My niece called me from Wilmington one Sunday this past July. She was very excited because she had just spotted "a huge RV with dogs and paw prints and motor scooters all over it" and she was pretty sure it was the vehicle of 'Spotted in France' author, Gregory Edmont. So a few hours later I drove over to drop off a few newspapers and chat with Gregory and meet his wonderful dogs, JP (famous for his motor-scooter trip across France) and Sketch, JP's son. Greg and the dogs were parked in a rather unglamorous spot because campground spaces were hard to find that weekend. I was quite embarrassed that I had not yet read 'Spotted in France'. I'd heard about it, and I really DO keep up with dog books, but this one book seemed to have slipped past me. I'm glad to say that I've caught up on this book at last! 'Spotted in France' reminded me of some other books I love—obviously Steinbeck's 'Travels with Charley' and Peter Mayle's hilarious 'My Life as a Dog' came to mind. Somehow it's more than reminiscent of those books, though—it's also a lot like a travel journal, an off-the-map Michelin guide and a really good French restaurant menu ... and wine list! The story is too good to give away but it involves destiny, love and loss and is full of some charmingly eccentric characters and some real head cases!  Populated by crazy butchers, witches, overzealous gendarmes, wonderful chefs, kind country people and dogs, of course, 'Spotted in France' is a fun ride!

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