The Orchid Shroud

by: Michelle Wan

Published by: Vintage Crime

Reviewed by Yuka Mizushima

Mara, Julian and their friends return in Wan’s sequel to Deadly Slipper.

Mara, a Canadian who has been living in the Dordogne region for the past 19 years, is an interior decorator. Julian is a landscaper who also studies and collects orchids. They first met in Deadly Slipper and are now in a relationship (although it’s going through a rocky patch).

Mara is overseeing renovations for Christophe de Bonfond’s manor. When the workers tear down a wall, they discover a body. The murdered infant was wrapped in a blue shawl. Mara wants to know who would do such a horrific thing. Julian becomes interested in the mystery because the baby’s shawl is embroidered with an orchid. He realizes that this is the elusive Slipper Orchid he tried to find in Deadly Slipper. If he can find out who made the baby’s shawl, perhaps he’ll discover where the Slipper Orchid was grown. Interviews with jealous cousins, diary entries and flashbacks to the past reveal that the de Bonfond family has a few skeletons in their closets. Will the baby’s identity be revealed?

There is also something savage hunting in the valley. A hunter’s body, mutilated chickens and slaughtered lambs have been discovered. Is it a pack of wolves, a feral dog, or, as some whisper, the return of a werewolf?

I really enjoyed the pacing and plot of this book. Wan has created some great quirky characters, and she has a good ear for dialogue. Her dry sense of humor made me laugh, “Pierre shouted to no one in particular, revealing a wet, purple expanse of gums that Julian, despite his dislike of the man, found momentarily fascinating.” (p.76).

This book is also a treat for the senses, whether I was reading about the picturesque surroundings or the meals that the characters enjoy. This does not distract from the main mystery, it helped build the tension. I knew that the characters were enjoying normal moments not realizing that soon something bad was going to happen.

Whether you want to solve the mystery or just sit back and enjoy a well-written story,

The Orchid Shroud is highly recommended!

Armchair Interviews says: Strange things are happening in southwestern France.