Absolutely epic. ( )

An absolute masterpiece, up there with the best books I have ever read. I've never read an 800+ page book that maintained interest on every page from start to finish, even while the story plunges back and forth over 400 years. While this can be considered the third book in the series about Montreal Detective Emile Cinq-Mars, it is more a sprawling history of Montreal. It takes its starting point from two murders committed on the night of the Rocket Richard riots in 1955, when a police informant is killed while stealing the legendary (and fictional) Cartier dagger. Montreal police detective Armand Touton takes it as a lifetime quest to solve the murder, and Cinq-Mars doesn't even appear in the book until about 1968 when Touton passes the still unsolved case on to him. Parts of the book are straight historical narrative, only lightly fictionalized, and parts of pure fantasy Farrow depicts the dirty goings-on of Quebec politics in the 1950s and 1960s--separatist and otherwise. I'm sure if all of these people weren't dead now, there could have been some libel suits. Farrow, like Cinq-Mars, is clearly a believer in a united Canada, and his portrayal of the separatists, including the kidnapers and accomplices to murder among them, is biting, but not without a bit of sympathy. This is one of those books where it feels like the author had an awful lot to say and didn't stop until he was done. But Farrow is such a good writer that interest never flags. You'll find yourself looking up a lot of these events on Wikipedia, and you'll be amazed at how Farrow wove fact and fiction into such a compelling whole.

This is a very different book from the first two in the series--City of Ice and Ice Lake--but it tops both in terms of an engrossing story, unforgettable characters, and a very satisfying ending. Certainly, this one could be read out of order. Knowing the type of cop Cinq-Mars is to become may provide a bit of additional pleasure when watching his young self, but it isn't essential. On the other hand, after reading the first three in the series (and just ordering the next 3 - the Story Murders Trilogy), this is perhaps the best crime series I have ever read. So why not start at the beginning? ( )

This is a sweeping novel set in Quebec. It is set in the New World's earliest days, with Cartier and Champlain traveling to Quebec and establishing settlements there. And, it is set in 1955-1971 with Montreal police trying to solve a murder. The murder weapon is the "Cartier Dagger", which we see passed on from hand to hand starting in the 1500s. The story is full of real people, including Jeanne Mance, Pierre Trudeau, Rene Levesque and others.

John Farrow has written a great story, part historical novel, part political intrigue and part mystery with strong characters. The riot over the suspension of Rocket Richard in 1955, the FLQ crisis, Trudeaumania all figure in this story which is also about friendship, family and duty. A really great read. ( )