Mystery of the Metro

My Name Is Paris #1

by Elizabeth Howard

In 1900, sixteen-year-old Paris, a Chicago teenager with a fondness for Sherlock Holmes, travels to Paris, France, to visit her uncle, a prominent scientist, only to find on her arrival that he has died under circumstances sufficiently mysterious to makeher determined to investigate on her own.

Genres: Mystery, Young Adult, Historical

171 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1987

About the author

Elizabeth Howard (Mizner) was born in 1907 in Detroit, and spent most of her life in Michigan. Descended from a noteworthy historic family, she loved history herself and enjoyed sharing her strong sense of the past in historical novels for teenage girls.

Reviews

[Shaun Winters · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was an interesting read, but lacked any true feeling of stakes. For the age bracket it is intended, this would be a fun read. It had a bit of mystery, romance, and intrigue in places. There were a few plot points that I feel were left open ended, that should have been resolved here. When I get to book 2, if they are not addressed I will definitely feel like the author did not have a plan moving forward. It still was a short read and enjoyable, just not going to be a favorite read.

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bought a few of these young adult novels back in the nineties at the Dollar store where I worked in high school. I love the artwork in the art nouveaux style and the setting in Paris. I was heavily into mysteries and all the elements of this novel made it a perfect read for me; Victorian, Paris, mystery solving teen my age. I think I read parts but never got to read them through. I picked it up again this summer as a fun interlude read and enjoyed the writing even though it was predictable. Now to find the other books in the series in all those boxed up books.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

I saw this cover and I definitely remember reading this book back in middle school. I also remember being more impressed by the art nouveau style of the cover than the actual story... it truly is a beautiful cover and concept. If only more mysteries were set in 1920s Paris, I might read them!

[Kasey Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have had this book since I was 12. Never read it. Now I have.

Let's face it, I read to to up the number of books I have read cause "What to Expect" is super long. I did find it enjoyable surprisingly. And will read the next one.

Paris is a fun girl who loves mysteries, Sherlock Holmes, and France! Viva!!

[Erica Leigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Charming. And you get a mini tour of Victorian era Paris.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a victorian era-set young adult novel, with that in mind, this book had a good but predictable story line/villian. The Heroin is a sherlock holmes loving young miss on her way to Paris to visit her uncle who "misteriously" dies that morning. Our Heroin, also named Paris, proceeds to chanel her hero and try to solve her uncles murder. The author kept fairly true to the victorian era acceptable manners and mode of conduct. And while it was vey predictable and mild in flavor, it IS a book for young readers but was well written enough that I am looking forward to the next book.

[Snail in Danger (Sid) Nicolaides · Rating 2 out of 5]

Man, what a gorgeous cover. Unfortunately, the inside didn't quite live up to it. It was mostly formulaic and typical, except that some idiosyncratically Parisian things were incorporated with a surprisingly deft touch. My library system has the second book in the series, or I probably wouldn't choose to continue. But I was intrigued just enough to be willing to see if the second book is an improvement.

[Fida · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read books 1-6 in elementary school. Loved it and highly recommend it for all kids to read. I'm currently looking for the series (wish I kept those copies!).

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

All I can say is I WANT THE REST OF THE SERIES!

[Brigid Purtell · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is such a cute fun read, fast paced and still very descriptive so that you really feel the setting. this book is thankfully free of the idiot heroine, instead she is brash but level headed