This was reviewed in Kings River Life magazine in July 2023.

https://kingsriverlife.com/08/26/the-dark-edge-of-night-by-mark-pryor/

Mark Pryor returns with the second installment of the Henri Lefort series, The Dark Edge of Night, an interesting blend of mystery and historical drama set in 1940 Paris.

Police Inspector Henri Lefort tackles two challenging cases amidst the chaos. The first involves the suspicious death of a Frenchman during a botched robbery. The second, imposed on him by the Gestapo, revolves around the mysterious disappearance of a neurologist involved in secretive work at a Paris hospital. As Lefort digs deeper, he discovers a chilling connection to several missing children’s cases.

Pryor excels in character development, presenting Lefort as a likable yet complex protagonist whose sharp instincts shine in the murky atmosphere of espionage and moral ambiguity. The secondary characters enrich the narrative, offering diverse perspectives that enhance the unfolding events and deepen the plot.

The pacing of the book is well-managed, maintaining suspense and momentum, though some scenes feel rushed. Despite this minor flaw, the tension escalates, culminating in a well-crafted climax that resolves the intricate plot threads.

Pryor’s meticulous attention to historical detail is a standout feature of the book. He skillfully integrates real historical figures like Virginia Hall, Jean Pierre Moulin, and Eric Sevareid into the narrative, enriching the story with authenticity and depth. Including lesser-known historical facts, such as the Nazis’ Aktion T4 euthanasia program, adds a profound layer of realism and horror, reflecting the grim realities of the era.

While the depiction of police methods might not sit well with all readers, the novel’s humor and engaging mystery make it an enjoyable read. 4 stars.

In Mark Pryor’s latest endeavor, “The Edge of Night,” readers are transported to the gritty streets of 1940s Paris, where Detective Henry Lefort navigates a city engulfed in turmoil and treachery. Pryor, known for his Hugo Marston series set in contemporary times, takes a bold leap into historical fiction, setting the stage for a captivating new series.

Stepping away from the modern-day intrigues of the American ambassador’s security detail, Pryor immerses readers in the gripping atmosphere of wartime Paris. Against the backdrop of Nazi occupation, Lefort grapples with the challenges of maintaining law and order amidst the chaos and corruption that permeate the city.

Having been a fan of Pryor’s previous works, I approached this new series with cautious optimism. While the premise holds promise, I found myself yearning for more depth and complexity in both the characters and the narrative. However, I remain hopeful that as the series unfolds, Lefort’s character will evolve and Occupied Paris will reveal its hidden depths, offering readers a more engaging and compelling storyline.

Despite my reservations, Pryor’s skillful storytelling and vivid descriptions capture the essence of wartime Paris, transporting readers to a tumultuous era fraught with danger and intrigue. With each installment, I eagerly anticipate the development of Lefort’s character and the unfolding of his adventures in Occupied Paris.

The Dark Edge of Night is the second procedural historical mystery featuring Detective Henri Laforte by Mark Pryor. Released 15th Aug 2023 by Macmillan on their Minotaur imprint, it's 352 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. Paperback format due out from the same publisher in Aug 2024. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout.

This is a deeply researched, wonderfully immersive police procedural mystery set in WW2 occupied Paris. The story is written around a framework of actual historical events so skillfully that it's not always possible to tell where fact shades into fiction. The characters (even secondary characters) are very well rendered and believable.

There's a fair amount of casual brutality and a sense of creeping dread throughout the story. It's quite sad in a lot of places. For all that, it's beautifully well written and the mystery is satisfyingly complex.

It's not remotely derivative, but readers who enjoyed Kerr's Bernie Gunther and Foyle's War will find a lot to enjoy in this series.

There are currently two books extant, with a third due out in third quarter 2024 from Macmillan Minotaur.

Four stars. It would be an excellent choice for library acquisition, for lovers of procedural mysteries, mystery book club selection, and would make a good binge/buddy read.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Police Inspector Henri Lefort is planning on a quiet holiday season. But the Nazis have a different plan for Henri. The Gestapo orders Henri to investigate the disappearance of one of their own, Dr. Victor Brandt. This investigation leads Henri to a terrible discovery and he must tread very carefully!

