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    Murder on the Eiffel Tower: A Victor Legris Mystery
    Murder on the Eiffel Tower: A Victor Legris Mystery
    Murder on the Eiffel Tower: A Victor Legris Mystery
    Ebook306 pages4 hours

    Murder on the Eiffel Tower: A Victor Legris Mystery

    By Claude Izner

    3/5

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    About this ebook

    Murder on the Eiffel Tower is painstakingly researched, an effortless evocation of the glorious City of Light, and an exciting opening to a promising series featuring Victor Legris.

    The brand-new, shiny Eiffel Tower is the pride and glory of the 1889 World Exposition. But one sunny afternoon, as visitors are crowding the viewing platforms, a woman collapses and dies on this great Paris landmark. Can a bee sting really be the cause of death? Or is there a more sinister explanation?

    Enter young bookseller Victor Legris. Present on the tower at the time of the incident, and appalled by the media coverage of the occurrence, he is determined to find out what actually happened.

    In this dazzling evocation of late nineteenth-century Paris, we follow Victor as his investigation takes him all over the city and he suspects an ever-changing list of possible perpetrators. Could mysterious Kenji Mori, his surrogate father and business partner at the bookstore Legris operates, be involved in the crime? Why are beautiful Russian illustrator Tasha and her colleagues at the newly launched sensationalist newspaper Passepartout always up-to-date in their reporting? And what will Legris do when the deaths begin to multiply and he is caught in a race against time?

    Winner of the prestigious Michel Lebrun French Thriller Prize

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherMacmillan Publishers
    Release dateSep 15, 2009
    ISBN9781429953115
    Murder on the Eiffel Tower: A Victor Legris Mystery
    Author

    Claude Izner

    CLAUDE IZNER is the pseudonym of two sisters, Liliane Korb and Laurence Lefevre. Both are second-hand booksellers on the banks of the Seine and experts on nineteenth-century Paris.

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    Reviews for Murder on the Eiffel Tower

    3/5

    203 ratings45 reviews

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    • 3/5
      not a bad book but it made me miss paris!!!
    • 2/5
      I really wanted to like this. It was an interesting idea, were the victims murdered or did they die from bee stings. However none of the victims were given any time to develop so I didn't know them and didn't care about how they died and if they were murdered why, the characters that were given time to develop are unlikeable and I didn't care if they became victims or were the murderer.

      The best thing I can say about this book is that it is one more off the to be read pile.
    • 3/5
      I wish I could have read this book in French instead of Swedish, but I suspect it wouldn't have made much difference in the end. Not as far as my enjoyment of the book is concerned. I liked the setting: Paris in the late 19 century and the great Expo. The characters weren't likeable and the plot wasn't anything special, but still, historic and French - that helps. So I'll probably read the next book in the series, preferably in French, but I'll settle for a translation if that's more convenient. Just one thing about the title ("The Murder on the Eiffel Tower" and the Swedish equivalent). The translation doesn't do the original justice. ("The mystery of Rue Saint Pères") It has to be hinting at Edgar Allan Poe's The Murders in the Rue Morgue so the translation should have reflected that.
    • 4/5
      (Fiction, Mystery, Translated) This first in a series had the promising premise of an amateur sleuth in the person of 1889 Parisian bookseller Victor Legris. Legris investigates the deaths of several people, all apparently of bee stings, in connection with the newly opened Eiffel Tower.The historical facts are carefully researched and there are wonderful details of the literary world of the time, but the whole thing was just a little flat.Izner is the pseudonym of two sisters who are second hand booksellers in Paris. 3½ stars
    • 2/5
      Murder on the Eiffel Tower by Claude Izner - OK

      It's almost six weeks since I read this book & I've been puzzling about what to say about it for all that time. This is the first in a series of mystery (possibly 'cosy' genre) novels set in Fin de siècle Paris featuring Victor Legris, a bookseller, and his various family and friends. I picked it up because I'd read a positive review of the second in the series and seeing the first three in a charity shop, could not resist.

