I usually like Mark Pryor's books but this was not one of them.

Thank you Tantor Audio and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this!

I loved the setting and time period for this novel, but I didn’t really care for the main character. A solid 3 stars for this story.

Everything about this book sparked my interest. A mystery, a series, historical fiction set around World War II timeframe.
As this is the first book in the series, I enjoyed learning about the main character’s history.
The revelation of who he really is In regards to this story…, it would be a spoiler alert, so I won’t tell you, but, That made me smile. Because I know a revelation like that, lends itself to future storylines, hopefully.
The way that the author incorporated famous figures such as Pablo Picasso into the story was quite neat, I look forward to who will be featured in the next book.

I am not a history aficionado, so I cannot speak to the accuracy, or inaccuracies, of time frames, social norms, nor to the events of actual historical activities. However, I enjoy hearing fictional stories about the World War II era.
I enjoyed this story. I looked forward to being able to get back to it, after I’ve had to put it down.
I enjoyed the “happy“ ending of the story lines… Each reader will have to decide for themselves if they considered a happy ending or not.
I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me the chance to enjoy this book, Die Around Sundown, by author Mark Pryor

Thank you, NetGalley, for an audio-ARC of Die Around Sundown by Mark Pryor, narrated by P.J. Ochlan.
Die Around Sundown was a fast-paced mystery with a historical context. Set in Paris during WW2, Pryor delves into art theft and fraud. Adding in real people like Pablo Picasso creates emphasis for the story. P.J. Ochlan's narration was a good match with the story and characters.

Just when I think I don't want any more historical mysteries set in this time period, along comes the first in a new series that proves me wrong. This reminds me of other recent historical series, where the setting etc. are historical but the telling of the story and to some extent the characters feel more modern. I liked the twisty-turniness of the plot and am interested to read the next in the series. I think the audio performance enhanced my enjoyment of the book.

I discovered Mark Pryor when I won a copy of The French Widow from a giveaway and I fell in love with his intelligent writing style. He imbues his characters with so much life and quirky eccentricities that you can't help but be drawn into their world. This book was no exception and I thoroughly enjoyed being swept away by this novel and captivated from beginning to end. The narration was fantastic and really brought the story to life.

This audio wasn't for me. I have a copy of it also on my kindle and I'm going to retry there. Sometimes I just don't gel with a narrator.

Although this type of historical mystery seemed the right fit for me as a reader, I unfortunately had to end my reading around the 25% mark. I found the main character to be so cocky and unlikable.

The audio was ok. I did like that the narrator used accents to decipher who was speaking. But I just did not like the attitude of the main character and felt like the narrator added to that.

Inspector Henri Lefort has been ordered to solve a murder within 5 days or the Germans will make him pay. It is a race against time and it is almost an impossible task. But, as he starts to investigate, Henri begins to unravel lie upon lie!

At first I was not sure I was going to enjoy this novel. But, once I got invested in Henri’s character, I was hooked. Henri has had some tragedies in his past and he is very practical. I enjoyed his deductions and how he seems unfazed at the pressure of time he is under. He absolutely made this novel for me.

There is also a big ole twist towards the end. And it was not one I saw coming or expected. So…GET READY!

P.J. Ochlan is so matter of fact. He fit the character Henri so well! I just loved his narration.

Need a good mystery with a big twist…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

This book was awesome and I can't wait for more! I do love a good WWII spy/resistance thriller and this book did not disappoint me! I am off to find more books by this author!

#DieAroundSundown
#NetGalley

Set during WWII in occupied France, this historical murder/mystery is the first book in a series that I’m looking forward to reading.
Inspector Henri Lefort is a likable French detective who has been charged with finding the suspect responsible for the murder of a German officer in the Louvre. The only problem is that he has been refused access to the crime scene and the body has been moved to the police station without him seeing where it all took place. Hmmmm, something very fishy here and this is part of the fun of figuring out this mystery.

There is a backstory which involves Henri’s family history and his military service during WWI that makes this story even more mysterious.

