After finding herself innocently at the centre of a school scandal, teacher and poet Judith Hay decides there is really only one thing she can do, and that is leave Britain. The small village of Vevey in the Languedoc near Montpellier seems the perfect answer: life is still very cheap and the views are pretty. Judith soon finds, however, that despite her attraction to the charming bookseller Gerard, not all is quite as it seems in Vevey. The sunny climate and rural location are magnets for people with things to hide. She is thrust into the role of a modern-day Miss Marple to uncover a terrible secret...
The Folly of French Kissing: A Novel
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Review
'Wonderfully atmospheric story that zips along and demands to be read in a single long sitting.' --Daily Mail, Debut Fiction Review
'very funny...begins as a sprightly Sapphic St Trinian s ends with a more than dark hint of Lolita. Highly recommended.' --A.N. Wilson, Spectator
'very funny...begins as a sprightly Sapphic St Trinian s ends with a more than dark hint of Lolita. Highly recommended.' --A.N. Wilson, Spectator
About the Author
Carla McKay is a journalist, reviewer and former fiction editor of the Daily Mail. She lived for half a year in a small village in the Languedoc, France, which inspired this novel. Currently she divides her time between London and Oxford.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By bethanchloe
Format:Kindle Edition
The Folly of French Kissing was another of those novels that were a fantastic surprise and I can't say anything but I truly enjoyed every page of it from beginning to end. This is mainly because I harboured some unfair views that I garnered firstly from the title and then the front cover. Basically, I thought I'd been offered a novel that was going to be pure unadulterated chick-lit which isn't really my thing and when it turned out to be so much more, I was hugely surprised and pleased.
The Folly of French Kissing combines light humour, believable characters and a darker, much more sinister undertone that plays out convincingly without ever getting too heavy at any time, making it a fantastically enjoyable summer read.
The main character is the ex-school teacher Judith who is fascinating in her own right as she struggles to come to terms with her new life in France after escaping the tawdry school scandal which cost her dearly in the form of her job. Judith's character isn't easy to warm to or even relate to but as events unfold she becomes somewhat of a heroine and the way things turn out for her are especially pleasing.
Other leading characters include journalist Tim who is remarkably tame for an apparently cut throat journalist and manages to come across very well, especially once he gets involved with Fern and her trouble son Ben. My favourite characters are the Campions, including the villain of the tale Lance who I think is fantastically drawn and very easy to dislike even before you discover the horrifying extent of his misdemeanours. His wife Jean is a bit more of a stereotype but it's impossible not to feel empathy and compassion for her as events are revealed.... Read more ›
The Folly of French Kissing combines light humour, believable characters and a darker, much more sinister undertone that plays out convincingly without ever getting too heavy at any time, making it a fantastically enjoyable summer read.
The main character is the ex-school teacher Judith who is fascinating in her own right as she struggles to come to terms with her new life in France after escaping the tawdry school scandal which cost her dearly in the form of her job. Judith's character isn't easy to warm to or even relate to but as events unfold she becomes somewhat of a heroine and the way things turn out for her are especially pleasing.
