Dianne Freeman's Latest Book by E. B. Davis

 

Frances and George are enjoying some well-deserved leisure time in Paris when an old acquaintance from London, Alicia Stoke-Whitney, seeks Frances’s help to investigate a personal matter. Alicia’s daughter is being courted by Carlson Deaver, a wealthy American shadowed by a very suspicious tragedy.

Less than a year ago, Carlson’s wife, a former actress, was murdered, her body discovered in one of the more dubious quartiers in Paris. Though authorities guess it was a robbery gone wrong, no one was ever brought to justice. Until Daniel Cadieux, Inspector for the Sûreté, follows a startling new lead. None other Sarah Bernhardt, legendary icon of the Paris stage, receives a piece of jewelry stolen from the victim, along with an incriminating note: I know what you did.

It opens a new door for the Hazeltons’ investigation, as well. But not a soul believes that the Divine Sarah would become entangled in something so disreputable as murder—even if she and the late Mrs. Deaver did have a history of theatrical clashes. Amid questions of revenge, blackmail, scandals, and secrets, more poisoned pen letters follow, and suspects abound. Now it’s up to Frances and George to infiltrate the most elite social circles of Paris, and find a culprit before another victim faces their final act.

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I love Dianne Freeman’s titles. They are apt and also give insight into the point of view shown in the book. As the title implies, A Daughter’s Guide to Mothers and Murder, shows Frances playing hostess to her mother in this eighth book in the Countess of Harleigh mystery series. Much to Frances’s surprise and pleasure, Mother is in a kinder and gentler form than her last visit in London, and she assists in the murder investigation.

 

Please welcome Dianne Freeman back to WWK.    E. B. Davis

The action starts on September 23, 1900 in Paris during the French Exposition. Was the French Exposition like a World’s Fair?

It was exactly like a World’s Fair. All countries were invited to participate and most did. Aside from art, the countries all showed off examples of their latest technology and industry.

 

Why did they time the world Olympics simultaneous to the French Exposition, which essentially buried the Olympics? Few evidently knew the Olympic games were happening. 

 

This was only the second modern Olympic Games and most people didn’t even know the first ones had happened. It had not become a popular event yet and France knew the Expositions were enormously popular. They ended up putting their promotion francs into the event that would give them the best financial return.

 

Even though Frances was civil to Alicia Stoke-Whitney for the sake of social graciousness, why did she decide to take on Alicia’s request to investigate Carlson Deaver, an American, who was the widower of a former actress? The French police hadn’t solved the woman’s murder, which occurred months before.

 

Over time, Frances and Alicia have gone from enemies to frenemies to friends. Frances knew that Alicia had been deceived by her late husband and understood why she was particularly cautious about whom would court her daughter. Initially, Frances didn’t think she’d get so involved in the investigation, but one question led to another…

What is the Hippodrome d’ Auteuil?

 

Hippodrome d’ Auteuil is the smaller of two horse racing tracks in the Bois de Boulogne, an enormous park in Paris.

 

I admit it—I had no idea Sarah Bernhardt was French. How did a French woman end up with such an unFrench name? Did she own a theater in Paris?

 

Sarah Bernhardt never told a story the same way twice, so her background varies depending on what biography you read. I do know that her grandfather, Maurice Bernard came to France from Amsterdam. Sarah and at least one uncle eventually morphed the name into Bernhardt.

Sarah bought the Theater des Nations and renamed it for herself in 1899. It retained that name even after her death until German occupation in WWII when it was changed because of her Jewish ancestry.

 

I was surprised that Frances acted like a fan girl toward Sarah Bernhardt, at least at first. What intimidated Frances about Sarah Bernhardt? Was she that revered?

 

Sarah was a woman who commanded not only the stage but the audience and everyone she came into contact with. She either won their hearts or their admiration. She was a presence unlike any other woman of her day.

 

Lily, Frances’s sister, has just had a baby, and she is exhausted since her mother-in-law seems to think that only aristocrats have nannies. Will we find out that Lily’s husband’s family doesn’t have as much money as they thought or that the mother-in-law has a faulty memory?

 

Patricia Kendrick’s memory is overpowered by her love of babies. She spent more time with her little ones than the average well-to-do mother of the era, but not as much as she thinks she did. Now that she has another baby in her life, she’s guilting Lily into doing everything she thought she did when her children were young.

 

Although the case has gone cold after six months, a note to Sarah Bernhardt, insinuating that she had something to do with the murder, reopens the case after Sarah reports the note. Why does this put the Paris police in a difficult situation?

 

As I mentioned, Sarah was one of a kind. To the French, she was their treasure. No French policeman wanted to be known as the man who arrested the Divine Sarah.

 

Mimi Deaver, Carlson’s mother, had hired Frances to find a titled husband for her daughter a year before. The daughter married into Frances’s late husband’s family so she has a connection to the family, who are Americans, like Frances. But her mother’s New York City connections reveal the family’s story. Was the 400 still a big deal in NYC in 1900? Why was Frances’s mother so keen to investigate Mimi Deaver?

 

Mimi had behaved rather scandalously in New York by leaving her husband and moving to France with her French beau. New York society saw this as breaking their rules, which were very rigid and unforgiving. Daisy, Frances’ mom was a bit resentful of Mimi because, from her perspective, Mimi never paid a price for that infraction.

 

The Upper 400 was still going strong in 1900 but would fade away by the mid-1910s.

 

What is a comte?

 

French for Count, a member of the French aristocracy.

 

Actresses had to gain a reputation before they could get a living wage, at least in 1900. Did a lot of actresses have patrons or sponsors to help with their expenses? Was this how stage people got bad reputations?

  

Actresses weren’t the only workers not making a living wage, but they had the advantage of being on stage, often scantily clad, and drawing the attention of wealthier men who offered their patronage in exchange for the women’s favors. The arrangement wasn’t ideal, but it kept them working until they could demand a higher salary.

 

George and Frances find that the Paris police really didn’t do a thorough investigation. Was that because the woman was an actress or because she was married to an American?

 

I don’t think they had any particular prejudice against Carlson or Isabelle. They thought they knew what happened, but were unable to apprehend the culprits. They had no reason to dig deeper until the additional information turned up.

 

Why when a couple divorced back then was the man given the children?

 

Because men wrote the laws? It was a little different in France though. While the law still favored the father, in practice, the mother frequently won custody. But even in those cases, the father still held paternal authority, which meant he had practical and legal control over his children.

 

Once Frances has a flash of insight, she concocts plans to flush out the murderer, even Sarah Bernhardt has a part in them. Why do the police go along with Frances’s outlandish plan?

 

Without revealing too much, Inspector Cadieux’s hands were tied at that point, so why not?

 

Abusive men seem to be the culprits, both of murder and of blackmail. Did money and social position help to hide the abusers?

 

That is a very interesting question. It may be true that money and social position helped because no one would expect to find an abuser hiding behind the polished veneer. But it’s also true that a poor and anonymous abuser got away with it because society and the police never notice him, or his victims.

 

What’s next for Frances and George? Will they ever get back to London?

 

Yes, Frances and George will be back in London for the next book. Frances wants to stay in London to celebrate Christmas, but the rest of the family are eager to accept Fiona’s invitation to spend the holiday with her family at Hadley Grange in Norfolk for a cozy, noisy, family Christmas. How can Frances refuse?  Once the family is gathered, the festivities begin, only to be upended by a murder and it will take the whole family to solve this one.