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Murder in Paris '68: A True Story of Death and Glamour
Not yet published
Expected 3 Nov 26A riveting true crime investigation into the 1960s Parisian underworld and an unsolved murder that brought the country to its knees.
An intimate, shocking true story from the Parisian demi-monde of the 1960s, Murder in Paris ’68 evokes an era when the high-life and the low-life went hand in hand. It was a time when the French New Wave of cinema was taking the world by storm, a time of glamour, sports cars, casinos, and night clubs—and at the heart of it all, the man of the moment, the enigmatic film star Alain Delon, dubbed "the most beautiful man in the world."
With a shady past and a taste for bad company and high-living, Delon lived on the edge. But when a dead body turns up in the outskirts of Paris that turns out to be Stevan Markovic, Delon's friend, “bodyguard,” and associate, questions begin to be asked. That Delon shot to stardom playing Tom Ripley with all those stylish and murderous associations does not go unnoticed. Is art imitating life or is life imitating art? What is Delon involved in? And who was Stevan Markovic?
In an exceptionally skilful and highly readable work of narrative nonfiction, Edward Chisholm uses his own detailed in-depth research to weave the reader into an intimate patchwork of events as they unfold, submersing us in 1960s Paris. And as we meet the characters—actresses, directors, petty criminals, state prosecutors, high-level gangsters, star-struck policemen, compromised politicians—we witness what became to be known as The Markovic Affair from the inside, as it spirals out of control and not only pulls down Alain Delon, but everyone within his orbit.
An intimate, shocking true story from the Parisian demi-monde of the 1960s, Murder in Paris ’68 evokes an era when the high-life and the low-life went hand in hand. It was a time when the French New Wave of cinema was taking the world by storm, a time of glamour, sports cars, casinos, and night clubs—and at the heart of it all, the man of the moment, the enigmatic film star Alain Delon, dubbed "the most beautiful man in the world."
With a shady past and a taste for bad company and high-living, Delon lived on the edge. But when a dead body turns up in the outskirts of Paris that turns out to be Stevan Markovic, Delon's friend, “bodyguard,” and associate, questions begin to be asked. That Delon shot to stardom playing Tom Ripley with all those stylish and murderous associations does not go unnoticed. Is art imitating life or is life imitating art? What is Delon involved in? And who was Stevan Markovic?
In an exceptionally skilful and highly readable work of narrative nonfiction, Edward Chisholm uses his own detailed in-depth research to weave the reader into an intimate patchwork of events as they unfold, submersing us in 1960s Paris. And as we meet the characters—actresses, directors, petty criminals, state prosecutors, high-level gangsters, star-struck policemen, compromised politicians—we witness what became to be known as The Markovic Affair from the inside, as it spirals out of control and not only pulls down Alain Delon, but everyone within his orbit.
416 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication November 3, 2026
About the author
Edward Chisholm
2 books107 followersEdward Chisholm is a British writer based in Switzerland.
He is the author of A Waiter in Paris, an international bestseller shortlisted for the 2023 Ackerley Prize and translated into Chinese, Spanish and Polish, and Murder in Paris ’68, a work of narrative non-fiction exploring the unsolved murder of Stevan Marković and the dark glamour of postwar France.
He is the author of A Waiter in Paris, an international bestseller shortlisted for the 2023 Ackerley Prize and translated into Chinese, Spanish and Polish, and Murder in Paris ’68, a work of narrative non-fiction exploring the unsolved murder of Stevan Marković and the dark glamour of postwar France.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
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May 25, 2026A bit overwritten and repetitive sometimes with rather kitschy attempts at crime/suspense writing but interesting enough. Enjoyed most when it delved into the overlap of cinema and life
January 7, 2026
A moody and mysterious account of the murder of Stevan Marković in 1960s Paris and the murky world of celebrity, politics and organised crime. This reads like the most immersive novel, despite being a carefully researched piece of non-fiction. I absolutely adored it, and was immediately transported into a past age where glamour and beauty met suspicion and threat.
May 3, 2026
Absolute BANGER. A fascinating historical and political narrative brilliantly told, about one of the most mysterious and alluring stars of the modern era.
June 30, 2026
Literary true crime - fascinating stuff. Marred by typos.
June 8, 2026
Put this one down and will probably never pick it up again, which I never do - and if I did, I would never normally leave a review. This left a bad taste in my mouth though.
