Now broadcast on the British channel AcornTV, “Les mystères de Madame Blanc” is an inventive and intriguing new program. Sally Lindsay stars as Jean White, a brave woman who finds herself in the middle of a mystery – or two or three, or whatever the number in any given episode. She is a brilliant antique dealer who can assess the authenticity of any item and can piece together clues with her intelligent mind and taste for the truth.

Lindsay developed the series and knew exactly what she wanted to do with her main character. “Jean is not a flamboyant Sherlock type character, but she is a down to earth woman who is just as intelligent!” She is extremely confident in her knowledge of antiques and sees things that others don’t, ”she said.

When her husband dies in a car crash, Jean leaves England for Sainte Victoire, France, a hub for antiques and, apparently, an area filled with puzzles. She quickly meets Dom, a taxi driver who becomes her sidekick in search of mysteries. At first, Jean seeks to prove that her husband was murdered, and while adding up the clues, she manages to interfere with other mysteries. But Jean is up to the challenges.

She reinvents herself as a detective to solve one mystery after another, while trying to figure out what happened to her husband. She discovers many strange facts about her past, as well as others in town along the way.

So why is it called “The Mysteries of Madame Blanc?” Simply because “blanc” in French means “white” – ergo, she is Madame Blanc and Madame White. As for the “mysteries”, there are plenty of things to solve in the south of France and she launches out without worrying about hurting herself. She is a brave and intelligent woman, her quick wit combined with her truthfulness makes her dear to Dom and other members of the community.

There are six episodes this season and they’re just plain delicious – with hopefully another season to come. Watch “The Mysteries of Madame Blanc” streaming now on AcornTV.

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