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Inspector Henri Lefort #1
Die Around Sundown
Mark Pryor's Die Around Sundown is the first entry in a mystery series set in Paris during World War II, where a detective is forced to solve a murder while protecting his own secrets.
Summer 1940: In German-occupied Paris, Inspector Henri Lefort has been given just five days to solve the murder of a German major that took place in the Louvre Museum. Blocked from the crime scene but given a list of suspects, Henri encounters a group of artists, including Pablo Picasso, who know more than they're willing to share.
Summer 1940: In German-occupied Paris, Inspector Henri Lefort has been given just five days to solve the murder of a German major that took place in the Louvre Museum. Blocked from the crime scene but given a list of suspects, Henri encounters a group of artists, including Pablo Picasso, who know more than they're willing to share.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published August 16, 2022
229 people are currently reading
8699 people want to read
About the author
Mark Pryor
33 books634 followersMark Pryor is a former newspaper reporter from England. He moved to the US in 1995 and subsequently spent 16 years working as a prosecutor with the Travis County District Attorney's Office, in Austin, Texas. He is now a partner at the law firm of Cofer & Connelly, in Austin.
His upcoming book DIE AROUND SUNDOWN is the first in a new series of historical mysteries set in Paris during WW2. It will be published August 16, 2022, by St. Martin's/Minotaur.
Mark is also the author of the Hugo Marston mystery series, set in Paris, London, and Barcelona. The first in the series, THE BOOKSELLER, was a Library Journal Debut of the Month, and called "unputdownable" by Oprah.com, and the series has been featured in the New York Times. Mark also wrote the psychological thrillers, HOLLOW MAN, and its sequel, DOMINIC. As a prosecutor, he has appeared on CBS News's 48 Hours and Discovery Channel's Discovery ID: Cold Blood.
Of his books, reviewers said:
"[G]ood character development, increasing levels of action and suspense, a complex and deranged antagonist, and--once again--appealing Paris settings. The Hugo Marston series now belongs on every espionage fan's watch list."
--Booklist
"Haunting imagery in Père La Chaise cemetery sets the stage for Pryor's chilling sophomore entry, and the City of Light becomes a backdrop for Marston's adventures. The clever antagonist leads him on a merry chase that will keep the reader entertained throughout."
--RT Book Reviews
"Two young lovers make the fatal mistake of sneaking into Paris's Père Lachaise Cemetery the same night as a bone-stealing psychopath in Pryor's propulsive second novel starring affable former FBI profiler Hugo Marston.... The engaging characters sweep readers into a suspenseful chase from Pigalle to the Pyrenées."
--Publishers Weekly
The third Hugo Marston novel, THE BLOOD PROMISE, was released in January 2014. It may be his best yet...
"Mark Pryor is one of the smartest new writers on the block. His new novel is a doozy."
--Philip Kerr, author of A Man Without Breath, a Bernie Gunther novel
"Pryor seems to have hit his stride in this series, as he adroitly juxtaposes the light banter between Marston and Green with some scenes of intense emotion.... And, all the while, the suspense ramps up. Top-notch mystery in a skillfully delineated Parisian setting."
--Booklist
Mark is also the author of the true crime book, AS SHE LAY SLEEPING, which is the account of a "cold" murder case he prosecuted. Published in January 2013, Publisher's Weekly gave it a starred review and called it "compelling" and "riveting."
His upcoming book DIE AROUND SUNDOWN is the first in a new series of historical mysteries set in Paris during WW2. It will be published August 16, 2022, by St. Martin's/Minotaur.
Mark is also the author of the Hugo Marston mystery series, set in Paris, London, and Barcelona. The first in the series, THE BOOKSELLER, was a Library Journal Debut of the Month, and called "unputdownable" by Oprah.com, and the series has been featured in the New York Times. Mark also wrote the psychological thrillers, HOLLOW MAN, and its sequel, DOMINIC. As a prosecutor, he has appeared on CBS News's 48 Hours and Discovery Channel's Discovery ID: Cold Blood.
Of his books, reviewers said:
"[G]ood character development, increasing levels of action and suspense, a complex and deranged antagonist, and--once again--appealing Paris settings. The Hugo Marston series now belongs on every espionage fan's watch list."
--Booklist
"Haunting imagery in Père La Chaise cemetery sets the stage for Pryor's chilling sophomore entry, and the City of Light becomes a backdrop for Marston's adventures. The clever antagonist leads him on a merry chase that will keep the reader entertained throughout."
--RT Book Reviews
"Two young lovers make the fatal mistake of sneaking into Paris's Père Lachaise Cemetery the same night as a bone-stealing psychopath in Pryor's propulsive second novel starring affable former FBI profiler Hugo Marston.... The engaging characters sweep readers into a suspenseful chase from Pigalle to the Pyrenées."
--Publishers Weekly
The third Hugo Marston novel, THE BLOOD PROMISE, was released in January 2014. It may be his best yet...
"Mark Pryor is one of the smartest new writers on the block. His new novel is a doozy."
--Philip Kerr, author of A Man Without Breath, a Bernie Gunther novel
"Pryor seems to have hit his stride in this series, as he adroitly juxtaposes the light banter between Marston and Green with some scenes of intense emotion.... And, all the while, the suspense ramps up. Top-notch mystery in a skillfully delineated Parisian setting."
--Booklist
Mark is also the author of the true crime book, AS SHE LAY SLEEPING, which is the account of a "cold" murder case he prosecuted. Published in January 2013, Publisher's Weekly gave it a starred review and called it "compelling" and "riveting."
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February 19, 2025
Die Around Sundown by Mark Pryor
I'm so glad that this is just the beginning of a series with Inspector Henri Lefort. It's 1940 Paris and the Germans took over the city three weeks ago. Henri has heard the rumors and he's seen things for himself, rumors of large numbers of civilians being slaughtered, and seen with his own eyes as people in his city have been dragged from their homes and businesses as if they were criminals.
During an investigation of a robbery, with two German officers present, Henri's intuitive skills are on display. He's witty, smart mouthed, cynical, does not suffer fools gladly and he's attracted too much notice from one of these officers. He is given the task of solving a murder in the Louvre Museum but barred from entering the museum to view the scene of the crime and not allowed to see the murder weapon. He is given a list of five names as murder suspects, none of them German, of course. He's also given a time limit to solve the crime. It must be solved in five days or he will be experience great bodily harm.
Henri is sarcastic and funny but also very hard edged. Things have happened in the past to make him the way he is now. He has secrets that only one other person knows and he must guard those secrets with his life. Now Princess Marie Bonaparte, whose house had been burglarized, wants Henri to undertake psychological therapy with her. Despite his reluctance, Henri agrees, he has a lot to let out and his background is very much a part of some things happening in the present.
Henri bantering with assistant Nicola is one of my favorite things about this story. Listening to their repartee is a delight, it reminds me of some of the great old film couples. But there is darkness in Henri and it's obvious that Nicola is someone who keeps Henri grounded. I look forward to spending more time with these interesting characters and the Paris scenery but also with the occasional famous person that crosses Henri's path. Sadly, we know from history that life in Paris is going to get even more tragic, which makes this time in history an interesting backdrop for a story about a Paris detective.
Pub Aug 16 2022
Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for this ARC.
I'm so glad that this is just the beginning of a series with Inspector Henri Lefort. It's 1940 Paris and the Germans took over the city three weeks ago. Henri has heard the rumors and he's seen things for himself, rumors of large numbers of civilians being slaughtered, and seen with his own eyes as people in his city have been dragged from their homes and businesses as if they were criminals.
During an investigation of a robbery, with two German officers present, Henri's intuitive skills are on display. He's witty, smart mouthed, cynical, does not suffer fools gladly and he's attracted too much notice from one of these officers. He is given the task of solving a murder in the Louvre Museum but barred from entering the museum to view the scene of the crime and not allowed to see the murder weapon. He is given a list of five names as murder suspects, none of them German, of course. He's also given a time limit to solve the crime. It must be solved in five days or he will be experience great bodily harm.
Henri is sarcastic and funny but also very hard edged. Things have happened in the past to make him the way he is now. He has secrets that only one other person knows and he must guard those secrets with his life. Now Princess Marie Bonaparte, whose house had been burglarized, wants Henri to undertake psychological therapy with her. Despite his reluctance, Henri agrees, he has a lot to let out and his background is very much a part of some things happening in the present.
Henri bantering with assistant Nicola is one of my favorite things about this story. Listening to their repartee is a delight, it reminds me of some of the great old film couples. But there is darkness in Henri and it's obvious that Nicola is someone who keeps Henri grounded. I look forward to spending more time with these interesting characters and the Paris scenery but also with the occasional famous person that crosses Henri's path. Sadly, we know from history that life in Paris is going to get even more tragic, which makes this time in history an interesting backdrop for a story about a Paris detective.
