THE RED NOTEBOOK is a sweet surprise. Touching and uplifting, written by a French author in translation to English. Antoine Laurain is a charming story teller and this is a delightful fairy tale for grownups that I love.

Laurent Letellier, a Paris bookstore owner. is ready for his morning walk. He glances at the window of his shop, Le Cahier Rouge. He smiles, proudly at the sign that reads, "Books We Love and Must Read." Now it is time to go and have his coffee.

He is walking to his favorite cafe, when he sees a taupe colored ladies handbag atop a trash bin and stops to pick it up. Inside is no money, or phone contact information. Just random things he will examine closely when he takes it back to his apartment. After closer examination, he is intrigued with the small notebook in which the owner has written private thoughts, fears and dreams. Intrigued, Laurent decides to try his best to find out who she is? Can he locate her in Paris, the City of Millions? This is a puzzle and one Laurent wants to solve.

Laure Valadier is in the hospital, in a mild form of coma from a hit on the head as she was mugged and her handbag stolen. Her co-worker William, pretends to be her brother, visits her and gives the pertinent information that the hospital needs to treat her. She is a gilder, applying gold leaf to "an old picture frame or to the dome of Les Invalides." He knows where Laure lives, she has a cat, Belphegor, that she adores, she is a widow with no family, and he needs to help her.

William takes care of Belphegor and is at Laure's apartment feeding him his duck flavored food when the doorbell rings and it is Laurent. They have a drink, get acquainted, and when William tells Laurent he has to leave for Berlin for a few days and is worried about where to keep the cat, Laurent offers to take care of Belphegor.

THE RED NOTEBOOK is a touching story about a puzzle and the patience and dedication to putting all of the pieces together. Laurents, with the creative meddling of his feisty 15 year old daughter, Chloe, persue each and every clue from items within the handbag. When they have it solved, what a joyful finale. This is a bonbon without the calories. Antoine Laurain goes to the top of my list of new and extraordinary authors to watch and savor.