      Now I'm not too sure. The book didn't fire my imagination particularly. Not sure if it was a clunky translation, but it didn't flow that well. Still, nice little mystery - a variety of people are killed by a bee sting during the 1889 Universal Exposition, which gives a nice introduction to Paris & a colourful background. The mystery itself wasn't too difficult to solve, but there were one or two twists along the way.

      I think if I hadn't already picked up the next two & if the one I'd initially wanted to read wasn't the second, I wouldn't bother reading any more. As it is, I'll wait a while before reading the next one.
    • 3/5
      I wish I could have read this book in French instead of Swedish, but I suspect it wouldn't have made much difference in the end. Not as far as my enjoyment of the book is concerned. I liked the setting: Paris in the late 19 century and the great Expo. The characters weren't likeable and the plot wasn't anything special, but still, historic and French - that helps. So I'll probably read the next book in the series, preferably in French, but I'll settle for a translation if that's more convenient. Just one thing about the title ("The Murder on the Eiffel Tower" and the Swedish equivalent). The translation doesn't do the original justice. ("The mystery of Rue Saint P?res") It has to be hinting at Edgar Allan Poe's The Murders in the Rue Morgue so the translation should have reflected that.
    • 3/5
      The book is set in Paris in 1889 which was the setting for the World Expo at which what was then the world's tallest structure, the Eiffel Tower, was officially opened. A woman collapses and dies on one of the Tower's platforms and the official story is that she died of a bee sting. Even when other people die, also purportedly of bee stings, the Police do not appear to be taking much interest in the deaths. However, Victor Legris, a local bookseller, becomes convinced the deaths are more than coincidences and commences an investigation of sorts.

      The historical part of this historical crime fiction is fascinating. The book manages to depict the time beautifully, giving a real sense of the place and the people and the truly wondrous thing that the Tower and the associated Expo must have been at the time. There are references to the art movements centred in Paris at the time and numerous other facts that we associate with the city and it all has a very realistic feel. There are a couple of instances where I thought modern day sensibilities had been unrealistically ascribed to 19th Century Parisians but overall I thoroughly enjoyed losing myself in this setting.

      Unfortunately the crime part of the book wasn't nearly as riveting. The amateur sleuth, Victor Legris, doesn't really detect anything. He leaps from one misplaced conclusion to another and the ultimate resolution to the mystery was achieved more in spite of his actions than because of them. Not that there were a heck of a lot of clues pointing in the direction of the villain (I had guessed the culprit but it was the same kind of guesswork that Victor engaged in and not based on a single fact provided in the book). It felt to me as if the various 'acts' of the plot were used more to depict some aspect of the city or the Expo that the author wanted to highlight than to advance the plot with the result that the plot was weaker than it should have been.

      The characterisations in the book varied in their success. I never 'bought' Legris because he was far too willing to believe his friends to be guilty of murder and thought nothing of spying on them or going through their possessions. In addition he's ridiculously melodramatic and not terribly bright and I really can't see that kind of protagonist sustaining a series. His love interest, Tasha the struggling Russian artist, started out strongly but towards the end I found her a bit insipid and inconsistent with her earlier self. However some of the minor characters, including Joseph the bookseller's assistant and mystery aficionado, were far more engaging and credible.

      Claude Izner is the pseudonym for two French sisters who are modern Parisian booksellers with particular expertise in this time period so the historical aspect of this book is first rate. The whodunnit side of the book is less well developed but it's a fun read in spite of that.