Pub Aug 16 2022
Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for this ARC.
July 30, 2022
I’ll be honest, I’m kind of done with WWII fiction. I feel like it’s all been done before. But, I was drawn to the idea of a police procedural set in Nazi occupied Paris. And I’m so glad I picked it up.
Henri Lefort has been set up for failure. When a German major is murdered within the Louvre, while sorting art for the Nazis, Henri is picked to solve the case. In one week. Or there will be dire consequences.
Henri was a great character. He’s old enough to have fought in WWI and has a form of PTSD. He’s got distinct opinions which typically get him in trouble. But also provide some dry, caustic humor. “…America, a country I was growing more and more unhappy with. I mean, it’s one thing to show up late for one major conflagration, but to drag your feet to two of them?”
There are multiple plot lines, including Henri’s backstory. I will admit to not seeing any of the twists coming.
The book also includes some real life figures, like Picasso and Princess Marie Bonaparte. Mark Pryor has also done his research and I applaud him for making me Google numerous pieces of art. I recommend this for fans of Estelle Ryan.
Pryor’s writing is clear and it’s easy to envision the scenes playing out. He does a great job of transmitting the feel of Paris during the German occupation.
I definitely hope this is the first in a series, as I will definitely read any further entries.
My thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance copy of this book.
My husband was also a big fan of this book.
Henri Lefort has been set up for failure. When a German major is murdered within the Louvre, while sorting art for the Nazis, Henri is picked to solve the case. In one week. Or there will be dire consequences.
Henri was a great character. He’s old enough to have fought in WWI and has a form of PTSD. He’s got distinct opinions which typically get him in trouble. But also provide some dry, caustic humor. “…America, a country I was growing more and more unhappy with. I mean, it’s one thing to show up late for one major conflagration, but to drag your feet to two of them?”
There are multiple plot lines, including Henri’s backstory. I will admit to not seeing any of the twists coming.
The book also includes some real life figures, like Picasso and Princess Marie Bonaparte. Mark Pryor has also done his research and I applaud him for making me Google numerous pieces of art. I recommend this for fans of Estelle Ryan.
Pryor’s writing is clear and it’s easy to envision the scenes playing out. He does a great job of transmitting the feel of Paris during the German occupation.
I definitely hope this is the first in a series, as I will definitely read any further entries.
My thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance copy of this book.
My husband was also a big fan of this book.
May 23, 2022
Paris was under German occupation in July 1940. "The best pieces from [The Louvre] had been packaged up and shipped off to country homes and private cellars just before the Germans set foot in Paris...While closed to the public, the Germans had been helping themselves...under various guises of sequestration, confiscation and repatriation." Hauptmann Walter Fischer, who catalogued items in the gallery, was found murdered inside The Louvre.
French Police Detective Henri Lefort, of the Robbery Division, had displayed superb sleuthing skills in nabbing a robbery suspect in the home of Mimi Bonaparte, a distant relative of Napoleon. Summoned to the Prefecture, he was assigned a mind boggling case. As per Sturmbannfuhrer Ludwig Vogel, Henri was tasked with solving Fischer's murder in five days. "You will succeed or you will be viewed by the German High Command as having betrayed the trust we are bestowing on you." Henri would be allowed to view the body but the crime scene at the Louvre was off-limits to all French citizens, police included. A list of five witness/suspects was provided which included the Louvre's curator and the frame maker who made and refurbished frames for high-end artwork.
Henri was informed that he would have to work the case alone, therefore, he recruited the aid of the Prefecture's best secretary, Nicola. The Germans are "handing off everything to us, even the body. If we solve [the murder] in seven days or less, they get credit and great propaganda for working with the locals, and if we don't, they have an easy scapegoat...Either way they win."
Examination of the body revealed:
-The victim's plaques d'intentite (dog tags) were missing.
-The victim was potentially murdered with an ice pick to the brain.
-The victim was fully clothed-suit jacket contained a horizontal cut in the lining, a pocket containing a thick paper.
After meeting Henri Lefort, it was clear to Mimi Bonaparte, a psychoanalyst who had studied under Sigmund Freud, that Henri's aversion to certain sounds was a psychological or biological issue. Would answering her probing questions perhaps unearth the reasons he exploded at the sound of noisy chewing gum or crunchy celery sticks? In exchange for bearing his soul, she promised free wine and free food! According to Henri, "guarding my secrets on top of guarding my life seemed like too great of an ordeal, even for good food and wine."
During the tortuous search for the murderer, Henri witnessed Mimi's move to an apartment after the Germans seized her house. Wealth and privilege no longer insulated her. The established curfew needed to be obeyed by the citizenry as well as the French police. When one of the prime suspects was found dead, perhaps an opportunity to pin the murder on him would resolve the case. Was this the right thing to do under the circumstances?
"Die Around Sundown" by Mark Pryor is the first book in a new mystery series set in Paris during WWII. The read does not disappoint. While Henri Lefort raced to find the murderer in record time, Mimi Bonaparte tried to unlock Henri's secrets, guarded even from himself. "It was around this time of the year, 1918, and there was six of us...".
Thank you Macmillan Publishers and Minotaur Books for the print ARC. All opinions are my own.
French Police Detective Henri Lefort, of the Robbery Division, had displayed superb sleuthing skills in nabbing a robbery suspect in the home of Mimi Bonaparte, a distant relative of Napoleon. Summoned to the Prefecture, he was assigned a mind boggling case. As per Sturmbannfuhrer Ludwig Vogel, Henri was tasked with solving Fischer's murder in five days. "You will succeed or you will be viewed by the German High Command as having betrayed the trust we are bestowing on you." Henri would be allowed to view the body but the crime scene at the Louvre was off-limits to all French citizens, police included. A list of five witness/suspects was provided which included the Louvre's curator and the frame maker who made and refurbished frames for high-end artwork.
Henri was informed that he would have to work the case alone, therefore, he recruited the aid of the Prefecture's best secretary, Nicola. The Germans are "handing off everything to us, even the body. If we solve [the murder] in seven days or less, they get credit and great propaganda for working with the locals, and if we don't, they have an easy scapegoat...Either way they win."
Examination of the body revealed:
-The victim's plaques d'intentite (dog tags) were missing.
-The victim was potentially murdered with an ice pick to the brain.
-The victim was fully clothed-suit jacket contained a horizontal cut in the lining, a pocket containing a thick paper.
After meeting Henri Lefort, it was clear to Mimi Bonaparte, a psychoanalyst who had studied under Sigmund Freud, that Henri's aversion to certain sounds was a psychological or biological issue. Would answering her probing questions perhaps unearth the reasons he exploded at the sound of noisy chewing gum or crunchy celery sticks? In exchange for bearing his soul, she promised free wine and free food! According to Henri, "guarding my secrets on top of guarding my life seemed like too great of an ordeal, even for good food and wine."
During the tortuous search for the murderer, Henri witnessed Mimi's move to an apartment after the Germans seized her house. Wealth and privilege no longer insulated her. The established curfew needed to be obeyed by the citizenry as well as the French police. When one of the prime suspects was found dead, perhaps an opportunity to pin the murder on him would resolve the case. Was this the right thing to do under the circumstances?
"Die Around Sundown" by Mark Pryor is the first book in a new mystery series set in Paris during WWII. The read does not disappoint. While Henri Lefort raced to find the murderer in record time, Mimi Bonaparte tried to unlock Henri's secrets, guarded even from himself. "It was around this time of the year, 1918, and there was six of us...".
Thank you Macmillan Publishers and Minotaur Books for the print ARC. All opinions are my own.
July 20, 2022
3.5 STARS
New Series
Fans of historical fiction set during World War II may enjoy this murder mystery set in German-occupied France in the summer of 1940.
Inspector Henri Lefort, who is known for his expertise in investigating robberies has been recruited by the Nazis (against his wishes) to solve a high level murder case! He is even given a list of suspects.
The clock is ticking, his neck is on the chopping block, he has only five days to solve the murder. Should he take the easy out or stick to his moral compass and find the truth?
A unique police procedural with some art deals, famous named characters, and some flashbacks that reveal Henri's own mysterious past.
Recommend to historical fiction/WWII fans.
Thanks to Netgalley for the arc. OUT August 16, 2022
New Series
Fans of historical fiction set during World War II may enjoy this murder mystery set in German-occupied France in the summer of 1940.
Inspector Henri Lefort, who is known for his expertise in investigating robberies has been recruited by the Nazis (against his wishes) to solve a high level murder case! He is even given a list of suspects.
