Customer Reviews

Game of Patience

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Susanne Alleyn's GAME OF PATIENCE is just about the best historical
mystery I've read in a long time. It's a police procedural set in Paris,
just a few years after the Revolution. Aristides Ravel, the protagonist,
is an "agent of the police", a sort of investigator/police spy with a
troublesome conscience. Called in to help investigate the double
murder of a man and a young lady in the man's apartment, Ravel
stalks the decadent post-Revolution society, uncovering secret after
secret, passion, and revenge. The plot is marvelously devious, the
writing very good, and full of terrific detail about France between the
Terror and the rise of Napoleon. Alleyn really captures the atmosphere
of the time, as well as delivering a damn good mystery. I'm not a
particular fan of historical mysteries, but this one is as good as they
come. Time after time, it seems Ravel has the answers, only to discover
they only lead to more questions. The denouement is fantastic.

"Game of Patience" opens in 1796 post revolutionary Paris. A police "investigator" (as he prefers to be called, rather than an informer or a spy) by the name of Aristide Ravel is called upon to assist in solving a double murder case. The two victims, an extortionist named Saint-Ange, and a respectable young woman, Celie Montereau, at first appear to have no connection. As Ravel begins his investigation; searching for clues and interogating witnesses, he unravels a case far more complicated than what he originally suspected.

The synopsis I just gave barely touches upon the plot of the book, but as is the case with many mysteries, its tough to give an accurate overview without giving away the story. To avoid spoiling the entire book for any potential readers, we'll just leave it at that, and focus on my opinions of the work.

It took me a while to warm up to this story. The language is a bit rough for those of us who don't speak a word of French. Not that there is an overwhelming amount of French vocabulary included in the story, but rather its the foreign names and places that are involved in the plot that I got hung up on. It's hard (for me at least) to envision a place that I can't envision pronouncing accurately. Once I got past that however, I got sucked into a who done it murder mystery that had me pretty baffled until the end.

Alleyn is an expert on French history and culture, that much is blatantly obvious from reading this book. She weaves her knowledge in skillfully, and is able to transport her readers to another place and time as they read. One that to many readers, is completely new and alien, yet they will quickly begin to feel at home there, as I did. There are several characters that we become intimately acquainted with throughout the story; a few are quite endearing, while others are basically revolting.

Without giving much away, I do have to say that the ending of this book is one of the most satisfying endings I've read in a while. All loose ends are wrapped up into a tight bow, and all unanswered questions are at last explained. The reasoning and logic included at the end of the story make the entire book worthwhile...its a perfect ending to an all around good read.

Having an interest in historical mystery and European police methods and jurisprudence, I downloaded a sample of Susanne Alleyn's "Game of Patience." After flipping past the fifty (or so it seemed to me) pages of notes, glossaries, and excuses, I began to read. I hit the "do ya wanna buy?" message a minute or two later (actual elapsed time: ~20 minutes). I immediately flipped on the cellphone switch and bought that sucker! The lady CAN write! I spent the rest of the afternoon reading it ("I said, 'Hold all my calls.' Yes, yes, I know it's the president. He'll just have to wait--besides, it's good for him.").

Now, I'll have to pony up the $10 plus each to download the rest of Citizen Ravel's exploits. Ah, the bittersweetness of life in the new France.

I so enjoyed "The Game of Patience" by Susanne Alleyn that I just bought six copies to give friends. How's that for a recommendation!!

First Sentence: Aristide did not often set foot in the Place de Grève.

Aristide Ravel is an freelance police investigator working for Commissaire Brasseur in Paris. They are called to a fashionable apartment to view a double murder scene. One victim; the apartment owner and, they learn, a blackmailer. The other victim; a young woman from a wealthy family and the blackmailer's victim. A friend of the young woman, Rosalie Clèment, points Ravel toward a handsome young man, Philippe Aubry, who the victim loved. She is adamant Aubry is guilty but the evidence is less certain. Ravel must find the true killer and find out why Rosalie is determined to see Aubry beheaded.