I read the first book in this series, Die Around Sundown. And this book can definitely be enjoyed as a stand alone. But both books are good reads! I just adore Henri! He is snarky, bad mannered and smart! The author does a fantastic job bringing all these attributes to life! Trust me! You will not forget Henri!

This is a tale where you will cringe in places. It is so hard to understand the cruelty of some people. But don’t worry, Henri does his best to bring it all crashing down around the Nazi’s ears!

Need a story with a fabulous character….THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

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

I usually keep my fiction genres separate. I like my thrillers as thrillers and my historical fiction as historical fiction. However, The Dark Edge of Night combines my favorite - historical fiction with a genre I don’t read as often - police procedurals.

Now, I think I may have discovered a new favorite combination of genres!

I really enjoyed this book. It takes place in 1940 in occupied Paris. A French investigator is ordered by the Germans to investigate the disappearance of one of their doctors involved in secret experiments in a Paris hospital. However, he also is working on solving the murder of a Frenchman. He has to balance these two duties, one is his job the other is forced upon him.

A new favorite genre for me and I noticed that this is book 2 in a series, so off to read book one and eagerly awaiting more in the series!

Inspector Henri LeFort is back! If you’re a fan of police procedurals and also like historical fiction, this series is perfect for you. The action takes place in December 1940, in Nazi-occupied Paris. LeFort is a detective with the Paris police force, but everyone now has to answer to the occupying Germans. Once again, he is tasked with solving a case for the Germans, this time a doctor who has disappeared. At the same time, he has other cases to work on: a beating death and some disabled children disappearing from orphanages. Are they connected in any way?

As we know from history, the Nazis did some incredibly awful things. This story highlights an actual program involving children, although the author takes a few liberties with it. (Don’t miss the Author’s Note at the end!) Along with completely fictional characters, we get some real people, such as Princess Marie Bonaparte and journalist/spy Virginia Hall (subject of the book, A Woman of No Importance). We get to see how Parisians were dealing with shortages - of food and many other things. At one point, LeFort realizes he has a hole in the sole of one of his shoes, but getting them resoled is a very difficult task, with leather extremely hard to get, and very expensive if you can get it.

LeFort has something big in his past that he is hiding but he doesn’t tell the readers what it is until the very end of the book. (Readers of the first book may remember his story, but revealing this does help make the book more available to new readers of the series.)

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read an advance readers copy of this book, although I was a bit late to it. I bounced between the ARC and the published audiobook, courtesy of my public library. The narrator, P.J. Ochlan , did a good job with the various voices and accents.

The Dark Edge of Night picks up where the previous book left off following police detective Henri Lefort in German occupied Paris. This go around, Henri is once again forced by German officials to work with them to find a missing German doctor in a short amount of time in addition to solving the murder of a Frenchman. What appears to be two separate and unrelated cases end up with too many coincidences that cause Henri to look even harder into those clues which leads to him ending up in a bit of a predicament himself. Like the previous case, Henri receives help from Nicola and Mimi but also receives help from a few other unlikely figures as well. If you are looking for a historical fiction mystery police procedural mash up then this is the series for you.


Thank you @stmartinspress and @netgalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

Mark Pryor, in THE EDGE OF NIGHT, has started a new series. Henry Lefort is a Paris detective in 1940. The year should give you some idea of the atmosphere and bad guys.
Previous to this, Pryor wrote the Hugo Marston series, set in the present, about an American ambassador's head of security and the various intrigues he gets involved with. I enjoyed most of those novels. I am not too sure about this new series.
I hope Lefort and Occupied Paris become more interesting as the series progresses.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Henri Lefort is again tasked with solving a difficult crime in Nazi occupied Paris. As he navigates the challenging times and changing political landscape he finds clues that connect three separate crimes to expose the true horror of the Nazi plans. Engaging and exciting, with a flawed hero you can root for!