The clock is ticking, his neck is on the chopping block, he has only five days to solve the murder. Should he take the easy out or stick to his moral compass and find the truth?
A unique police procedural with some art deals, famous named characters, and some flashbacks that reveal Henri's own mysterious past.
Recommend to historical fiction/WWII fans.
Thanks to Netgalley for the arc. OUT August 16, 2022
August 14, 2022
Die Around Sundown is the first in a new mystery series about Henri Lefort, a French detective in German-occupied Paris. After impressing Princess Mimi Bonaparte during a burglary investigation, Lefort is promoted to the murder division. Unfortunately, his first assignment is to find out who killed a German officer inside the Louvre. An unreasonable German commander gives him a list of suspects but forbids him from entering the museum to investigate. The commander will have Lefort executed around sundown if the crime is not solved within five days.
The author, Mark Pryor, uses a clever plot device to introduce us to Lefort’s back story. After her spacious home is taken over by the Nazis, Mimi Bonaparte moves into an empty apartment just below Lefort. Having trained under Sigmund Freud, Mimi convinces the detective to undergo psychoanalysis. During the sessions, Lefort tells of his time as a World War I soldier and gradually reveals his past.
Lefort is witty, clever, and uncompromising. He has a unique connection to his very smart assistant, Nicola. Her knowledge of the art world helps him crack the case so he can live another day. As a historical fiction fan, I enjoyed the setting of 1940 Paris.
4-plus stars. I am looking forward to reading this series. Many thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for my advanced reader copy. This novel will be released on Tuesday, August 16, 2022.
The author, Mark Pryor, uses a clever plot device to introduce us to Lefort’s back story. After her spacious home is taken over by the Nazis, Mimi Bonaparte moves into an empty apartment just below Lefort. Having trained under Sigmund Freud, Mimi convinces the detective to undergo psychoanalysis. During the sessions, Lefort tells of his time as a World War I soldier and gradually reveals his past.
Lefort is witty, clever, and uncompromising. He has a unique connection to his very smart assistant, Nicola. Her knowledge of the art world helps him crack the case so he can live another day. As a historical fiction fan, I enjoyed the setting of 1940 Paris.
4-plus stars. I am looking forward to reading this series. Many thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for my advanced reader copy. This novel will be released on Tuesday, August 16, 2022.
January 1, 2022
I had read good reviews of this author before I got this book. It is the first book of a new series that features Paris Police Detective Henri Lefort. Had no idea what to expect and I must admit that I was blown away by this first book. So well done, such a fascinating plot and well-defined characters. It was a joy to read this book, and the way it was written tells us so much about the characters backgrounds. Just Superb!!!!
Lefort is a Robbery Detective in Paris during the beginning of the German occupation of WW2. The events take place about 6 weeks into their overthrow of France and we can feel the anger and resentment in most all the Parisians. Lefort is called to investigate a burglary at the home of Princess Bonaparte, yes the distant relative of Napoleon. Lefort makes a big discovery and impresses everyone, so much so that the next day he promoted to be a Murder Detective and is given the unenviable task of having to solve the murder of a German Officer. The officer had been assigned to The Louvre, and was deciding what works of art should be “repatriated” to Germany when he was killed. Lefort is given, by other German officers, a list of suspects, as well as being directed that he is not allowed to enter the Louvre in order to solve the murder. Not only that, he has been given a one week time limit to resolve the case!
He enlists the help of the leading secretary in the police office, and together they try and find a killer. Along the way the Princess has her home coonfiscated by the Nazi’s and has to move into an apartment, from which she contacts Henri and advises him that she studied and worked with Sigmund Freud and that she herself is a psychoanalyst. Henri was in WW1 and still has much emotional baggage and so she helps him begin to get over those matters. This is a marvelous way that Pryor gives us the backstory of Henri Lefort and we learn much about his life, his service in WW1 and is great way to tell two separate stories in one book and set up so much more for future books. You can hopefully see Henri, his secretary Nicola, and Princess Mimi Bonaparte in future books.
Suspects are killed, the mystery deepens, and the motivating factor for Lefort is that if he cannot solve this case in a week, then Lefort himself will be tortured and killed.
This is a great read, a fast read and one that will most likely explore much of the French/German relations of WW2 in future books in this series. If you like history and detective novels this is a great book for you. I was so impressed that I have already gone out and purchased the initial book of his first series. This is a quality writer and a book that most everyone will thoroughly enjoy and not want to put down until the very end. Oh, so good, and oh so many fascinating characters and plotlines. Great job, Mr. Pryor!
Lefort is a Robbery Detective in Paris during the beginning of the German occupation of WW2. The events take place about 6 weeks into their overthrow of France and we can feel the anger and resentment in most all the Parisians. Lefort is called to investigate a burglary at the home of Princess Bonaparte, yes the distant relative of Napoleon. Lefort makes a big discovery and impresses everyone, so much so that the next day he promoted to be a Murder Detective and is given the unenviable task of having to solve the murder of a German Officer. The officer had been assigned to The Louvre, and was deciding what works of art should be “repatriated” to Germany when he was killed. Lefort is given, by other German officers, a list of suspects, as well as being directed that he is not allowed to enter the Louvre in order to solve the murder. Not only that, he has been given a one week time limit to resolve the case!
He enlists the help of the leading secretary in the police office, and together they try and find a killer. Along the way the Princess has her home coonfiscated by the Nazi’s and has to move into an apartment, from which she contacts Henri and advises him that she studied and worked with Sigmund Freud and that she herself is a psychoanalyst. Henri was in WW1 and still has much emotional baggage and so she helps him begin to get over those matters. This is a marvelous way that Pryor gives us the backstory of Henri Lefort and we learn much about his life, his service in WW1 and is great way to tell two separate stories in one book and set up so much more for future books. You can hopefully see Henri, his secretary Nicola, and Princess Mimi Bonaparte in future books.
Suspects are killed, the mystery deepens, and the motivating factor for Lefort is that if he cannot solve this case in a week, then Lefort himself will be tortured and killed.
This is a great read, a fast read and one that will most likely explore much of the French/German relations of WW2 in future books in this series. If you like history and detective novels this is a great book for you. I was so impressed that I have already gone out and purchased the initial book of his first series. This is a quality writer and a book that most everyone will thoroughly enjoy and not want to put down until the very end. Oh, so good, and oh so many fascinating characters and plotlines. Great job, Mr. Pryor!
August 27, 2022
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.
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.
June 19, 2022
This is a classic mystery set in 1940 in German-occupied Paris. Detective Henri LeFort has been given just five days to solve a murder that occurred in the Louvre—a building he is not allowed into. Nor is he given a partner to help his solve the case, as would be normal in a murder. If he fails, the consequences for himself are dire. He gets help from his assistant, Nicola, but the Germans are hiding key evidence. He does, however, interview people like Pablo Picasso and others who know what the Germans are doing to art under the pretense of returning German art to the motherland.
This is well-done and well-paced and enjoyable.
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this novel, which RELEASES AUGUST 16m 2022.
This is well-done and well-paced and enjoyable.
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this novel, which RELEASES AUGUST 16m 2022.
March 12, 2023
Die Around Sundown by Mark Pryor
Inspector Henri Lefort #1. Historical mystery, police procedural.
Summer 1940. In German-occupied Paris, Inspector Henri Lefort is given 5 days to solve a murder of a German major. He is not given access to the site of the murder but he is given a list of supposed suspects. His career and life is on the line. If Henri doesn’t solve the murder, it’s been implied that he will be no longer be in Paris much less alive to see another day.
Along with the mystery solving, we learn about Henri’s background from the prior war as he talks with a therapist in exchange for a good glass of wine. Henri hopes that by talking through his history he will learn to tolerate the sounds of gum chewing or someone eating celery. The horrors of war and Henri’s younger impressions are vividly described as he remembers his first investigation.
Solid secondary characters such as Pablo Picasso giver the story depth and intrigue.
Not at all my typical read but engrossing and enriching, all the same.
Thanks to @MinotaurBooks for an advance copy though it took me almost a year to actually read this.
Inspector Henri Lefort #1. Historical mystery, police procedural.
Summer 1940. In German-occupied Paris, Inspector Henri Lefort is given 5 days to solve a murder of a German major. He is not given access to the site of the murder but he is given a list of supposed suspects. His career and life is on the line. If Henri doesn’t solve the murder, it’s been implied that he will be no longer be in Paris much less alive to see another day.
