The Paris Affair: Book Review and Giveaway

Review at a Glance

• Title: The Paris Affair
• My Rating: 4.0
• Genre: Historical Fiction
• Format: Paperback*
• Publication Date: September 30, 2020
• Author: Susanne Dunlap

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The Paris Affair Book Blurb

Apparently, false rumors about Marie Antoinette are all the fashion in 1783.

Marie Antoinette is facing hostility from the populace, inflamed by rumors circulated in pamphlets throughout Paris. The rumors claim that she has dozens of lovers, drinks the blood of poor people, holds satanic masses at Versailles, and more, when nothing could be further from the truth. On the advice of the handsome, enigmatic Captain von Bauer, Joseph II–emperor of Austria and Marie Antoinette’s brother–decides that mystery-solving violinist Theresa Schurman is the ideal candidate for a spy to discover the source of these vile slanders.

Theresa is only too glad to get away from Vienna for a while, unwilling to commit herself yet to marrying Zoltan–a Hungarian baron she met when she was fifteen–and running out of reasons to postpone her decision. She is eager, too, to explore a new musical scene and broaden her artistic education. But when the captain confounds her expectations and places her as a bookkeeper in the establishment of Rose Bertin, milliner to the queen, she begins to lose hope that she will ever achieve her musical aims–or the emperor’s goal of exposing the pamphleteers.

A chance encounter with the Chevalier de Saint-Georges, an extraordinary black violinist and expert swordsman, sets Theresa on the path to unraveling the mystery. But will the chevalier’s patron, the powerful duc de Chartres, confound her efforts and put her–and the captain’s–lives in danger?

Be prepared for music, mystery, love, and murder in this riveting tale of pre-revolutionary Paris.

Praise for The Paris Affair

“The settings and situations are enchanting and varied; Dunlap is adept at on-the-fly description and at lacing intrigue with romance…Dunlap proves an arresting tour guide through this rich milieu, summoning up the past without slowing down the storytelling. Author and protagonist alike boast an epigrammatic wit. The touch is light, but the scenery and chatter are sumptuous…Theresa stands as a fascinating protagonist, a woman whose nimble navigation of society’s expectations and several burgeoning romances are exciting and inspiring, even more so than the sleuthing that drives the novel’s plot. The people she encounters are likewise memorable, complex, and surprising, especially the chevalier…This sparkling historical mystery conjures up the salons, fashion, and gossip of Marie Antoinette’s Paris, with a winning emphasis on the power of music and the roles that society allowed women.” – The BookLife Prize

AMAZON | BARNES AND NOBLE | INDIEBOUND

Giveaway

The Paris Affair REVIEW

As a quick reminder, here is my rating structure:

• 1 star: Did not finish
• 2 Stars: Finished but I do not recommend
• 3 Stars: Liked but could use some improvements
• 4 Stars: Loved this book!
• 5 Stars: Rare. The unput-down-able, binge read obsession.

My star ratings are also based also genre based. I compare all books with books of the same genre. While I would love to believe that my love of books in general transcends all bias, there are genres I prefer over others.

I’m human.

Example: If I read a mystery novel and think it deserves a 5-star rating, then I have compared it to other mystery books, and determined it to be one of my absolute favorites. The unputdownable mystery.

This will hopefully keep me from comparing Outlander, a personal obsession of mine, with the experience of reading The Hate You Give. Both 5 star books for me, but completely and totally different. I couldn’t even try to rate them against each other, so I don’t. Makes my life easier. 🙂

My Thoughts About The Paris Affair

This is a historical mystery set right before the French Revolution, as the rumors and controversy surrounding Maria Antoinette appeared to be consuming Paris and most of France.

Theresa is a female spy trying her best to survive in a foreign and dangerous French court, meanwhile helping to find a murderer and root out the persons responsible for spreading discord and discontent among the citizenry. She’s not been a spy for very long, and is in fact an accomplished violinists, however, economic need and a deep desire for adventure find Theresa accepting a request to spy in France.

While the heroine of The Paris Affair felt a little naive, it was understandable because she wasn’t a professional spy. For instance, when someone left a room, she didn’t notice, yet my bookish spidey sense started freaking out. Not all characters have to be as suspicious as I am. Later, Theresa would realize the import of some events, making me question her otherwise stellar perceptive abilities.

I loved spending time inide the intrigue of the French royal court. Just trying to imagine and follow all of those rules was exhausting, but so much fun to read about.

This is book 3 of a series and I haven’t read the first two. Obviously, I was able to read the story and understand what was going on, but I don’t think I could appreciate the emotional depth between the characters. You can read this alone, but I think it would be even better if you complete the series in order.

not a fan of…

I wish there had been more suspects. I figured out the “bad guy” pretty quickly and didn’t fall for any of the red herrings, therefore I fell like there could have been more subterfuge.

Recommended For…

This is a quick read with easy language that would be perfect for a cold night curled up with a blanket. Recommended for mystery and historical fiction lovers.

Thanks so much to Susanne Dunlap and HFVBT for my copy of The Paris Affair in exchange for an honest review.