A hidden fortune.
A trail of secrets.
About to Find Out is a gripping journey across France – from Paris to the Côte d’Azur– as a probate researcher uncovers hidden fortunes and a mysterious power held by a self-made billionaire.
A journey across France
Follow Jean-Pierre Couran's trail from the streets of Paris down the stunning West Coast and through the heart of France to the sunlit shores, beauty and exuberant wealth of the Côte d'Azur.
Inside the Writing
Behind About to Find Out lies a lifetime of travel, observation and fascination with the stories people leave behind.
Explore the real experiences, French landscapes and emerging voices that shaped Antony Ardan’s first novel — from the idea behind Jean-Pierre Couran to the process of turning scattered clues into a fast-paced journey across France.
Antony Ardan
I started writing this book because I missed France. The crash followed by the crunch meant that we had to sell our first house there and move back to Ireland. I missed the history, the countryside, the food, the towns and villages, the love of art and the respect for beauty in everything. I missed the people, their politeness, respect for strangers and care in doing even the simplest task well.
As an Industrial Consultant I'd spent decades on factory floors, offices and boardrooms. I'd grown up in a family with a portfolio of businesses; Stained Glass, Marine Engineering, Fishing, Farming and others.
People passed on and businesses closed so I became the Administrator of a complicated estate. I became fascinated by the secrets and stories thrown up by the end of an era.
We covered a huge amount of France through five summers trundling around in a campervan. In 2016 we had to give it another try and settled in a Breton village near the timeless Mont Saint Michel.
It all swam in my head as I tried to get it on paper; Saints, symbolism, the sea and secrets; boats, boardrooms and a billionaire; France, fortunes, failings and friendship.