The One Thing More [Kindle Edition]

With The One Thing More, author Anne Perry ventures away from Victorian London and into late 18th century revolutionary Paris as the setting for an extremely enjoyable and satisfying murder mystery. In fact, although I've only read a few of her later novels in the Pitt series, I must confess that this one is my favourite thus far.

Spanning only a few days, the story opens in January 1793 with King Louis XVI (or Louis Capet, as he had by then derogatorily become known) being sentenced to death. Briefly, and without giving anything away, the story revolves around a plot to save the king. That we, as 21st century readers, ultimately know the king's fate in no way lessens the enjoyment of this novel, for the plot provides more of a backdrop to the story--much in the way that the Revolution itself does, what with its plethora of social and political issues, which Perry delves into wonderfully.

Celie and Amandine, two young French women who were introduced to us in Perry's novella A Dish Taken Cold, are now in the employ of Bernave, the instigator of the plot. Living in Bernave's house are his daughter, his daughter's husband and their children, and his daughter's parents-in-law. Then there is the mysterious Jacques St Felix, who also resides in the house. Not everyone in the household is on the same side politically, however, and when one of the residents ends up murdered, no one is above suspicion. More ominous, however, are the twists and surprises that occur throughout the novel, for it appears that nothing is as it seems.

For the person interested in historical novels in general (or the French Revolution in particular), this novel is a must read. As a point of interest, minor secondary characters include the infamous Marat and Robespierre, to name but two. Perry does a good job of bringing the characters (both fictional and non-fictional) to life, and she does a splendid job of evoking the ambience of revolutionary France in the dead of winter.

For the person interested in background reading on the period leading up to and covering the early years of the French Revolution, I strongly recommend Antonia Fraser's captivating book entitled Marie Antoinette: The Journey. It's not mandatory for the enjoyment of this novel, but you may just find your interested piqued after reading this splendid novel.

Very highly recommended!

Even if you aren't a fan of Perry's other novels, don't turn away from this one! If, like mine, your knowledge of the minutiae of living in Revolutionary France was slim, you'll pick up quite a bit of information along with the plot! A welcome change from Historicals set in Britain, and a book which leaves you wondering what happens to th surviving characters at the end .....

Truly excellent murder mystery, which is set during the French Revolution. The murder actually takes a secondary role in this tale with the main focus being on the political machinery of that era.
The reader gets a close look at the implications of the revolution and the various groups pulling the strings. The oppressed masses are happy to be released from the tyranny of both church and royalty only to find the subsequent tyranny of the Citizens just as oppressive. It gives a bleak picture of treachery, mistrust, hunger and desperation instead of the joyous freedom the people were seeking.
In the midst of all this a man who is trying to save the king of France is murdered. The question is was he murdered for being a traitor or for his apparently nefarious past.
Perry is an exquisite writer who always manages to capture to tone and scene of the moment with her creative skills. Readers are so used to her writing Victorian crime that they might overlook this great read.
The only thing I found less than stellar was an element that I thought might have been a continuity error. St Felix is described as a young man around the same age as Georges, Celie and Amandine. In the last chapter he is described as someone either the same age as Madame LaCoste or older. That made the solution at the end slightly confusing if not impossible.
I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley.