Mrs Endicott’s Splendid Adventure by Rhys Bowen – a review

A thoroughly enjoyable historical novel…

I have long been a fan of Rhys Bowen’s mysteries, especially her Evan Evans and Lady Georgie series.    But I’ve never tried any of her non-series books, which appear from their blurbs to be historical novels, rather than mysteries.   So I was thrilled to be offered a review copy of Bowen’s latest stand-alone, set mostly in the south of France, during the time from just-before to just-after WWII.    And, with my expectations set properly, ready for a slower-paced book and not a mystery, I really enjoyed Mrs. Endicott’s Splendid Adventure.

The book starts with an epic telling-off by the title character.   After years of a rather dull marriage, and with their two sons grown and gone, Ellie Endicott’s husband, Lionel, tells her that he’s trading her in for a newer model.    Although, of course, he doesn’t phrase it exactly that way.    What he does do, though, is try to shuffle Ellie off into genteel oblivion in a tiny London flat with a miniscule pension, so he can move the newer model into their large county home in Surrey.   Ellie, however, pointedly and firmly declines to acquiesce in these plans.  Instead, she gets herself an attorney, and a significantly better deal.   After which, she decides, since there is now literally nowhere that she has to be, to head for the South of France, where she once spent a wonderful pre-Lionel vacation with her black-sheep of an aunt, Aunt Louisa.

Ellie is a bit intimidated with the idea of traveling so far by herself, but, as she prepares to depart, she acquires a couple of traveling companions:  the village spinster, who has been told she doesn’t have long to live and wants to see the Riviera again; and Ellie’s cleaning woman, who needs to escape an abusive marriage.    Ellie, Dora, and Mavis decide to “substitute” Lionel’s Bentley for the remainder of Ellie’s settlement, so they can drive rather than take the train, and they are off.   And the rest of the book is a slow-moving treat as the three women (plus a fourth stray picked up along the way) settle into a small French village along the Mediterranean coast; learn more about themselves, each other, and the local inhabitants; decide to remain in Saint-Benet even as WWII approaches, survive the war years; and emerge on the other side.

Some portions of Mrs. Endicott’s Splendid Adventure are a little bit predictable, or maybe just well foreshadowed, but I found them no less enjoyable for that.   The characters are believable, and I was drawn into the narrative, which flowed smoothly and kept me reading.   There are some tough moments:  Dora’s much delayed death; France’s unexpectedly quick surrender and the creation of Vichy France; an unexpected betrayal with disastrous consequences; the difficulties of dealing with collaborators in the aftermath of the war.   But to me, these also served to enhance the satisfaction of the overall storyline.    Bowen’s descriptions of the south of France ring true as well (I’m a huge Francophile), and I’m now daydreaming about visiting there again myself.    And maybe, since I’m approaching retirement, even finding my own little spot in France for a while.   After all, if Ellie could polish up her unused-for-decades French language skills, and brave driving on the wrong-side of the road, why can’t I 😁?   But hopefully without WWII…

In spite of the word “Adventure” in the title, if you’re looking for a thriller, Mrs. Endicott’s Splendid Adventure isn’t for you, although several of the WWII scenes come with a hefty dose of danger.   OTOH, if you are looking for an engaging historical novel that you won’t want to put down– definitely give it a try!   And finally, my thanks to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for the review copy.

Buy, and also available via Kindle Unlimited if you have a subscription: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon Canada