Maybe I am just being paranoid, but there were too many examples of AI-isms in the first few chapters for me to continue (e.g. 'not x, not y, but z', among others, constructions which are AI flags but are also, in any case, kind of trite and irritating). I don't doubt that the author did lots of research for this book- maybe he just used AI to assist for certain chunks of prose. Maybe he didn't use it at all!
I came here to see if other people noticed the same pattern I have, and it seems there are a few others. Not sure why I would bother to read something that no-one could even be bothered to write.
Maybe I am just being paranoid, but there were too many examples of AI-isms in the first few chapters for me to continue (e.g. 'not x, not y, but z', among others, constructions which are AI flags but are also, in any case, kind of trite and irritating). I don't doubt that the author did lots of research for this book- maybe he just used AI to assist for certain chunks of prose. Maybe he didn't use it at all!
I came here to see if other people noticed the same pattern I have, and it seems there are a few others. Not sure why I would bother to read something that no-one could even be bothered to write.
May 1, 2026
Too long imo.
January 22, 2026
Sure to be one of the best books of the year; easily the best book I’ve read in a few years.
On the surface, a story about the ‘Markovic affair’ - the murder of Yugoslavian emigré Stevan Markovic in Paris, ‘68. Really, though, this is all-encompassing look at French culture in the sixties. Fatalistic glamour and celebrity, a violent underbelly spreading across Europe, and scandalous sexual affairs that namedrop the brightest stars in culture and politics.
While the book falls under true crime, I feel it sits better in modern French history. Primarily it is wonderfully engaging narrative non-fiction.
‘The ending we know. What came before was the unbearable tension of a shadow leaning too far into the light, and eventually being consumed by it.’
On the surface, a story about the ‘Markovic affair’ - the murder of Yugoslavian emigré Stevan Markovic in Paris, ‘68. Really, though, this is all-encompassing look at French culture in the sixties. Fatalistic glamour and celebrity, a violent underbelly spreading across Europe, and scandalous sexual affairs that namedrop the brightest stars in culture and politics.
While the book falls under true crime, I feel it sits better in modern French history. Primarily it is wonderfully engaging narrative non-fiction.
‘The ending we know. What came before was the unbearable tension of a shadow leaning too far into the light, and eventually being consumed by it.’
May 18, 2026
I stumbled across this one in the bookshop and had to buy it because I loved the design of the cover.
A Patrick Radden Keefe style deep dive into the 'Markovic Affair', the 1968 murder/political scandal involving the death of a friend of Alain Delon, a famous actor. When Stevan Markovic's body is found wrapped in a plastic bag in landfill, police investigate and uncover his close relationship to Delon, links to the Parisian underworld, and even a potential scandal involving the president.
As the title suggests this delves into the glitz, glamour, and crime of Paris in the 60s. It is intentionally slow paced, with the story unfolding gradually, giving you the chance to immerse yourself in that time.
The author Edward Chisolm (from the UK) is obviously a bit of a Francophile, his only other book is about his time working as a waiter in Paris. Some reviews say that the book is a bit bloated, but I think this is intentional as Chisolm has a genuine passion for the subject and a lot to say. This is a book about actors, gangsters, police, and the elite of the time, with the common thread of this murder, rather than the other way around.
The lesson is do judge a book by its cover.
7.5/10 --> 4 stars
A Patrick Radden Keefe style deep dive into the 'Markovic Affair', the 1968 murder/political scandal involving the death of a friend of Alain Delon, a famous actor. When Stevan Markovic's body is found wrapped in a plastic bag in landfill, police investigate and uncover his close relationship to Delon, links to the Parisian underworld, and even a potential scandal involving the president.
As the title suggests this delves into the glitz, glamour, and crime of Paris in the 60s. It is intentionally slow paced, with the story unfolding gradually, giving you the chance to immerse yourself in that time.
The author Edward Chisolm (from the UK) is obviously a bit of a Francophile, his only other book is about his time working as a waiter in Paris. Some reviews say that the book is a bit bloated, but I think this is intentional as Chisolm has a genuine passion for the subject and a lot to say. This is a book about actors, gangsters, police, and the elite of the time, with the common thread of this murder, rather than the other way around.
The lesson is do judge a book by its cover.
