Penacook Press

Thirty-year-old Jane Lafayette, bored with her life and career, advertises herself on a whim as Adventure for Hire. Months later she finds herself in the south of France on a dream assignment - to insinuate herself into the villa of an aging French actress known as the Contessa, and recover letters said to have been written to the Contessa by Cary Grant.

A hefty paycheck is promised if Jane succeeds, but success seems unlikely: the Contessa responds to questions not with answers but with random stories about lovers and movies from her past.

Furthermore, the villa is a magnet for an ever growing cast of characters - former lovers, potential lovers, possibly even rivals for the letters. Complications ensue - as do romance and adventure - while the Cary Grant letters remain elusive.