Angel of the Lost Treasure by Marie Laval : Guest Post

Sunday 4 July 2021

Angel of the Lost Treasure by Marie Laval

Release Date: 23rd February 2021

Publisher: Choc Lit

Genres: Romantic Suspense

An ancient secret hidden within a mother’s song ...

When young widow, Marie-Ange Norton is invited to Beauregard in France by the mysterious Monsieur Malleval to collect an inheritance, she has no choice but to accept.

But when she embarks on the voyage with her fiery-tempered travelling companion Capitaine Hugo Saintclair, little does she know what waits for her across the sea in turbulent nineteenth-century France on the eve of Napoleon’s return from exile. When she arrives, she is taken aback by Malleval’s fascination with her family – seemingly inspired by his belief they are connected to a sacred relic he’s read about in coded manuscripts by the Knights Templar.

As it becomes clear that Malleval’s obsession has driven him to madness, Marie-Ange is horrified to realise she is more the man’s prisoner than his guest. Not only that, but Hugo is the only person who might be able to help her, and he could represent a different kind of danger .

Guest Post

Discovering Lyon

By Marie Laval

My hometown Lyon features a lot in my historical romance Angel of the Lost Treasure. Lyon is a wonderful city and a vibrant centre for arts and business, which was declared World Heritage Site by Unesco a few years ago. Since we can’t travel there yet because of Covid, let me tell you about some of the city’s most beautiful or quirky places.

Lyon is France’s third biggest town. It is a very busy place, with two rivers flowing through it – the Rhône and the Saône – which meet at the South end of the town. Some people however say that there are in fact three rivers flowing through Lyon, the third one being Beaujolais wine!

My favourite part of the city was always the old town with its wonderful and atmospheric Renaissance buildings, cobblestoned alleys, secret passages and many shops, cafés and restaurants. Dominating the old St George and St Jean districts, is the Fourvière Hill, also called the ‘Holy Hill’ because of its basilica and many monasteries and religious buildings.

It is well worth going to the top, but if you don’t feel energetic enough to walk, you can always take the ‘funiculaire’ – the cable car. Once at the top, there is a beautiful panoramic view over the city, and you can of course visit the Basilica, which was built in the second half of the nineteenth century and which is sometimes compared to an upside down elephant! Nearby are the Roman Amphitheatre, where I used to go to concerts in the summer, and the stunning Musée Gallo-Romain, and they are both well worth a visit.

I always love walking downhill from Fourvière towards St Jean Cathedral, and take the time to look at secondhand bookshops and many gift shops lining the cobblestoned streets, or stopping at a café for a drink and a crêpe, or sampling one of the city’s many culinary specialities, such as ‘quenelles’ or a plate of mixed ‘charcuterie’ in a ‘bouchon’ – as the small restaurants serving typical Lyonnaise cuisine are called.

Not to be missed are the ‘traboules’, which are passages linking streets and buildings that silk weavers used to take to keep the rolls of fabric from inclement weather. You can actually download a map of the ‘traboules’ to explore them without getting lost, although in my opinion, getting lost can be quite fun!

Lyon has always been a world-famous centre for silk production, and if you cross one of the bridges over the river Saône back to the ‘Presqu’île’ – the part of town located between the two rivers - you reach the Place des Terreaux from where you can go up La Croix-Rousse hill, another traditional silk weavers district.

As well as its gastronomy, Lyon is also famous for its incredible wall art which can be found all over the city, and even in the suburbs.

There is another, more leisurely way of admiring the town. You can take a river cruise on the Saône all the way to Ile Barbe, a lovely green island North of Lyon, which also features in my novel Angel of the Lost Treasure.

I hope you enjoyed our little tour and that it inspired you to visit my hometown when travel restrictions are lifted and it is safe to do so.

ANGEL OF THE LOST TREASURE is available from Amazon and kobo.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Originally from Lyon in France, Marie has lived in the Rossendale Valley in Lancashire for the past few years. She writes both contemporary and historical romance. Her novels include best selling contemporary romantic suspense novels LITTLE PINK TAXI and ESCAPE TO THE LITTLE CHATEAU, which was shortlisted for the 2021 RNA Jackie Collins Romantic Suspense Awards, as well as A PARIS FAIRY TALE and BLUEBELL'S CHRISTMAS MAGIC. Her latest novel, ANGEL OF THE LOST TREASURE, was released in February 2021. Marie also contributes to the best selling Miss Moonshine's Emporium anthologies together with eight author friends from Authors on the Edge.

Social Media Links

https://www.facebook.com/marie.laval.9/

https://twitter.com/MarieLaval1

One Response so far.

Marie Laval says:

4 July 2021 at 08:39

Thank you so much for welcoming me on your blog today. I hope you enjoyed the tour. I only wish we could visit Lyon in person!

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