When antiques dealer Jean White finds herself penniless after the death of her husband, she heads there to investigate his mysterious death and figure out what happened to all their money.
The Madame Blanc Mysteries
Starring: Sally Lindsay as Jean, Steve Edge, Sue Holderness, Robin Askwith, Sue Vincent and Alex Gaumond
Created by: Sally Lindsay and Sue Vincent
Seasons: 3
Genre: Cosy Mystery
How to Watch: DVD and hoopla
Review
Jean White is living a comfortable life in Chesire, England when she gets news that her husband was in a fatal car accident while in Sainte Victoire. She also finds out she is now nearly penniless with the only asset she has left, a cottage in the small town. With nowhere else to go and doubts as to how much of an accident his death was, she heads out to Sainte Victoire to figure out what happened to her husband’s valuable ring and who was the mysterious woman he was having an affair with—an affair that came as a complete shock to her. Once she arrives, she starts investigating his death with the help of a local taxi driver, Dom Hayes, played by Steve Edge. He becomes her good friend and helps her navigate around town.
Jean and Dom
Jean and Caron
She soon finds herself solving other mysteries. Jean has a keen eye for antiques and can spot a fake a mile away. Saint Victoirie just happens to be a popular antiquing town, so there is a lot of money to be spent and to be made. There is also a lot of opportunity for fraud (and even murder). Fake gems? Easy as can be. Often, the clues are the artifacts themselves, and sometimes, they are not. Somehow, Jean manages to piece it all together. I remember one episode (not going to give too much away), where she could tell a salt lamp was not real just from camera footage. Her talents help her notice details in crimes that the police miss and soon, she is “unofficially” helping the local police headed by Chief of Police Andre Caron. He has a deep respect for her and her talents even while others scoff and even when his job is on the line.
Jean makes several friends. There are Judith and Jeremy, an eccentric and very wealthy elderly couple. They are clueless, and at first, I wasn’t sure if I would like them, but they grew on me. As the series has gone on, the writers have taken two people who could have been caricatures and given them actual depth. She also befriends, Gloria, who is the local mechanic and garage owner. Gloria is bold and brassy and full of life. The actress who plays Gloria, Sue Vincent, is also co-creator and writer of the show. Other minor characters include Charlie, co-owner of Jean’s antique business; Simone, Charlie’s wife and a former art forger trying to turn a new leaf; and in the latest season out, Tony Robinson of Blackadder fame, plays Dom’s uncle, Patrick.
This show is perfect for a cold winter night, snuggling up under a warm blanket. Or if you are feeling a bit down and need something to cheer you up. The scenery is gorgeous, the town lovely…. I feel like I’m on vacation when I watch it. It is smart, fun and an absolute joy to watch. I recommend it to people every chance I get. Sally Lindsay is fantastic in the role. I have seen her in other things, but I think Jean is THE role she was meant to play. The supporting cast is great and really brings life to their characters. This summer it was announced that there would be a fourth series starting with a Christmas special this year. I, for one, cannot wait! We own the first three seasons on DVD and you will want to binge the whole series. Trust me.