Homicide Hérault
by Bluette Matthey
February 6 – March 3, 2023 Virtual Book Tour
Synopsis:
Veteran trekker Hardy Durkin takes his first bike tour group to Béziers, in the South of France, for what is expected to be relaxing, uneventful bicycling in the Hérault region. This notion is kicked to the curb when a double cold-case with present-day repercussions is discovered on one of the group’s outings. Hardy becomes embroiled in another homicide when he is present at a murder that takes place during an innocent flamenco performance that is anything but.
The bottom line: murder and intrigue follow Hardy Durkin like a shadow, even in the sunny, laid-back South of France, but this time his wheel of fortune veers uncomfortably off the rails in Homicide Hérault.
Inside the Author of Homicide Hérault:
I’m so excited to share that Bluette Matthey, author of Homicide Hérault visited with me recently. Here are some highlights from our conversation.
What inspired you to write your first book?
Which first book? The silly one I wrote in 3rd grade? I have so many ‘first books’ I’ve written, some still incomplete …
My first Hardy Durkin Travel mystery was born from a visit to London in 2014. I signed up for a series of ‘London Walks’ tours and on one of them found myself standing in front of Whitehaven Mansions, the iconic apartment building where Dame Christie’s Belgian detective Hercule Poirot held court. It was mildly thrilling because I hold Agatha Christie in high esteem; likewise David Suchet’s portrayal of Poirot. So, I’m standing there and I think, ‘I can do that.”
When I landed in Philadelphia, I phoned my husband and told him I wanted to write a series of travel mysteries, set in singular, less traveled locales in Europe. One for each letter of the alphabet. To date: A = Abruzzo Intrigue; B = Black Forest Reckoning; C = Corsican Justice; D = Dalmatian Traffick; E = Engadine Aerie; H = Homicide Hérault. F and G are on hold. I have a ways to go.
If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?
Not a word.
Who has impacted your life the most and in what way?
My father was an engrossing raconteur whose stories about life in rural Ohio held you spellbound, no matter how many times he told them. During his oral renditions he would take on the vernacular of his characters and really throw himself into the telling. He loved to travel and took our family to many places across the United States and Canada that we experienced on a local level. He also loved to watch Alfred Hitchcock Presents on Friday nights. As a young child I would crowd up next to him, soaking up the mystery and horror. What a gift! Writing travel mysteries as an adult was a natural progression.
What event in your life do you remember first when asked for a humorous story?
I used to ride my bicycle from our barn to our farmhouse like a cowboy on a mustang … full speed ahead. I think I was around five years old. One day my Uncle Jess came to visit, parking his old, red pickup across the drive at the entrance to the sidewalk that led to the back door. I lit out from the barn, somehow missing the fact that the truck was in my direct path, and crashed full into the side of the truck. Uncle Jess was sitting at the kitchen table and when I entered he deadpanned, “Ya want me to move my truck?”, with just the slightest smirk.
Ah, Bluette, Watching Alfred Hitchcock Presents with my mother is one of my most fond memories. I can’t wait to see what you come up with for G & H 😉!
Book Details:
Genre: Mystery
Published by: Blue Shutter Publishing
Publication Date: December 2022
Number of Pages: 199
ISBN13: 978-1-941611-20-3
Series: Hardy Durkin Travel Mystery Series Book 6 | Each is a Stand Alone Mystery
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads | Smashwords
Read an excerpt:
There was a brief lull in the questions, then Delia asked what everyone else was thinking. “Who are you, Hardy Durkin? You’ve got this Clotiers guy on speed dial. You’re not in the least bit flustered about finding two dead soldiers on a god-forsaken riverbank in the South of France, you seem to be evading the police about it… Just who the hell are you?”
A shocked silence was interrupted by Clive. “I can answer that,” he said. He turned to Hardy almost apologetically. “My cousin was on your trek in the Black Forest.” To his fellow cyclists he explained, “Hardy is exactly who he seems to be. He has a trek business for points in Europe.” He paused, then added, “He also has an unusual skill set from his military training and for reasons unknown to anyone has a knack for wading into mysteries, stumbling upon dead bodies, and bringing criminals to justice.”
***
Excerpt from Homicide Hérault by Bluette Matthey. Copyright 2022 by Lucinda Guthrie. Reproduced with permission from Bluette Matthey. All rights reserved.
Author Bio:
Bluette Matthey is a 3rd generation Swiss American and an avid lover of European cultures. She has decades of travel and writing experience. She is a keen reader of mysteries, especially those that immerse the reader in the history, inhabitants, culture, and cuisine of new places. Her passion for travel, except airports (where she keeps a mystery to pass the time), is shared by her husband, who owned a tour outfitter business in Europe. Bluette particularly loves to explore regions that are not on the “15 days in Europe” itineraries. She also enjoys little-known discoveries, such as the London Walks, in well-known areas. She firmly believes that walking and hiking bring her closer to the real life of any locale. Bluette maintains a list of hikes and pilgrimages throughout Europe for future exploration.
Bluette is the author of the Hardy Durkin Travel Mystery series, author and developer of the South-of-France travel app, Potty Poche, and her latest mystery, Two Murders Too Many. She lives in Béziers in the South of France, with her husband and trio of loving cats.
Catch Up With Bluette Matthey:
www.BluetteMatthey.com
Goodreads
BookBub – @notyourusualtrek
Instagram – @notyourusualtrek
Twitter – @HardyDurkin
Facebook
Tour Participants:
Visit these other great hosts on this tour for more great reviews, interviews, guest posts, and giveaway entries!
Great interview! I’m sure I have run into a few things with my bike. I used to ride it all over the palce.
LOL! Hmmm
It got really scary when I graduated to driving a car …. my nickname was ‘Parnelli’, after Parnelli Jones, the race car driver. Thankfully, I’ve outgrown that bent!
LOL! I’m just starting to outgrow it… actually my brother asked me last month when I started driving like a grandma!
LOL! I’m just starting to outgrow it… actually my brother asked me last month when I started driving like a grandma