I liked this book! 1940’s Paris, the Nazis are predictably villainous and our protagonist, Paris Detective Henri Lefort, has a secret or two he needs to keep under wraps. He is commandeered by the Germans to solve a murder, but only on their terms. The male-ness of this series (this is the 2nd installment, read the first for helpful back-story) is nicely balanced by strong interesting female characters. I’ll be looking forward to more from this author!

Mark Pryor is one of my favorite authors. I devoured the France-based Hugo Marston series and was grateful to review his newest series. “The Dark Edge of Night” is the second in the Henri Lefort Series. The series is based in 1940’s wartime in German-occupied France.

I’ve read many WWII books and enjoy learning the history of the time-period. My father was in the US Navy in WWII as a medic, but he unfortunately died prior to passing on his stories. It is in reading such books that I can begin to understand some pieces of WWII.

In the first book in the Series, “Die Around Sundown,” the main character, Henri Lefort, was a French police detective who was assigned the murder case of a high-ranking German soldier. The German’s provided Henri with a list of possible suspects and one week to pinpoint the guilty party or he would be hung. Henri lived with his sister Nicola. Nicola was his superior’s secretary and often assisted Henri with his cases. The Marie Bonaparte was also an essential undisclosed supporter of Henri’s missions.

In the end, Henri completed his assignment to the satisfaction of the German Military.

In the second book, “The Dark Edge of Night,” the Germans remembered Henri’s proficiency in solving the murder case of a high-ranking German soldier. Therefore, they expected him to solve the disappearance of Dr. Viktor Brandt who had been carrying out research for Germany.

Shortly thereafter, Henri received a call to the scene where a Frenchman had been viciously beaten to death. Henri soon discovered that there were many links to both the missing German and the dead Frenchman, thus leading him to a horrendous conclusion in both cases.

I had difficulty forming attachments to the characters as their emotions often appeared flat. Regardless, I enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical war-time fiction or mysteries.

Thank you to Author Mark Pryor, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this advanced reader’s copy. This is a voluntary review, and all comments and opinions are entirely my own.

Book Review
The Dark Edge of Night
Mark Pryor
reviewed by Lou Jacobs


readersremains.com | Goodreads


An atmospheric police procedural catapults into a historical fiction mystery with clues unraveling in the shadowy streets of Paris, filled with jackbooted Nazi bastards. This is the second in a series featuring Inspector Henri LeFort, a righteous and highly scrupled cop with a dogged determination to wade through a morass of twisted clues in spite of Nazi roadblocks and obstacles in his investigation to uncover truth and justice. The setting is December 1940, occupied Paris with blood-red banners festooned with black swastikas staining the Arc de Triomphe and the Eiffel Tower.

In June, the Boche (derisive term used for the Germans, refers to “cabbage heads”) attempted to be polite and respectful to the Parisians. Now, the veneer of decency has cracked and they’ve reverted back to the schoolyard bullies they are. Lately, they have started rounding up those they consider undesirable: Jews, Gypsies, people of color, the crippled, and those with disabilities. Henri vividly recalls his experiences in the previous war, when he killed these Germans and watched his friends perish, but in the end, successfully pushed these Boches back to the Rhineland. Now, he feels humiliated by the ease of France’s surrender. The sardonically humored Henri is called to the office of his boss, Chief Louis Proulx, the head of the murder division at the Prefecture. He was immediately set upon by a Nazi officer, who identified himself as Stefan Becker, and an older man who introduced himself as Dr. Andreas von Rauch. Herr Becker informed Henri that he was to drop whatever he was doing and find the missing Dr. Viktor Brandt, a neurologist. Dr. Von Rauch indicated that he was a colleague but, “it was none of his business what they were working on.” The two of them, along with Dr. Denis Berger, were working at the Bleriot Hospital on a secret project. Dr. Brandt was staying at the posh Ritz Hotel but went missing three days ago.

