From Amazon: A dying man drags his oxygen machine into the office of Éric Besson, a lawyer in Paris’s 13th arrondissement. The old man, an accountant, is carrying a dilapidated notebook full of meticulous investment records. For decades, he has been helping a cadre of dirty cops launder stolen money. The notebook contains his full confession—he’s waited 50 years to make it, and now it can’t wait another day. He is adamant that Besson get the notebook into the hands of La Proc, Paris’s chief prosecuting attorney, so the corruption can finally be brought to light. But en route to La Proc, Besson’s courier—his assistant and nephew—is murdered, and the notebook disappears.

Grief-stricken Éric Besson tries to hire private investigator Aimée Leduc to find the notebook, but she is reluctant to get involved. Her father was a cop and was murdered by the same dirty syndicate the notebook implicates. She’s not sure which she’s more afraid of, the dangerous men who would kill for the notebook or the idea that her father’s name might be among the dirty cops listed within it. Ultimately that’s the reason she must take the case, which leads her across the Left Bank, from the Cambodian enclave of Khmer Rouge refugees to the ancient royal tapestry factories to the modern art galleries.

Off to a new reader!

Pulling from the armchair travels to France book box. thank you!

A fun little mystery, with an excellent sense of place. The author actually mentions her inspiration here: the romans policiers of Leo Malet, who set each book in a different arrondissement of Paris. IIRC, the action NEVER left that specific arrondissement. It was a great way to learn more about the history hiding in plain sight in this ancient and fascinating city. I read one of his books recently, and was shocked by the amount of casual sexism....but of course, it was the 50's and early 60's in France. No feminism yet. So Cara Black is updating them. Also, the Malet books are filled with the hip slang of the underworld, hard to find in an English/French dictionary. But Black explains any old-fashioned or colorful argot that she uses. Recommended for all those, if you want to get a sense of Paris, and maybe to learn of a few locations to explore when you get there in person. You'll discover more than the average tourist!

Going into H177's book box of intentional variety.

I selected this book from the Intentional Variety box. Thank you!