Madam, Will You Talk? by Mary Stewart

If you are looking for something fun and light to read for the summer, this is your book. Angieville recommended it, and I decided to give it a whirl. And, apparently, there are many more waiting for me to read by the same author, which is always a wonderful feeling when you stumble across a book you’ve enjoyed—that there’s more where that came from of the same stock.

Mary Stewart wrote her novels in the 50s, and I have to say that it was fun to step back into that time. And although the language, among other things, is a bit dated, it somehow made the experience that much more charming, instead of being distracting. Since our “standards” have changed over the years for entertainment and excitement, I was surprised to see that I was not disappointed on either count. +/-

The story picks up with a woman, Charity, and her friend on vacation in the south of France, enjoying their holiday, when she meets a young boy, David, and becomes immediately entangled in his complicated life. Murder, intrigue, mistaken identity, romance—all the great ingredients for a fantastic, page-turning mystery. I have to say that there were cheesey moments, but not beyond my level of tolerance. And, once again, it endeared me to the story and the characters rather than leaving a bad taste in my mouth. I will definitely be seeking out Stewart’s other tales!