The narration of this audiobook by P.J. Ochlan was superb. Easy voice to listen to, chapters were announced, characters were well developed through intonations. Hopefully he will narrate future books in the series.

My thanks to #NetGalley and Tantor Audio for the arc of Die Around Sundown. This opinion is my own.

Let me start with, I don't normally enjoy a lot of historical fiction, especially world war II historical fiction. But the plot to this sounded intriguing enough that I was willing to give it a shot.

Henri Loufort, a detective, has been hired by the Nazis to solve a murder. A German military officer was murdered while sorting art in the Louvre. He is told he must get the case solved within one week, or his own life may be at risk. Loufort is no friend to the Nazis and is not thrilled to be taking on the case as he is still dealing with trauma from the first war. But he has no choice, as the Germans have taken over Paris and show no signs of weakening their hold.

His investigation brings him into contact with some famous faces - Pablo Picasso and Marie Bonaparte to name two of them .

This felt like an old school detective mystery as more and more clues are uncovered. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

Thank you netgalley and Tantor Audio for giving me an advance review copy of this audiobook and exchange for an honest review.

Thank you, Minotaur Books, and Netgalley for a gifted copy of this book. Here is my unbiased review: What a fun surprise! I really enjoyed this first installment in the Henri Lefort mystery series. I found Henri, the protagonist detective, to be funny, witty, and sarcastic. The peripheral characters were engaging as well. The time period was really fun, and you got to meet notable names from the era, including Pablo Picasso. This book had a mystery plot as well as a personal subplot that gave it a lot more depth.

The audio was very well done, with different voices and accents to portray the different characters. The narrator had to emulate French, German, and English and did so masterfully. This was very easy to listen to and follow along with the story, even with the flashback storytelling element.

You might enjoy this book if you appreciate historical fiction, multilingual communication, and a whodunnit theme.

I was looking forward to this one going into it, but felt that overall it was quite long and slow. I have trouble seeing the character in the time period that the book is set in, it felt like their language and mannerisms were more current than eighty years ago. I can see how this book, as the first in a new series, will pull in a number of readers, but unfortunately it just wasn't for me.

A past comes to hunt Henri Lefort. Years after the ghastly affair, he is met face to face with the truth. Unfortunately, he has very little time to deal with this problem. Nazi's occupation of his beloved Paris is in full swing and he has unsolved murder on his hands. On top of this all, Princess Marie Bonaparte decides to introduce Henri to psychological therapy, which should help our headstrong detective to improve his post-war irritable triggers.

I absolutely enjoyed every aspect of this book. And can't choose what I loved more: Henri's humorous sarcasm or the jaw-dropping twist at the end of the novel. From the very first pages of the novel, Henri made me chuckle out loud. His sassy attitude gives the character a distinctive appeal and reminds me a lot of Hercule Poirot. But the shocking twist of the story took me by a surprise. I had a completely different scenario playing in my head. I am a HUGE fan of Agatha Christie's novels and their unpredictable endings, and this specific book gave me the same spine-chilling exciting feeling. I cant hardly wait for the next adventure of Henri Lefort.

Thank you to the publishers, author and NetGalley for the free copy of this audio book.

This was good! Loved the setting and the historical aspects, the characters were well written and the mystery of it all was well done. I would definitely read more of Henri Lefort! The narrator was good as well.

A solid 3 stars 🌟!