    • 3/5
      This book is a splendid evocation of Paris during the Belle Époque, and Legris' frequent walks in various neighborhoods made me very happy indeed. The two women booksellers who write as Claude Izner bring their setting to life.The mystery is also a good one. By the time I pieced all the clues together, it was almost time for the reveal. The list of suspects is a long one and represents almost all the various social strata in the city, which gives the authors more opportunity to depict their beloved Paris. The one aspect of the book that I felt was lacking was the cast of characters. The only character in the entire book whom I felt had a real spark of life to him was Joseph, the assistant in Victor's bookshop. (While I'm on the subject of that bookshop, librarians and booksellers reading Murder on the Eiffel Tower will see that customers really haven't changed much from one century to another.) The main character, Victor Legris, is what I've always thought of as a boulevardier-- a man-about-town. He dresses well, he dines well, he has a mistress. Victor has many things and does many things (even deigning to work in his shop from time to time), but he still felt a bit two-dimensional, a bit reserved, as did everyone else. As much as I loved mentally walking the streets of Paris in the late nineteenth century while solving an enjoyable mystery, it's the stiffness of the characters that will make me hesitate to continue with this series.
    • 4/5
      This is the first book in a series featuring a bookseller who is compelled into seeking out a murderer. The name Claude Izner is in fact a pseudonym for a team of two sisters who have written several works, both together and separately, and who also happen to be book vendors, each with a kiosk on opposite sides of the Seine in Paris. The series begins with the Exposition Universelle of 1889 which was held to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the storming of the Bastille, one of the major events of the French Revolution. The focal point is the newly constructed Eiffel Tower, then referred to as the '300 meter tower' and the highest monument in the world, and the scene of what may or may not be the murder of a visitors. Just before the woman's death occurs, our hero, Victor Legris attends a dinner party at the Tower's restaurant to celebrate the launch of a newspaper to which he's invited as a potential literary contributor. He's immediately attracted to the paper's illustrator, Tasha, a Russian émigré who turns out to be an artist with an independent spirit and a protofeminist, though the 'F' word in never actually mentioned other than in the afterword. Legris has a business partner who also shares his apartment above the book store, a Japanese man called Kenji Mori, who we learn early on was involved in raising young Victor when the boy's father passed away. As the story progresses, Victor becomes entangled in what turns out to be a series of mysterious deaths by what seem to be killer bee stings, when a series of circumstances leads him to suspect a number of people—including both his mentor Kenji and his love interest Tasha—of being responsible for the killings. It took me a while to get into the story, though I can't be sure whether the writing was at fault or simply by virtue of the fact I read the book in the original French, which fittingly enough uses many Parisian French expressions, which for some reason took me a while to get used to here. Perhaps this is a sign I'm overdue for my next visit to the City of Light. However as I progressed, and the intrigue grew, I became more interested, and when I started also listening to the very French Le comte de Monte Cristo, delivered by a French narrator who immediately refreshed my ear and memory for the appropriate tone of the language, this issue became moot and I started really appreciating the book, though my initial difficulties are reflected in my rating. As one can expect, there are lots of references to literature, and French literature in particular, with some more obscure writers who are helpfully mentioned in a few annotations, but also lots of cameos of famous figures from the period, many of which had me looking up wikipedia entries to add to and stimulate my memory. In all, a good start to what promises to be an entertaining series, though I would venture to guess (and hope) that I'll get more enjoyment out of the sequels now that the main characters and stylistic approach are more familiar.
    • 3/5
      I enjoyed visiting turn-of-the-century Paris in Murder on the Eiffel Tower. I felt the motivation of the amateur sleuth was weak; I didn't understand why Victor Legris was so convinced that one of his friends had to be the killer. In the end I did feel the solution was logical, however. The setting and characters were interesting enough to make me want to check out the next book in the series, which I also enjoyed and I look forward to reading more.
    • 1/5
