The Paris Enigma: A Novel [Hardcover]

Pablo De Santis (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 11, 2008

In the tradition of The Alienist and The Devil in the White City comes a gripping, atmospheric tale of murder and the art of crime solving.

Paris, 1889: in anticipation of the World's Fair and the opening of Monsieur Eiffel's tower, a society of the world's most famous detectives convenes as a single body for the very first time. Sent in place of a conspicuously absent Renato Craig, founding member of The Twelve, his novice assistant Sigmundo Salvatrio arrives, bearing a secret message for the brilliant, brooding Viktor Arzaky, Craig's best friend and the society's cofounder. When one of The Twelve is discovered murdered at the Tower's base—the first in a series of grisly slayings—it falls to Arzaky and Salvatrio, the last remaining student of Craig's famed Academy for Detectives in Buenos Aires, to find and stop the killer. But what the two discover as they race around fin-de-siÈcle Paris—encountering secret societies, philosophical puzzles, and an imperiled, dangerously beautiful woman—has shattering consequences that will alter the fate of their precious brotherhood forever.

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. Discriminating general readers as well as whodunit fans will enjoy this outstanding puzzler, winner of the first Casa de las Americas prize for best Latin American novel. Argentine author De Santis conjures up a veritable Justice League of 19th-century master sleuths--the 12 Detectives--who meet for the first time in Paris, at the 1889 World's Fair. Argentine Sigmundo Salvatrio, loyal assistant to founding member Renaldo Craig, represents the absent Craig. When Louis Darbon, one of two claimants among the 12 for the title of Detective of Paris, falls to his death from the Eiffel Tower shortly before the fair's opening, Darbon's rival, Polish expatriate Viktor Arkazy, takes Salvatrio on as his apprentice, and the pair struggle to solve the mystery before more victims are claimed. De Santis adroitly explores such issues as the difference between image and reality while providing intelligent and entertaining discussions of alternate approaches to detection. (Nov.)
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Review

“Luminous...a tightly spun thriller...Mr. De Santis effortlessly incorporates important historical events (the building of the tower and the World’s Fair) into his narrative, as well as capturing the turn-of-the-century uneasiness over the emergence of the machine age.” (Wall Street Journal )

“[An] outstanding puzzler. . . . De Santis adroitly explores such issues as the difference between image and reality while providing intelligent and entertaining discussions of alternate approaches to detection.” (Publishers Weekly (starred review) )

“[A] beguiling historical whodunit . .. .” (New York Times Book Review )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Harper (November 11, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061479675
• ISBN-13: 978-0061479670
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #941,392 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good writing, November 18, 2008

By 

Nicole Del Sesto (Northern Cal) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Paris Enigma: A Novel (Hardcover)

I debated whether to give this book a 3 or a 4, but in the end I liked it well enough so I went with the 4. Had I the option, I guess it would have gotten a 3.5.

Part of the problem was that the book description doesn't really describe the book, so my expectations weren't met. The only similarity to The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America, a book I loved, was the World's Fair. The Paris Engima lacked the rich detail and history. The description promised a "series" of grisly murders, of which there were only two, and only one "grisly". Etc.

I liked the writing, and the main character, and when the story was being told the book was quite good and compelling. The problem was that there were numerous case vignettes put forth by the "Twelve Detectives" which had no bearing on the story and actually detracted from it. If the book had just told the one story, it would have been a really good novella, but a lot of what was there felt like filler, or the author wanting to put all his murder mystery ideas into one place.

Glad I read it, but I wouldn't rush out to read more of the same.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Shadows lurking in the City of Lights, November 20, 2008

By 

Zoyd (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Paris Enigma: A Novel (Hardcover)

The witty cover of this book caught my eye when I was looking through the new releases on amazon the other day. I'm very happy I let myself be seduced by it because THE PARIS ENIGMA - the first novel to be published in English by what I understand is a young writer who's already acclaimed in his native Argentina - is quite brilliant. First of all, the setting: the Paris of 1889 that de Santis evokes is wonderfully gothic and mysterious, on the cusp of the modern age, but still full of the darkness of an earlier, less scientific, age. (The unfinished Eiffel Tower is the central symbol for this in-between state.) And then the plot: a serial killer investigation like none other you'll have come across, conducted by a cabal of the world's greatest detectives (aka The Twelve Detectives) and the novel's hero and narrator, the young assistant to one of them. It's simply a superb historical mystery, but it doesn't stop there - if you want, you can also read THE PARIS ENIGMA as a philosophical investigation into the nature of good and evil, of crime and punishment. Perfect reading for a cold winter's day!

12 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars superb historical mystery, November 11, 2008

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Paris Enigma: A Novel (Hardcover)

In 1889 Paris hosts the World's Fair. There twelve of the greatest detectives from around the globe meet for the first time. Make that eleven as the twelfth Sigmundo Salvatrio is representing his employer Renaldo Craig who is ill and unable to attend besides being tied up with two murders back home. Two of the investigators Louis Darbon and Polish immigrant Viktor Arkazy claim to be the Detective of Paris. However, their heated rivalry for the honor of top Paris sleuth ends when Darbon falls from the Eiffel Tower just before the gala begins.

Arkazy agrees to train Argentine Sigmundo Salvatrio on detecting although his student is Craig's assistant. They work on solving Darbon's homicide, as the Polish expatriate fears more of the international alliance of Twelve Detectives will be targeted by an unknown adversary especially when a preserved corpse is burned.

Told by the intelligent yet lacking confidence Sigmundo Salvatrio, THE PARIS ENIGMA is a superb historical mystery that uses late nineteenth century Paris (starting with the still not quite finished Eiffel Tower) as the backdrop to an entertaining whodunit. The story line is driven by The Twelve Detectives, whose competition for top gun turns nasty as superegos explode. Fans will enjoy the dysfunctional exploits of the world's greatest detectives struggling to solve THE PARIS ENIGMA with each wanting to be the one acclaimed as the best.

Harriet Klausner