Along with the mystery solving, we learn about Henri’s background from the prior war as he talks with a therapist in exchange for a good glass of wine. Henri hopes that by talking through his history he will learn to tolerate the sounds of gum chewing or someone eating celery. The horrors of war and Henri’s younger impressions are vividly described as he remembers his first investigation.
Solid secondary characters such as Pablo Picasso giver the story depth and intrigue.
Not at all my typical read but engrossing and enriching, all the same.
Thanks to @MinotaurBooks for an advance copy though it took me almost a year to actually read this.
September 19, 2023
My first experience reading Mark Pryor was his book, “The Book Artist” featuring his character, Hugo Marston. Review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
This is a completely different series – titled just: A mystery.
Also…
This doesn’t have Hugo Marston’s character in this series, because this book is based in 1940 France under German occupation.
But...
The premise sounded fascinating. Even though I wasn't particularly excited to take a ride into WWII again. I couldn't resist the idea of what this author planned.
Consider this...
Our main character is French police inspector Henri Lefort, who is doing everything he can to keep a low profile while pursuing unsolved robbery cases. This isn’t always easy considering German soldiers are roaming the streets shooting people randomly on impulse.
And then…
A German major summons Lefort and orders him to investigate the murder of a Nazi officer working in the Louvre. Hitler is planning to visit in six days, so Lefort has only 5 days to solve the case. On top of that, Lefort is unable to access the murder scene or the museum. The Nazis are currently cataloguing the art pieces, preparing to steal those that they fancy.
Interesting right?
As readers we are also connected to a second storyline, where we are shifted back in time to when Lefort was a young soldier in the Great War. It is believed that those earlier adventures led to his police inspector time in WWII.
His sarcastic first-person narration easily pulls the reader along with him. He has a way of recognizing and remembering clues that may elude others, and he has a moral compass that makes him want to do the right thing, especially when he is surrounded by unrighteous acts.
Pryor does a great job of showcasing the oppressive plight of locals during this time and era, as well as the tyrannical Occupation and the City of Lights shut down.
The murder mystery takes interesting twists and turns, but has a sensible conclusion.
And…
Interesting characters (including Pablo Picasso).
Yes, you heard me right.
Will Pryor bring Lefort back?
September 16, 2022
September 13, 2022
Book Review
Die Around Sundown
Mark Pryor
reviewed by Lou Jacobs
readersremains.com | Goodreads
An atmospheric police procedural that catapults into a historical fiction mystery with clues chased down in the shadowy streets of Paris filled with jackbooted Nazi bastards.
Meet Inspector Henri LeFort a righteous and highly scrupled cop with a dogged determination to wade through the morass of clues in spite of Nazi roadblocks and obstacles in his investigation to uncover truth and justice. The setting is 1940 occupied Paris with blood red banners festooned with black swastikas staining all important buildings. The Nazi minion have strolled into the city with the government easily capitulating.
Henri vividly recalls his experiences in the previous war, when he killed these Germans, and watched his friends perish, but in the end successfully pushing these Boches (“cabbage-heads”) back to the Rhineland. Now, he feels humiliated with the ease of France’s surrender, and feels like a “book-licker.” Food will soon be rationed. The yellow stars marking Jews are imminent. The sardonic humored Henri is called to the site of a robbery, only to find out that three murders have also occurred. The house is that of Princess Marie Bonaparte, the great grand-niece of Napoleon. She has wealth, power, and influence and yet the Nazi’s were requisitioning her home. She had sent three servants to pack up her belongings, but they had not returned. She returned to investigate and found two shot in the chest and one in the back. Her jewelry was missing and yet three strange suitcases sat idly on the floor. Henri quickly deduced that one of the robbers was still present and in hiding. A shoot out ensued, leaving one of homicide detectives dead, with the hidden robber dispatched personally by Henri. Soon her home was flooded with a horde of French police and German soldiers. Princess Marie wanted Henri to join the investigation even though he was assigned to robbery and not the homicide division.
Princess Marie ( “call me Mimi” ) took a shine to Henri, and not only wanted him to stay on the murder investigation, but after a short and direct conversation found him to be “a glib sort of man” and quickly discovered she would love to further their relationship. She was a psychoanalyst, a student and friend of Freud, and was working on “aspect association” She theorized that matching certain aspects of the crime scene with those of a person’s personality would shed light on the type of criminal committing the crime (obviously the forerunner of “criminal profiling”). She felt working with Henri would foster further insights into her theories.
The following day of the robbery / murder Henri was called into the office of Chief Louis Proulx, the head of the murder division. Along with the chief were two German officers, Sturmbannfuhrer Herman Jung and Ludwig Vogel. They were impressed with his work and were tasking him to solve the murder of a German officer, Hauptmann Walter Fischer. He was stabbed to death through the ear with an ice pick at the Louvre. The museum was actually closed, and Fischer was cataloguing items in the gallery. He was tasked with deciding which of the notable pieces of art were to be “repatriated” back to Germany and Italy ( read: stealing and confiscating these priceless paintings for themselves). He had one week to solve the murder, before Hitler next visited Paris, or else, suffer the dire consequences of displeasing the Reich. He also was not allowed to visit the crime scene—the Louvre was off limits to the French, including the police. During this brief meeting, Hernri asked and said some pointed remarks that displayed his sardonic wit, which the Germans did not find the least amusing. Henri was indeed walking a fine line that would not end pleasantly. He was given an envelope that contained a picture of the victim—no photo of the murder weapon—and a list of five names on a sheet titled “Witnesses / Suspects”, Henri later thought… “maybe I’m supposed to pick one and pin it on him.” In the course of interviewing and interrogating the five, it leads to the necessity of meeting with the famous Pablo Picasso, who was living in Paris and connected with the five. His introductory remark to Pablo … “We are investigating the murder of a German soldier.” Picasso’s retort: “ We’ve only managed to kill one?
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 flash back chapters delve into his World War I experiences, trauma and secrets that shape his present day problems and motivations. He admittedly will experience bouts of anger and depression and cannot tolerate repetitive sounds: a tapping pencil, a clicking pen, or even someone munching carrots. 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 novel will appeal to aficionados that reveled in the exploits and cases of Georges Simenon’s inspector Jules Maigret and Philip Kerr’s World War II exploits of Bernie Gunther.
.... Published at Mystery and Suspense Magazine ....
Book Review
Die Around Sundown
Mark Pryor
reviewed by Lou Jacobs
readersremains.com | Goodreads
An atmospheric police procedural that catapults into a historical fiction mystery with clues chased down in the shadowy streets of Paris filled with jackbooted Nazi bastards.
Meet Inspector Henri LeFort a righteous and highly scrupled cop with a dogged determination to wade through the morass of clues in spite of Nazi roadblocks and obstacles in his investigation to uncover truth and justice. The setting is 1940 occupied Paris with blood red banners festooned with black swastikas staining all important buildings. The Nazi minion have strolled into the city with the government easily capitulating.
Henri vividly recalls his experiences in the previous war, when he killed these Germans, and watched his friends perish, but in the end successfully pushing these Boches (“cabbage-heads”) back to the Rhineland. Now, he feels humiliated with the ease of France’s surrender, and feels like a “book-licker.” Food will soon be rationed. The yellow stars marking Jews are imminent. The sardonic humored Henri is called to the site of a robbery, only to find out that three murders have also occurred. The house is that of Princess Marie Bonaparte, the great grand-niece of Napoleon. She has wealth, power, and influence and yet the Nazi’s were requisitioning her home. She had sent three servants to pack up her belongings, but they had not returned. She returned to investigate and found two shot in the chest and one in the back. Her jewelry was missing and yet three strange suitcases sat idly on the floor. Henri quickly deduced that one of the robbers was still present and in hiding. A shoot out ensued, leaving one of homicide detectives dead, with the hidden robber dispatched personally by Henri. Soon her home was flooded with a horde of French police and German soldiers. Princess Marie wanted Henri to join the investigation even though he was assigned to robbery and not the homicide division.
Princess Marie ( “call me Mimi” ) took a shine to Henri, and not only wanted him to stay on the murder investigation, but after a short and direct conversation found him to be “a glib sort of man” and quickly discovered she would love to further their relationship. She was a psychoanalyst, a student and friend of Freud, and was working on “aspect association” She theorized that matching certain aspects of the crime scene with those of a person’s personality would shed light on the type of criminal committing the crime (obviously the forerunner of “criminal profiling”). She felt working with Henri would foster further insights into her theories.