This gem can be devoured as a standalone, as Pryor skillfully weaves into the narrative any necessary backstory. In the first book, Henri had saved the life of Princess Marie Bonaparte during a robbery. She was the great-grandniece of Napoleon and had studied the science of psychoanalysis with Sigmund Freud. They have developed a warm relationship; in fact, she is now Henri’s downstairs neighbor and takes an active part in the investigation. Other “real” historical figures appear in the narrative, lending this mystery further authenticity. Eric Sevareid, a CBS news journalist, makes Henri’s acquaintance at a cafe along the Left Bank. Photojournalist Virginia Wolf appears and is inserted into the intrigue of the unraveling mystery.

The Gestapo expects a report in a couple of days and a “rapid resolution,” or Henri will be held accountable, probably with his life. Henri must follow the trail of twisted clues from the Ritz Hotel and Bleriot Hospital, leading him down a dark, convoluted trail of bondage and homosexuality. He’s momentarily diverted by another murder. A Frenchman was beaten to death in what appears to be a botched burglary. He was killed with a single stab wound to the back of his brain, and postmortem, his face was obliterated with a hammer. The victim’s brother is a doctor who works at the same hospital as the missing German. Henri doubts this is a coincidence. At the same time, he is made aware that children are being taken from orphanages, never to be seen again.

Mark Pryor crafts an immersive and masterful narrative, creating a riveting twisted string of multiple unexpected reveals that propel this page-turner. Henri will use his powers of observation and deductive reasoning to solve this case. Multiple chapters delve into his World War I experiences, trauma, and secrets that shape his present-day problems and motivations. Vivid prose and evocative descriptions of Paris locales are wonderfully interwoven into this nuanced narrative. A multitude of clues, culprits, and evidence amass as Inspector LeFort searches for truth and justice.

This five-star novel will appeal to aficionados who reveled in the exploits and cases of Georges Simenon’s Inspector Jules Maigret and Philip Kerr’s World War II exploits of Bernie Gunther. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press / Minotaur Books for providing an Uncorrected Proof in exchange for an honest review.

Such a good follow up. Great series of a French police officer in occupied France. Plus Virginia Hall!? Yes please!

Parisian Police Inspector Henri Lefort is a victim of his own success. Having, however reluctantly, recently solved a wartime murder mystery for the occupying Germans, he is now expected to set aside all his other work and immediately take on another case for them. Never mind how overworked the local police, including his own homicide department, are: to the Nazis, the disappearance of one of their own takes priority over any actual crimes perpetrated on the mere French.

The missing German is Dr. Viktor Brandt, a neurologist working on a secret project in one of Paris’ hospitals. He’d only arrived in the country a week prior, and had been staying at the Ritz Hotel and working at the Bleriot before suddenly vanishing. Gestapo agent Stefan Becker expects Henri to get on the case and provide him with a detailed report in only two days, with consequences for Henri if no significant progress is made by then.

Henri might be more resigned to the presumption of the Nazis if he didn’t have a real crime to investigate. A man identified as the ailing Edouard Grabbin has been bludgeoned to death in his Paris apartment. There are scant clues to go on, but when Henri uncovers a connection between Grabbin and Brandt, things get very interesting. So interesting, in fact, that when Henri reports back to Becker, the latter essentially shuts down the investigation.

Henri is understandably dismayed by this. When he protests to his boss, Chief Luis Proulx admonishes him:

QUOTE
“<i>Merde, non</i>, you idiot. This isn’t about you! That phone call told you that he doesn’t give a damn about the truth. So make up a story that fits the facts. That way Becker is happy and your neck doesn’t get anywhere near the guillotine.”

“And that’s how we do our jobs nowadays? Men die [...] and we just sit around making up stories about how?”

“It is if it means we stay alive. It is until we’re able to do them properly.”
END QUOTE

Henri, however, has never been good at letting things go. As he doggedly pursues the connection between Grabbin and Brandt – as well as what their deaths might have to do, if anything, with the disappearance of multiple children – he’ll uncover a horrifying conspiracy. Without the official backing of either the French police or the occupying regime, he’ll have to navigate the tightrope of wartime pressures and interests to ensure that justice is served, while keeping himself and his loved ones as far away from danger as he can.

