Review: The Paris Librarian by Mark Pryor

From the publisher of The Paris Librarian

Hugo Marston’s friend Paul Rogers dies unexpectedly in a locked room at the American Library in Paris. The police conclude that Rogers died of natural causes, but Hugo is certain mischief is afoot.

As he pokes around the library, Hugo discovers that rumors are swirling around some recently donated letters from American actress Isabelle Severin. The reason: they may indicate that the actress had aided the Resistance in frequent trips to France toward the end of World War II. Even more dramatic is the legend that the Severin collection also contains a dagger, one she used to kill an SS officer in 1944.

Hugo delves deeper into the stacks at the American library and finally realizes that the history of this case isn’t what anyone suspected. But to prove he’s right, Hugo must return to the scene of a decades-old crime.

My review:

“The Paris Librarian” brings back some fun and interesting characters from previous Hugo Marston novels. These characters are entertaining at times, but there is a disconnect between them and others in the novel. In Pryor’s usual pattern, Hugo does not like to share his thoughts or theories with others until he’s certain he has solved the crime. This time the formula does not work well because the reader is left wondering how Hugo put the pieces together.

Unfortunately, the plot moves slower. It lacks intrigue and the impact of action-packed scenes. At the end, Pryor establishes the framework leading into the next Hugo novel. Hopefully, he will return to the platform that worked so well in his previous books.

FTC Full Disclosure: A review copy of this book was provided by its publisher.