      I suspect we all pick up a book looking forward to what is going to happen. So normally around page 50 a reader will be getting twitchy if nothing much has happened. Get to the end of the book and it still seems like you're waiting for something to happen and it's a very frustrating experience. Set during the 1889 World Expo in Paris, the Eiffel Tower has just been officially opened and is a massive attraction. When a woman dies on one of the Tower's platforms, officially she died from a bee sting. As other people also die supposedly from bee stings, the police are not particularly interested, but Victor Legris, local bookseller and man about town type, is convinced that there is something sinister to these deaths.Part of the reason that the book seems to go nowhere is that very early on the reader will find themselves being dragged down all sorts of cul-de-sacs, and dead-end alleyways into some, albeit fascinating historical aspects. What the book does particularly well is give you a great sense of the place and time - with some of those cul-de-sacs quite interesting in their own right. If only they hadn't dragged the focus away from the main plot point just once too often.None of that meandering around was much helped by the investigation style of Legris. Which seemed to amount to a lot of leaping and posturing, and very little in the way of fact gathering - or disclosure to the reader for that matter. The other problem with the book was some seriously poor character development, particularly that of Legris and his love interest, Tasha the Russian artist. He was very flat, and strangely one-dimensional and I did wonder how much the background of the author (actually two Parisian bookselling sisters) informed their view of their central protagonist. Perhaps they were aiming for dramatic and interesting, but alas ended up with melodramatic and a bit silly. Tasha didn't fare much better, as if being an artist in 1880's Paris wasn't enough of a cliché, she was Russian, she started out with a bit of potential, but quickly faded to bland.I will dip into the next book in the series, as it's here, and first books are often not a good indicator of the potential of a series, but to be honest, I had to bribe myself with a chocolate for every 20 pages read to finish this one. I hope my doctor's not going to get all over-excited about my blood sugar levels after the next one.
    • 3/5
      This mystery would appeal to Francophiles and readers who enjoy detailed historical settings. The mystery was enjoyable, but not exceptional.
    • 2/5
      Yawn, I don't even care how it ends.
    • 5/5
      *Parisian Puzzle*What a delightful romp through 19th century Paris! Murder on the Eiffel Tower is the first in a series that shows much promise for many enjoyable future reads. Although this is a debut in the USA, two other installments have already been published in France, waiting for translation. The setting is late 1800s Paris at the time of the Worlds' Exhibition which dazzles the local Parisians with it's many marvels and wonders from around the world. At the same time we have the unveiling of the famous Eiffel Tower, both events showcasing a variety of mysterious murders thought to be caused by bee stings. To unravel these cryptic and unusual deaths comes young Victor Legris, a local Antiquarian bookseller caught up in the melee and who soon suspects his own business partner may be the murderer. The novel offers great character development, good plots with twists and turns, great historical backdrop and plenty of action and intrique to keep the reader turning the pages. Not being able to put this wonderful book down, I found it a breath of fresh air and a pure delight to read. I eagerly await book two and three which I have already ordered UK copies of. I simply cant' wait another year or more for US translations to get here. Dont' miss this sparkling debut. It's fun, it's different and darn good simple old fashioned murder mystery.
    • 3/5
      The Eiffel Tower has just opened and thousands of Parisians and other tourists are crowding the upper level to get a glimpse of Paris and sign "The Golden Book" to become a part of history. One visitor is Eugenie Patinot and her niece and two nephews. Eugenie is hot, tired, and agitated, but she feels she must earn her keep while living with her sister by taking care of the children for the day. While resting on a bench she suddenly feels a sting on her neck. She falls to the ground and, within minutes, she is dead.So begins 'Murder on the Eiffel Tower". The historical aspects of the novel ring true, however, as a 'whodunnit', it fails on a couple of levels. For instance, within the first 16 pages we are introduced to no less than 14 different characters, five of whom work at a newspaper whose editor is trying to entice Victor Legris into writing for them. That many characters is confusing, especially since they all return at different points in the book as suspects and/or witnesses. And if that wasn't enough, we are introduced to at