Complicating matters is the fact that Henri has been nursing an explosive secret for almost two decades now. It’s a secret that rules both his and his sister Nicola’s lives, as they pretend not to be related despite working together in the same police building. While they’ve made a pact to avoid fostering any close personal relationships that could expose the ghosts of their past, Nicola has started to chafe at the restrictions. Now in her thirties, she wants to think about starting a family, perhaps with police officer Daniel Moulin.

Henri doesn’t trust Daniel, and not just because Henri doesn’t trust easily. He’s convinced that their co-worker is leading a secret life, much to Nicola’s exasperation. When he tells her:

QUOTE
“But you heard what I said about Daniel. I’m not sure you’re taking me seriously. He lied to me.”

“Henri, everyone lies. You and I are lying to him about who we are. Does that make us murderers?”

“We have a damn good reason, and you know that.”

“And maybe he does, too.”

“What could it possibly be?”

“Look, Henri, everyone has secrets, too. You do, I do, we do. The witness you followed to the One-Two-Two sure as hell does, right? And none of those secrets have anything to do with being a killer. Sometimes you have to trust people, allow them to have their secret lives, trust that they’re not out to do you harm, that you don’t have to know everything.”
END QUOTE

I loved how this novel upends the infuriating lack of trust trope so often raised in stories to create relationship drama. Nicola is the voice of reason as she aids her brother in navigating Paris under Nazi Occupation. She also helps keep him grounded as he uncovers unthinkable horrors, risking his very life to seek justice in a system that cares little for anything that gets in the way of Hitler’s ambitions.

The Dark Edge Of Night serves, too, to bring home the deprivations of wartime, especially to readers who might not be familiar with World War II Paris in particular. Combining unusual characters with fresh perspectives on a historical era that’s well-loved by writers of historical fiction, this murder mystery is a worthwhile entry to both genres, with an exciting ending that promises even greater adventure to come.

Inspector Henri Lefort is again called upon by the Gestapo to solve the disappearance of Dr. Viktor Brandt, who had been working on research for Germany. His life is once more on the line if he fails to get results. When he is later called to the scene of a murder, he prioritizes the death of a Frenchman over the disappearance of a German. As his case progresses he discovers that the victim’s brother worked in the same hospital as Brandt. Lefort is not one to believe in coincidences, but he receives little help from Brandt’s associates. Both the doctor and the murder victim also had ties to a club promoting activities frowned on by the German authorities.

Lefort lives with his sister Nicola, his superior’s secretary. They harbor a secret that could not only end his career, but possibly even his life. Their neighbor is Princess Marie Bonaparte (Mimi), whose title has allowed her privileges not readily available in occupied Paris. Volunteering at an orphanage, she has seen several disabled children removed by German officials. She appeals to Lefort to look into it. What he finds is horrifying. It is also tied into his two other investigations. Somehow he must find a solution that will satisfy the Gestapo while stopping Brandt’s project.

Lefort is introduced to Virginia Hall, Mimi’s journalist friend who would become an agent for America and Britain. She will also play an important part in his plan. Mark Pryor also incorporates the early days of the French Resistance as Lefort works with a cell to protect a witness. These are the early days of the war and with his involvement in the Resistance I hope that we will see a lot more of Lefort in the future. I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s - Minotaur for providing this book for my review.

Thank you for letting me read this book. It is a good light read for those who love a cozy mystery. I will recommend it to friends that I think will also enjoy it.

TL;DR

The Dark Edge of Night by Mark Pryor is a wonderful detective novel set in Nazi occupied Paris. Henri Lefort is an excellent character, and you’ll like him too. Highly recommended.

Disclaimer: The publisher provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Any and all opinions that follow are mine alone.

