Edouard Mas, Book 1
Synopsis: In Belle Époque Paris, the morgue is the place to see and be seen …
“This morning I was called upon to photograph the dead again.” So begins the story of Edouard Mas, a photographer’s assistant with a detective’s soul. Edouard’s job is to take pictures of corpses before they are carted off to the Paris Morgue. If the bodies are unidentified, they will be put behind glass for the whole city to view, in a morbid display of lost and found.
Edouard begins to come across more and more bodies stripped of their identification and laid out in methodical poses, and he knows he is dealing with those who dabble in art—the art of death. The morgue—their museum.
Edouard’s investigation takes him from the sterile halls of La Salpêtrière to the opulent, smoke-filled soirees of high society, but he must do everything in his power to stop the artists of death, before they go after somebody he loves …
In exquisite prose—so vivid you can almost taste the absinthe and hear the rustling skirts of the Moulin Rouge showgirls—Hunter tells an unforgettable tale of murder and lust in the City of Light.
Review: I was quickly drawn to this novel depicting a time in France that I find fascinating. Then a story in France by a foreign author is always interesting to see.
We alternately follow three different points of view. Moreover, we do not really understand at the outset when the characters will be reunited together and when the stories will be linked. Oh yes because it must be said that nothing presaged a crime scene photographer, a young girl from a good family and a student to intersect one day in their life.
Thus we follow Augustine, a young girl in love with a married man who does not love her back and because of her strange behavior within her family, she is placed in an institution, La Salpêtrière, where they think she is hysterical. She does not really know if she’s crazy as everyone says it, or if she just does not have the proper behavior because of her one-way relationship. Augustine is a young pretty touching girl who discovers feelings and what this implies, though she does not really know what to do with all that. It’s a pretty quiet person, manipulated and innocent that we discover through the chapters in the form of diaries she wrote to tell what‘s going on in her life.
The second character that we follow is Edward. He is a photographer, a designer who gets to take the soul of his subjects to make real works. He is called on many crime scenes but the last he attends are strange and the police do not seem interested in what he has to say. Edward therefore decides to understand what is happening and who is responsible for it all. But it could be much more complicated than expected, and people close to him could end up in danger.
Our third hero is none other than Charles. This man, a student, is fascinated by death. He goes with his friends to the morgue every week to discover the death’ art along with this. A strange character who meets at this place a young unhealthy woman, V, and opens up to a world of death. V is a manipulative person, sick, dark who plays with death. She will project Charles in a world of murder which he can not get out. It must be said that the beautiful girl is very good at obtaining what she wants to have and Charles will do anything for her.
It was a very strange novel. I had a little trouble to really get into the story and I‘m not sure whether I have completely succeeded. But one thing is certain, the author shows us something very different from what we can find, and I was curious to see how everything would be linked together. It was also interesting to see what these characters would do next. We’re a bit lost in the chapters which are presented in different forms as I said, with letters, diaries, but also usual chapters. It was an interesting discovery even if I have a little trouble explaining exactly what my feeling was.
kindlemom1
I agree, this is a fascinating time in history and I would have picked this up for the premises and cover alone for sure. Sorry this was hard to get into but I am glad you eventually warmed up to it.
Wonderful review! 😀
Melliane
Yes I’m always so fascinated by this period! THank you!
Bec @ Readers in Wonderland
This does sound strange! But that strangeness is exactly what appears to me, as does the time period. I’ll have to keep this in mind next time I’m in the mood for a historical/mystery novel.
Melliane
yes it’s what is also interesting. I hope you’ll like it if you try it.
Braine
Was it too heavy in terms of world building or some narrative? I find that to be the case sometimes with a series debut. Hopefully the second one flows better, the human element does sound complicated.
Melliane
No the world is ok but otherwise I don’t really know… Maybe it’s just the story or the characters.
Sarah @ One Curvy Blogger
This sounds crazy interesting! Did they really put unidentified corpses behind glass and show them off? How creepy! Must research this further.:D
Melliane
In real? I don’t really know, but it’s possible. I’ve never heard of that.
Heidi
Sounds like an interesting read, I like the sound of the letters and diaries and the time period and of course the setting, but I struggle a bit with books like this as well, I don’t think it’s for me.
Melliane
Yes I love books with different format, I find them so fascinating.
Mogsy @ BiblioSanctum
Wow, gorgeous cover and interesting premise. I thought it would get a higher rating from you, though I understand why you would give it that because it’s hard for me to get into a story when I feel lost. But still it doesn’t sound bad at all.
Melliane
I was expecting something different maybe. No it’s interesting too.
LilyElement
Sounds like an interesting read, though a bit hard to get into. I’ve read that kind in the past and it can be difficult.
Melliane
yes a little bit
Brandi Breathes Books
Sounds like it has some positives but too hard to get into
Joy // Joyosureads
What an interesting, eclectic, oddity of a book! I think I’ll enjoy this one.
Melliane
I hope you’ll if you try it.
kimbacaffeinate
The story sound bizarre, I wish it came together better for you as I would have grabbed it
Melliane
ah sorry…
blodeuedd
Sometimes I can do strange…sometimes not
Jessica @ Rabid Reads
Wow . . . this book sounds really interesting, and really strange. The way you described how it made you feel reminded me of a couple of movies I’ve seen: The Talented Mr. Ripley and Memento. I can’t remember reading a book that made me feel that way though o.O Thanks for sharing, Melliane!
Melliane
AH maybe yes. It’s true it’s different
Lily B
that’s a little…weird and different. I like the cover though.heh
Molly Mortensen
I hope that the foreign author got things correct. This sounds like a very strange book and probably one that was hard to review. I like the independent stories coming together thing.
Melliane
I confess I don’t know but I think I’ve discovered things with it instead.
Jennifer Bielman @ Bad Bird Reads
This does sound like a strange one. I feel so bad for Augustine being put in a crazy house. So scary.
Cristina
Hmmm…sounds a bit strange and I’m not sure if that excites me for a book but for a film, totally different story. It’s a bummer that it didn’t grab you from the beginning but on the flip side…you ended up liking it which isn’t too bad. I’m hoping the next book you read is fantabulous!