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Mystery of Saint Sauveur
Paperback
Series: French Quintet, Book 2
HumorGeneral FictionLiterary Fiction
Publisher: Late Bloomer Books
Published: Aug 29 2025
Pages: 186
Weight: 0.49
Height: 0.43 Width: 5.50 Depth: 8.50
Language: English
Curious about the birthplace of the racy French author, Colette, an American widow discovers that there are several places called Saint Sauveur. Determined to find out more about this copycat syndrome, Margaret decides to visit St. Sauveurs in each of France's thirteen regions.
Heading for Saint Sauveur-en-Puisaye in Burgundy, she gets a tip from a guide at the Musee de Colette, who puts Margaret in touch with a local historian. Over lunch on his terrace, he explains to her that, France is not really a country, but a notion, cobbled together from a grab bag of cultures that often clash. Her informant's words are born out when Margaret ventures to Alsace, where she is befriended by a couple from the village of St. Sauveur. Their tales of invasions and shifting borders confirm that France is a patchwork of cultures.
Moving on to Normandy, where there are six places named Saint Sauveur, Margaret learns that this redundancy provided challenges to the Germans and the Allies on D-Day. Unable to uncover the whole truth, she begins to imagine what might have happened, embellishing the facts. The copycat syndrome also created conflicts with their neighbors in Brittany, where there is longstanding resentment about Norman claims to Mont St. Michelle. Margaret discovers that such rivalry is not just ancient history, but continues in a bitter dispute about who makes the best butter.
Hoping to make up for the lack of St. Sauveur in Corsica, Margaret visits Saint Sauveur on the tiny island of L'Île d'Yeu, off the Atlantic coast. While the weather doesn't cooperate, she manages to find an informant whose Viking roots have made him a social outcast. She also meets a young woman who questions Margaret's motives as an interloper on the island.
Heading for the Dordogne River, Margaret finds herself among a bunch of Brits who have virtually taken over the village of Saint Sauveur. Curious about the SAVE SAINT SAUVEUR signs, she attends a community meeting with representatives from the European Union. Hearing their pitch to change the name of the town to comply with the E.U's plan for a secular society, the villagers balk at any changes. The plot thickens when the local gravedigger divulges a secret to Margaret: William Shakespeare sought refuge in Saint Sauveur after feigning his death during a card game.
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