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cornerofmadness 's review for:
The Black Tower
by Louis Bayard
This was a book I wanted to read since I first saw a review for it because it’s about Vidoq, who is pretty much the first forensic examiner/modern detective. There’s the Vidoq Society still solving crimes today. Also, I like historical fiction so it pains me to say this was briefly good piece of work sandwiched between utter crap.
The premise is Dr. Hector Carpentier comes to Vidoq’s attention after his name turns up in a dead man’s possession. Hector is the one telling the tale. Unfortunately he doesn’t know the dead man but soon probably wishes he did since people are dying. It’s a tale of intrigue bound up in the French Revolution and the Lost Dauphin and really it’s hard to say more than this without ruining what good parts the story has.
The beginning drags and drags and if I hadn’t gotten stuck in a restaurant with nothing else to read I wouldn’t have gotten to the middle which actually was good and exciting. The end was fairly unbelievable and a real let down. I’m surprised at the outside narrator to tell Vidoq’s tale since that would limit any series potential which is pretty critical in the mystery genre these days. What bothered me more was Vidoq actually doesn’t DO much mystery solving. It’s mostly on Hector since his family is bound up in this. Vidoq comes across as utterly crude and more of a brute than a brain and it didn’t mesh with what I’ve read about the man. If you must, get it from the library.
The premise is Dr. Hector Carpentier comes to Vidoq’s attention after his name turns up in a dead man’s possession. Hector is the one telling the tale. Unfortunately he doesn’t know the dead man but soon probably wishes he did since people are dying. It’s a tale of intrigue bound up in the French Revolution and the Lost Dauphin and really it’s hard to say more than this without ruining what good parts the story has.
The beginning drags and drags and if I hadn’t gotten stuck in a restaurant with nothing else to read I wouldn’t have gotten to the middle which actually was good and exciting. The end was fairly unbelievable and a real let down. I’m surprised at the outside narrator to tell Vidoq’s tale since that would limit any series potential which is pretty critical in the mystery genre these days. What bothered me more was Vidoq actually doesn’t DO much mystery solving. It’s mostly on Hector since his family is bound up in this. Vidoq comes across as utterly crude and more of a brute than a brain and it didn’t mesh with what I’ve read about the man. If you must, get it from the library.