Series Debut
The main character in Mark Pryor’s new series is Hugar Marson, the ex-head of security at the US embassy in Paris and FBI profiler. These are two excellent occupations to set Hugo up for his own sleuthing future, except he isn’t looking to be one. Instead, he is opening his own antiquarian bookshop in Paris and looking forward to living the small business owner’s life – a dream much easier said than done, as it turns out, because of his talent in the field as well as his own innate curiosity and need to solve a mystery once it has been presented to him.
Hugo’s ex employer has a strange blackmailing case involving an American citizen, and his own force is understaffed and cannot accommodate the emphatic citizen. This citizen is demanding someone from the US embassy be involved to protect him. Blackmail might not be tempting enough to convince Hugo to help, but the fact that it happened at one of the most exclusive and prestigious chocolate factories in Paris, is. Adding to that mix is a mysterious alias of The Shadow and an accusation of a dark secret amongst the dark chocolate, and Hugo finds himself more than willing to investigate alongside Lieutenant Camille Lerens.
Eclat de Chocolat is a chocolate factory housed in an old chateau from the 1700s, and was once where a nun named Sister Evangeline helped orphans during WWII. Things turn out to be a lot more mysterious and convoluted than Hugo expected, starting with a second blackmail note from The Shadow. While reeling from the chaos that created, a dead body also appears. To find the blackmailer of today Hugo must also look to the past and the history of Eclat de Chocolat and see what secrets are hiding beyond truffle fillings.
I recommend The Most Mysterious Bookshop in Paris for anyone who enjoys a cozy that has plenty of activity and a male protagonist. This cozy is very heavy on investigative procedure and detail, which I enjoyed. Mark Pryor writes in an interesting and engaging way. I would also say that this cozy will appeal to those who enjoy a strong historical element as well, as half the investigation in The Most Mysterious Bookshop in Paris is on the historical context and events of the chocolate factory itself. The author does a wonderful job of tying everything together, and I always love a very Poirot style reveal where the detective explains whodunnit and why. Given his excitement for his shop and zeal for books, I was a little sad that Hugo does not spend more time in his bookshop. However, it isn’t open just yet and they are working on setting it all up. I look forward to seeing how his antiquarian bookshop fares in beautiful Paris, and how Hugo manages to balance his old life with the new one he is trying to create for himself. – Carla Schantz