Review: The Dark Edge of Night by Mark Pryor

Lately, I’ve been lucky to receive review books from Minotaur, which is a mystery/detective imprint. Just in this year, I’ve read more mysteries than ever before, and frankly I’ve loved it. Usually, I’m a science fiction and fantasy reader. Through in the occasional literary fiction, and that’s the genres I stick to. But Minotaur is publishing some excellent mysteries that are excellent stories. My latest read from them is The Dark Edge of Night by Mark Pryor. This is a historical mystery set in World War 2 in the Nazi occupied city of Paris. The Dark Edge of Night is the second book in the Henri Lefort series, and it makes me want to read the first book. The setting, the historical backdrop, the characters, it all comes together to form an excellent follow-up to Die Around Sundown.

Henri Lefort, a French police inspector in German occupied Paris, is no stranger to being threatened by the Nazis. In Die Around Sundown, Lefort had to solve a murder for the SS or lose his life. His prior success means that the Nazi’s are gonna play the same ole tune. In The Dark Edge of Night, he must find a missing German doctor or be hung. Lefort, a veteran of the previous World War, has no love for the Nazis, but he also doesn’t have a death wish. And, as a detective, solving mysteries is kind of his thing. With the help of an assistant, who is secretly his sister, his therapist, Princess Marie Bonaparte (distant relation to Napoleon, himself), and his sister’s beau, who is keeping secrets of his own, Lefort races against time to find the missing doctor. And because the best way to get things done is to give them to busy people, he also receives an assignment to investigate a dead body. As the case proceeds, Lefort uncovers horrors that the Nazi’s wish to keep hidden. Secrets suffuse The Dark Edge of Night, and if Lefort wants to stay alive, he has to figure out which to expose and which to keep.

The Dark Edge of Night by Mark Pryor is a first person, hard-boiled detective novel. Henri Lefort is detective with a secret that if exposed, would get him fired and likely hung. This book is set in World War 2 Paris under German occupation. Croissants have been outlawed, and Parisians are suffering under Nazi occupation. The setting is gloomy, dangerous, and, yet, Parisian.

History

Being set in World War 2 requires a verisimilitude greater than other historical eras. World War 2 is extensively written, researched, and used in all kinds of media. Finding a new way to describe it is difficult but not impossible. Necessarily, similar ground will be retrod, but what matters is how does the setting, how does the history support the book. Pryor, in setting his series in occupied Paris, has chosen to focus, at least in this novel, on the everyday hardships that Parisians had to face. The shortages of food, of wine, of vehicles. Coffee as a delicacy. The need to rebel clashing with the need to survive. Despising collaborators while having to work for the occupiers. Pryor effectively adds this layer to already tense situations. The setting is more a feeling than descriptions of buildings and streets. It’s about the mood of the city and its people. The hardships that Pryor describes are consistent with what I’ve read of Parisian occupation.

At the end of the book, he adds some historical notes that he used in the book. Princess Marie Bonaparte was a real person, and Pryor’s note was quite interesting. I want to look up more about her.

Hardboiled Detective

Henri Lefort is as hardboiled as they come. He’s a jerk to, well, everyone but only means it with some. He pushes with his attitude and his comeback. But he will recognize a need to pull back. He has trouble with authority and suffers from misophonia, also known as sound rage. He smokes; he suspects everyone; and he’s got to protect his own secrets.

Hardboiled detectives can grate on my nerves. It’s a trope that gets leaned on too hard. Pryor, however, achieved the right balance. Lefort is hardboiled but not stupid. He will walk into situations that are dangerous, but he won’t risk himself unnecessarily. He’s observant without being showy. His inner monologue feels real as if we’re reading his thoughts. Lefort is a great detective character.

Secrets Can Overstay Their Welcome

The Dark Edge of Night is a book filled with secrets. Nazi secrets, Lefort’s personal secrets, victims secrets, family secrets, etc. This is unsurprising in a mystery novel. Part of the allure of mysteries is the uncovering of secrets. Skilled authors know how to pace the reveals to keep the reader interested. If a secret is hinted at or discussed for too long without a reveal, it feels frustrating. Pryor falls into this trap on one and only one secret throughout the book. Lefort talks about his secret, one that is large enough to get him fired from his job and possibly hung. The fact that he has such a big secret comes up a lot. While we do get the answer, it comes so late I kind of didn’t care when I found out. It’s good to know, but I was frustrated. The reveal didn’t feel earned or even part of the story. Overall, this is a small complaint, and it’s entirely possible that this is only a me thing. Your mileage may vary, here.

