Deborah Lawrenson
Harper Collins
August 2011 / ISBN 978-0062049698
Mystery / Provence (France)
Amazon
Reviewed
by Barbara Buhrer
Eve falls in
love with a charming older man in Switzerland. After their marriage,
they depart to live in Provence, France, in an abandoned farm house.
As time passes, Dom becomes withdrawn and doesn't seem to be able
to recover from his previous marriage. Eve tries to figure out his
sudden change and realizes that she barely knew the man she is married
to. It seems a woman who has appeared in the village knows more
about Dom and his past with his former wife than Eve knows. Eve
tries to find the truth, and she finds links that lead to Benedielle
Lincel, the house’s former owner and to the blind girl with
the incredible sense of smell who becomes one of the most famous
perfumers of her time.
The Lantern
is a well written but somewhat slow moving story set in the beautifully
described lavender fields of Provence, France. The atmosphere is
haunting and at times disturbing. Lawrence has combined two stories
of two women: one in the present, the other in the early 1900's.
However, the constant back and forth of the characters and the times
makes it confusing to keep them straight. |