Status
Available
Call number
Collection
Publication
William Morrow (2008), Hardcover, 368 pages
Description
Having used his mastery of disguise and surveillance to nab some of France's most notorious criminals, early nineteenth-century detective Vidocq teams up with obscure medical student Hector to track down the most challenging adversary of his career, a case with ties to the missing son of Marie Antoinette.
User reviews
LibraryThing member thetometraveller
Restoration Paris, 1818. It has been over twenty years since the Revolution, Napoleon is in exile and the Bourbon kings are back on the throne of France. But the past still echoes...
Hector Carpentier is an ordinary medical student living at home with his mother, where she takes in boarders to help
Before he knows what's happening, he is swept along with Vidocq and into a case that has the potential to shake France to its core. The evidence points to a conspiracy to kill a simple, quiet young man who lives in the country and who just might be the heir to the throne of France, Louis-Charles.
During the Revolution, Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI were both killed. Their two children, Marie-Therese-Charlotte and Louis-Charles were imprisoned in the Black Tower. Marie was eventually released but Louis-Charles died in prison. Or did he? The rumors have always circulated that he might have escaped and impostors have turned up before. But this young man has no memory of his early life and does not claim to be the lost prince. Someone believes he is, though, and they are intent on his death. It is up to Vidocq and Hector to unravel the mystery and protect the unassuming, fragile young man.
Louis Bayard paints a fascinating picture of the little-known real life detective, Vidocq. The world's first real police detective, he had a background in crime and had been imprisoned in his youth. He knew the criminal mind from personal experience and was able to use his knowledge to become an extremely successful detective. To me he seemed to be a cross between Sherlock Holmes and Columbo because of his flair for disguise and his gruff demeanor. Restoration Paris is likewise brought to life brilliantly. This book is a wonderful historical adventure.
Hector Carpentier is an ordinary medical student living at home with his mother, where she takes in boarders to help
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make ends meet. He is suddenly thrust into a murder investigation when detective Eugene Francois Vidocq turns up on his doorstep. It seems Hector's name has been found on a piece of paper that was concealed on a dead body. Hector has never seen or heard of the victim before. He is at a loss to explain why the man might have had his name and been at pains to hide it.Before he knows what's happening, he is swept along with Vidocq and into a case that has the potential to shake France to its core. The evidence points to a conspiracy to kill a simple, quiet young man who lives in the country and who just might be the heir to the throne of France, Louis-Charles.
During the Revolution, Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI were both killed. Their two children, Marie-Therese-Charlotte and Louis-Charles were imprisoned in the Black Tower. Marie was eventually released but Louis-Charles died in prison. Or did he? The rumors have always circulated that he might have escaped and impostors have turned up before. But this young man has no memory of his early life and does not claim to be the lost prince. Someone believes he is, though, and they are intent on his death. It is up to Vidocq and Hector to unravel the mystery and protect the unassuming, fragile young man.
Louis Bayard paints a fascinating picture of the little-known real life detective, Vidocq. The world's first real police detective, he had a background in crime and had been imprisoned in his youth. He knew the criminal mind from personal experience and was able to use his knowledge to become an extremely successful detective. To me he seemed to be a cross between Sherlock Holmes and Columbo because of his flair for disguise and his gruff demeanor. Restoration Paris is likewise brought to life brilliantly. This book is a wonderful historical adventure.
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LibraryThing member GJbean
This is a book that grabs you from sentence one and doesn't let go until the end. Louis Bayard has accomplished something rare in historical fiction: using a first person account, he manages to put the reader in a time and place, in this case 19th century Paris, without resorting to long
The narrator in question is Hector Carpentier, a doctor of sorts, who has frittered away his family's cash and whose mother has turned their home into a boarding house. He is drafted into helping solve a murder by feared police inspector Vidocq, an actual historical character, and in the process discovers that Louis-Charles (Louis the 17th), the son of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, believed killed as a child by revolutionaries under Napoleon, may still be alive.
While the real star of the book is Restoration Paris itself, Vidocq is a close second in all his animal ferocity and uncanny brilliance. Think a French Sherlock Holmes with an edge. The supporting characters are fleshed out beautifully, both men and women, rich and poor, and I'm not describing them because their identity and characters unfold with the twists and turns in the story and are best savored without knowing too much going in. Every time I thought the story had nowhere to go, it went somewhere new, and the characters continued to develop in their complexity and nuance.
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descriptions the narrator wouldn't bother to make. His Paris comes alive organically, with all of its characters -- from the poor living in rat-infested squalor, to the petite bourgeousie, the nobility, and criminals and royalty -- and describes the smells, the monuments, the political climate, the weather and so many other period details so as to make you feel like you are there. That he also writes beautifully and has crafted a story that unfolds exquisitely and at a perfect pace makes this a great read and one I will want to return to again and again. The narrator in question is Hector Carpentier, a doctor of sorts, who has frittered away his family's cash and whose mother has turned their home into a boarding house. He is drafted into helping solve a murder by feared police inspector Vidocq, an actual historical character, and in the process discovers that Louis-Charles (Louis the 17th), the son of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, believed killed as a child by revolutionaries under Napoleon, may still be alive.
