Mark Pryor

A popular writer, Helen Hancock, is working in Paris - writing her new novel and teaching a seminar in the craft of writing (and selling) novels. But she has some strange ideas about someone watching her so she decides to find Hugo Marston and ask him for help. And as always when Hugo is the vicinity, the first body is discovered shortly. And it won't be the last one.

The story revolves around the hotel Sorbonne (thus the name of the novel) but our heroes spend very little time there - show more everyone is too busy chasing their shadows around the city and trying to find out who is killing people, using literary allusions and methods.

Meanwhile Tom Green is sure that the man that causes his and Hugo's careers in FBI to finish is back to haunt them. We had seen some glimpses of that story through the series but this is where we learn what really happened. I am happy that Pryor decided to write this part the way he did - without trying to make it a prequel or lengthening it in any way. He does not tell it linearly though - he reverses it and gives us a glimpse into what is happening every 15 minutes, starting from the end. And a story that should have been almost trivial is shown in slow motions, from the end to the beginning. And when that last part of the story (the one that is chronologically first) starts getting revealed and then crashes with an awful clarity, a lot of pieces click into place. And make you like both men even more - despite what happens.

And what about the murders around Helen? If you stop to think, you may know realize what happens a lot earlier than Hugo does. But even if you do not, the novel's slow actions and progress is a nice counterbalance to the backstory. And the final revelation is worth the wait.

And just like that, this is one of my favorite books in the series - the series was bound to bounce back after the previous book. Plus the Scottish Parisian cop is back (although cops in this series don't fare very well in the long run so we will see how that one goes). The fact that it was explicitly connected to the previous book and previous events also helps - all the backstory pays off. And then there is Paris - the other main character in the series - exquisite and timeless. show less

How could I be fooled by such an unprepossessing title!

This was anything but! Paris when the Germans marched in! (The Germans wore grey. She wore blue!) Inspector Henri Lefort had been in the French army in the first war, this time round he’s a French detective who’s been given a task by the Germans to find a killer in five days! No going to the place where the body was found (the louvre btw), and—a list of the suspects all neatly typed! What fresh hell is this? Solve a murder without show more investigating?
We go from a murder, to the saving of paintings from rapacious German hands, to the startling revelations of events that happened in the last war, and oh! more bodies littering the scene.
Told in the world weary tones of a gumshoe detective, or just someone disgusted by it all happening again, with nary a shot fired—as Paris rolled over. Small signs of rebellion are a score for all.
Indeed if this was a film Humphrey Bogart would not be out of place as the lead.
Still the ending was to die for! Oh, I’m sorry, someone did!
A clear eyed look at murder in times of war and the invading army from a somewhat Philip Kerr-ish perspective. I loved it.

A St. Martin’s Press ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher. show less

Heavy times

It’s 1940 and Paris is in the hands of the Boche. Inspector Henri Lefort is a policeman who’d fought in the first war and remembers the Germans well. They haven’t disappointed this time around. Still arrogant, demanding, bullying and terrifying.
Henri has been commandeered by the Gestapo to find a missing doctor. Not your usual sort of person to go missing. The doctor is found, run over by a train and disfigured beyond recognition.
Here’s the strange thing a second unrelated show more person has been found with similar injuries. Coincidence or design?
As well, his neighbour and fried, Princess Bonaparte is upset about French disabled children being seized from orphanages, supposedly to work in a munitions factory in Rennes.
All clues are pointing towards Rennes and Henri needs to discover what’s there. When he does he’s appalled. Now how to solve the problem of giving a report to the Nazis that won’t compromise him.
Based on brilliantly handled shocking truths, Henri Lefort looks like quickly joining the ranks of Philip Kerr’s Bernie Gunther—one of my favorite war time detectives.
Good cop meets immovable fanatic overlords is a great trope and this makes a resounding addition to like works. The noir feel is palpable and I loved it.

A Minotaur ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher. show less

Set in Paris, the year is 1940 and the Nazis have been in control of the city for a few short weeks. Long enough to be hated by many. Long enough to start the rape and pillage of Paris. Long enough that the better houses, buildings and apartments are being requisitioned. Long enough that the Louvre is closed and many of its treasures are being wrapped and being “repatriated” to Germany and Italy. Long enough that people are being rounded up and sent off to labor camps and worse.

This book show more was so close to perfect it was scary. A murder in a war - what could be more commonplace. But this murder is set within a crime, within a war, within what could be another murder if Inspector Henri Lefort doesn’t solve this particular case before the one week timeline set by Sturmbannfuhrer Ludwig Vogel - yep Henri Lefort could be facing the firing squad because a demented Nazi is on a supreme power trip.

In the course of investigating a robbery, which is also triple murder, at the home of psychoanalyst Princess Marie Bonaparte we are introduced to the woman who is going to delve into the backstory of “a glib sort of man”, Inspector Lefort. I love this guy even with his allergy to noises, a condition which is going to be called hyperphonia. He is bright, he is sarcastic, he is just about perfect, but don’t eat carrots or celery or anything that crunches in his presence.

This was such a satisfying book. Perfect in so many ways. Great story, great hook into the backstory, setting, dialog, emotions, descriptions all completely engaging. Thank you Minotaur and NetGalley for a copy. show less