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The French Vendetta

A holiday in Europe turns deadly... (Charles Holborne Legal Thrillers, Book 11)

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The French Vendetta

By: Simon Michael
Narrated by: Colin Mace
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A honeymoon turns into a nightmare for Charles Holborne! Perfect for fans of John Grisham, Robert Bailey, Michael Connelly and Robert Dugoni.

Who will pay for the sins of the past…?

France, 1969

When a rare gap opens in barrister Charles Holborne's court diary, he and Sally seize the chance for their long-postponed honeymoon. With baby Leia in tow, they seek peace in a friend's farmhouse deep in the rural heart of Gascony — a picturesque land of vineyards, sleepy village squares and distant Pyrenean peaks.

But Charles soon discovers that the village's charm hides something much darker. Beneath the quiet seethes a poisonous web of old grudges and betrayals — a community still fighting the Second World War, where old crimes refuse to stay buried.

Drawn into a simmering vendetta between those who collaborated with the Nazis and those who resisted, Charles has no choice but to defend a client in a place with no judge, no rules, and no law.

With a firing squad waiting for the verdict, his defendant's life is on the line…

THE FRENCH VENDETTA is the eleventh crime novel in an exciting historical series, the Charles Holborne Legal Thrillers — gritty, hard-boiled mysteries set in 1960s London.

'A masterfully plotted blend of historical intrigue and legal thriller, drawing back the curtain on the day-to-day horrors of rural Vichy France. A wonderfully compelling historical mystery.' — Vaseem Khan Winner of the Shamus Award, Eastern Eye's Arts Culture & Theatre Awards for Literature and the CWA Historical Dagger Award

THE CHARLES HOLBORNE LEGAL THRILLERS SERIES

  • BOOK ONE: The Brief
  • BOOK TWO: An Honest Man
  • BOOK THREE: The Lighterman
  • BOOK FOUR: Corrupted
  • BOOK FIVE: The Waxwork Corpse
  • BOOK SIX: Force of Evil
  • BOOK SEVEN: The Final Shot
  • BOOK EIGHT: Nothing But The Truth
  • BOOK NINE: Death, Adjourned
  • BOOK TEN: The Fall Guy
©2026 Sapere Books (P)2026 Simon Michael
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I have read all of the books in this series. Many are centered around London, the infamous Kray twins and have all been thoroughly enjoyable. I was eagerly anticipating this one. To be honest, it all seemed a little implausible that a successful barrister from London could be embroiled in a so called trial in rural France! The narration was good as usual. I'm glad I stuck with it in the end, but I hope that the usual location and format return if there's to be another book.

Not the best in the series...

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Listened to this wonderful tale in 2 days… I could picture the village perfectly in my mind from the fabulous descriptive writing.. found the war years & 1970s stories running parallel gripping… prompted me to find out more about the Maquis role during WWII & the fate of collaborators in the aftermath. Another brilliant book from Mr Michael.

Be transported to Gascony as was, for an unexpected case defended by the best …our dear Charlie

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I really enjoyed this new setting for Charles and Sal, and loved the way Simon put it into context at the end. It's a truly sad and shocking episode of history that is rarely publicised, and the idea of putting Charles right in the middle of the crisis is inventive and feels authentic. Can't wait for the next in the series. I thoroughly recommend this book to anyone who loves an intriguing novel that has a point to it.

Simon Michael never disappoints

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Loved the concept - so interesting. Simon never fails to entertain and inform. Can't wait for the next one...

brilliant story

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I was dubious at first with the move away from the London based story but I was wrong. The story is excellent as is its telling. Colin Mace does a wonderful job again.

He's done it again.

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