The following day of the robbery / murder Henri was called into the office of Chief Louis Proulx, the head of the murder division. Along with the chief were two German officers, Sturmbannfuhrer Herman Jung and Ludwig Vogel. They were impressed with his work and were tasking him to solve the murder of a German officer, Hauptmann Walter Fischer. He was stabbed to death through the ear with an ice pick at the Louvre. The museum was actually closed, and Fischer was cataloguing items in the gallery. He was tasked with deciding which of the notable pieces of art were to be “repatriated” back to Germany and Italy ( read: stealing and confiscating these priceless paintings for themselves). He had one week to solve the murder, before Hitler next visited Paris, or else, suffer the dire consequences of displeasing the Reich. He also was not allowed to visit the crime scene—the Louvre was off limits to the French, including the police. During this brief meeting, Hernri asked and said some pointed remarks that displayed his sardonic wit, which the Germans did not find the least amusing. Henri was indeed walking a fine line that would not end pleasantly. He was given an envelope that contained a picture of the victim—no photo of the murder weapon—and a list of five names on a sheet titled “Witnesses / Suspects”, Henri later thought… “maybe I’m supposed to pick one and pin it on him.” In the course of interviewing and interrogating the five, it leads to the necessity of meeting with the famous Pablo Picasso, who was living in Paris and connected with the five. His introductory remark to Pablo … “We are investigating the murder of a German soldier.” Picasso’s retort: “ We’ve only managed to kill one?
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 flash back chapters delve into his World War I experiences, trauma and secrets that shape his present day problems and motivations. He admittedly will experience bouts of anger and depression and cannot tolerate repetitive sounds: a tapping pencil, a clicking pen, or even someone munching carrots. 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 novel will appeal to aficionados that reveled in the exploits and cases of Georges Simenon’s inspector Jules Maigret and Philip Kerr’s World War II exploits of Bernie Gunther.
.... Published at Mystery and Suspense Magazine ....
September 5, 2022
This is one of the very best portrayals I have read of German occupied Paris, coupled with truly artfully crafted characters and integrated war scenes that ring with raw authenticity.
I really don't want to describe in detail one bit of this book to spoil the reading experience of others. I do hope that this introduction will become a series.
Luminaries included within the story include Pablo Picasso and psychoanalyst Marie Bonaparte.
Main character is Inspector Henri Lefort, and I will be first in line for the next book of this series after this fabulous introduction to this complex and admirable character.
Brilliant book!
Library Loan
I really don't want to describe in detail one bit of this book to spoil the reading experience of others. I do hope that this introduction will become a series.
Luminaries included within the story include Pablo Picasso and psychoanalyst Marie Bonaparte.
Main character is Inspector Henri Lefort, and I will be first in line for the next book of this series after this fabulous introduction to this complex and admirable character.
Brilliant book!
Library Loan
May 29, 2022
Once again, NetGalley and Minotaur Books have provided me with another opportunity to read a new author (for me) in Mark Pryor. My thanks to them for allowing me access to Die Around Sundown: A Mystery as an ARC in exchange for my honest, unbiased review.
The setting is Paris, summer of 1940. The Nazi occupation has begun, and the Paris police attempt to manage an uneasy working relationship with them. When a German major is murdered in the Louvre Museum, Inspector Henri Lefort has but one week to solve the case. Oh, by the way, Lefort works in the robbery division, but he’s caught the attention of a German superior officer because of his actions the previous day at a burglary/murder at the home of Princess Marie Bonapart. Yes – the psychoanalyst. She becomes a prominent character. Lefort is given a list of “suspects” but is forbidden from entering the Louvre. Something’s fishy in Denmark – forgive the mixed metaphor. I should add that along with the art theme, we get to meet Pablo Picasso as well.
I liked Lefort immediately. He’s a cheeky fellow, but his humor is not always appropriate, nor is it always appreciated. He does know when to keep his mouth closed, at least around the Germans. He does have a problem with his hearing, however, or perhaps more accurately, his brain. Bonapart, who asks to be called Mimi, settles on the term “hyperphonia,” which is not quite correct. Lefort becomes annoyed, agitated even, by sounds of gum chewing and loud crunching of foods like carrots and celery. There is a term for this – “mesophonia.” He hesitantly to psychoanalysis sessions with Mimi. In return for a glass of wine each time, he talks. What he shares is quite revealing about his past and who he is. Who he really is.
What starts out to be a rather easy-going story turns out to be a great character portrait of a man who went through some very rough times as a child and in WWI. Now he’s a detective, and his city is under siege again with all the uncertainty that comes with it. And he has these ridiculous expectations set for how he must investigate this crime. Will we find that war and murder have hardened him, or does Henri Lefort have a heart and soul left in his body?
I thoroughly enjoyed the characters and the plot. There’s a twist that I never saw coming. This was my first time reading anything by Mark Pryor, and I appreciate his style. Die Around Sundown is a very different kind of historical fiction and a fun mystery to boot.
4 stars
The setting is Paris, summer of 1940. The Nazi occupation has begun, and the Paris police attempt to manage an uneasy working relationship with them. When a German major is murdered in the Louvre Museum, Inspector Henri Lefort has but one week to solve the case. Oh, by the way, Lefort works in the robbery division, but he’s caught the attention of a German superior officer because of his actions the previous day at a burglary/murder at the home of Princess Marie Bonapart. Yes – the psychoanalyst. She becomes a prominent character. Lefort is given a list of “suspects” but is forbidden from entering the Louvre. Something’s fishy in Denmark – forgive the mixed metaphor. I should add that along with the art theme, we get to meet Pablo Picasso as well.
I liked Lefort immediately. He’s a cheeky fellow, but his humor is not always appropriate, nor is it always appreciated. He does know when to keep his mouth closed, at least around the Germans. He does have a problem with his hearing, however, or perhaps more accurately, his brain. Bonapart, who asks to be called Mimi, settles on the term “hyperphonia,” which is not quite correct. Lefort becomes annoyed, agitated even, by sounds of gum chewing and loud crunching of foods like carrots and celery. There is a term for this – “mesophonia.” He hesitantly to psychoanalysis sessions with Mimi. In return for a glass of wine each time, he talks. What he shares is quite revealing about his past and who he is. Who he really is.
What starts out to be a rather easy-going story turns out to be a great character portrait of a man who went through some very rough times as a child and in WWI. Now he’s a detective, and his city is under siege again with all the uncertainty that comes with it. And he has these ridiculous expectations set for how he must investigate this crime. Will we find that war and murder have hardened him, or does Henri Lefort have a heart and soul left in his body?
I thoroughly enjoyed the characters and the plot. There’s a twist that I never saw coming. This was my first time reading anything by Mark Pryor, and I appreciate his style. Die Around Sundown is a very different kind of historical fiction and a fun mystery to boot.
4 stars
August 6, 2022
A police procedural set in Paris in July of 1940, just three weeks after Nazis seized control of the city. French Police Officer Henri Lefort is promoted to the homicide division just in time to be assigned to a difficult case--the murder of a German officer who was working in the Louvre, choosing artwork to be shipped to Germany. Lefort will be the sole investigator on the case and is given an ultimatum of just one week to find the killer. If he fails, he will be executed. Oh, the pressure!
Henri is a bit of a wise guy with some psychological issues stemming from his experiences in WWI. He meets Marie Bonaparte, a psychoanalyst who worked with Freud, who offers to help him overcome his misophonia. Through his sessions with her, we learn some of his past and his closely-held secrets.
Great title! During WWI, Henri noticed that sundown was a particularly dangerous time for soldiers when exhaustion made them more vulnerable to stray bullets and random assaults. Now he realizes this is happening again, with Nazi patrols shooting citizens on sight when they are out and about near curfew. Troublesome times!
I thought this book was uniquely plotted and very much enjoyed the historical wartime setting. Henri is an interesting new protagonist--I hope to see much more of him to come!
I received an arc of this new mystery from the author and publisher via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.
Henri is a bit of a wise guy with some psychological issues stemming from his experiences in WWI. He meets Marie Bonaparte, a psychoanalyst who worked with Freud, who offers to help him overcome his misophonia. Through his sessions with her, we learn some of his past and his closely-held secrets.
Great title! During WWI, Henri noticed that sundown was a particularly dangerous time for soldiers when exhaustion made them more vulnerable to stray bullets and random assaults. Now he realizes this is happening again, with Nazi patrols shooting citizens on sight when they are out and about near curfew. Troublesome times!
I thought this book was uniquely plotted and very much enjoyed the historical wartime setting. Henri is an interesting new protagonist--I hope to see much more of him to come!
I received an arc of this new mystery from the author and publisher via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.
August 18, 2022
How could I be fooled by such an unprepossessing title!
This was anything but! Paris when the Germans marched in! (The Germans wore grey. She wore blue!) Inspector Henri Lefort had been in the French army in the first war, this time round he’s a French detective who’s been given a task by the Germans to find a killer in a five days! No going to the place where the body was found (the louvre btw), and—a list of the suspects all neatly typed! What fresh hell is this? Solve a murder without investigating?
We go from a murder, to the saving of paintings from rapacious German hands, to the startling revelations of events that happened in the last war, and oh! more bodies littering the scene.
Told in the world weary tones of a gumshoe detective, or just someone disgusted by it all happening again, with nary a shot fired—as Paris rolled over. Small signs of rebellion are a score for all.
Indeed if this was a film Humphrey Bogart would not be out of place as the lead.
Still the ending was to die for! Oh, I’m sorry, someone did!
A clear eyed look at murder in times of war and the invading army from a somewhat Philip Kerr-ish perspective. I loved it.
A St. Martin’s Press ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)
This was anything but! Paris when the Germans marched in! (The Germans wore grey. She wore blue!) Inspector Henri Lefort had been in the French army in the first war, this time round he’s a French detective who’s been given a task by the Germans to find a killer in a five days! No going to the place where the body was found (the louvre btw), and—a list of the suspects all neatly typed! What fresh hell is this? Solve a murder without investigating?
We go from a murder, to the saving of paintings from rapacious German hands, to the startling revelations of events that happened in the last war, and oh! more bodies littering the scene.
Told in the world weary tones of a gumshoe detective, or just someone disgusted by it all happening again, with nary a shot fired—as Paris rolled over. Small signs of rebellion are a score for all.
Indeed if this was a film Humphrey Bogart would not be out of place as the lead.
Still the ending was to die for! Oh, I’m sorry, someone did!
A clear eyed look at murder in times of war and the invading army from a somewhat Philip Kerr-ish perspective. I loved it.
A St. Martin’s Press ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)
August 16, 2022
I quite literally read this in one day, that’s how good it is. It’s historical fiction and a detective novel rolled into one. I loved the main character, Paris detective Henri Lefort. It’s July 1940 and Germany has recently occupied Paris. Lefort is given a seemingly impossible task: figure out who killed a German officer at the Louvre, and do it in five days. Or else! Although the main action takes place during WW2, we get a lot of Henri’s backstory during WW1. Along with completely fictional characters, we get some real people too, such as the great Pablo Picasso and Princess Marie Bonaparte. Be prepared for a number of twists! I do hope this becomes a series. Don’t miss this book.
I bounced between the audiobook and the ebook for this title, which was very convenient and a major reason I finished it so fast. The audiobook is beautifully narrated by P.J. Ochlan.
Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance reader copy of this book and to Tantor Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to an advance copy of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.
I bounced between the audiobook and the ebook for this title, which was very convenient and a major reason I finished it so fast. The audiobook is beautifully narrated by P.J. Ochlan.
Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance reader copy of this book and to Tantor Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to an advance copy of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.
June 9, 2022
It has been far too long, about 30 months, since I read my previous two books by MARK PRYOR. They were books one and two in the Hugo Marston series. I have now rediscovered Mr. Pryor with a new series featuring WWII era Parisian police detective Henri Lefort. And what a tale he tells in DIE AROUND SUNDOWN!
Henri Lefort is one of the best police homicide detectives in Paris in the early summer of 1940. The Nazis have been in Paris for a little more than a month and were starting their reign of terror in that beautiful city. Lefort lives with Nicola who is also his primary assistant in the homicide department.
A Nazi officer, Walter Fischer, is murdered in the Louvre. Fischer is the lead in the cataloguing and looting of that museum’s art works. SS Major Ludwig Vogel assigns the case to Lefort. Vogel gives him 7 days to solve the case or die. Ludwig tells him this is necessary because Adolph Hitler is coming to Paris in a week and he wants to show Hitler that the Nazis have Paris under control. He tells Henri that he cannot, under any circumstance, enter the Louvre during the investigation. Ludwig also gives Lefort a list of several suspects.
Henri Lefort is also called upon to investigate a break-in and possible murder in the home of Princess Marie Bonaparte, a noted psychoanalyst (actually helped Sigmund Freud escape from the Nazis) and descendant of Napoleon. When he arrives at the crime scene, Lefort actually saves her life. A couple of days later, after the Nazis appropriate her palatial Parian home, she moves into an apartment just below that Henri and Nicola. She offers Henri free psychoanalysis in exchange for his patronage. He reluctantly agrees, because he is hiding dark and deep secrets. This becomes a story within a story.
Among the suspects who are on Ludwig’s list are five employees of the Louvre or associated contractors for the museum. During the investigation, two of the suspects are murdered. After Fischer is killed, Lefort discovers that he has hidden a Pablo Picasso painting in his clothing. The artist becomes another suspect in the investigation. The famous Café Hugo in Paris is integral to the story.
During the Great War (WWI), Henri Lefort served in the French Army as an 18-year-old private. He is assigned to a secret mission to save a German officer who wants to defect with lots of information about Germany’s military plans. The small team is made up of American, British and French troops. The mission does not go well but for Lefort there are amazing discoveries that change his life. This is the story that Henri tells Bonaparte.
The author does a great job of combining fact and fiction into a very compelling story. There is plenty of action. The characters are wonderful. The setting is impeccable. If you like history, detective stories, police procedurals or just plain great writing, then this is a must read for you. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
GO! BUY! READ!
Henri Lefort is one of the best police homicide detectives in Paris in the early summer of 1940. The Nazis have been in Paris for a little more than a month and were starting their reign of terror in that beautiful city. Lefort lives with Nicola who is also his primary assistant in the homicide department.
A Nazi officer, Walter Fischer, is murdered in the Louvre. Fischer is the lead in the cataloguing and looting of that museum’s art works. SS Major Ludwig Vogel assigns the case to Lefort. Vogel gives him 7 days to solve the case or die. Ludwig tells him this is necessary because Adolph Hitler is coming to Paris in a week and he wants to show Hitler that the Nazis have Paris under control. He tells Henri that he cannot, under any circumstance, enter the Louvre during the investigation. Ludwig also gives Lefort a list of several suspects.
Henri Lefort is also called upon to investigate a break-in and possible murder in the home of Princess Marie Bonaparte, a noted psychoanalyst (actually helped Sigmund Freud escape from the Nazis) and descendant of Napoleon. When he arrives at the crime scene, Lefort actually saves her life. A couple of days later, after the Nazis appropriate her palatial Parian home, she moves into an apartment just below that Henri and Nicola. She offers Henri free psychoanalysis in exchange for his patronage. He reluctantly agrees, because he is hiding dark and deep secrets. This becomes a story within a story.
Among the suspects who are on Ludwig’s list are five employees of the Louvre or associated contractors for the museum. During the investigation, two of the suspects are murdered. After Fischer is killed, Lefort discovers that he has hidden a Pablo Picasso painting in his clothing. The artist becomes another suspect in the investigation. The famous Café Hugo in Paris is integral to the story.
During the Great War (WWI), Henri Lefort served in the French Army as an 18-year-old private. He is assigned to a secret mission to save a German officer who wants to defect with lots of information about Germany’s military plans. The small team is made up of American, British and French troops. The mission does not go well but for Lefort there are amazing discoveries that change his life. This is the story that Henri tells Bonaparte.
The author does a great job of combining fact and fiction into a very compelling story. There is plenty of action. The characters are wonderful. The setting is impeccable. If you like history, detective stories, police procedurals or just plain great writing, then this is a must read for you. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
GO! BUY! READ!
June 26, 2022
Mark Pryor has written a new book and this time he takes us back in time to Paris in 1940, the germans has just occupied France and Henri Lefort has 5 days to solve a murder. This story is so much more than just solving the murder but I'll let you read the book and find out for yourself. Die Around Sundown is a great mystery on several levels and although sceptical at first I found myself soon immersed in the story. I must thank Edelweiss, Minotaur Books and Macmillan for giving me this advanced copy and Mark Pryor for making this stuff up.
July 16, 2022
What a great combination! I loved the blending of historical fiction with a mystery/police procedural.
The atmosphere upon opening is fantastic. I really felt the fear, resentment and anger of the Parisiennes as they came to terms with the recent German occupation.
I immediately liked Paris police detective Henri Lefort and followed him in his robbery investigation involving Princess Marie (Mimi) Bonaparte. Yes, ‘those’ Bonapartes. Lefort’s thorough work earns him a promotion as a murder detective and he heads off to investigate the murder of a German officer who’s been involved in repatriating paintings from the Louvre. My excitement for Lefort’s career advancement soon diminished as it meant (1) he was now noticed by the Nazis and (2) his superior gave him only 7 days to crack the case WITHOUT gaining entry to the Louvre. I was captivated reading about Picasso and other famous artists and their works and was surprised by the twists.
Kudos to Pryor for finding a creative way to introduce us to his protagonist's backstory!
I was thoroughly impressed with the mystery series opener and look forward to reading more by Mark Pryor.
I was gifted this advance copy by Mark Pryor, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
The atmosphere upon opening is fantastic. I really felt the fear, resentment and anger of the Parisiennes as they came to terms with the recent German occupation.
I immediately liked Paris police detective Henri Lefort and followed him in his robbery investigation involving Princess Marie (Mimi) Bonaparte. Yes, ‘those’ Bonapartes. Lefort’s thorough work earns him a promotion as a murder detective and he heads off to investigate the murder of a German officer who’s been involved in repatriating paintings from the Louvre. My excitement for Lefort’s career advancement soon diminished as it meant (1) he was now noticed by the Nazis and (2) his superior gave him only 7 days to crack the case WITHOUT gaining entry to the Louvre. I was captivated reading about Picasso and other famous artists and their works and was surprised by the twists.
Kudos to Pryor for finding a creative way to introduce us to his protagonist's backstory!
I was thoroughly impressed with the mystery series opener and look forward to reading more by Mark Pryor.
I was gifted this advance copy by Mark Pryor, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
August 17, 2022
Mark Pryor has another winner on his hands! Pryor produces well-written stories that just happen to be mysteries. This is the first in a new series set in WWII Paris just a month after the Nazi's have taken over. Henri Lefort, a police detective, is tasked with finding who killed a German major in the Louvre in five days with the SS looking over his shoulder and promising dire things if they don't like his results all while keeping his own incendiary secrets. The atmosphere of a newly conquered Paris struggling to survive their vicious overlords and come to terms with the new reality is a pulsing heartbeat and adds a tension to the story. The characters are complex with a deft blending of real historical people in a storyline that is believable and plenty of action that keeps the plot moving along at a good pace and twists that will keep you guessing.
I highly recommend this and his other mystery series Hugo Marsten, set in modern day Paris. I received a free ARC in return for an honest opinion.
I highly recommend this and his other mystery series Hugo Marsten, set in modern day Paris. I received a free ARC in return for an honest opinion.
August 10, 2022
I thoroughly enjoyed this historical mystery set in German-occupied Paris.
The author is a master at character development, and they don’t get much better than Inspector Henri Lefort. He has a complex backstory and is just trying to do the best detective job he can. Henri has his work cut out for him when a German officer is murdered at the Louvre Museum. But wait, that’s not all! Henri has many layers and his story is more compelling than the murder! Die Before Sundown is a mystery within a mystery, very cleverly told.
Another fascinating character, Princess Marie Bonaparte, was a pleasant surprise. I was so intrigued I had to google her to get the full story. It’s not every day I run across a relative of Napoleon and a colleague of Sigmund Freud in the pages of a historical mystery.
The characters, the snappy dialogue, and the historical setting all combine to make this a five star read for me.
I am so happy to hear this will be a series because I want to hear more from Inspector Henri Lefort!
Thank you to @minotaurbooks for this #gifted eARC via @netgalley of Die Around Sundown by Mark Pryor. This book is out tomorrow, August 16, 2022
The author is a master at character development, and they don’t get much better than Inspector Henri Lefort. He has a complex backstory and is just trying to do the best detective job he can. Henri has his work cut out for him when a German officer is murdered at the Louvre Museum. But wait, that’s not all! Henri has many layers and his story is more compelling than the murder! Die Before Sundown is a mystery within a mystery, very cleverly told.
Another fascinating character, Princess Marie Bonaparte, was a pleasant surprise. I was so intrigued I had to google her to get the full story. It’s not every day I run across a relative of Napoleon and a colleague of Sigmund Freud in the pages of a historical mystery.
The characters, the snappy dialogue, and the historical setting all combine to make this a five star read for me.
I am so happy to hear this will be a series because I want to hear more from Inspector Henri Lefort!
Thank you to @minotaurbooks for this #gifted eARC via @netgalley of Die Around Sundown by Mark Pryor. This book is out tomorrow, August 16, 2022
November 30, 2021
Die Around Sundown by Mark Pryor is a fabulous historical fiction murder mystery that is the first in a new series that I can’t wait to continue!
This is a WWII-era police procedural that takes place mainly in 1940 Paris, France. We are introduced to the main character Henri Lefort, a French Detective that is a complicated, fascinating, sarcastic, and intelligent man that has a conflicting past and secrets of his own. As we learn more about him through his interactions with other characters, his memories and flashbacks, and his actions and actually impressive and promising conscience and moral compass, we get to learn so much about this intriguing and likable character. He may have a mouth full of wit, sarcasm, and dead-pan one-liners that occasionally gets him into trouble, he is a patriot and a positive soul at heart and honestly tries to do his best in his professional and personal life. Far from perfect, but someone I would want on my side.
Henri is thrust into a murder/mystery involving a German officer that is murdered in the Louvre. Henri is given an impossibility tight timeline to find the killer, solve the murder alone, and all within a week with limited information given by a high-ranking SS officer before Hitler himself returns to Paris on a second tour…or else.
Feeling the pressure, Henri uses all of his intelligence and resources (including his partner in crime secretary Nicola) to find the culprit and save his neck.
I really enjoyed this first installment. The author did an amazing job wrapping this fictional story into true facts, timelines, events, and even included historic figures. It blended seamlessly and sets us up for many more books.
I loved the twists, turns, and also the way he created an avenue to present some of Henri’s WWI experiences sprinkled throughout. It added to the plot and also into the psyche of Henri himself. The author balanced all of this serious and heavy matter nicely with the occasional witty banter, dialogue, and the laugh out loud but subtle one-liners. I found myself chuckling every now and then at a comment that was tossed almost under the radar here and there.
I liked the pace, the progression, and the satisfying and realistic ending. Can’t wait to read more.
5/5 stars
Thank you NG and Minotaur/St Martin’s Press for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 8/16/22.
This is a WWII-era police procedural that takes place mainly in 1940 Paris, France. We are introduced to the main character Henri Lefort, a French Detective that is a complicated, fascinating, sarcastic, and intelligent man that has a conflicting past and secrets of his own. As we learn more about him through his interactions with other characters, his memories and flashbacks, and his actions and actually impressive and promising conscience and moral compass, we get to learn so much about this intriguing and likable character. He may have a mouth full of wit, sarcasm, and dead-pan one-liners that occasionally gets him into trouble, he is a patriot and a positive soul at heart and honestly tries to do his best in his professional and personal life. Far from perfect, but someone I would want on my side.
Henri is thrust into a murder/mystery involving a German officer that is murdered in the Louvre. Henri is given an impossibility tight timeline to find the killer, solve the murder alone, and all within a week with limited information given by a high-ranking SS officer before Hitler himself returns to Paris on a second tour…or else.
Feeling the pressure, Henri uses all of his intelligence and resources (including his partner in crime secretary Nicola) to find the culprit and save his neck.
I really enjoyed this first installment. The author did an amazing job wrapping this fictional story into true facts, timelines, events, and even included historic figures. It blended seamlessly and sets us up for many more books.
I loved the twists, turns, and also the way he created an avenue to present some of Henri’s WWI experiences sprinkled throughout. It added to the plot and also into the psyche of Henri himself. The author balanced all of this serious and heavy matter nicely with the occasional witty banter, dialogue, and the laugh out loud but subtle one-liners. I found myself chuckling every now and then at a comment that was tossed almost under the radar here and there.
I liked the pace, the progression, and the satisfying and realistic ending. Can’t wait to read more.
5/5 stars
Thank you NG and Minotaur/St Martin’s Press for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 8/16/22.
April 20, 2022
320 pages
5 stars
It is the summer of 1940 in Paris. The Parisian citizens both fear and hate the German invaders in their beautiful city.
Irreverent robbery detective Henri Lefort wants nothing but to be reassigned to the homicide squad. While investigating a robbery, he meets Princess Maria “Mimi” Bonaparte. When he realizes one of the robbers is still in the palatial home, he becomes a local hero for saving Mimi’s life.
Henri gets his chance to investigate a murder when news of his actions at Mimi’s home reach the Nazis. A ruthless major assigns Henri to investigate the murder of a German who was assisting in the “repatriation” of artwork from the Louvre “back” to Germany.
He is given a list of names of possible suspects and is not allowed to visit the scene of the crime - the Louvre. Further, he is given one week. If he fails, he forfeits his life.
What a deal!
The list of suspects all work for the Louvre in one capacity or another. Henri sets about meeting them one by one. When the dead man’s body is found to be at the jail, Henri and his sometimes partner Nicola find a valuable drawing in the lining of his coat. Nicola recognizes it and it leads them to the studio of Pablo Picasso.
