The Madame Blanc Mysteries Series 1-3 Box Set – Review
By Karl Hornsey
The Madame Blanc Mysteries is fast becoming a staple of the cosy crime drama genre, having already notched up three series and been commissioned for a fourth since being created by Sally Lindsay and Sue Vincent in 2021. Lindsay, who plays the (sort of) titular character of Jean White, herself is something of a modern national institution and, as the nights start to draw in, then surely this series set in the fictional village of Sainte Victoire in the sunny south of France is one to settle down to and binge watch.
The supporting cast will also be largely familiar, including her regular sidekick Steve Edge, Only Fools and Horses favourite Sue Holderness, comedy legend Robin Askwith and, with a regular role in series three, Sir Tony Robinson no less. Add into that some guest appearances by the likes of Vikki Pepperdine, Julie Graham, Paul O’Grady and Les Dennis, and the cosy feel is extended even further. There’s certainly every suggestion that the series could run and run, which makes this box-set offering even more of an attractive proposition.
“Steadying influence”
Despite the comedy-based cast and the beautiful surroundings, there’s also more than just light and fluffy to this series, with each episode wrapping up a new mystery, while carrying on some threads as well, and the very first episode involves the death of Madame Blanc’s husband in a mysterious car crash. As well as the regular episodes, there are also a couple set at Christmas, but despite the series being set in France, the more observant of watchers will realise that filming has largely taken place on the islands of Malta and Gozo.
Madame Blanc herself does, inevitably, have other strings to her bow, as she follows the well-trodden path to becoming an amateur sleuth, and in her case the day job is an antiques dealer, which doesn’t get in the way of her detective dealings in the slightest. There is clearly the potential for many more series, with the sort of storylines that you’d expect from this type of show, with cases already including the death of a marine biologist, the shooting of a woman at a bus stop and, somewhat randomly, a man found impaled hiding a rare diamond-encrusted cufflink. The possibilities are endless, and with such a steadying influence of Lindsay and Vincent both writing and starring, fans of the Madame Blanc Mysteries will love the chance to catch up on series 1-3, as they eagerly awaiting a fourth helping of Gallic sleuthing.
‘The Madame Blanc Mysteries’ series 1-3 Box Set is out now on Acorn Media
