From the acclaimed author of The Pale Blue Eye, this literary thriller features Eugène Vidocq, a criminal who transformed himself into the world’s first and greatest detective.
After the execution of Marie Antoinette and King Louis XVI and the death of their son, the Dauphin, the Bourbon monarchy has at last been restored. Dr. Hector Carpentier leads a very quiet life, until he meets legendary police officer Vidocq, who has used his mastery of disguise and surveillance and his extensive knowledge of the Parisian underworld to capture some of the most notorious and elusive criminals. Now, with the help of Carpentier, Vidocq may prove that the Dauphin lives, which could change the course of history.
Bayard's ably written historical whodunit fills in the blanks of a timeless mystery that history itself chose to leave obscure. The novel is a brilliant example of the genre, spun from the century-old rumors that the young son of the doomed Marie Antoinette and King Louis XVI avoided their fate. Simon Vance intuitively understands the fun of this enterprise and attacks the narration with a headlong relish, voicing a cavalcade of characters from all strata of nineteenth-century Paris--from duchesses and marquis to thieves and prostitutes. Best of all is his portrayal of the fearsome Eugene Vidocq, the relentless, streetwise detective whose investigation of one murder leads to his determined pursuit into the fate of the young dauphin. M.O. (c) AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine
Publishers Weekly (starred review)...
"A compelling and sympathetic narrator instantly draws the reader into Bayard’s stellar third historical...Bayard keeps the reader guessing until the end...Few writers today can match the author’s skill in devising an intelligent thriller with heart."
About the Author
LOUIS BAYARD is a critically acclaimed novelist, reviewer, and journalist who has written for the New York Times, Washington Post, Salon.com, Ms., Nerve.com, and the Washington, D.C., City Paper. He is the author of The Pale Blue Eye and of Mr. Timothy, a New York Times Notable Book and one of People magazine's ten best books of 2003. He lives in Washington, D.C., with his partner and two sons.
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