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  • Blackbird Fly: a novel of suspense, loss, and discovery (Bennett Sisters Book 1)
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Blackbird Fly: a novel of suspense, loss, and discovery (Bennett Sisters Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Lise McClendon (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.1 out of 5 stars 3,798 ratings
3.8 on Goodreads
3,548 ratings

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A Legacy of Secrets: When Life Takes an Unexpected Turn in France

After her husband's sudden death, Merle Bennett is left to navigate grief, legal complications, and shocking revelations. As a lawyer with four sisters in the same profession, she thought she was prepared for anything—until she discovered what his will contained.

Among the surprises: a mysterious cottage in France that no one knew existed.

With her son's future hanging in the balance, Merle has no choice but to take matters into her own hands. With determination and sisterly support, she decides to travel to southwest France and transform the derelict stone cottage.

What awaits her in the picturesque Dordogne village is both enchanting and unsettling—breathtaking landscapes and exquisite wines alongside unpsetting discoveries: an unwelcome squatter, a foreboding wine cellar, hostile locals, and a mysterious deadly accident that raises more questions than answers.

Armed with nothing but her legal expertise and meticulous list-making skills, she finds herself solving problems she never asked for in a country where she doesn't belong. Yet something about this place—and a certain charming local roofer—suggests that perhaps this unexpected detour might be exactly the path forward she needs.

• • •

“An extraordinary novel filled with family secrets and discoveries of past family members. Finding out who you really are and what you’re made of after the death of a loved one. So many twists and turns to keep you turning the pages till the end. Throw in a foreign country and foreign languages and it has you believing you are there as well. Loved the whole story!”

“Once I got to France in this book I was hooked. I've binge read through 8 of this series. I'm having to ration myself because I will soon get to the end and it's so good I don't want to get there. I want to keep living with Merle, her four sisters and more of her family, and of course the lovely, required, French man. The mysteries are there but it is so much more. I've learned a great deal about wine. I'm exploring learning more. Come, enjoy some "me time" with a good read and a drink of your choice. In France, that is wine of course.”

• • • • • •


PROLOGUE

She didn’t want the summer to end. She wanted it to go on, full of flowers, wine, olives, and — possibility. Yes, possibility, that thing she was so afraid of. Now she hungered for it, she lived for it.

She rolled onto her stomach and put the pillow over her head.

Was it possible to hide from your own life, from the prescribed steps, the set-in-stone trajectory? Was it possible to, say, change your name and live in France and be a completely different person, one your parents wouldn’t recognize, someone carefree, a nature girl, a bon vivant? Was it possible to forget the people you leave behind, those who nurtured and loved you, those who made you who you were? If you wished, wished, wished hard enough, would your fairy godmother, or an ogre-ish old widow, give you a string of magic pearls that would transform you into somebody who could do such a thing? A woman who could decide absolutely and exactly what would make her happy, right there, on the spot, and then actually do those things, without compromise or regret?

She sighed under the pillow. How old do you have to be to stop believing in fairy tales? Because she didn’t think she’d actually reached that age.

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  1. Book 1 of 21
    Bennett Sisters Mysteries
  2. Print length
    388 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Accessibility
    Learn more
  5. Publication date
    Dec 4 2013
  6. File size
    3.8 MB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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See full series
There are 21 books in this series.

In this series (21 books)

Kindle Edition
Popular Highlights in this book
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Previous page
  1. The only thing was to accept. Accept change. Accept time. Accept death.
    Highlighted by 148 Kindle readers
  2. No one knows why they’re born. You are simply brought forth in love. You arrive, and then everything else is guesswork. You choose a path, or it chooses you. You protest your lot, or accept it willingly. It doesn’t matter. It’s yours, you own it. And now you have to live with it.
    Highlighted by 136 Kindle readers
  3. What do you want from life? What is it about? What are you doing with your time above ground? What will it take to feel alive?
    Highlighted by 116 Kindle readers
  4. A woman who could decide absolutely and exactly what would make her happy, right there, on the spot, and then actually do those things, without compromise or regret?
    Highlighted by 56 Kindle readers
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Product description

