by Cara Black
Part of Aimee Leduc Investigations, book 2
First published 2002
Private investigator Aimée Leduc rushes to help Anaїs de Froissart, the troubled wife of a prominent politician. Anaїs claims she needs help with her cheating husband, but when Aimée arrives, a car bomb explodes before her eyes. The blast kills Sylvie Coudray, supposedly the husband's mistress, and leaves Anaїs injured but alive. The explosion triggers painful memories for Aimée, whose own father died in a similar attack five years earlier. Anaїs hires Aimée to find out who wanted Sylvie dead, but the investigation leads into murky territory. Sylvie's neighborhood in Belleville houses many North African immigrants, and her identity may not be what it seemed. As Aimée digs deeper, she discovers connections to Algerian activism and wonders if the bombing was an act of terrorism. The case grows more complex as a hunger strike protests new immigration laws, and the French government clearly wants Aimée to stop asking questions. Meanwhile, her ex-boyfriend Yves returns to complicate her personal life just when she needs focus most.
Genres: suspense, mystery, crime, thriller
Vibes: atmospheric, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, personal-tragedy
Setting: Belleville, France
Period: Contemporary
341 pages · Paperback · Soho Crime
Content warnings: violence