7.5/10 --> 4 stars
April 22, 2026
Rise up Hatchardians, we have a winner on our hands
June 4, 2026
4.5 stars. I am in awe of how much research had to have gone into the writing of this book. His exploration of the lines blurred between cinema and reality, and Delon as a representation of characters he played such as Ripley, is completely fascinating. Kind of mad we don’t find out who murdered Markovic but I guess that’s how I goes.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 2, 2026
Thought this was really great. Gripping and unsettling with texture - you can smell the cigarettes and coffee and the rain on the cobbled streets-
May 19, 2026
I can post this finally
So long and so bad omgggg it read like a ChatGPT dramatization of an unchangeably boring historical account. I could forgive the historical account thing bc okay if you wanna write a book about something write a book about it, but what is with the dramatic line breaks after EVERY SENTENCE and all the AI-sounding sentence structures? I think this author must just use so much AI that the style has seeped into his own writing and it's not good sorry.
So long and so bad omgggg it read like a ChatGPT dramatization of an unchangeably boring historical account. I could forgive the historical account thing bc okay if you wanna write a book about something write a book about it, but what is with the dramatic line breaks after EVERY SENTENCE and all the AI-sounding sentence structures? I think this author must just use so much AI that the style has seeped into his own writing and it's not good sorry.
May 8, 2026
4.5*
format: audiobook
first off, great narration of the audiobook.
this work of narrative non fiction is indeed almost as gripping as a thriller. i was captivated pretty much from start to finish and had quite a few instances of “one more chapter, must know what happens next”.
i very much appreciate the author’s care of trying to bring 1960’s paris to live and explaining the era and its people - without being condescending or judgmental.
i don’t think i agree with the author at the end of the book on stevan marković. just from what i learned through this book, and without any prior knowledge, stevan and milos milos both appeared to be taking advantage of famous/wealthy people, trying to get a free ride. stevan being banned from all the poker circles because he was a known cheat is telling, no? and those letters badmouthing the hand that helped and fed them in order to themselves appear as something they were not aren’t necessarily helping either. then again, they were very young and evidently drawn to the glitz, glamour, and money without understanding that talent and work (and luck) are needed to achieve such status. i am not saying that stevan deserved what happened to him. most definitely not. no one does. but did he really not have a choice to look for a job instead of insisting that money and employment/visa papers are owed to him? unfortunately, it’s next to impossible to know the truth. the earlier letters of stevan are full of posturing, the later letters appear paranoid.
nonetheless, this was a captivating read and the author weaved together all the parts (cinema, politics, culture, the criminal underbelly, loyalties & friendships) so well and made for an absorbing well paced read. truly enjoyed listening to the audiobook and my mind keeps wandering back to it.
format: audiobook
first off, great narration of the audiobook.
this work of narrative non fiction is indeed almost as gripping as a thriller. i was captivated pretty much from start to finish and had quite a few instances of “one more chapter, must know what happens next”.
i very much appreciate the author’s care of trying to bring 1960’s paris to live and explaining the era and its people - without being condescending or judgmental.
i don’t think i agree with the author at the end of the book on stevan marković. just from what i learned through this book, and without any prior knowledge, stevan and milos milos both appeared to be taking advantage of famous/wealthy people, trying to get a free ride. stevan being banned from all the poker circles because he was a known cheat is telling, no? and those letters badmouthing the hand that helped and fed them in order to themselves appear as something they were not aren’t necessarily helping either. then again, they were very young and evidently drawn to the glitz, glamour, and money without understanding that talent and work (and luck) are needed to achieve such status. i am not saying that stevan deserved what happened to him. most definitely not. no one does. but did he really not have a choice to look for a job instead of insisting that money and employment/visa papers are owed to him? unfortunately, it’s next to impossible to know the truth. the earlier letters of stevan are full of posturing, the later letters appear paranoid.
nonetheless, this was a captivating read and the author weaved together all the parts (cinema, politics, culture, the criminal underbelly, loyalties & friendships) so well and made for an absorbing well paced read. truly enjoyed listening to the audiobook and my mind keeps wandering back to it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 27, 2026
A dead body dumped on the Paris outskirts in October, 1968 turns out of be that of Steven Markovic,
a young, attractive Yugoslavian refugee with a shady past and a taste for the fast life. More importantly, he also happens to be a member of the entourage of Alain Delon, star of French New-Wave cinema who was living a life of glamour,with fast cars and fast women, night clubs and casinos, and friends from the demi-monde. Was Delon involved in the murder? Were people even higher up French society involved? What was originally thought to be the death of a homeless man, would become "The Markovic Affair" and rock French society.