Conclusion

Mark Pryor’s The Dark Edge of Night is a fantastic detective novel. I loved it. Henri Lefort is a wonderful character surviving in a dark yet hopeful setting. If you like historical mysteries, the Henri Lefort series must be on your to be read pile. Highly recommended.

I thoroughly enjoyed this solid WWII historical mystery series. The highlight of this series is keen detective/hero, Henri Lefort. He has a complex backstory and the most interesting relationships.

The occupied Paris setting is perfect for a dark and mysterious murder plot. Plus, the historical details in the Author’s notes at the end of the book should not be missed.

The Dark Edge of Night is the second book in the Henri Lefort Mystery series by Mark Pryor. The first book, Die Around Sundown, was easily one of my favorite books of 2022. That one was no fluke; I loved this one just as much. Who wouldn't love a mysterious hero who dares defy Nazis and spit in their eyes? Mr. Pryor skillfully blends fiction with real historical events and people. Start with the first book; it helps explain Henri's background, plus you don't want to miss one single bit of his interactions with his friends AND enemies.

In the winter of 1940, Paris citizens are not in a festive mood. France has surrendered and Paris is occupied by the Nazi invaders. Nazi flags are draped over Paris landmarks and the Eiffel Tower has German propaganda on it. Police Inspector Henri Lefort just wants some peace and quiet, but the Gestapo is once again forcing him to do an investigation for them. Dr. Viktor Brandt, a German neurologist working on a secret project in a Paris hospital, has disappeared, and Henri is forced to investigate. Henri is more concerned with finding the killer of a Frenchman who apparently was murdered in a botched robbery; but when he discovers the victim’s brother is a doctor who worked at the same hospital as the missing Dr. Brandt, things begin to appear sinister. The possible relationship between the two men would be - let's say frowned upon - by the Nazis, so Henri must be careful. And when he discovers that Dr. Brandt’s work is connected to groups of children being taken from orphanages, Henri risks vindictive anger from the SS and Gestapo against himself and all those he cares about.

Henri is such a wonderful character! He has a secret history (which I won't give away in case you haven't read the first book yet) and only those closest to him are privy to it. He suffers from misophonia, which is a condition that causes an atypical emotional response, such as anger, in the affected person hearing certain common sounds. Woe to the person who crunches celery in his presence, or a kid who taps repetitively in a movie theatre! Henri also has a bad habit of speaking before thinking things through, and his sarcastic comments are not appreciated by the SS and Gestapo, as you might well imagine. He's fiercely loyal to those he loves and cares about, especially Nicola Prehn and neighbor Mimi Bonaparte. Henri resents being at the beck and call of Nazis, but doing their bidding is required, or his life is forfeit. All the supporting characters are wonderful; even the evil ones are written well. Daniel Moulin, a police officer and Nicola's beau, has a bigger role in this story, and it's a welcome one. We once again have the pleasure of spending more time with Mimi, who is a wonderful friend to both Henri and Nicola. She may be better known as Princess Marie Bonaparte...yes, she's related to THAT guy! She was a real person, a psychotherapist who was friends with Sigmund Freud. (And who practices her craft on Henri... fictionally, of course!) That's one thing I have particularly loved so far about this series: Mr. Pryor seamlessly blends the historical with the fictional. Other real-life characters include Eric Sevareid (the last U.S. correspondent to broadcast from Paris before France fell to the Nazi invasion), Jean Moulin (a major leader of the French Resistance) and Virginia Hall (a successful US spy). I just loved Henri's reactions to Ms. Hall, who was quite striking in appearance. The story about Aktion T4 was an actual event involving missing orphans, and that event will just rip your guts out. It's horrific what people can do to others under their control. The author's afterward about history and personalities is just as fascinating as the story. I trust we will be seeing many more investigations by Henri Lefort, especially as it seems he has been sucked into the French Resistance!

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.