When I saw a new Historical Mystery series available on audiobook I was excited. It’s not often I come across a first book in a series in my preferred format and genre. I jumped on the chance and really wanted to love it but unfortunately found I can only rate it an average read. That’s not to say I didn’t like the book, because I did find it enjoyable but the book has some flaws and I found I was not as engaged as I usually am. This surprised me since the book actually contains two separate mysteries that are unraveled simultaneously.
The novel is set in 1940’s occupied France. The Germans are in charge and imposing a curfew, they have begun the subjugation of the French people. To disobey the Germans can have deadly consequences. The roundup of Jews, gypsys, and other groups deemed unacceptable to the Germans has begun. Laws are being put in place to humiliate and control these groups.
Against this back drop we meet Detective Henri LeFort. He is a wise cracking street smart robbery detective. He also has a strange quirk, everyday loud sounds set him on edge. No one can chew gum or eat an apple in his presence. Is this a left over scar from his service during WWI?
Henri is called out to the scene of an attempted robbery. Three servants’ bodies are found at the scene. It quickly becomes apparent that one robber remains in the house. During the search one detective is killed but Henri is able to return fire and kills the suspect, thereby saving the life of the owner, Mimi Bonaparte. Ms. Bonaparte is the descendant of Napoleon. Mimi is a regal, intelligent and forthright woman.she is also a trained psychoanalyst, having studied under Sigmund Freud. Mimi rapidly determines all is not right with Detective LeFort. She determines to get him into analysis to uncover the secrets underlying his stress and quirks. This sets up the first of two mysteries that comprise this novel
When Henri returns to the station he is told by his superiors that he is being reassigned to work on the murder of a German officer at the Louvre. Present at this meeting are two German officials, one a high ranking SS officer. The task they assign him seems impossible. He may not view the body in situ nor see the murder weapon. In fact he is not allowed to enter the museum at all. He is given a list of 6 French names and is told one of them is the killer. He is given one week to solve the case or face dire consequences. Where does he even start his investigation? Why have they tied his hands and made his failure assured? And what exactly will his punishment be for that failure, surely not death as the SS officer intimated?
There is a lot that the author gets right. The MC, Henri is a complex character with many layers that must be peeled back like an onion. The secondary characters came off as one dimensional though. This is particularly true about the Germans. They come off as the stereotypical brute, with one notable exception which I can’t describe without a spoiler alert. Yes they were in truth heartless bastards but just a little depth would have gone a long way.
The pacing of the novel I found to be a little uneven. There are places where I felt tension over Henri’s deadline should be building and it’s broken by his Psychoanalysis sessions with Mimi. Maybe it’s just me but I felt the two mysteries sometimes interfered with each other.
As for the two mysteries they are well thought out with clues and foreshadowing placed at appropriate intervals. I did take a potshot guess on the murder mystery at about the 60% mark and happened to guess right, it wasn’t based on anything stronger then a hunch so I don’t think it was anything lacking in the book.
I read this via the audiobook version. The actor does a great job with the various accents, French, German, New York and Texas all sounded believable. My only dislike was the portrayal of Henri. He is given an Urban American accent straight out of a 1940’s Dashiell Hammett novel. I understand the choices needed to differentiate his voice but I found it jarring to say the least.
All in all I did enjoy the book, I’m just not sure I will continue the series. I give this novel a solid 3 stars.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher, Tantor Audio and NetGalley. This fact in no way influenced my review.

Book one of a new series set in 1940s Paris. The backdrop is real life history. I had the audiobook, and am thankful. Some of the names would slow me down physically reading. The narration was good; however at times I had to stop and think about the person or place which is really an issue for me, I love the narrators pronunciations.

The detective gives me some of Jeremy Brett's Sherlock Holmes personality and wit vibes. His partner is made for him. I liked the pair.

This is a rare story that I would like to relisten and focus more on the main characters that will move forward and less on the story itself. I look forward to reading future books. I did search and am pleasantly surprised to see Pryor's library.

I would give this 3.5 stars and am rounding up.

Thank you NetGalley and Tantor Audio for accepting my request to read and review Die Around Sundown.

Die Around Sundown is the first book in an exciting new series set in Paris during WWII. Police officer Henri Lefort gets tasked to solve the murder of a German major in the Louvre Museum. What follows next is a page turning mystery that will keep you guessing until the end. Pablo Picasso makes an appearance as one of the artists in Paris at the time. I actually went down a rabbit hole reading all about Picasso and his involvement in WWII. Marie Bonaparte, niece of Napoleon also makes an appearance as a mentor to Henri.
I listened to the book in my car. The narrator was good. I liked it when he did Henri’s voice, but some of the other characters were just okay. I look forward to reading the next book in the story. I want to thank Tantor Audio and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

An action packed mystery thriller set in the 1940s. Die Around Sundown features a unique and interesting protagonist and a fresh writing style.