least a dozen or so more who just manage to muddy up the story, provoke Victor's raging jealousy, and/or end up dead.Victor Legris, a bookseller and amateur writer and sleuth, begins to see a pattern in the "bee sting" deaths of Euguenie and others, but can't put all the pieces together. Perhaps he is too busy trying to figure out how to get Tasha, a member of the newspaper staff, into bed. He makes himself ill chasing down one "clue" after another, but none of them make sense. It's not until the middle of the book that we begin to discover what these clues are and who they pertain to, but by this time there is so much else going on that it may not matter. The motive for the murders is explained in a posthumous confession, but it seems to be mostly feeble and senseless. The characters are barely on the verge of being interesting themselves. What really shines here is the city of Paris itself. The "author" (really two sisters who own a bookshop and are 'experts' on 19th century Paris) do a wonderful job of describing the times and cityscape. The translator has also done a wonderful job because it is a very easy read and not the usual stilted language often found in translations. Too bad the crime, perpetrator, suspects, and sleuths don't rise to the same level.
    • 4/5
      This was a quite charming historical mystery novel. At times the prose was wandering, but always delivered delightful observations about Paris just prior to the turn of the century.
    • 3/5
      I was excited to read this book because I am an avid fan of historical mysteries AND the amateur sleuth in the novel, Victor Legris, was a Parisian bookseller. What an unbeatable combo for any bibliophile!Set in the glittering world of 19th-century Paris, the author effortlessly whisks readers to the vividly painted world of the City of Light during the 1889 World Exposition, a heady event commemorating the 100th anniversary of the storming of the Bastille, which dazzles visitors with its many wonders from around the globe and whose highlight was the sensational unveiling of the then-tallest structure in the world: the Eiffel Tower. And it’s at the Eiffel Tower that a string of seemingly unrelated deaths occur that compel bookseller and amateur sleuth Victor Legris to investigate what he believes is actually murder. Thus begins an engaging romp around turn-of-the century Paris in pursuit of the truth. “Murder at the Eiffel Tower” best aspects were how it transported me takes to the streets and homes of fin de siècle Paris as well as serving up a host of tasty tidbits about the art and book world of the time. FYI, Claude Izner is actually the pen name for two French sisters who are modern-day booksellers in Paris who are touted to have expertise in this time period, thus the reason why this historical whodunit has such well-researched period details that are so spot-on and pitch perfect. You will also especially like this book if you are a fan of French architecture. The actual mystery aspect of this volume seemed, to me, less masterful and many of of the characters, especially the secondary ones, felt less than fully fleshed out. However, the author does hold potential: I did enjoy the story and would check out another book by this author (especially as this book launches an 8-book series featuring Victor Legris) to see how “they” are developing their craft.
    • 1/5
      Normally, I like mysteries. This one, however, couldn't hold my interest at all. I couldn't even finish it. The characters didn't "come alive" for me and the plot was only minimally interesting.
    • 3/5
      This was a fun, enjoyable read. I had a some trouble understanding- or justifying some of the main character's actions- but overall, a this was a good mystery, and would make for a pleasant summer afternoon in the park or at the beach.
    • 3/5
      Murder on the Eiffel Tower is a historical mystery set in Paris 1889 and is the first in a series featuring Parisian bookseller, Victor Legris. The Eiffel Tower has just opened during the World Exposition, and Legris finds himself in the midst of a series of mysterious deaths apparently caused by bee stings. The four victims do not appear to be connected and the deaths seem random, but Legris is intrigued by the oddness of the deaths and decides to investigate. As he looks more deeply into the matter, it becomes obvious that there is a serial killer on the loose and, unfortunately, Legris suspects his business partner and closest friend. The plot weaves in and out of the rather atmospheric setting as Legris pursues the murderer.The historical backdrop of the 1889 World Exposition and 19th century period detail were, to me, the star attractions of the book. I was particularly fascinated by descriptions of 19th century French architecture. Legris was annoyingly dense as he repeatedly missed obvious clues that would identify the serial killer, and the other characters were rather poorly developed and not terribly memorable. The book was translated from the French and the writing seemed stilted at times. Perhaps the translation had something to do with my lack of enthusiasm.Murder on the Eiffel Tower was, overall, a quick and enjoyable read that will appeal to those interested in the setting, but I did not find it compelling enough to pursue the series.
    • 1/5
      It is very rare that a historical novel or mystery doesn't capture enough of my attention to keep me reading, but this was such a book. I gave the book forty-five pages before I put it aside. I may try it again someday, but not any time soon.
    • 2/5
      The setting is the 1889 World Exposition in Paris. A series of deaths occurs in which the victims appear to have been stung by a bee. Did they really have that many killer bees or was it murder? Bookseller Victor Legris sets out to investigate. Legris is not a very likeable sleuth. He doesn't always finish what he sets out to do before going off on another tangent. Other characters seem to have a better handle on the situation than he does. He didn't even seem to have the motive determined (although others did). I was disappointed that a book with such a unique setting had such a weak sleuth. Although I'm sure the mystery suffered some in its translation from the French, it could not have suffered this much.
    • 3/5
      Well, anyone who can't wait to delve into a mystery and loves all things Parisian will salivate in anticipation of opening this book cover. I am one of those people. No one can pass this book by with the title being Murder on the Eiffel Tower, and the author being a pseudonym for two sisters who are second hand book sellers on the banks of the Seine (plus experts on 19th century Paris). There is nothing left to do but pour a glass of wine and begin to savor the tale. Victor Legris is the amateur sleuth and a bookseller. By happenstance he is presented with a set of coincidences and acquaintances that lure him to explore explanations for the deaths centered around the World Expo of 1889. However, I found Victor needed some flushing out. He and the other characters seemed a bit disjointed, just like their actions, with not much access to their psyches. As I read, I kept visualizing the scenes as being in a comic strip and their thoughts limited to what can be contained in a bubble over their heads. Interesting historical facts, book knowledge, Parisian references and wonderful character ideas were so evident but it all seemed to be tossed about - like too many ingredients in a salad and no handle on flavor.I will read the next in the series in anticipation of growing depth and cohesion because I love mysteries and Paris and the protagonist being a bookseller.
    • 4/5
      I'm definitely looking forward to more translations of "Claude Izner", given how much I enjoyed this.
    • 3/5
      I was first attracted to the lurid title 'Murder on the Eiffel Tower', ala Agatha Christy, and indeed, the book reads a little like her mysteries. I found that I had to go back and reread parts because I felt they contained clues and knew that I had to start reading more carefully. Sometimes they did and sometimes they didn't. It was a good mystery with a good cast of characters that I found interesting without feeling contrived. I did think the ending was a little weak however, since there were no clues in that direction. I did like the protagonist Victor very much and also found myself being seduced by Tasha! I think the character I liked the most was JoJo the shop clerk. I do hope, and think, that this will be a successful Mystery Series.I must say, that one reason that I liked the book is that one of my interests is World Fairs and Expositions. I have a number of books printed during the Pan-Pacific Expo in 1915 in San Francisco and a few on the Chicago Worlds Fair of 1893. Of course, the fair in Chicago was going to show up the French, with the Ferris Wheel being the answer to the Eiffel Tower. I had read a little about the French Exposition and thought that Claude did an excellent job in describing the Fair and Paris of 1889. I felt them coming alive without being put through a history lesson. One of my great passions is the wonderful painting of Madame X by John Singer Sargent, and I can just picture Madame Gautreau as she visits the Exposition and ascends the Tower with her admirers in tow.Lastly I must comment on the author Monsieur Izner. I cracked up when I read on the back cover that Claude is really two sisters who own a bookstore in Paris. I had a mental picture of two little old ladies in the rear of a dusty bookstore inventing these characters over a cup of tea. I realize that this is probably far from the truth. I enjoyed their work and thought they did an excellent job portraying this period. I liked that they included artists, authors and other prominent people from the period. Also, I think kudos should go to Isabel Reid for an excellent translation. Well told for this American ear. Looking forward to the next installment of Victor Legris. I'm sure that Kenji and JoJo will be there, but what about Tasha...
