Description
Set in Nazi-occupied France, this is an "enthralling, character-propelled" police procedural (Kirkus Reviews).
Before the war, the hotels of Vittel hosted the wealthiest members of French society. Now, in the winter of 1943, two of France's most luxurious resorts have been converted into an internment camp for British and American women who failed to escape the country when the German army stormed across the border. For two years, the prisoners have lived quietly, surviving on Red Cross aid packages, but now they are beginning to die. An American woman is found stabbed through the heart with a pitchfork. By the time inspectors Jean-Louis St-Cyr and Hermann Kohler arrive from Paris, rigor mortis and the February frost have frozen her solid. In her pockets are Cracker Jacks and Hershey bars-bribes intended for one of the guards. To bring justice to Vittel, St-Cyr and Kohler will have to unravel the conspiracy that is at the heart of this luxurious, elegant hell.
About the Author
J. Robert Janes (b. 1935) is a mystery author best known for writing historical thrillers. Born in Toronto, he holds degrees in mining and geology, and worked as an engineer, university professor, and textbook author before he started writing fiction. He began his career as a novelist by writing young adult books, starting with The Odd-Lot Boys and the Tree-Fort War (1976). He wrote his last young adult novel, Murder in the Market, in 1985, by which time he had begun writing for adults, starting with the four-novel Richard Hagen series. In 1992, Janes published Mayhem, the first in the long-running St-Cyr and Kohler series for which he is best known. These police procedurals set in Nazi-occupied France have been praised for the author's attention to historical detail, as well as their swift-moving plots. The thirteenth in the series, Bellringer, was published in 2012.
Reviews
"St-Cyr and Kohler [have] returned in an enthralling, character-propelled new police procedural" -Kirkus Reviews
"The combined ingenuity of St. Cyr and Kohler, the harsh realities of the occupation, and an array of intriguing characters will keep readers turning the pages." -Publishers Weekly
"One of the most unusual crime-fighting duos in detective fiction." -Mystery Review "A master of the psychological thriller. Imaginative and brilliant in conception, skilled, engaging, and superb in execution. Highly recommended." -Midwest Book Review "Janes has effectively recreated a period of French history that is usually unacknowledged or swept under the rug. Original and gripping." -The Drood Review of Mystery
Book Information
ISBN 9781453271124
Author J. Robert Janes
Format Paperback
Page Count 334
Imprint MysteriousPress.com/Open Road
Publisher Open Road Media
Before the war, the hotels of Vittel hosted the wealthiest members of French society. Now, in the winter of 1943, two of France's most luxurious resorts have been converted into an internment camp for British and American women who failed to escape the country when the German army stormed across the border. For two years, the prisoners have lived quietly, surviving on Red Cross aid packages, but now they are beginning to die. An American woman is found stabbed through the heart with a pitchfork. By the time inspectors Jean-Louis St-Cyr and Hermann Kohler arrive from Paris, rigor mortis and the February frost have frozen her solid. In her pockets are Cracker Jacks and Hershey bars-bribes intended for one of the guards. To bring justice to Vittel, St-Cyr and Kohler will have to unravel the conspiracy that is at the heart of this luxurious, elegant hell.
- Immersive historical fiction: J. Robert Janes' novels are noted for their exceptionally detailed research and accurate portrayal of life in France during World War II.
- Dedicated readership: The long-running series is beloved by readers and admired by history buffs.
About the Author
J. Robert Janes (b. 1935) is a mystery author best known for writing historical thrillers. Born in Toronto, he holds degrees in mining and geology, and worked as an engineer, university professor, and textbook author before he started writing fiction. He began his career as a novelist by writing young adult books, starting with The Odd-Lot Boys and the Tree-Fort War (1976). He wrote his last young adult novel, Murder in the Market, in 1985, by which time he had begun writing for adults, starting with the four-novel Richard Hagen series. In 1992, Janes published Mayhem, the first in the long-running St-Cyr and Kohler series for which he is best known. These police procedurals set in Nazi-occupied France have been praised for the author's attention to historical detail, as well as their swift-moving plots. The thirteenth in the series, Bellringer, was published in 2012.
Reviews
"St-Cyr and Kohler [have] returned in an enthralling, character-propelled new police procedural" -Kirkus Reviews
"The combined ingenuity of St. Cyr and Kohler, the harsh realities of the occupation, and an array of intriguing characters will keep readers turning the pages." -Publishers Weekly
"One of the most unusual crime-fighting duos in detective fiction." -Mystery Review "A master of the psychological thriller. Imaginative and brilliant in conception, skilled, engaging, and superb in execution. Highly recommended." -Midwest Book Review "Janes has effectively recreated a period of French history that is usually unacknowledged or swept under the rug. Original and gripping." -The Drood Review of Mystery
Book Information
ISBN 9781453271124
Author J. Robert Janes
Format Paperback
Page Count 334
Imprint MysteriousPress.com/Open Road
Publisher Open Road Media
