The Man Upon the Stair: A Mystery in Fin de Siècle Paris

by Gary Inbinder Narrated by Piers Hampton

Overview

At the public execution of the anarchist assassin Laurent Moreau, the outgoing Chief Inspector warns his protégé, the newly promoted Lefebvre: “I've heard that some of Moreau's cronies have sworn revenge. You don't want to get killed your first week as chief.” Meanwhile, Lefebvre is charged with investigating the disappearance of the Baron de Livet, a brash millionaire with connections to Russian spies and a history of gambling, womanizing, and fighting in duels. The case is more complicated than it seems, of course, and Lefebvre and his team must make sense of a poisoned maid, an unidentifiable stagecoach, and a missing briefcase full of cash. The Baron's connection to the world of international espionage means that, if the Inspector isn't fast enough, the Baron's disappearance might trigger a war. And Lefebvre mustn't forget those stalking anarchists who are out for his blood, as he searches for the man who wasn't there...

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

11/13/2017
Inbinder’s solid third mystery set in fin-de-siècle Paris (after 2016’s The Hanged Man) finds the capable Achille Lefebvre, now chief of the Paris Detective Police, dealing with blowback from the arrest and execution of terrorist bomber Laurent Moreau. Moreau’s colleagues have vowed revenge, forcing Lefebvre to be circumspect in his movements and to take precautions to insure his safety. Meanwhile, the new police chief must resolve the case of the wealthy Baron Le Noir de Livet, who vanished along with about a million francs after a dispute at a casino. A Russian prince named Papkov accused the baron of cheating at baccarat; a bloodless duel between the two preceded the disappearance. The puzzle deepens after one of de Livet’s servants is poisoned. The intriguing plot—Lefebvre must determine whether the baron’s whereabouts connect with European power politics—compensates for the less-than-distinctive lead. Agent: Lukas Ortiz, Philip Spitzer Agency. (Feb.)

Crimespree Magazine (Praise for the Achille Lefebvre series)

"Inbinder weaves a wonderful tale and his plotting and pacing are right on the money. "

The Cleveland Plain Dealer (Praise for the Achille Lefebvre series)

"Inbinder's tale is an enjoyable romp through a vibrant time in history with great artists, Can Can dangers, and underworld mobsters set against a pleasingly tawdry Parisian backdrop."

The Wall Street Journal (Praise for the Achille Lefebvre series)

"A wonderfully atmospheric period policiere."

Crimespree Magazine

Inbinder weaves a wonderful tale and his plotting and pacing are right on the money.

The Cleveland Plain Dealer

Inbinder's tale is an enjoyable romp through a vibrant time in history with great artists, Can Can dangers, and underworld mobsters set against a pleasingly tawdry Parisian backdrop.

Historical Novels Review

"A wonderfully atmospheric novel with "purplish cloud cover," figures hiding in the shadows of doorways, gaslights, and the sound of cartwheels and horses’ hooves on the cobblestone streets. Inbinder has created a convincing and intriguing mystery reminiscent of Parisian literature at the turn of the 20th century, when detective work was vastly different than it is today with the benefits of advanced technology."

Booklist

"A dizzying number of details recreate the nineteenth-century Paris of artists, prostitutes, aristocrats, gamblers, and spies. Achille continues to endear, with his mashed flowers and good heart, much like Louise Penny’s Armand Gamache."

Booklist

A dizzying number of details recreate the nineteenth-century Paris of artists, prostitutes, aristocrats, gamblers, and spies. Achille continues to endear, with his mashed flowers and good heart, much like Louise Penny’s Armand Gamache.

Mystery Scene Magazine

"A densely written mystery with a surprise ending that, in addition to an intricate criminal investigation, provides the reader with a real feel for what it was like socially and politically to live in that time and place."

Kirkus Reviews

2017-11-13
In fin de siècle Paris, international intrigue clouds the search for a missing nobleman.It's 1890. One of the first duties of professorial new chief inspector Achille Lefebvre is supervising the guillotining of political assassin Laurent Moreau, who spits in his face. At around the same time as Moreau is losing his head, the Baron Le Noir de Livet goes missing along with the bagful of money he's carrying. Employees of the casino where the baron was last seen don't tell Lefebvre and his sidekick, Inspector Legros, anything helpful. But Lefebvre's own wife does. When Adele Lefebvre calmly tells her husband that she'd be surprised if the grieving baroness didn't have a lover, he considers the case with new eyes. He visits the baroness for a follow-up interview shortly after her maid, Manuela Otero, has been poisoned, triggering the baroness's hysteria. Meanwhile, he learns that Giraud and Breton, two of the late Moreau's comrades, are plotting to assassinate him. Following up on the associates of this duo leads the investigation to an international cabal of foreign agents. The de Livet inquiries rest on forensic details involving timelines and dosages that require Lefebvre to put in grueling hours, shadowed by bodyguard Sgt. Adam. The investigation finally gains traction when he finds a link between the baron and the anarchist.The third of Inbinder's lush, leisurely period procedurals (The Devil in Montmartre, 2014, etc.) favors the journey over the destination, with back stories and period touches in nearly every chapter.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940177907017
Publisher:	Dreamscape Media
Publication date:	03/10/2020
Series:	A Mystery in Fin de Siècle Paris , #3
Edition description:	Unabridged

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