- Hardcover: 288 pages
- Publisher: Minotaur Books,US (30 Mar 2007)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 031234371X
- ISBN-13: 978-0312343712
- Product Dimensions: 21.3 x 14 x 2.8 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 2,116,280 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
A TREASURY OF REGRETS
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Product Description
Product Description
Amidst the sights and sounds of revolutionary Paris, Aristide Ravel, the enigmatic and charming freelance investigator for the Paris police, comes to the aid of Jeannette Moineau, an illiterate servant girl, when she is accused of poisoning the master of the house where she works. The case against her seems clear, but Aristide is convinced that Jeannette is innocent. Proving her innocence, however, is another story. In a household brimming with bickering and fighting, everyone seems to have a motive and opportunity. But as family members begin to turn up dead, the list of suspects is rapidly dwindling - and tensions are rising. Aristide scours the streets of Paris for clues to free the defenceless servant girl. But, in the dissolute post revolutionary Paris, where gold is scarce, finding information can lead to costly - and dangerous demands.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
Format:Hardcover
First Sentence: Since the twenty-fourth of Frimaire, Aristide Ravel had dreamed at least a dozen times of the guillotine.
It begins with the poisoning death of Martin Dupont, the controlling head of a large household. A servant girl, Jeannette Moineau, is arrested. A member of the house, Laurence, asks the police for help as she does not believe the girl is guilty. Police investigator Aristide Ravel agrees to work with her, also discovering there is another link between them from the past. As others die, Ravel continues to search for motive believing if he finds the motive, he'll find the killer.
Ms. Alleyn does know how to bring Paris post-Revolution alive. Best of all, we come to know the period from the characters; their memories, the awkwardness in speech tying to confirm to the new forms of address, the new calendar and the challenges living day-to-day. It is enough past the Revolution that there is not the high level of fear, but recent enough that you sense people's uncertainty.
Aristide is a complex and interesting character yet, although his back story was provided, he never really came to life. In spite of the personal connection between him and Laurence, I sensed a chemistry or emotional connection. Even at the end, rather than being left with a sense of curiosity, I found I didn't particularly need to know what happens. For the other characters, perhaps because there were so many of them, none of them were well developed.
The story had a very powerful opening. There was fascinating information provided on the different figures involved in the Revolution, and the impact on the monetary structure. The plot, however, was very slow until about half-way through. As we progressed, I felt there was a rather too convenient twist and huge leaps in logic made to bring us to the proper conclusions.
In spite of the positive elements, and there were some, I did not find this book as engrossing as the previous books in the series. Had this been the first book I'd read of this series, I might not read another. Fortunately, I have read the other two books and loved them. I have great hopes that the next book will restore my faith in this author.
A TREASURY OF REGRETS (Hist Mys- Aristide Ravel-France-1797) - Okay
Alleyn, Susanne - 3rd in series (2nd published)
Thomas Dunne Books, ©2007, US Hardcover - ISBN: 9780312343712
It begins with the poisoning death of Martin Dupont, the controlling head of a large household. A servant girl, Jeannette Moineau, is arrested. A member of the house, Laurence, asks the police for help as she does not believe the girl is guilty. Police investigator Aristide Ravel agrees to work with her, also discovering there is another link between them from the past. As others die, Ravel continues to search for motive believing if he finds the motive, he'll find the killer.
Ms. Alleyn does know how to bring Paris post-Revolution alive. Best of all, we come to know the period from the characters; their memories, the awkwardness in speech tying to confirm to the new forms of address, the new calendar and the challenges living day-to-day. It is enough past the Revolution that there is not the high level of fear, but recent enough that you sense people's uncertainty.
Aristide is a complex and interesting character yet, although his back story was provided, he never really came to life. In spite of the personal connection between him and Laurence, I sensed a chemistry or emotional connection. Even at the end, rather than being left with a sense of curiosity, I found I didn't particularly need to know what happens. For the other characters, perhaps because there were so many of them, none of them were well developed.
The story had a very powerful opening. There was fascinating information provided on the different figures involved in the Revolution, and the impact on the monetary structure. The plot, however, was very slow until about half-way through. As we progressed, I felt there was a rather too convenient twist and huge leaps in logic made to bring us to the proper conclusions.
In spite of the positive elements, and there were some, I did not find this book as engrossing as the previous books in the series. Had this been the first book I'd read of this series, I might not read another. Fortunately, I have read the other two books and loved them. I have great hopes that the next book will restore my faith in this author.
