Cyclist Guide #2
A Cyclist’s Guide to Villains and Vines is Ann Clair’s second Cyclist’s Guide Mysteries novel. Sadie Green owns and operates Oui Cycling Bicycling Tour Company, and runs various tours throughout France. Sadie is passionate about cycling and France, happy to be fortunate enough to make a living doing what she loves. Having moved here from America, she is striving to fit into the new life she has built for herself, alongside her fellow tour guides and coworkers. It’s not an easy thing to do when murders keep happening on her tours, as it tends to make the wrong kind of reputation for the business. Even though she helped solve the last murder, it seemed to just increase her notoriety and give her the reputation of the detective tour guide rather than just the cyclist tour guide.
A Cyclist’s Guide to Villains and Vines takes place in the lovely little village of Riquewihr. Sadie has arranged for her senior American tourist group to use the village as a main base of operations while they cycle to nearby towns and historical locations to take in some French history and culture. The group calls themselves the Silver Spinners and are colorful, to say the least. Every member of the cycling group has a unique and excitable personality, and none of them want the standard tour. Even when they are given the itinerary, it doesn’t stop them from veering off on their own. They want something more off the beaten path and exciting, which Sadie does her best to accommodate.
However, when one of the Silver Spinners comes across a dead body in the dead of night they get an adventure they never expected. Sadie wants everyone to stay far away from the investigation and the irate local detective, and focus on enjoying their vacation. But the Spinners won’t be deterred, and, knowing Sadie’s history with solving murders, they are quick to pick up their metaphorical spyglasses and Sherlock Hats and start their own armchair sleuthing. The local detective, one Annette Dubois, is not pleased with their shenanigans and is poised to arrest one or more of the group for the murder itself. Desperate to take care of her clients and keep them out of a French jail, Sadie reluctantly pokes around the murder as well to try and redirect the investigation away from the Silver Spinners.
Readers who have enjoyed the previous book will want to add A Cyclist’s Guide to Villains and Vines to their reading list. New readers won’t feel lost as Ann Clair introduces characters and setting effectively, but reading the previous book really would help set up the tension of another murder happening on her tours. It’s amusing to read how Sadie tries to keep control of an ultimately uncontrollable situation. Having help from her romantic interest, Detective Jacques Laurent, also helps to keep Sadie sane as he too tries to help investigate. Without stepping on Detective Dubois’ toes, that is.
Unfortunately, the Silver Spinners seem determined to undermine her every attempt to redirect them or keep them out of the Detective’s suspicious eye. The group is the perfect example of good intentions ending badly, constantly ‘investigating’ in ways that end up making them look more suspicious and unhinged. Ann Clair weaves an interesting story of murder and intrigue, all while capturing the desperate struggle of Sadie to try and salvage her tour and business. The hospitality business is not an easy one, and it is only made more difficult when clients insist on being adventurous to the point of being obnoxious. Still it is admirable how Sadie soldiers on, determined to find the bright side at every turn and to meet any challenge and obstacle thrown at her Silver Spinner’s little adventure. – Carla Schantz