First, a caution: Do not read the flyleaf of the hardcover as it gives way too much of the plot without conveying any of the emotion you experience reading the book.

Set two years after "the Terror," it is a fascinating look at Paris after the Revolution. Alleyn's descriptions are exacting and powerful. Her level of research is clear and well represented by the exacting detail included in every aspect of the story. I very much appreciate the information included in the Forward and Historical Notes.

Her dialogue is excellent. It conveys the cadence of French without trying too hard but, moreover, it conveys strong emotion without ever being strident or histrionic but is, at times, filled with pathos. There is one conversation dealing with fathers and sons which was so well done.

Ravel is such a wonderful character. After his experiences, he dreads the possibility of sending one who is innocent to the guillotine. Each of the characters of this story were very strong, particularly those of Ravel, Rosalie and, to a slightly lesser degree, Sanson. As we get to know each one, we learn more about the others; their history and their motives.

The story is very well plotted, and the plot is driven by motives. There are excellent twists. Even though I perceived the direction one twist would take, the impact was no less powerful when it was realized. The story, and particularly the ending, was sad, poignant and tragic, yet ultimately satisfying. That's a tough combination to pull off successfully, yet Alleyn does it admirably.

This is a story that will stay with me long after having closed the cover. I lost sleep reading this book, even waking in the night to note that it has a very cinemagraphic quality to it and, strangely, made me think of "Casablanca."

I highly recommend this book but do suggest first reading "The Cavalier of the Apocalypse" first. Although it was published in 2009, it is a prequel to the series.

GAME OF PATIENCE (Pol. Proc-Aristide Ravel-France-1796/post-Revolution) - Ex
Alleyn, Susanne - 2nd in series (1st by publishing date)
Thomas Dunne Books, ©2006, US Hardcover - ISBN: 0312343639

In Sussanne Alleyn's first Astride Ravel book, she creates a fantastic historical mystery novel. The historical accuracy is amazing, its the first fiction book I've read with a biblography. The mystery is great, the twists keep piling up. Its one of the best books I've read in a long time.

In 1796 Paris, undercover police spy, investigator Aristide Ravel and his superior Commissaire Brasseur, investigate the murders of property landlord Jean-Louis Saint-Ange and his former lover, Célie Montereau in a chic apartment owned by the former. Aristide quickly learns that no one misses Jean-Louis with many rejoicing at his death because he was a nasty sort blackmailing aristocrat; the blackguard even extorted money from Celie, who was his lover.

An interrogation of Célie's acrimonious friend Rosalie Clément leads Aristide to Philippe Aubry, a violent man who allegedly loved the female victims, but he has an airtight alibi. At the same time to his chagrin, Aristide begins to fall in love with Rosalie, though he has not totally ruled her out as abetting the killer by hiding much of what she knows from him and Brasseur. Aristide keeps digging as he knows Brasseur plans to send Rosalie ton a date with Madame Guillotine.

This is a tremendous post-revolution but pre Napoleon taut French police procedural starring a hero with a bothered conscience because he knows he sent innocent people to the guillotine. The who-done-it is cleverly devised so that the audience obtains a deep look at 1796 Paris yet never slows down the pace of the investigation. Still this tale belongs to Aristide, who believes his past prevents him from a future filled with love that is if he can figure out who his rancorous beloved protects. Fans will also want to read the delightful homage to Dickens, A FAR BETTER REST

Harriet Klausner

What a great find. Amazon recommends books based on others purchased. I don't remember how this one came to me but I loved it. The characters were compelling. The story kept me reading on. At one point I thought I figured it out but then there was another twist to the story.
The backdrop of France after the terrors was a piece of history I don't much about yet. It added another dimension to the story.

Highly recommend this!

These are NOT EASY to write. I've been there and Susanne Alleyn's GAME OF PATIENCE is one of the best ones I've ever read. As a student of the French Revolution, I was immediately drawn to the setting. What Susanne does with her characters is extraordinary. Historical characters are very difficult to get right and the author in this book takes her time to draw them out fully for us. I highly recommend this book.