    • 2/5
      I received this book through the Early Reviewers program. The plot sounded interesting, and f I told you the ending, it definitely would seem like a recipe for a great mystery. Unfortunately, for the most part, it just doesn't work. The characters weren't that interesting, and the story was at times hard to follow. It's possible something was lost in the translation, but I'm not sure.There were some bright spots in the book, such as the description of the World Exposition which was fascinating. There's promise in the series, and it's possible that future Victor Legris books could be worth a read.
    • 3/5
      Murder on the Eiffel Tower was written by 2 sisters who are second-hand booksellers in Paris & are experts on 19th century Paris. The story is set at the time of the opening of the Eiffel Tower, and all the exhibitions and fairs that accompanied it. The book feels like a nice recreation of late 19th century Paris.In the story there are several mysterious deaths. A young man who is a partner in a bookshop worries that his father-figure/business partner is involved, and then he worries that his new love interest is involved. The book follows his trail through the mystery of the murders.The book was translated and published in Fall 2008 by St. Martin's press. This review is written as part of LibraryThing's early reviewer program.The book is well-written and I think it is well-translated. The style is distinctive and elegant, and pleasant to read. Unfortunately, the story is not very good. The action didn't make sense, and I lost sympathy with the main character because he was such a dope. Both he & his father figure/business partner didn't seem to know each other or trust each other, even though they were supposed to be have a long-term close relationship. And when he started suspecting his new girlfriend it made even less sense. The end was unmotivated and illogical.
    • 2/5
      One measure of a murder mystery is whether the reader can guess who the murderer is before the author reveals the truth and explains the facts. By that measure, this mystery worked for me. Misdirection fooled me, but apparently it didn’t fool other reviewers.Some of the pleasure of historical murder mysteries lies in the historical background and the sense of place. Brother Cadfael in Shrewsbury in the 12th Century or Marcus Didius Falco in Rome in the 1st Century is appealing because the reader knows the time and place, with background and details being supplied by the authors. If the reader doesn’t know the background, there is always Wikipedia to supply information. In this book, set in the late 19th Century in Paris, there are references to Frenchmen that I have never heard of, like General Boulanger, and artists that almost everyone knows, like Van Gogh. There are plenty of famous French authors, too, since the protagonist and his partner are booksellers, plus some obscure ones. There is a lot of grist for the search engine mill, for those readers who really want to know. Perhaps because I know far more British or ancient Roman history than French history of this period, I didn’t put much effort into learning more.For me, there are more appealing murder mysteries than this one, although maybe subsequent books in the series will be better than the first one. The translation could be better, too. Too much was left in French, and some British words were obscure to me, even though I read a lot of British fiction. Historical mystery readers might well look elsewhere for more enjoyable books.
    • 3/5
      I have to say that the concept of the book was a good one. This story had all of the makings for a good historical mystery except a mastery of the English language. There were so many times that the original French terms were retained that it completely distracted from the story. I would often find myself flipping back several pages to see who was talking and what they were talking about. It was a struggle to finish the book because I could never completely lose myself in the story. I found all of the historical details to be fascinating and was delighted by the way they were woven into the story. If read French and are looking for a good suspense novel with good character development and great historical detail then this book is for you - if not, I would not recommend it.
    • 2/5
      Boy I wish I could read French - the original language this book was written in. I'd bet it was much better than the English translation.I was really looking forward to a mystery set in Paris in the late 19th century as I'm usually reading mysteries about England in the same era. Unfortunately I found everything about this book flat -- the story, the plot, and all of the characters. I had great difficulty finishing the book...oh who am I kidding... I couldn't get past page 200.

    Book preview

    Murder on the Eiffel Tower - Claude Izner

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