THE DEVIL IN MONTMARTRE
Gary Inbinder
2014
Pegasus Books
I love historicals. THE DEVIL IN MONTMARTRE, set in 1889, takes place in a period in time in which the world was changing quickly. Morals were seemingly staid, but places like the Moulin Rouge thrived and Paris, where this novel takes place, was inhabited by many artists now famed for more than a century.
Inspector Achille Lefebvre is working a horrific murder of an artist’s model and Can-Can dancer from the Moulin Rouge. Her mutilated body was found in the sewers beneath Paris. The crime is the stuff of nightmares and speculation begins that maybe Jack The Ripper has come to France.
Using what at the time were new and unproven techniques to work the crime, Inspector Achille Lefebvre works his way through the crime and a number of very promising suspects. But he must act fast as Paris is hosting the 1989 Universal Exposition and another murder could ruin the event.
This is a classic mystery and like other great mysteries set in this time the use of fledgling forensics is both interesting and even exciting. Inbinder weaves a superb tale. Indications are that this is the first in a series; I certainly hope so as I would love to read more adventures with Inspector Lefebvre. I always wished Caleb Carr had written more in his ALIENIST series. Well, I have found my replacement.
Jon
