The Man Who Didn't Burn

Juge Lombard Mystery, Book 1

A thrilling new crime series by the best-selling author of Death and Croissants

A Killer. A Saint. A Town Full of Whispers

When an English expat is brutally murdered, his charred corpse left on a Loire Valley hillside, the police turn to juge d’instruction Matthieu Lombard to find the perpetrator.

Instead, Lombard discovers a wealth of secrets, grudges, and feuds in the idyllic town of Saint-Genèse-sur-Loire. He begins to suspect that the remaining members of the Comité des Fêtes know more about the death than they are letting on.

But rather than leading to an arrest, each clue he uncovers seems to point in one, unexpected direction: Joan of Arc. Is the answer to the murder hiding in the barroom gossip of the Lion d’Or? Or in another century altogether?

The thrilling new crime series from The Times-bestselling author of Death and Croissants.

©2023 Ian Moore (P)2023 Duckworth Books

Okay but liked previous books

Liked the château series the author Ted much better than this book. I did like the intrigue developed.

Characters, locations and a mystery

Reading you are immersed in the mysteries, but at the same time enjoying knowing and experiencing all the various characters. The author is an artist with words.

Oof no thanks

What starts out with a compelling incident never materializes into anything more. If you enjoy body shaming, casual misogyny and whiny middle-aged men, this is the book for you.
Disappointing. I’ve read all of Ian Moore’s previous books set at the chambre d’hôte in the French countryside and enjoyed them. This is not in the same league.