The Black Tower, by Louis Bayard

This is a historical fiction book set in 19th century Paris after Napoleon has been ousted and the Bourbans have been restored to power. The book is a mystery novel about the lost Dauphin of France, Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette's son. I think there really was mystery about the Dauphin's death, but different than the mystery or location of the Dauphin in the book... I think in real life the Dauphin was supposedly killed by revolutionaries.

I was going to say that I was lukewarm on this book, but that's not quite right. I was hot and cold on this book. I would get bored with it from time to time, would start reading really quickly and poorly, then BAM something would happen and I wouldn't know how it got there. It definitely happened twice, with me saying: "What? He's holding someone's wound as the person dies?" I didn't know who it was that was dying or what the events were leading up to the wound. I gleaned later on that the character was killed. And: "What? His house is on fire?" Not sure how that happened either.

But there were exciting parts too. Most of the end was quite exciting, from the fire onward. Until the very end, which I thought was unsatisfying. The best part of the book was the writing style - lovely imagery. I think my biggest problem with this book is that it's a Sherlock Holmes style murder mystery, a genre that is just not me. I do enjoy a mystery or thriller every now and then (see The Girl Who... series here, and here, and here), but not often.