Reviewer: Amy Lignor
Title: For the King
Author: Catherine Delors
Publisher: Dutton
ISBN-13: 978-0-525-95174-2
Release Date: July 2010
Genre/Sub-genre: Historical Fiction
Year/Setting: 1800's/Paris
Overall Rating: 4.0
Sexual Content Rating: Subtle/Sensual
Language (Profanity/Slang) Content Rating: None/Mild
Violent Content Rating: Moderate/Extreme (Historical/Factual)
Catherine's Website/Blog: www.catherinedelors.com
Dear Readers:
It is the eve of Christmas, 1800, on the Rue Nicais. The lights of the Palace of the Tuileries are dim to passersby because of the heavy fog that fills the air like the smoke from a five-alarm fire burning out of control. The doors along the Rue Nicaise are wide open - every shop, every home, leaves their entryway uncluttered in the evening to watch the carriage of Napoleon race by, pulled by his six white horses. The Revolution is over; the King is dead; and, General Bonaparte has taken control. I'm paraphrasing here, guys and gals, but I wanted to begin the review like this, because the amount of creativity and gorgeous writing that went into the scenery and setup of each scene in this book is absolutelyy outstanding. We see in our mind's eye exactly what it looked like way back when, on the night that three men came together to assassinate the General so they could bring back King, God, and France. As everyone who is an avid reader of history knows, the assassination attempt, of course, didn't work. The General made it to the opera that evening and began his search for the men who wished to do him in.
Our main character in this brilliantly-done historical work is Chief Inspector Roch Miquel. He is sitting that evening with his father, who owns a tavern in town, having dinner with his dad, his dad's best friend, and Alexandrine - the woman who is father is desperate for his son to marry. When the blast shakes the very ground under his feet, Roch flees the table and walks down the Rue Nicaise to witness the destruction and loss of life. He immediately, with his partner, begins to uncover pieces of the mystery, and bodies that will lead him to the criminal minds behind all the destruction.
Not only does Roch have to do his job and do it well, he also has to deal with two men who are vying for power and glory under the General's reign. The first is the Minister of Police named, Fouche'. He was a man who believed in King and Country, yet changed sides the minute Bonaparte was sure to win. He is also the man who pays Josephine, the General's famous wife, 100 francs a day to tell him all the gossip and information that goes on inside the palace. The other man is the Prefecture who wants to rid the Paris world of men like Roch and and Fouche'. Each man in charge of the military and police is given a very short amount of time to prove which faction is the one who sought to assassinate the General.
Fouche' soon uses Roch's father to make him look in the right places and work faster. He tells Roch that he will deport his father in one month from the country, so he'd better get to work. On top of all that, Roch's mistress, Blanche, is an undercover spy trying with all her might to keep her own world together - even if it means bringing Roch's down around his ears.
For any Parisian history buff, this is a fantastic novel. And for anyone who likes mysteries, Roch is definitely the French Sherlock Holmes, as he digs through the garbage-riddled Seine, and uncovers all the clues in order to find who he's after in time to save his father. But, as I said at the beginning of this review, what the greatest thing is about this story is the creative setup of locations and scenes. The morning after the attack is when you smell the bread in all the bakeries turning golden-brown in the ovens, and spot the prostitutes racing back to their garrets, with their smeared rouge and their lips swollen from too many ardent kisses... Not only is this historical and a very well-written mystery, the creative writing is what will make you turn the pages quicker in order to immerse yourself even deeper in the world of 1800's Paris. Enjoy!
Until next time, Amy
Question or comment regarding the review or the book? Click here and let Amy know.
Top
Reviews
Featured Reviews
Archived Reviews