and stilettos. But they've decided to ditch the more predictable Caribbean cruise or spa weekend at a five star hotel to celebrate Merle Bennett's 50th birthday hiking the French countryside of Dordogne. There’s just one Merle’s little sister Francie has decided to bring along a sixth a work colleague named Gillian Sargent, whose utter aloofness wouldn’t be so bad. Except she seems to be hiding something…

It's Eat Pray Love meets murder mystery in Lise McClendon's deliciously cozy chronicles of sisterhood, international travel ... and a soupçon of danger. That's the delicious underpinning of this sprawling, exuberant, generous-spirited cozy mystery series with a yummy side of international adventure. A little bit chick lit, a touch of cozy mystery, a whole lot of humor, romance, suspense—all in one box set! These two books continue the adventures of the five lawyer sisters that started with Blackbird Fly. On to The Girl in the Empty Dress, Give Him the Ooh-la-la, and The Things We Said Today. .. (also available in box sets) to these two stories that follow Merle Bennett's journey from the US to France, with her French boyfriend, Pascal. THE FRENCHMAN Ooh-la-la, who doesn't love a Frenchman? Merle Bennett goes back to France—and her Frenchman—in this fifth installment of the Bennett Sisters mysteries. Sure that La Belle France will cure all her ills, and help her write a novel about the French Revolution, she sets out to prove her theory correct. Pascal, her Frenchman, scoffs at this. As a policeman he knows France is pretty to look at but not all that pretty under the surface. While Merle writes and renovates her stone cottage, Pascal encounters an old enemy, a man he put in prison years before. When Pascal disappears Merle isn't sure if their relationship is over, or something terrible has happened. A soupçon of danger, a brush with 'madame guillotine,' and the quirky characters of the French countryside, all collide in this installment of the Bennett Sisters Mysteries, set in la belle France—where, obviously, wine, sunshine, sunflowers, and Frenchmen cure all ills. Or do they? ODETTE AND THE GREAT FEAR A Gothic Romance by 'Merle Bennett' Deep in the French countryside—as the country reels through rebellion, beheadings, and starvation—a goat-herder named Odette is trying to survive. Just that—survival is on her mind. Since she marched to Versailles with a group of Parisian women to protest the high prices of wheat, her life has spun out of control. She's fled the capital for the countryside. But what will happen to her? Can she stay in the Dordogne where the kindly farmers have taken pity on her? 'Odette and the Great Fear' is a novella from the novel, 'The Frenchman,' by Lise McClendon. Merle Bennett, the main character, is writing a novel. Here the story is fleshed out, characters come into focus, and outcomes are decided. Will Odette and her handsome stranger find each other? How did the Count get his horrible scar? Will the villagers burn out the nobles for good? All these delicious details, mixed with a terrifying and exhilarating time in history, make 'Odette and the Great Fear' a quick but intriguing read. Next up in the series is 'Blame it on Paris,' Bennett Sisters Mystery #8, after the Sister's French Cookbook, filled with delicious recipes inspired by the series. Get the cookbook for free by signing up for the newsletter at the author's LiseMcClendon.com - I hope you enjoy the books.