About the Author

A lifelong Francophile, Lise McClendon had always wanted to write a book set in France. When a passing comment from a friend about a bicycle trip to the Dordogne sparked an interest in that region in southwest France, a mission began. Research is often the most fun part of writing a book, and when the research absolutely must be done on the ground in the wine-soaked, truffle-growing, backwoodsy province of Dordogne, fun is the word. But still there is the writing. How to take such a setting and make it come alive through the eyes of an American woman? The quest for the story through Merle Bennett, middle sister of five girls, was a delightful trip. Not all fun and games because writing, making the story work for the reader, is often fraught with landmines. Lise wanted to incorporate past stories of women who lived in the region, especially the woman who had lived in Merle's house right after World War II. A lover of family secrets, of peeling back the onion layer by layer, Lise goes deep into the past, to the desolation of the post-war era, to desperate actors, to men with nothing to lose, and women with next to nothing. The book becomes a journey of self-discovery for Merle, a driven lawyer and human rights advocate who works on housing issues for the poor. She leaves her big city life behind for the summer and finds much more than she expected: a world reborn inside her. Hope. A future without fear. Lise McClendon writes fiction from her home in Montana when not researching novels around the world.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B002E9IPSO
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Thalia Press
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ Dec 4 2013
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 3.8 MB
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 388 pages
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Book 1 of 21 ‏ : ‎ Bennett Sisters Mysteries
  • 鶹 Rank: #232,290 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.1 out of 5 stars 3,798 ratings

About the author

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Lise McClendon

Lise McClendon

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Lise McClendon's literary journey is driven by a fascination with sassy heroines, intricate mysteries, and tantalizing secrets. Her novels are rich tapestries woven with these elements, exploring the complex choices women make as they navigate the labyrinth of careers, love affairs, family, travel, and personal passions. Within her gripping narratives, readers are transported into worlds of suspense, crime, hidden truths, and profound love.

McClendon embarked on her writing odyssey by crafting mysteries set against the breathtaking backdrops of Montana and Wyoming, introducing readers to the captivating art dealer Alix Thorssen and evoking the essence of pre-World War II life through the Dorie Lennox series. She then ventured into standalone works such as "Jump Cut," "PLAN X," and "All Your Pretty Dreams," each an engrossing tale in its own right. Her creative prowess culminated in the Bennett Sisters Mysteries, an ever-expanding collection of nineteen thrilling installments.

Discover more about Lise McClendon's literary universe by visiting her website at http://lisemcclendon.com. Don't miss the opportunity to stay connected by joining her mailing list on Substack called Mystery Romance Adventure Oh My!: http://lisemcclendon.substack.com Your insights and feedback are much appreciated.

Beyond her own novels, McClendon collaborated with four fellow crime novelists on the foodie thriller "Beat Slay Love," a darkly comedic homage that adds an audacious twist to "Eat Pray Love." This uproarious adventure is available on 鶹 as an ebook, paperback, and audiobook.

In 2020, McClendon embarked on an inspirational project, conceiving and editing the anthology "STOP THE WORLD: Snapshots from a Pandemic." This remarkable compilation captures the tumultuous events of an unforgettable year, featuring contributions from forty authors representing ten countries. Profits from the anthology are dedicated to charitable causes, making it a meaningful addition to any reading list.

Lise McClendon's writing journey has flourished from her picturesque Montana home, where she has penned numerous novels, short stories, and thought-provoking articles. Her creative journey has also extended into the realm of filmmaking, with her short film, "The Hoodoo Artist," earning recognition at the Telluride Indiefest in 1997. McClendon's dedication to the craft extends beyond her writing as she has served on the national boards of directors for both the Mystery Writers of America and the International Association of Crime Writers/North America. She continues to share her expertise as a faculty member at the esteemed Jackson Hole Writers Conference each summer.

In her own words, McClendon emphasizes the indomitable spirit of storytelling that has fueled her passion for over three decades: "After thirty years, writing fiction has become as necessary as breathing. Finding the essential story in the novel, chipping away the rock until the solid core is revealed, is an adventure and a joy."