Other leading characters include journalist Tim who is remarkably tame for an apparently cut throat journalist and manages to come across very well, especially once he gets involved with Fern and her trouble son Ben. My favourite characters are the Campions, including the villain of the tale Lance who I think is fantastically drawn and very easy to dislike even before you discover the horrifying extent of his misdemeanours. His wife Jean is a bit more of a stereotype but it's impossible not to feel empathy and compassion for her as events are revealed.... Read more ›
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
The misleadingly facile cover of this really engaging, amusing and very clearly constructed novel (who designs these things?)suggests that this is to be an 18-30s story of sex in the sun. However from the outset the author plunges us into a series of characters and sub-plots which revolve slowly but inexorably towards each other like a slow-motion jigsaw, and as they come together surprise after surprise reveals that nothing and nobody is quite as it seems at first sight. The author has clearly lived this life down in the Midi, but her observations about it are incisive, witty and frank and give the book an authenticity so often lacking from other writers. The plot is cleverly constructed and you can't wait to find out what happens next - a really absorbing page-turner.I really can't think why we haven't heard from Carla Mckay before, but I'm certain her fans will insist she writes more now.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
If you want to be transported to a small French town in the heat of summer this is the book for you. McKay captures not only the essence of the place but also the claustrophic bickerings and intrigues of its resident ex-pat community and their, not always amicable, interaction with the locals. The book is not nearly as 'Chick Lit' as its cover and title might suggest. The heroine is complex and likeable and the broad cast of supporting characters are all well drawn. The story is totally believable and positively gallops along. I loved it.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I read the whole book in one sitting today while soaking up some lovely English summer weather. I couldn't put it down. The cover does not hint at the varied and serious topics covered. I found the story to be fast paced and exciting. I thought the characters were well rounded, even if there were a few in there who were thoroughly revolting, and the descriptions were enough for me to be able put myself in all the locations. I love a book that makes places seem familiar even if I haven't been there and that paint a clear picture in my mind. I'm gutted that I've finished it and can't wait for Carla McKay's next offering
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By The Planet
Format:Paperback
I thought it was a brilliant and beautifully written lively little novel which moved at a cracking pace. There was never a dull moment and the characters were so real I felt I knew them all personally! The real monster in the story came to the most amusing end - it was hilarious! I would thoroughly recommend it for a pool side page turner. Shame about the unflattering title.
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I picked this up after my partner had read it in two sittings on hols. It was very different from what I thought it was going to be. The story about a woman escaping from her past and trying to build a new life amongst the ex-pats is twisty and gripping. I couldn't see the ending coming at all. There's also a lot more humour, which makes the book great fun. There are some classic lines in there. The authoress reviews crime fiction for the Daily Mail and she clearly knows her onions.
In conclusion, buy it!
In conclusion, buy it!
By Avid Reader
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
This was one of many books I downloaded during August and the Amazon reading challenge. As a real 'Francophile' I was a little put off by the cover and even the title, but I am very glad I did. It has a surprising depth to it and the characters are interesting and plausible. Very easy read, however. Great Sunday afternoon book.
By bunkers
Format:Paperback
This is a real find, so much more than the cover suggests. It brilliantly exposes the life of a group of expats in the south west of France, shedding light on some of the reasons why people sometimes feel compelled to 'relocate'. It's in turn funny, sad, melancholy, and bittersweet, and some of the characters are oh so recognisable to anyone who has spent time in the company of expats. So much more interesting than many of the smug 'isn't my life in france/italy etc wonderful' books that litter the bookstands! TV series anyone...? A very good read indeed.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
A sloppily edited page-turner
I concur with all the reviewers: five-, four- and one-star. This is indeed a gripping page-turner, well constructed and with convincing characters and an exciting if somewhat... Read more
Published 8 months ago by robert francis
4.0 out of 5 stars
Witty and fun
Light hearted chick litty book, easy read and most enjoyable. Story line of ex-pats being resented at their take over of a small French village and an anti-British campaign by the... Read more
Published 10 months ago by Elaine Simpson-long
1.0 out of 5 stars
Vacuous stream of consciousness
I bought this book for two reasons. One was that I wanted to know about how the English behave in Languedoc, because I am an English person who doesn't live in Languedoc but loves... Read more
Published 11 months ago by Astolpho
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Total Summer Treat!
This is a wonderful book, with sharply observed characters, a terrific sense of place and great humanity. Read more
Published 11 months ago by Jim Peterson
5.0 out of 5 stars
A pleasure to read...
An enjoyable romp through the heat of the French Summer - we've all been there and for those of us who have glimpsed into the world of ex-pats - there are a number of alarmingly... Read more
Published 12 months ago by Easily Distracted
5.0 out of 5 stars
not what it seems
Don't be put off by the pink cover and the silly title - this is much more than another chicklit frippery. Read more
Published 13 months ago by criticalreader
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