Maurelle Dupre is a stranger in a small knit, insular village in France. That alone is enough to draw attention to oneself where everyone knows not just everyone but knows their intimate business as well.
Maurelle is on the run from the police in England. Strange that she should run because she has not been convicted of an offence and by running she makes herself look the guilty party. There is a police force looking out for her in England and eventually the gendarme in France are also looking out for her.
The story involves a former US cop and his colleagues. The cop is attracted to Maurelle when he does meet up with her and since he is a former cop (who also writes detective/mystery stories for a living now) he feels that the mystery of Maurelle's past is one that he should try to clear. The story of Maurelle who was an English teacher and a good teacher at that - unfortunately a never do well Jared fell in love with her and then was eventually found murdered. Jared spread stories about Maurelle when she turned him down and the whole community felt that there was no smoke without fire and that the teacher had encouraged the boy in his infatuation with her. When she disappeared after his murder most people felt that Maurelle was at fault here.
The unravelling of the story from the small village in France back to England where the murder took place forms the crux of the story. Many interesting characters especially the two elderly grandmothers, another love interest Simone and the murdered boy's family.
The story in itself was a good one but it did not sustain my interest. I felt at times that it was a bit disjointed.
It sounds like the story had potential that was never fulfilled. Too bad.
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