For the King by Catherine Delors
Trade Paperback, 352 pages
NAL
ISBN: 978-0451233301
July 5, 2011
"The Reign of Terror has ended six years earlier, and Napoléon Bonaparte has seized power, but shifting political loyalties still tear apart families and lovers.
On the surface For the King tells the story of the investigation into the attack on Napoleon Bonaparte, but deep down it tells a tale about the politics of Paris after the Revolution. There was constant speculation as to who had carried out the bombing and which side was to blame. There were also the internal political games that were played within the police department – who owed a favor to who and what they could hold over the heads of someone to make them do what they want. The political aspect was very interesting to me because I had not read anything set during the reign of Napoleon and really didn’t have much knowledge of the period either.On Christmas Eve 1800, a bomb explores along Bonaparte’s route, narrowly missing him but striking dozens of bystanders. Chief Inspector Roch Miquel, a young policeman with a bright future and a beautiful mistress, must arrest the assassins before they attack again.For the King takes readers through the dark alleys and glittering salons of post-revolutionary Paris. It is a romantic thriller, a tale of love, betrayal and redemption”.
Complicating Miquel’s investigation are the maneuverings of his superior, the redoubtable Fouché, the indiscretions of his own father, a former Jacobin, and two intriguing women.
I did enjoy how this was similar to a police procedural. I always enjoy watching these types of shows on t.v. and I was a criminal justice major in college, which made it that much more interesting to me. I had not really thought about how crimes were investigated in the past – especially with the limited technology that was available at that time. I would classify this as more of a procedural rather than a mystery because you get to see the perspective of both the bad guys and the good guys. The reader is aware of who the perpetrators are and their motives, while the police are out of the loop – you are able to watch the investigation start to come together while knowing what is going on. That isn’t to say that there are not some secrets kept from the reader and twists along the way.
My complaint with this book comes with the ending. While I really liked the main character, Roch, I didn’t really feel connected enough with the other characters to really care what happened with them in the ending. I also felt that the ending was a little abrupt. As a whole bunch of things happened, it then just ended – I would have liked to have a little bit more in the end.
3.5 out of 5 stars
And now for the giveaway - I have two copies of the newly release trade paperback up for grabs to US residents. Just fill out the form below to enter. The book will be shipped out by the publisher. The last day to enter is July 22, 2011.
Copyright © 2011 by The Maiden’s Court
I loved this book and sadly got talked into giving away my hardcover. I was really quite struck by the procedural/CSI aspect of the novel, which was new to me for a historical read. Really enjoyable (altho I'm wracking my brain to see if I can remember the ending and if I was disappointed or not!).
ReplyDeleteI've filled out the form. Thanks for the chance to win a copy - it's been on my wish list!
ReplyDeleteAudra - I too enjoyed the procedural aspect of it, especially in the historical setting and it felt real and not out of place for the time. The ending was just too abrupt for me - and the author said it was because she had to cut a lot out of the book for length reasons.
ReplyDeleteGwendolyn - Good luck!
Thank you for the giveaway! I've been wanting to read this one. =O)
ReplyDelete