Previously, I had read books 1, 2, and 4 of the Aimée Leduc mysteries set in Paris. Although it is not necessary to read the books in sequence, I found it confusing to read book 4 before I read book 3. Now that I’ve read Cara Black’s Murder in the Sentier (book 3), I feel less confused about Aimée’s life and career. The story is set in the summer of 1994.
Aimée’s father was a Paris police officer who retired and took over his father’s private detective agency. After she left the Paris police, Aimée joined him in the family business. In book 3, she learns some crucial, distressing information regarding her family.
In the earlier books, Aimée has had an on again/off again romance. . . Aimée never seems to pick the right guy. In this story she thinks she might have finally found Mr. Right, a member of the Paris Bourse (stock exchange).
As always, Aimée and her partner René are facing financial problems in the detective agency that specializes in cyber security. A prospective client whose father was a successful writer and, according to the police, had recently committed suicide approaches her. The son does not believe it was suicide so he hires Aimée to investigate. As Aimée tries to solve this case much of her mother’s past comes to light. It’s not a happy time for Leduc.
And, as always in Cara Black’s books, this story was a page-turner. Each of Black’s stories is set in different Paris neighborhoods. You get a real flavor of each area (called arrondisements). I wish I had discovered the Aimée Leduc mysteries before I had visited Paris. I highly recommend these books.
GO! BUY! READ!
—Jim Harris, retired book sales rep
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