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4.1 out of 5 stars
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Top reviews from Canada

  • Beth C
    5.0 out of 5 stars A nice balance
    Reviewed in Canada on January 25, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    I review this book after completing the series with “The Frenchman”. I didn’t take the time before..there was another book to read and another. This book introduces you to family and complicated relationships in a setting of the south of France and a dollop of New York. A lot of it is about self discovery. There is romance and the lack there of. But, I wouldn’t call it a romance novel. There is intrigue but I wouldn’t call it a mystery novel. It’s about the culture of France and food and wine. It’s about women of a certain age. It’s about the crap that life throes at you and how you survive it. I recommend you read it. Warning..it may cause you to crave a nice Bordeaux.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • B Thomas
    4.0 out of 5 stars You were only waiting
    Reviewed in Canada on February 18, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    McClendon has created a story with many diverse intertwined stories within it. The setting is intriguing, both the actual location in a France and the specifics of the house in disrepair. She has presented the vagaries of dealing with the legal system in many foreign countries true to form. And her depiction of the mental and emotional complications of the heroine will quickly draw you 8n.
    One person found this helpful
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  • pchouinard
    3.0 out of 5 stars Three Stars
    Reviewed in Canada on April 22, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    good reading
    One person found this helpful
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  • Linda LPP
    4.0 out of 5 stars and from the great reviews of "The girl in the Empty Dress" (#2 ...
    Reviewed in Canada on April 4, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    Reading the book in the early chapters, I thought...is this story going to keep my interest..soon? Was relieved when the plot began to get increasingly intriguing. As it turned out there were many, many sub plots and convoluted family, friend, and shady business ties which added to create a tale that needs to be read to fully appreciated.
    This is the first book of a series, and from the great reviews of "The girl in the Empty Dress" (#2 book) I am looking forward to continuing on with the Bennett sister's adventures. (Posted originally on Goodreads)
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Annie56
    4.0 out of 5 stars VERY ENJOYABLE
    Reviewed in Canada on March 17, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    A story of life with a parallel historical one. Sometimes I wanted more details and other times less, but an enjoyable read just the same.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Ontarioreader
    3.0 out of 5 stars Author is a Francophile?
    Reviewed in Canada on January 3, 2018
    I thoroughly enjoyed the plot and style of this book, and would have gladly given it five stars if it did not have so many irritating and distracting errors and misspellings, especially in French. Please, if as an author you use foreign words, make sure the usage/spelling is correct. Examples: cher/ chère, père/pére, Stephan/ Stefan. If this seems a bit persnickety of me, imagine how annoying it would be if THE WERDS IN ENGLICH WEAR CONSTINTLY ERRONIOUS ( deliberate misspelling to illustrate my point.)
    6 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • C Gregory
    5.0 out of 5 stars Very good read.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 1, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    This story was interesting with its twists and turns. I like France so it was nice to read how Merle got on there. It was unusual having the chapters about the past but it let you know exactly what went on, which I thought was a great idea. I wasn't too keen on her remarks when talking about the English tho!! Highly recommend.
    Report
  • Bella
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic
    Reviewed in Australia on May 13, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    Very much enjoyed this novel as it wound its way through a somewhat convoluted plot. Nicely written with some terrific characters and unbelievable plot twists. Just short of excellent.
    Report
  • E.L. Wilson
    5.0 out of 5 stars Patience
    Reviewed in the United States on July 3, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    A long story but each chapter reveals so much. You will enjoy this book. Just keep reading. It gets better & better.
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  • James Grubb
    4.0 out of 5 stars I Don't Remember.
    Reviewed in Australia on February 8, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    I read 2 or 3 books a week and it has to be exceptionally good for me to remember any detail and unfortunately I don't.
    Report
  • Anne L. Molinarolo
    4.0 out of 5 stars It reads easy with a literary feel to it
    Reviewed in the United States on July 25, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    Read from May 16 to 17, 2014 — I own a copy

    Blackbird Fly has a little bit of everything in it - a mystery, long held family secrets, humor, loss, grief. It reads easy with a literary feel to it. There is some suspense too with a dash of romance and a feel of an historical novel. It could be described as Women's Fiction, but the novel could be read by men and they could enjoy the book as well. I honestly don't know how to describe this small book except to say that I really, really enjoyed it.

    Merle Bennett has just lost her husband, Harry. It seems like her husband hid a few important things from her - another family and the draining of their joint banking accounts, and an old family home in France in which a few more skeletons lay buried. Merle goes to France with her son in the hopes of selling the house, but an old eccentric woman refuses to leave the home, stating that Harry's mother gave her the home. The elderly woman dies suddenly and Merle becomes the prime suspect. Her passport is confiscated and is told not to leave the small French village. She starts renovating the stone home and sleuthing into the old woman's life and death unaware that the old woman is tied to her dead in-laws and their secrets.

    Summer in France, wine, riots, unfriendly neighbors except Pere Albert, renovation, murder suspect, and a handsome roofer. What more can Merle ask for?
    Report

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