Aimée Leduc has always had a busy, complicated life as aprivate investigator. But, this time, in Cara Black’s seventeenth book in the series, Murder in Saint-Germain, she has a complication she can’t ignore. It’s
not so easy to walk away from an eight-month-old baby when you’re a single
mother with a business that involves long hours and unexpected dangers.
Aimée is trying. She’s working on what should be an ordinary
computer security job at the École de Beaux-Arts. But, a professor there has an
urgent request and pays her under the table to check an email account. She
knows her business partner, René, is going to be angry. Then she puts herself
in danger when a friend calls in a favor. Suzanne has been delegated to a desk
job after returning from Yugoslavia where she was hunting war criminals. But,
she swears she saw a monster, a Serb who should be dead. And, she asks Aimée to
look for him. It sounds as if it will be a simple task to watch video. It isn’t
long, though, until members of Suzanne’s old team are showing up dead, and Aimée
puts herself on the police radar. That’s not a good place for a single mother
whose babysitter is on vacation.
computer security job at the École de Beaux-Arts. But, a professor there has an
urgent request and pays her under the table to check an email account. She
knows her business partner, René, is going to be angry. Then she puts herself
in danger when a friend calls in a favor. Suzanne has been delegated to a desk
job after returning from Yugoslavia where she was hunting war criminals. But,
she swears she saw a monster, a Serb who should be dead. And, she asks Aimée to
look for him. It sounds as if it will be a simple task to watch video. It isn’t
long, though, until members of Suzanne’s old team are showing up dead, and Aimée
puts herself on the police radar. That’s not a good place for a single mother
whose babysitter is on vacation.
It’s always fascinating to catch up with the history and
politics in France through Aimée Leduc’s investigations in the 1990s. Readers
can walk the streets of Paris, and see the city through Aimée’s eyes. But, it’s
the personal details of Aimée’s life, the complications, that draw many readers
back. She’s struggling with her life as a single mother, her relationship with
the father. And, she’s struggling with her own feelings following the shooting
of her godfather, Morbier. There’s guilt, anger, self-pity, a feeling of loss.
politics in France through Aimée Leduc’s investigations in the 1990s. Readers
can walk the streets of Paris, and see the city through Aimée’s eyes. But, it’s
the personal details of Aimée’s life, the complications, that draw many readers
back. She’s struggling with her life as a single mother, her relationship with
the father. And, she’s struggling with her own feelings following the shooting
of her godfather, Morbier. There’s guilt, anger, self-pity, a feeling of loss.
Whether you read Black’s books for Aimée Leduc’s adventures,
Paris, or her personal life, or a combination of all three, the non-stop action
in Murder in Saint-Germain will not disappoint.
Paris, or her personal life, or a combination of all three, the non-stop action
in Murder in Saint-Germain will not disappoint.
Cara Black’s website is www.carablack.com
Murder in Saint-Germain by Cara Black. Soho Press. 2017. ISBN 9781616957704 (hardcover), 336p.
*****
FTC Full Disclosure – I received the book to review for a journal.
Lesa, I love reading the Aimee Leduc books for all 3 reasons you mention. It is great to virtually travel with her to the different Paris neighbourhoods. Now that Aimee is a mother, it is interesting to see how she juggles both her personal and professional lives. And the continuing struggles Aimee has with unresolved issues involving her late father, mother and godfather Morbier makes her a very interesting protagonist. Looking forward to visiting the Saint-Germain area with this book.
I keep thinking I need to go back and catch up with this series, but there are so many others… .
I know, Jeff. And, I see there's a new Steven Havill Posadas County book coming out 11/7! So many favorites.
Grace, I need to go back and read about some of those neighborhoods. Time! I need time!
Lesa: Yes, re-reading some of Cara's books is a good way to prepare for your Paris trip. I got hooked from book 1 since I had just come back from my Paris vacation in the same Marais neughbourhood.
Time! I need more time, Grace.