A TREASURY OF REGRETS (Hist Mys- Aristide Ravel-France-1797) - Okay
Alleyn, Susanne - 3rd in series (2nd published)
Thomas Dunne Books, ©2007, US Hardcover - ISBN: 9780312343712
Format:Hardcover
A very entertaining book, with some fascinating comments about Paris in the 19th Century. The story whilst not particularly strong is a very good read and one which was not easy to put down once started. I intend to get further stories by this author.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
5 reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Alleyn just gets Better!
1 July 2007
Format:Hardcover
Anticipating the second book of a series for me is like riding a
roller-coaster between high hopes and lows of remembered
disappointments. Happily, Alleyn's second historical mystery
featuring Aristide Ravel fulfills the former - it's a terrific book,
easily as good as GAME OF PATIENCE, maybe even better.
Pace, voice, dialogue, narrative are all beautifully done.
The fact is, I am a big fan of police procedurals, with
a pretty sceptical attitude toward historical mysteries. Why? Too
often, an author loses the main plot/story in an attempt to
recreate the setting of another time. On and on they go about the
details of an unpaved street, the people on the street, the quaint
habits, the colorful dress, the inconveniences... until the reader
can't remember why we are on the street in the first place. Alleyn's
talent is that she recreates the time IN the characters of her story,
not in describing their setting in excruciating detail. It is in
their views and reactions to events that the reader gains a
vivid insight into, in this case, the period in France shortly after
the French Revolution. The Place de la Concorde comes alive
through Aristide's reaction to the death of a dear friend on the
guillotine. There's another great example in the first scene where
we learn that Aristide is either an agent of the police, a police spy
or an informer... or maybe just a friend of the commissaire, through
the eyes of people of that time. (And, it recaps vital info about the
previous book without giving any of that story away. That's good
writing.)
Roughly, the story begins with the death of the head of a seemingly
well-off family, and the accusation and arrest of a simple servant
girl who is accused not only of the murder but of attempting to
poison the whole family (despite the complete lack of motive).
Alleyn weaves a twisty, fascinating narrative filled with lots of
secrets, more deaths in the family, and great scenes as Aristide
searches for the truth. I was often surprised, often guessed wrong,
and loved the terrific ending. All in all, a real winner.
Very Highly Recommended.
roller-coaster between high hopes and lows of remembered
disappointments. Happily, Alleyn's second historical mystery
featuring Aristide Ravel fulfills the former - it's a terrific book,
easily as good as GAME OF PATIENCE, maybe even better.
Pace, voice, dialogue, narrative are all beautifully done.
The fact is, I am a big fan of police procedurals, with
a pretty sceptical attitude toward historical mysteries. Why? Too
often, an author loses the main plot/story in an attempt to
recreate the setting of another time. On and on they go about the
details of an unpaved street, the people on the street, the quaint
habits, the colorful dress, the inconveniences... until the reader
can't remember why we are on the street in the first place. Alleyn's
talent is that she recreates the time IN the characters of her story,
not in describing their setting in excruciating detail. It is in
their views and reactions to events that the reader gains a
vivid insight into, in this case, the period in France shortly after
the French Revolution. The Place de la Concorde comes alive
through Aristide's reaction to the death of a dear friend on the
guillotine. There's another great example in the first scene where
we learn that Aristide is either an agent of the police, a police spy
or an informer... or maybe just a friend of the commissaire, through
the eyes of people of that time. (And, it recaps vital info about the
previous book without giving any of that story away. That's good
writing.)
Roughly, the story begins with the death of the head of a seemingly
well-off family, and the accusation and arrest of a simple servant
girl who is accused not only of the murder but of attempting to
poison the whole family (despite the complete lack of motive).
Alleyn weaves a twisty, fascinating narrative filled with lots of
secrets, more deaths in the family, and great scenes as Aristide
searches for the truth. I was often surprised, often guessed wrong,
and loved the terrific ending. All in all, a real winner.
Very Highly Recommended.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
A page-turner historical mystery
19 July 2007
Format:Hardcover
Appropriately (although accidentally), I began reading A Treasury of Regrets on Bastille Day. Aside from being a fine procedural with interesting plot twists, it is a fascinating look into post-revolutionary Paris. Alleyn gives us a taste of some of the sub-cultures of Parisian life which we never learned about in school. The characters live and breathe, and Alleyn communicates a real feel for the kind of political correctness which was necessary to survive that period in history.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Well worth reading.
28 Dec 2011
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is one of a series of mysteries about the 'French Revolution. Suzane Alleyn is an excellent writer and has evidently done considerable research on the Revolution and the Reign of Terror. Aristide Ravel is a "consultant" to the police when interesting crimes need to be investigated. He is tortured by the loss of his best friend in the Terror. Because he is not part of the police many people regard him as just an informer so he is not treated with much respect. All the books are well plotted and well written. The outcomes are usually surprising and upsetting.
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