While the real star of the book is Restoration Paris itself, Vidocq is a close second in all his animal ferocity and uncanny brilliance. Think a French Sherlock Holmes with an edge. The supporting characters are fleshed out beautifully, both men and women, rich and poor, and I'm not describing them because their identity and characters unfold with the twists and turns in the story and are best savored without knowing too much going in. Every time I thought the story had nowhere to go, it went somewhere new, and the characters continued to develop in their complexity and nuance.
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LibraryThing member bcquinnsmom
received 5/22/2008
The French Revolution has come and gone, Napoleon has come and gone, and the Bourbons are once again back on the French throne. Young Hector Carpentier lives with his mother in a house left to them by his father, which they rent out to boarders. Hector becomes involved in the
The writing is very, very good -- good enough that when this book is actually released I'll buy a copy for my library. The characters are very well written; the mystery will keep you reading and not wanting to put the book down. I loved this author's Mr. Timothy and I can honestly say that I'd recommend this to anyone who not only likes this author, but to anyone in general looking for something refreshingly different in the mystery world. If there was such a word as "unputdownable," it would describe this book. Thanks to LT for allowing me to read it before it's released.
The French Revolution has come and gone, Napoleon has come and gone, and the Bourbons are once again back on the French throne. Young Hector Carpentier lives with his mother in a house left to them by his father, which they rent out to boarders. Hector becomes involved in the
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adventure of his life one day when he meets up with Inspector Vidocq, who has found his name and address hidden on the body of a murdered man, a complete and utter stranger to Hector. He finds himself embroiled in a mystery that takes both of them back to the height of the French Revolution -- and the deaths of Louis XVI, Marie-Antoinette, and their son the Dauphin, who would have eventually become Louis XVII had he lived. As Hector helps Vidocq peel away the layers of this mystery, he begins to realize that history may not have been portrayed accurately, and that his own dead father may be the key to unearthing the truth.The writing is very, very good -- good enough that when this book is actually released I'll buy a copy for my library. The characters are very well written; the mystery will keep you reading and not wanting to put the book down. I loved this author's Mr. Timothy and I can honestly say that I'd recommend this to anyone who not only likes this author, but to anyone in general looking for something refreshingly different in the mystery world. If there was such a word as "unputdownable," it would describe this book. Thanks to LT for allowing me to read it before it's released.
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LibraryThing member Kasthu
The Black Tower is a what-could-have-been murder mystery. Set in 1818, not long after Napoleon had been deposed and the French monarchy reinstated, the novel begins when a man is found murdered in the streets of Paris, carrying a calling card with Dr. Hector Carpentier’s name on it.
Enter Eugene
On the surface, the dead man, Leblanc, and Carpentier have nothing in common. But the mystery soon leads Carpentier and Vidocq into a dangerous search into the secrets of the murdered royal family—and entertain the thought that Louis-Charles, the son of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, and who was imprisoned for many long months, might still be alive.
I’m always skeptical of historical fiction that’s written in the first person—but surprisingly, Louis Bayard manages to make it work in this book. The Parisian underworld is sufficiently creepy, and Carpentier, plays a perfect (albeit watered-down) Dr. Watson to Vidocq’s Sherlock Holmes. I just loved inspector Vidocq, for his razor-sharp wit and ability to transform into another character through disguise. He’s arrogant and cocky (and not above strutting like a peacock when someone compliments him!), but very sure of his abilities as an investigator. He's also sarcastic. One of my favorite quotes from this novel:
And then his voice shifts into a sharper register.
"Of course, if you don't have the stomach for this work..."
"I have the stomach," I answer, lifting my head towards his. "It so happens
I have a heart, too."
"Oh, yes," he says, breezily. "I've got one of those myself. I keep it in a
box somewhere."
There’s a hefty amount of political intrigue and espionage in this novel, made even juicier by the idea that the son of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette might have still been alive in 1818, long after a time period which everyone wished to forget. The novel is well-written; not a word is wasted here. It’s a fast-paced and utterly convincing novel.
Enter Eugene
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Francois Vidocq, one of the most legendary and feared detectives of the early 19th century (and such an influence that Victor Hugo modeled both Jean Valjean and Inspector Javert on him; a Wikipedia search on Vidocq reveals that he is credited with introducing record-keeping, criminology, and ballistics to the field of criminal investigation). Vidocq has just established the very first plainclothes police force, said to be composed of some very dangerous ex-cons. It’s into this world, where the line between the law and crime is smudged, that Dr. Hector Carpentier enters.On the surface, the dead man, Leblanc, and Carpentier have nothing in common. But the mystery soon leads Carpentier and Vidocq into a dangerous search into the secrets of the murdered royal family—and entertain the thought that Louis-Charles, the son of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, and who was imprisoned for many long months, might still be alive.
I’m always skeptical of historical fiction that’s written in the first person—but surprisingly, Louis Bayard manages to make it work in this book. The Parisian underworld is sufficiently creepy, and Carpentier, plays a perfect (albeit watered-down) Dr. Watson to Vidocq’s Sherlock Holmes. I just loved inspector Vidocq, for his razor-sharp wit and ability to transform into another character through disguise. He’s arrogant and cocky (and not above strutting like a peacock when someone compliments him!), but very sure of his abilities as an investigator. He's also sarcastic. One of my favorite quotes from this novel:
And then his voice shifts into a sharper register.
"Of course, if you don't have the stomach for this work..."
"I have the stomach," I answer, lifting my head towards his. "It so happens
I have a heart, too."
"Oh, yes," he says, breezily. "I've got one of those myself. I keep it in a
box somewhere."
There’s a hefty amount of political intrigue and espionage in this novel, made even juicier by the idea that the son of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette might have still been alive in 1818, long after a time period which everyone wished to forget. The novel is well-written; not a word is wasted here. It’s a fast-paced and utterly convincing novel.
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LibraryThing member craso
This novel is set in France during the Restoration. Everything is in flux. People are getting used to being ruled by a king after the Revolution and the rise of Napoleon. What if Marie Antoinette’s lost son, Louis-Charles, turned out to be alive? This possibility brings back memories of the
The calling card of medical student Hector Carpentier is found in the pocket of a dead man. This brings him under the watchful eye of Vidocq of the Surete. Hector becomes Watson to his Holmes as they investigate the murder. The investigation takes them from slums to high society and leads them to the unthinkable; the Dauphin who reportedly died in the Black Tower at the age of ten.
I had never heard of Vidocq before. According to The Vidocq Society website he was a criminal who offered his services as a police spy and informer and became so successful at catching fugitives of the law that he was named the first chief of the Surete, in 1811. Vidocq eventually directed a force of detectives who had also been criminals. Some consider him to be the father of modern criminal investigation although what we know of him comes from his own memoir and he had a tendency to embellish the truth. In the novel he is a physically big man who is crude and rude and has a commanding presence. His is a master of disguise; not unlike Mr. Holmes. Vidocq’s demeanor almost turned me off of reading this book. I am used to the gentleman detective and Vidocq is a very coarse man. Hector, the narrator, and the simple minded Charles were so engaging that they made this story a real page turner.
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Revolution; horrible, bloody memories. Would people embrace the new King or push him away? That is the crux of this novel.The calling card of medical student Hector Carpentier is found in the pocket of a dead man. This brings him under the watchful eye of Vidocq of the Surete. Hector becomes Watson to his Holmes as they investigate the murder. The investigation takes them from slums to high society and leads them to the unthinkable; the Dauphin who reportedly died in the Black Tower at the age of ten.
I had never heard of Vidocq before. According to The Vidocq Society website he was a criminal who offered his services as a police spy and informer and became so successful at catching fugitives of the law that he was named the first chief of the Surete, in 1811. Vidocq eventually directed a force of detectives who had also been criminals. Some consider him to be the father of modern criminal investigation although what we know of him comes from his own memoir and he had a tendency to embellish the truth. In the novel he is a physically big man who is crude and rude and has a commanding presence. His is a master of disguise; not unlike Mr. Holmes. Vidocq’s demeanor almost turned me off of reading this book. I am used to the gentleman detective and Vidocq is a very coarse man. Hector, the narrator, and the simple minded Charles were so engaging that they made this story a real page turner.
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LibraryThing member carolcarter
Pleasure is personal but for me few things equal the deep enjoyment of sitting down with a new book and being riveted from the first page. I reviewed Louis Bayard's book Mr. Timothy here. His newest novel shows he is just getting better.
The Black Tower is historical fiction at its finest. It tells
Bayard has taken one of these rumors and woven a delicious story of mystery, murder and intrigue. While I did not find this book as tense as Mr. Timothy, it was much more fun. Most of the fun was created by M. Vidocq the creator of France's Surete and one of the very first detectives. He is given to costumes that are so effective they even fool the mobs of the 'sans culotte' at the guillotine. Here is some information on the real Vidocq. Using this character was a brilliant choice and he colors the book wonderfully. As his foil Dr. Hector Carpentier is more sober and thoughtful and not altogether happy to be drawn in to the adventure.
The adventure itself revolves around the possibility that some person or persons were able to substitute another child for the dauphin and that the young Charles in the book might be the real king. Various factions have reason to either wish for this to be so or to prevent its becoming known if true. Several people are murdered by the latter faction and Vidocq is tasked with solving that crime. Since Dr. Carpentier's name was found on the body of the first victim, he is drawn in against his will. He is also in danger from the killers who think he can identify the King. Ultimately the doctor is required to protect Charles and himself from these killers with much help from Vidocq and his staff. The two get as close to death as anyone during the Revolution and it is only with a tour de force performance by the detective that they are saved.
Mr. Bayard does not miss a step in weaving truth and fiction in this book. I have read a certain amount of French history and I cannot find a flaw. In the acknowledgments, Bayard says: "My account of the dauphin's final months in the Temple is about equal parts history and invention. For the real deal, the reader is advised to consult Deborah Cadbury's excellent The Lost King of France. Having the vast library that I do, I was able to close the cover of The Black Tower and open the Cadbury book immediately. A review of the latter will be forthcoming. The two books together make very interesting, though poignant, reading.
The Black Tower will be published in August. I cannot wait for the film which would be fantastic. Perhaps Gerard Depardieu could reprise his role as Vidocq.
The Black Tower is historical fiction at its finest. It tells
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the tale of Louis XVII, the lost king of France. There is quite a bit of historical fact in this book and a great many of the characters were real. For those who are unaware of the history, during the French Revolution the Royal Family was held prisoner for a time in the Temple prison in the 'black tower'. It was from here that Louis XVI was led to the guillotine. After his father's death the eight year old Charles (Louis XVII) was separated from his mother forever. In 1795 his death was announced. Like Anastasia, young Charles' death was difficult to prove and rumors and legends and family claims of pretenders persisted until fairly recently..Bayard has taken one of these rumors and woven a delicious story of mystery, murder and intrigue. While I did not find this book as tense as Mr. Timothy, it was much more fun. Most of the fun was created by M. Vidocq the creator of France's Surete and one of the very first detectives. He is given to costumes that are so effective they even fool the mobs of the 'sans culotte' at the guillotine. Here is some information on the real Vidocq. Using this character was a brilliant choice and he colors the book wonderfully. As his foil Dr. Hector Carpentier is more sober and thoughtful and not altogether happy to be drawn in to the adventure.
The adventure itself revolves around the possibility that some person or persons were able to substitute another child for the dauphin and that the young Charles in the book might be the real king. Various factions have reason to either wish for this to be so or to prevent its becoming known if true. Several people are murdered by the latter faction and Vidocq is tasked with solving that crime. Since Dr. Carpentier's name was found on the body of the first victim, he is drawn in against his will. He is also in danger from the killers who think he can identify the King. Ultimately the doctor is required to protect Charles and himself from these killers with much help from Vidocq and his staff. The two get as close to death as anyone during the Revolution and it is only with a tour de force performance by the detective that they are saved.
Mr. Bayard does not miss a step in weaving truth and fiction in this book. I have read a certain amount of French history and I cannot find a flaw. In the acknowledgments, Bayard says: "My account of the dauphin's final months in the Temple is about equal parts history and invention. For the real deal, the reader is advised to consult Deborah Cadbury's excellent The Lost King of France. Having the vast library that I do, I was able to close the cover of The Black Tower and open the Cadbury book immediately. A review of the latter will be forthcoming. The two books together make very interesting, though poignant, reading.
The Black Tower will be published in August. I cannot wait for the film which would be fantastic. Perhaps Gerard Depardieu could reprise his role as Vidocq.
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LibraryThing member Unreachableshelf
The Black Tower is a detective story set in the early days of the return of the Bourbon monarchy. Doctor Hector Carpentier is drawn into an investigation of a murder by Vidocq, the historical famous criminal turned detective who inspired Victor Hugo for both Valjean and Javert in Les Miserables. At
Vidocq is perhaps not quite as much in the spotlight as this reader would prefer, but this remains a rich historical narrative and the unfolding plot will draw the reader in. The fact that questions remained unanswered at the end makes it no less satisfying.
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first Vidocq suspects the doctor of being behind the murder, but it turns out that the crime has its roots a generation earlier and is tied into the fate of Louis XVII, the lost Dauphin.Vidocq is perhaps not quite as much in the spotlight as this reader would prefer, but this remains a rich historical narrative and the unfolding plot will draw the reader in. The fact that questions remained unanswered at the end makes it no less satisfying.
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LibraryThing member Bookmarque
The premise tugged at me because of The Man in the Iron Mask, the whole deal with Richard III and the princes in the tower and all those women who claimed to be Anastasia, Grand Duchess of Russia, and it is a little of all those. The inclusion of Vidocq adds a veneer of hard-boiled detective which
Like any good piece of historical fiction, this book blends the real and the unreal so skilfully that it’s hard to distinguish. Hector Carpentier, his family and friends are wholly fictional, but the royal family and Vidocq are not and provide anchors of believability. Then there is Hector’s narration. He’s yanked out of his comfortable self-pity by Vidocq’s driving enthusiasm and persistence and his whole attitude of surrender, first to his circumstances then to the pull of the conspiracy theory. The way he tells the tale has the ring of truth. Most of it is conversational and there are no “as you know, Bob’s” at least none so glaring that I noticed. Luckily I knew enough about the French Revolution and Restoration to understand what was not explicitly explained. This time period really came alive for me in the broad strokes and in the details. The journal reports were especially squirm-inducing.
Why does the Aristocracy persist? Why do people who largely have been abused by it, seek to restore it? Why do most attempts to replace it fail? Why are humans so damned competitive and suspicious? Why do so few of us have deep compassion? Where does Vidocq get his wonderful toys? These are just some of the questions to turn over while you read about the missing would-be King of France.
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is weird for this period (and locale) of history, but strangely it works. It balances the social striving that consumes a lot of the lives of everyone else, Hector included. And poor old Hector is in need of structure and stability, especially once he’s hit with the cyclone that is Vidocq. Oh is he ever the man out of his element. Eventually he gets up to speed though and proves an able “assistant” for the hard-driving Vidocq.Like any good piece of historical fiction, this book blends the real and the unreal so skilfully that it’s hard to distinguish. Hector Carpentier, his family and friends are wholly fictional, but the royal family and Vidocq are not and provide anchors of believability. Then there is Hector’s narration. He’s yanked out of his comfortable self-pity by Vidocq’s driving enthusiasm and persistence and his whole attitude of surrender, first to his circumstances then to the pull of the conspiracy theory. The way he tells the tale has the ring of truth. Most of it is conversational and there are no “as you know, Bob’s” at least none so glaring that I noticed. Luckily I knew enough about the French Revolution and Restoration to understand what was not explicitly explained. This time period really came alive for me in the broad strokes and in the details. The journal reports were especially squirm-inducing.
Why does the Aristocracy persist? Why do people who largely have been abused by it, seek to restore it? Why do most attempts to replace it fail? Why are humans so damned competitive and suspicious? Why do so few of us have deep compassion? Where does Vidocq get his wonderful toys? These are just some of the questions to turn over while you read about the missing would-be King of France.
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LibraryThing member Smiley
Fun, light, mystery read about a lost king of France in the 18th century. Fast.
LibraryThing member TheoClarke
Bayard's great skill is his ability to evoke historical periods implicitly. In this case, the culture post-revolutionary France is captured by adopting the attitudes and values of its people. The tale has several protagonists: the failed medic narrator, the first police detective, and the man who
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might be the usurped king of France. Each lends his own dimension to the picture of early nineteenth century Paris. Show Less
LibraryThing member miyurose
I love historical fiction that introduces me to a time I’m not familiar with, in this case, the French Restoration following the ousting of Napoleon. Unlike The Firemaster’s Mistress, a recently unfinished read which also took place in an unfamiliar era (early 1600s England), I almost
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immediately got a feel for Paris in the early 1800s. One is pulled into this story not by Hector Carpentier, who serves as little more than narrator for most of the book, but by Vidocq, the eccentric yet extremely effective police chief who comes to Hector in search of a murderer. And, someone who actually existed! A fact I did not know until after I finished. That’s another mark of good historical fiction to me… it sends me straight to Wikipedia to learn more. It left me wanting to know about the real mystery of the Dauphin, and whether he really did live or die. History does not truly know, and by the time you get to the end of this book, you’re not sure Fiction knows either. Show Less
LibraryThing member ajpohren
I found The Black Tower to be a very interesting and intriguing story. Any lover of “what if” stories will fall in love with this one, from page one. With an exciting mix of historical background and suspense, readers will quickly be transported back in time to help Inspector Vidocq and Hector
The characters, within this novel, are bold and vivid - easily brought to life by Louis Bayard, as is the story itself. Mr. Bayard’s writing voice is one of great enjoyment and was a pleasure to behold, as the The Black Tower quickly unfolded. This being my first by this author, I look forward to experiencing additional works by him.
I would recommend The Black Tower to anyone looking for a good read containing a bit of substance.
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Carpentier as they try and solve the puzzle as to whether or not Marie Antoinette’s son, Charles, actually survived the Revolution, instead of perishing, as everyone believed.The characters, within this novel, are bold and vivid - easily brought to life by Louis Bayard, as is the story itself. Mr. Bayard’s writing voice is one of great enjoyment and was a pleasure to behold, as the The Black Tower quickly unfolded. This being my first by this author, I look forward to experiencing additional works by him.
I would recommend The Black Tower to anyone looking for a good read containing a bit of substance.
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LibraryThing member boomda181
Through a well-crafted historical thriller, Louis Bayard recreates Paris' days of Restoration in The Black Tower. Vidocq, a crass, but brilliant detective, begins to investigate Hector Carpentier, a young medical student, when Hector’s name is found upon a dead body. One murder leads to another
The Black Tower was excellently written. The pages turned themselves as the mystery propelled the reader along. Vidocq’s character was at once obnoxious and endearing. It was clear why Hector, trying to battle his own family demons, was drawn to Vidocq. Bayard offers the perfect balance of historical fiction and thrill in The Black Tower.
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and Vidocq and Hector begin chasing a mystery that began twenty years previously when many French believed that Louis-Charles the dauphin, son of Marie-Antoinette, escaped the torture and entrapment of the notorious Black Tower. The plot thickens when Vidocq and Carpentier begin to wonder if the dauphin had escaped The Black Tower, who would kill to ensure that the potential King not be found? The Black Tower was excellently written. The pages turned themselves as the mystery propelled the reader along. Vidocq’s character was at once obnoxious and endearing. It was clear why Hector, trying to battle his own family demons, was drawn to Vidocq. Bayard offers the perfect balance of historical fiction and thrill in The Black Tower.
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LibraryThing member KevinJoseph
The Black Tower exemplifies the increasingly popular genre of literary mysteries, well-crafted novels that create suspense without compromising artistic integrity. As in his previous novels, Bayard has chosen a historical setting, complete with famous persons from that time period, as the backdrop
The story opens with excerpts from a journal, describing the cruel imprisonment and physical deterioration of the Dauphin Louis-Charles, the young son of the recently deposed Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, who is rumored to have died in the Black Tower. From there we flash forward in time and learn, through the first-person narration of medical student Hector Carpentier, about the murder of a man carrying a note with Hector’s name on it. Inspector Vidocq, a lovable rogue modeled on another real-life figure who is often credited as being the first modern private investigator, senses that the murdered man’s tie to Hector is the secret to unraveling the murder and forces Hector to support the investigation. When they discover that it is really Hector’s diseased father (also a doctor named Hector) that the dead man was seeking, the investigation puts them on the trail of a labyrinthine plot to murder another young man who may or may not be the long-lost Dauphin.
I would recommend The Black Tower to any mystery lover who has an interest in historical settings and conspiracies, as Bayard breathes life into early nineteenth-century Paris with his strong research and insightful prose. His fastidious development of setting and character do, however, rein in the pace of this mystery, and the middle third lacks the momentum of the tantalizing beginning and the frenetic ending. That said, the deliciously ambiguous resolution of the novel becomes all-the-more stimulating because of the careful groundwork Bayard establishes during these introspective middle passages. And, in the end, Louis Bayard’s artistic blurring of mystery and historical fiction proves to be a winning formula that makes me want to explore his other works, such as The Pale Blue Eye.
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for this whodunit.The story opens with excerpts from a journal, describing the cruel imprisonment and physical deterioration of the Dauphin Louis-Charles, the young son of the recently deposed Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, who is rumored to have died in the Black Tower. From there we flash forward in time and learn, through the first-person narration of medical student Hector Carpentier, about the murder of a man carrying a note with Hector’s name on it. Inspector Vidocq, a lovable rogue modeled on another real-life figure who is often credited as being the first modern private investigator, senses that the murdered man’s tie to Hector is the secret to unraveling the murder and forces Hector to support the investigation. When they discover that it is really Hector’s diseased father (also a doctor named Hector) that the dead man was seeking, the investigation puts them on the trail of a labyrinthine plot to murder another young man who may or may not be the long-lost Dauphin.
I would recommend The Black Tower to any mystery lover who has an interest in historical settings and conspiracies, as Bayard breathes life into early nineteenth-century Paris with his strong research and insightful prose. His fastidious development of setting and character do, however, rein in the pace of this mystery, and the middle third lacks the momentum of the tantalizing beginning and the frenetic ending. That said, the deliciously ambiguous resolution of the novel becomes all-the-more stimulating because of the careful groundwork Bayard establishes during these introspective middle passages. And, in the end, Louis Bayard’s artistic blurring of mystery and historical fiction proves to be a winning formula that makes me want to explore his other works, such as The Pale Blue Eye.
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LibraryThing member veevoxvoom
The French Revolution-- now a memory. However, memories are restirred in Louis Bayard's The Black Tower, wherein Dr. Hector Carpentier is embroiled in a mystery when he discovers a dead man bearing his name and address. Into the scene comes Inspector Vidocq, and together Carpentier and Vidocq are
I thought this book was delicious. I'm not too well-versed in mysteries and most of the mysteries I've read have been your typical British-manor types. So it was entirely refreshing to read a mystery set in France, and historical France at that. Bayard does a good job of recreating the era. His setting is impeccably well-researched and atmospheric. A lot of the time mysteries focus solely on the mystery so I appreciated the way Bayard focused on the whole package.
The premise of the mystery is also intriguing. Like Anastasia, another lost royal, the fate of Louis XVII is tantalizingly mysterious. The mystery is clever, twisting and winding in ways one wouldn't necessarily expect it to go. I think Louis Bayard has created a fantastic adventure with Vidocq and The Black Tower. I look forward to reading more.
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thrown into a series of events that takes them back to the bloody days of the revolution and the whereabouts of Louis XVII, the boy who would have been king of France.I thought this book was delicious. I'm not too well-versed in mysteries and most of the mysteries I've read have been your typical British-manor types. So it was entirely refreshing to read a mystery set in France, and historical France at that. Bayard does a good job of recreating the era. His setting is impeccably well-researched and atmospheric. A lot of the time mysteries focus solely on the mystery so I appreciated the way Bayard focused on the whole package.
The premise of the mystery is also intriguing. Like Anastasia, another lost royal, the fate of Louis XVII is tantalizingly mysterious. The mystery is clever, twisting and winding in ways one wouldn't necessarily expect it to go. I think Louis Bayard has created a fantastic adventure with Vidocq and The Black Tower. I look forward to reading more.
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LibraryThing member justabookreader
What happened to Louis the Seventeenth, the young Dauphin of France? A child when he and his family were taken prisoner by the French people, his body was never identified after his death was announced. In 1818, years after his supposed death, the monarchy has been restored but the city is still
Hector Carpentier is a medical student living with his mother and the borders they share their house with when Vidocq, a well-known and well-feared detective, approaches him on his way home one afternoon asking why a dead man had his name. Hector has no answers and Vidocq wants them. He drags him along on his investigation, disguising him when necessary, and pulling him deeper into the mysterious disappearance of the young Dauphin. When a young man is found who may indeed be the true Dauphin, Hector is torn between finding the truth and wanting to protect the terrified and simple man.
I don't read many mysteries but I found this one to be rather satisfying. I didn't care as much for the characters as I did the setting here though. I like stories from this time period and anything where Marie Antoinette is featured. She doesn't play a big part here, it's more her memory, but I found the mystery surrounding the events of those times appealing.
Vidoq is a great detective character. He's a former criminal and part of a new plain clothes police division in Paris. He obeys no rules, is uncouth, and terrifying in his means. Torture has no negative connotations and he feels liberal use is what is called for when dealing with criminals. He's not a likable person, although he has his moments, but he does add a dark and unsuspecting air to the story.
If you're looking for a quick, entertaining read, The Black Tower works. It moves fast, the setting is interesting, and the characters are engaging.
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tense and citizens unsure of their new rulers.Hector Carpentier is a medical student living with his mother and the borders they share their house with when Vidocq, a well-known and well-feared detective, approaches him on his way home one afternoon asking why a dead man had his name. Hector has no answers and Vidocq wants them. He drags him along on his investigation, disguising him when necessary, and pulling him deeper into the mysterious disappearance of the young Dauphin. When a young man is found who may indeed be the true Dauphin, Hector is torn between finding the truth and wanting to protect the terrified and simple man.
I don't read many mysteries but I found this one to be rather satisfying. I didn't care as much for the characters as I did the setting here though. I like stories from this time period and anything where Marie Antoinette is featured. She doesn't play a big part here, it's more her memory, but I found the mystery surrounding the events of those times appealing.
Vidoq is a great detective character. He's a former criminal and part of a new plain clothes police division in Paris. He obeys no rules, is uncouth, and terrifying in his means. Torture has no negative connotations and he feels liberal use is what is called for when dealing with criminals. He's not a likable person, although he has his moments, but he does add a dark and unsuspecting air to the story.
If you're looking for a quick, entertaining read, The Black Tower works. It moves fast, the setting is interesting, and the characters are engaging.
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LibraryThing member drneutron
Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette left two children behind when executed. Their son, Louis-Charles, would have been Louis XVII had he not died while being held in the Temple, a dark prison in Paris. Or did he? In The Black Tower, Louis Bayard imagines what might have happened years later during the
The Black Tower is a wonderfully conceived portrait of Restoration-era Paris. Bayard's prose captivates the reader within a few pages, and doesn't let up until the end. The story twists and turns nicely, and just when things seem to clear up, Bayard throws in another surprise.
Highly recommended.
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Bourbon Restoration if Louis-Charles had secretly survived. Or maybe not. Because there were many pretenders to the throne and this may just be one more. Chasing this mystery is Vidocq - founder of the Surete - and Hector Charpentier, who is dragged into the mess when Vidocq finds a note with his name and address in a dead man's pocket. The Black Tower is a wonderfully conceived portrait of Restoration-era Paris. Bayard's prose captivates the reader within a few pages, and doesn't let up until the end. The story twists and turns nicely, and just when things seem to clear up, Bayard throws in another surprise.
Highly recommended.
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LibraryThing member lbspen
Overall I enjoyed reading this mildly earthy book for the shining moments when the characters came alive, for instance when Hector's mother has an unguarded conversation with her son while polishing silver. Another bright point is the setting. The author managed to capture the cumulative
Late in the book I was disappointed with what seemed to be an overly convenient contrivance, but I had wrongly jumped to conclusions. All the loose ends are tied up at the end of the story, though I only gave it 4 stars because there were a few implausible elements and it seemed that the author didn't know what to do with Hector at the end.
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"post-trauma stress disorder" permeating the populace just after the French Revolution. Late in the book I was disappointed with what seemed to be an overly convenient contrivance, but I had wrongly jumped to conclusions. All the loose ends are tied up at the end of the story, though I only gave it 4 stars because there were a few implausible elements and it seemed that the author didn't know what to do with Hector at the end.
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LibraryThing member anglophile65
Really enjoyed this author's style and the images of the day, 1818 Paris, were very visual. Good story even to the end, kept you thinking and guessing.
LibraryThing member CasualFriday
In the latest page-turning historical thriller from Louis Bayard, Dr. Hector Carpentier teams up with famed criminal-turned-detective Eugene Francois Vidocq to solve a murder involving the son of Louis XVI, imprisoned during the Reign of Terror and assumed dead, but often rumored to be alive. As
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with his previous two books, this one is very atmospheric and twisty-turny, with a lot of hair-raising suspense, a touch of pathos, and, through the character of Vidocq, a sprinkling of wry humor. Show Less
LibraryThing member TheCriticalTimes
In this new novel by Louis Bayard, carefully drawn French sleuth Vidocq searchers for the Dauphin, the lost son of Louis-Charles, Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette's. At first this book appears to be a mystery novel, and during some of the initial chapters this created some confusion since it becomes
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clear later that this amazing book is instead a careful character study. When seen from this perspective The Black Tower provides a glimpse into what must have been a remarkable part of European history. Thoroughly enjoyable, well researched and carefully crafted, this book is an amazing study of how strong, extraordinary and common people deal with events thrown on them they could never imagine themselves becoming involved in. Show Less
LibraryThing member wyvernfriend
While interesting, and it did make me want to read more by this author, it seemed to leave me with more questions than it answered, and a mild aftertaste.
Vidcoq is the chief of a newly created plain-clothes police force in Paris. In order to solve a murder he drags in to help Hector Carpentier,
It's an interesting read but somehow just left me wanting more. I didn't feel that the story had been truly resolved.
Vidcoq is the chief of a newly created plain-clothes police force in Paris. In order to solve a murder he drags in to help Hector Carpentier,
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particularly as the murdered man has Carpentier's name in his pocket. This brings up he mystery of the death of the Dauphin. It's an interesting read but somehow just left me wanting more. I didn't feel that the story had been truly resolved.
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LibraryThing member pontori2
I absolutely loved this book.
I got an Advanced Reader's Copy from the publisher through library thing's program. I am so glad to have gotten the chance to read this novel before the rest of the public.
The author managed to make me care about the characters within the first few pages. Even though
I got an Advanced Reader's Copy from the publisher through library thing's program. I am so glad to have gotten the chance to read this novel before the rest of the public.
The author managed to make me care about the characters within the first few pages. Even though
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I'm not an expert on the time period, I never felt lost, or that there was excessive exposition. This book kept me riveted until the very end. Show Less
LibraryThing member bjh3038
I absolutely loved this book! When I first started it, I was a little thrown off by the use of modern language and forensic techniques in 19th century England, but as I got further along, the writing style combined with the historic setting started to flow together. What annoyed me in the beginning
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of the book, I found charming by the end of it. Show Less
LibraryThing member ResAliens
The Black Tower by Louis Bayard is a historical mystery set in 1818 Paris involving the lost Dauphin of France, Louis-Charles (who would have been Louis XVII if Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette hadn't lost their heads in the revolution). The novel also features the historical François Vidocq, a
The writing is good - 1st person present, which is difficult to pull off but Bayard does quite well with snappy (and often humorously vulgar) dialog, flashbacks, a diary, correspondence, and fast-paced narrative. Got a little long in the middle, as modern novels often do, but the denouement was satisfying. Bit of an anti-religious bias (Bayard writes for Salon after all), but again, it's something many modern novels stumble over. Too bad, decreases their shelf life. My rating: 6 out of 10.
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former criminal who became France's first Director of Security and one of the first detectives of the modern era.The writing is good - 1st person present, which is difficult to pull off but Bayard does quite well with snappy (and often humorously vulgar) dialog, flashbacks, a diary, correspondence, and fast-paced narrative. Got a little long in the middle, as modern novels often do, but the denouement was satisfying. Bit of an anti-religious bias (Bayard writes for Salon after all), but again, it's something many modern novels stumble over. Too bad, decreases their shelf life. My rating: 6 out of 10.
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Subjects
Awards
Dublin Literary Award (Longlist — 2010)
RUSA CODES Reading List (Shortlist — Mystery — 2009)
Booklist Editor's Choice: Adult Books (Fiction — 2008)
Christian Science Monitor Best Book (Fiction — 2008)
Original publication date
2008
Physical description
368 p.; 9.28 inches
ISBN
0061173509 / 9780061173509