The Shattered Portrait
by Alice Quinn
Kindle Edition, 302 pages
Published February 25th 2020 by AmazonCrossing
Goodreads synopsis:
When one of the wealthiest and most hated men on the French Riviera is murdered, finding his killer becomes a privilege—and a danger.
It’s a Mediterranean winter in 1888. Though Cannes glistens, it’s darker behind closed doors. A real estate crisis has ripped through the city’s storied fortunes, upending lives. Courtesan Lola Deslys has survived the ruins unscathed…until she’s drawn into the desperation of a former, and unfaithful, acquaintance. With the threat of debtors’ prison hanging over her head, Lola’s latest client is running out of time and luck.
Her client has solicited Lola to reclaim an incriminating contract from the ruthless banker at the heart of the crisis. Many want to see the swindler dead, and when he’s found murdered, everyone is a suspect—including one of Lola’s closest friends. The only clue to finding the real killer: a shattered portrait. The only hope: to follow its pieces through the back alleys and deadly deceptions of the belle époque.
***
4.5 Stars
This is the second book in the Belle Epoque Mystery series by Alice Quinn.
This is a fascinating historical cozy mystery is set in Cannes, France. The author went to a lot of effort to make this book uber realistic for us even going to the places mentioned and making sure where they were going made sense and was indeed possible during the time frame.
In this installment, Lola’s young ward, Anna, has been accused of a real estate mogul’s death and Lola Deslys and Gabriella Fletcher are on the case. But all is not what it seems.
Another mystery thread pairs Lola with Lady Sarah to uncover some damming papers the real estate mogul, Henri has in his possession that incriminate her. Sarah asks Lola to steal the papers for her.
This book continues with the wonderful captivating mystery elements and the exciting relationships between characters. It all just jumps off the page. This is a well-written historical cozy mystery that I totally recommend to everyone. Definitely check it out if you are a fan of historical cozy mysteries
I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.
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