Beautifully written, and thoroughly researched, this book of literary non-fiction submerses the reader in 1960s France, a time of student riots, sexual liberation, political upheaval, gangsters and the explosion of the film industry. For fans of "In Cold Blood".
a young, attractive Yugoslavian refugee with a shady past and a taste for the fast life. More importantly, he also happens to be a member of the entourage of Alain Delon, star of French New-Wave cinema who was living a life of glamour,with fast cars and fast women, night clubs and casinos, and friends from the demi-monde. Was Delon involved in the murder? Were people even higher up French society involved? What was originally thought to be the death of a homeless man, would become "The Markovic Affair" and rock French society.
Beautifully written, and thoroughly researched, this book of literary non-fiction submerses the reader in 1960s France, a time of student riots, sexual liberation, political upheaval, gangsters and the explosion of the film industry. For fans of "In Cold Blood".
June 21, 2026
Eek. I think not. This is a true crime book but it’s also trying to incorporate the French film scene from the mid 1950’s or so, and be all artsy. And then there’s politicians and gangsters just getting out of prison, and the author inserting himself writing about his own research, and it’s just far too busy with way too much going on. Like, pick a theme already, because all of this is just very confusing and makes no sense. 1 star, gave up at page 80.
April 28, 2026
The French seem to occupy a certain unique recipe for living, for it possesses a combination of flavours untasted by the common tongue. Yet the writer’s attempt to translate these recipes into language basically just burned the whole scroll. Not even a peck of justice to the richness it seeks to preserve. The death of modern literature stems from tasteless prose like such.
June 24, 2026
A fantastic follow up to A Waiter In Paris, thoroughly enjoyed the book from cover to cover - a throwback to what Paris used to look like, and I small look into Delons life and journey to the top…..highly recommend! The author alludes to his 3rd book in the Acknowledgments….which I hope comes sooner rather than later!
July 4, 2026
I loved and adored „a waiter in Paris“ and was ready for more. But this deep dive into a complicated murder case was too impersonal for me to really engage with it. It is undoubtably well-written and meticulously researched, but do I really care whether Alain Delon was involved in this case of typical masculine chest-thumping and Mafia-involvement?
Nope.
Nope.
July 8, 2026
A story that will stay with you
This is not a novel but reads like one. On a simple level this is a story of two out men, one with money, and one who wanted it.
But it is far more than that, it might have brought a government down but didn't.
Did someone get away with murder, would they do the same today.
A brilliant read that will keep you thinking
This is not a novel but reads like one. On a simple level this is a story of two out men, one with money, and one who wanted it.
But it is far more than that, it might have brought a government down but didn't.
Did someone get away with murder, would they do the same today.
A brilliant read that will keep you thinking
May 17, 2026
This was brilliant. Beautifully written with an incredible narrative. Reads and flows more like historical fiction. I was utterly immersed in a darker side of 1960s Paris- fantastic. 4.5 ⭐️ my first EC book and certainly not my last. Now longing to read a Waiter in Paris ❤️
May 22, 2026
Really gutted as I was so excited to read this after A Waiter in Paris. Felt more like a rereading of police documents at times, devoid of personality. Lacked the dry sense of humour that hooked me on Chisholm’s debut
June 13, 2026
Another fine book by Chisholm, who has a real knack for getting the reader to turn the page.
I won’t re-write the blurb or provide any spoilers other than that this is another compelling read full of real life drama, betrayal and scandal.
I won’t re-write the blurb or provide any spoilers other than that this is another compelling read full of real life drama, betrayal and scandal.
May 8, 2026
If this story was delivered as a script, you'd say it's pushing plausibility - a riveting account of cinema, crime, politics and secrets, it's like a Tom Ripley caper on steroids.
May 14, 2026
Once you manage to move past the author's very obvious romanticisation of Alain Delon, this is a magnificent read.
May 15, 2026
Fascinating story with many layers; great pace, though not as good as A Waiter in Paris. The writing feels more performative and less raw than when Chisholm was telling his own story.
June 8, 2026
Absolutely Gripping!
While I knew of Delon, I had no awareness of the Affaire Markovic. This books is well written, almost like a thriller, and superbly evokes Paris in the 1960s.
While I knew of Delon, I had no awareness of the Affaire Markovic. This books is well written, almost like a thriller, and superbly evokes Paris in the 1960s.
June 8, 2026
Fascinating novel on murder, political scandal, movies and Paris in the 1960s. Audio book was great
June 11, 2026
This was an absolutely crazy story …. Just too many characters
June 14, 2026
The audiobook was killing meeeee they had French and Eastern European gangsters sounding like Jason Statham
June 20, 2026
Fascinating read. Aside from certain repetitions of story points or allegories, well-written as well.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews