Wednesday 17 December 2008

Murder on the Eiffel Tower by Claude Izner.



From the back cover:
In this dazzling evocation of late nineteenth century Paris, we follow Victor as his investigation takes him all over the city.  But what will he do when the deaths begin to multiply and he is caught in a race against time?
'A charming journey through the life and intellectual times of an era'  ~ Le Monde

This book is the work of two authors, two sisters who are booksellers, bouquinistes, on the banks of the Seine in Paris.  I find the translation a little awkward, even dated in places.  Whether this is a deliberate attempt to conjure up the era I don't know, but I found it a false note.  "Two stiffs in the same day" neither sounds like 1889 nor the present day.

It is very much set in Paris, and if you recognise the street names and the areas mentioned, it will conjure up an image satisfactorily.  For anyone who doesn't know Paris, I would say it's less successful. It's rather better at the era than the geographical setting.  All the same, it's interesting to read about the time when the Eiffel Tower was brand new, so for that alone it's worth a read.  Less so for the murder-mystery element which I didn't find especially compelling.
Reblog this post [with Zemanta]

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

sounds like a great one

Anonymous said...

It grew on me as I read it.

Alison said...

Hi Sheila, slightly OT as I haven't read this one, just wanted to say - like your ideas here. I read a book set in Venice many years ago and directly led me to visiting. Books can have great power.

Anonymous said...

Thanks Alison. It's my project for 2009, so I need to get myself into gear. I think it has some interest for people but I must get some more reviews here.