JANUARY 2015 - AudioFile
A story that includes violence, suicide, and murder in Belle Époch Paris should be thrilling, but this story drags due in part to Rebecca Night’s lackluster narration. It takes a while for the plot to develop, and Night’s reading doesn’t have the edginess necessary to keep listeners engaged. Maud, an impoverished art student at the women’s Académie Lafond, is nearly starving. A wealthy Russian named Tanya befriends her, but it’s Yvette, a model, who realizes Maud’s dire straits. The women intervene, and Maud becomes a paid companion to Christian Morel’s ailing sister, Sylvie. When Maud learns disturbing truths about the Morels, she’s reluctant to give up her newly acquired creature comforts. Night’s voice is sweet, and she does well with accents, but the characters’ true personalities remain hidden behind her overly genteel delivery. S.J.H. © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine
From the Publisher
Once the seeds of intrigue are planted, the scope of the book is expanded to encompass murderous plots, shady Parisian undersides, upper-class dealings, gems of history and gems – as in jewels. The women are heartwarming as friends and delightfully effective as crime fighters. With a twisty, well-crafted plot, this novel is rich in historical detail and robust with personality.” —Kirkus, starred review
“I must have breathed while reading THE PARIS WINTER, but I could not say when. Robertson's dark tale in the City of Light will haunt the reader long after closing its pages.” —Erika Robuck, Bestselling Author of Hemingway's Girl
“Rich as a ripened red wine, The Paris Winter intoxicates and satisfies the reader's darkest desires to be mysteriously entranced. With dazzling Belle Époque detail and nail-biting plot, Robertson stylishly paints a historical thriller of intrigue and treachery that will have you staying up late to the very last page drop. A compulsive read. I couldn't put it down.” —Erika Robuck, Bestselling Author of Hemingway's Girl
“Imogen Robertson has written an enthralling novel. With its beguiling characters, deliciously twisted storyline, and setting in a city that is sometimes seductively glamorous, sometimes shivery with menace, The Paris Winter is an absolute treat for lovers of historical fiction.” —Margaret Leroy, author of The Soldier’s Wife
“Deliciously chilling and dangerous. The plot and characters are absolutely mesmerizing, drawing you in to their world like the opium itself.” —Karen Maitland, author of Company of Liars
“The Paris Winter is a wonderful novel, an utterly transportive and richly detailed amalgam of historical fiction and spellbinding thriller. Imogen Robertson brings Belle Époque Paris vividly to life in all its light and shadow, beauty and squalor, glory and treachery.” —Jennifer Chiaverini, author of Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker
“Dramatic and teeming with intrigue, The Paris Winter is a richly detailed historical novel that both thrills and satisfies.” —Shelf Awareness
“A charming, fast-paced thriller” —People, Book of the Week
“Both a romantic novel and a thriller, in the best possible ways.” —Spencer Daily Reporter
“Paints a dark, evocative portrait of the turbulent era, highlighting the limits placed on women . . . instead of centering on a conventional love story like similar historical works, the dramatic, intriguing, richly detailed historical novel is held together by the tensile strength of the women's friendship.” —Shelf Awareness for Readers, starred review
“Robertson is skillful at conjuring up not only a twisty, gripping plot, but also compelling characters . . . these multidimensional characters and Robertson's descriptions of Belle Epoque Paris – even of rats in ancient, flooding cellars – make the reader want to visit, even for a day.” —BookPage
Library Journal
★ 10/01/2014
In Paris, as the end of 1909 approaches, Miss Maud Heighton is a dedicated student at the Academie des Beaux Arts. Struggling to uphold the standards of her English upbringing on ever-dwindling funds, Maud accepts the offer of respectable employment as a lady's companion to Monsieur Morel's sister. But not all is as it appears and Morel family secrets threaten Maud's safety more than poverty ever could. Robertson's ("Westerman and Crowther Mysteries") stand-alone historical is the complete package; her characters continue to grow and develop as they make decisions befitting past experiences; her vivid descriptions create a strong impression of a particular time and place; and her plot line is full of top-notch surprises. Various strata of Parisian society, from the elite to the criminal, are presented with the kind of details that make it easy to understand how characters shift their way into and out of trouble. The art world is equally on display, providing a colorful backdrop for all the action. VERDICT For readers of historical fiction looking for a complex story, this is a sure bet and most likely the next big hit of any book discussion group.—Stacey Hayman, Rocky River P.L., OH