Meanwhile, Mimi was a student of Sigmund Freud and wants to use her training on Henri. She feels, as a veteran of WWI and with his odd predilections, he would be a good study. He very reluctantly agrees. She has been dispossessed of her home and has moved into an apartment below Henri.
Their sessions are very revealing.
While interviewing the “suspects” and investigating the case as best he can, Henri ponders the notion of patriotism. He remembers the first war and the conditions now in Paris as some citizens begin to disappear.
This book is well written and plotted as are all of Mr.. Pryor’s novels. The characters were very real, especially Henri. I really felt as though I got to know him. The state of fear running through the Paris populace was very real. I appreciated the little acts of defiance exhibited by the citizenry. I truly enjoyed this stand alone new hero. I hope to see more of Henri Lefort and Nicola.
I want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for forwarding to me a copy of this very engaging book for me to read, enjoy and review. The opinions expressed here are solely my own.
5 stars
It is the summer of 1940 in Paris. The Parisian citizens both fear and hate the German invaders in their beautiful city.
Irreverent robbery detective Henri Lefort wants nothing but to be reassigned to the homicide squad. While investigating a robbery, he meets Princess Maria “Mimi” Bonaparte. When he realizes one of the robbers is still in the palatial home, he becomes a local hero for saving Mimi’s life.
Henri gets his chance to investigate a murder when news of his actions at Mimi’s home reach the Nazis. A ruthless major assigns Henri to investigate the murder of a German who was assisting in the “repatriation” of artwork from the Louvre “back” to Germany.
He is given a list of names of possible suspects and is not allowed to visit the scene of the crime - the Louvre. Further, he is given one week. If he fails, he forfeits his life.
What a deal!
The list of suspects all work for the Louvre in one capacity or another. Henri sets about meeting them one by one. When the dead man’s body is found to be at the jail, Henri and his sometimes partner Nicola find a valuable drawing in the lining of his coat. Nicola recognizes it and it leads them to the studio of Pablo Picasso.
Meanwhile, Mimi was a student of Sigmund Freud and wants to use her training on Henri. She feels, as a veteran of WWI and with his odd predilections, he would be a good study. He very reluctantly agrees. She has been dispossessed of her home and has moved into an apartment below Henri.
Their sessions are very revealing.
While interviewing the “suspects” and investigating the case as best he can, Henri ponders the notion of patriotism. He remembers the first war and the conditions now in Paris as some citizens begin to disappear.
This book is well written and plotted as are all of Mr.. Pryor’s novels. The characters were very real, especially Henri. I really felt as though I got to know him. The state of fear running through the Paris populace was very real. I appreciated the little acts of defiance exhibited by the citizenry. I truly enjoyed this stand alone new hero. I hope to see more of Henri Lefort and Nicola.
I want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for forwarding to me a copy of this very engaging book for me to read, enjoy and review. The opinions expressed here are solely my own.
June 1, 2022
I was torn trying to decide what rating to assign this book. On the one hand, the author is extremely skillful at delivering a breathtaking, engrossing murder mystery set against the very real backdrop of occupied Paris in WWII. It was a quick read and I was eager to see how it all turned out. I appreciated the lengths he went to so that readers could get a better insight into how life was for the French citizens at the beginning of the Nazi occupation - their fears, the lies they were initially told by the Germans, the start of the underground Resistance efforts etc.
However, I had a significant challenge in suspending disbelief with this story on a few levels: the seemingly nonchalant ways that the main characters meet with and become friends with famous real-life people, and the over-the-top coincidences which tie together in several sub-plots. It was just too much to be very believable, at least for me.
However, I had a significant challenge in suspending disbelief with this story on a few levels: the seemingly nonchalant ways that the main characters meet with and become friends with famous real-life people, and the over-the-top coincidences which tie together in several sub-plots. It was just too much to be very believable, at least for me.
August 25, 2022
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.
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.
August 17, 2022
I really liked this slow burn detective novel. The mystery itself was somewhat predictable; however, the setting of 1940s Paris as the Germans were creeping their way in really ratcheted up the tension and almost became a character in itself. World War I veteran, detective Henri Lefort, is assigned a murder case of a young Nazi killed in the Louvre Museum. However, he is barred from the crime scene, given a list of six suspects to choose from, and told that he must solve it in five days or the consequences will be dire for him. Lefort was a fabulously developed character – a man suffering with trauma from the first war and trying to come to terms with the present reality of the Germans in Paris. Really hoping this turns into a series! Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to read and review this book!
September 30, 2022
It was an unexpected story. Partly mystery with some historical fiction. I found the murder mystery, the killing of a German officer, not too interesting. On the other hand the life story of the main character was fascinating as was the information about the German occupation of Paris in WW II and the sacking of the Louvre.
December 20, 2023
⭐4.5⭐
In the summer of 1940, a Paris Inspector is tasked with solving a murder in five days or be put to death. Despite this overwhelming responsibility, he befriends a psychoanalyst who wants to delve into the Inspector's past during WWI.
The characters in this story felt larger than life and, as a departure from my usual WWII reads, they also had too much pep in their step. The backdrop of a war didn't prevent an investigation but certainly complicated it. Fortunately, I quickly settled into the story and Henri's personality won me over! I enjoyed finding out about his experiences in WWI and how it changed him. He has several quirks but he's clever and wow I did not expect so many revelations! Excellent twist!
In the summer of 1940, a Paris Inspector is tasked with solving a murder in five days or be put to death. Despite this overwhelming responsibility, he befriends a psychoanalyst who wants to delve into the Inspector's past during WWI.
The characters in this story felt larger than life and, as a departure from my usual WWII reads, they also had too much pep in their step. The backdrop of a war didn't prevent an investigation but certainly complicated it. Fortunately, I quickly settled into the story and Henri's personality won me over! I enjoyed finding out about his experiences in WWI and how it changed him. He has several quirks but he's clever and wow I did not expect so many revelations! Excellent twist!
May 6, 2023
This was an easy read. The voice of the main character sounded like a modern day American and did not give me a realistic feel of the place or time. I did not always find the characters very believable and did not always enjoy the diction/ writing style. The story was interesting but this book just did not sit right with me. Would not recommend.
March 18, 2023
French Police Detective Henri Lefort of the Robbery Division, was instrumental in nabbing a robbery suspect in the home of Mimi Bonaparte, a distant relative of Napoleon. Having caught the eye of higher ups, he's now been recruited by the Nazis to solve the high level murder of a German major without access to the scene of the crime - only given a list of five suspects and a warning - solve the case in five days or else! His career and life are on the line.
Die Around Sundown is a multifaceted story starring an eccentric character with several unique quirks. Detective Henri LeFort is a sharp, street savvy robbery detective. Unfortunately, everyday loud sounds set him on edge seemingly stemming from his service during WWI? Mimi Bonaparte, who trained under Sigmund Freud, is determined to solve this mystery by convincing Henri to undergo psychoanalysis during sessions with her. Their sessions are the manner Henri's backstory is introduced to readers. Lefort is an unique character - witty and clever with a strange connection to his assistant, Nicola, and it's her knowledge of art that helps him crack the case so he can live another day.
There're a couple of mysteries going on at once in Die Around Sundown and as the story plays out, readers are charged with solving them. Pryor does an excellent job with characterization, especially Henry with his many quirks and complex nature. While I found the pacing a bit of a mixed bag, a bit up and down, the intensity builds as clues and foreshadowing fall into place. Fans of historical fiction, especially centering around WWII, will enjoy this one as will amateur sleuths who enjoy whodunit crime novels.
Die Around Sundown is a multifaceted story starring an eccentric character with several unique quirks. Detective Henri LeFort is a sharp, street savvy robbery detective. Unfortunately, everyday loud sounds set him on edge seemingly stemming from his service during WWI? Mimi Bonaparte, who trained under Sigmund Freud, is determined to solve this mystery by convincing Henri to undergo psychoanalysis during sessions with her. Their sessions are the manner Henri's backstory is introduced to readers. Lefort is an unique character - witty and clever with a strange connection to his assistant, Nicola, and it's her knowledge of art that helps him crack the case so he can live another day.
There're a couple of mysteries going on at once in Die Around Sundown and as the story plays out, readers are charged with solving them. Pryor does an excellent job with characterization, especially Henry with his many quirks and complex nature. While I found the pacing a bit of a mixed bag, a bit up and down, the intensity builds as clues and foreshadowing fall into place. Fans of historical fiction, especially centering around WWII, will enjoy this one as will amateur sleuths who enjoy whodunit crime novels.
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