The cave of Lascaux may be closed to the public, but five scholars a day
are allowed inside, and Nora Barnes has finagled an appointment. True,
she may have fudged a bit in her letter to the authorities, but she does
teach art history, and she isn't about to miss her chance to see the
world's most famous prehistoric paintings. Nora and her high-spirited
husband, Toby, are visiting the Dordogne, in the southern French region
of the Aquitaine. Aware that the Dordogne's renown for cave art is
matched only by its reputation for delicious cuisine, the couple has
also signed up for a cooking class at a nearby château, but they soon
find that more than food is on their minds.
During their tour of the cave, another visitor is murdered. When the
local inspector pegs Nora and Toby as suspects, they embark on a mission
to solve the crime, tracing strange links between a Cro-Magnon symbol
and a thirteenth-century religious cult. As they match wits with the
crusty inspector, Nora finds herself immersed in the notebooks of a
forgotten artist who once lived in the château. In sifting through the
artist's papers and uncovering old secrets, she begins to piece together
the motives for the murder. But has she cooked up more trouble than she
can handle?
Best Books for General Audiences, selected by the American Association
of School Librarians
Best Books for General Audiences, selected by the Public Library
Reviewers
