by Nicole Segro

Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win a copy of the book and link to purchase it–you may not be able to see the Amazon link if you have ad blocker on.

Bestselling author Mark Pryor brings us The Dark Edge of Night, the second book in the Inspector Henri Lefort series. Set in December 1940 in Paris, France, the Germans have conquered the city and Parisians are trying to live as normally as possible.

For Henri Lefort, this means being a police detective in an overworked, understaffed department. It also means prioritizing cases assigned to him by German superiors, which take precedence over solving his normal cases. In his newest assignment, Lefort is tasked with locating a missing German doctor, Viktor Brandt. Under normal circumstances, missing persons wouldn’t fall under his jurisdiction. Lefort begrudgingly begins to investigate the case, despite also being assigned the suspicious murder of a Frenchman named Edourd Grabbin.

It soon becomes obvious the two cases could be connected when a business card for the mysterious Club Monocle shows up in both men’s belongings. What do a visiting German doctor and French cancer survivor have in common? How could they possibly know each other?

If that wasn’t enough, Henri’s good friend Princess Marie (Mimi) Bonaparte, who was a central character in the first book, has asked him to investigate the disappearance of children taken from local orphanages. Henri doesn’t have time for this and tries to put off a very tenacious Mimi until yet another connection is made during the course of the investigation.

The story is accompanied by a solid cast of supporting characters: Nicola, Henri’s sister, and secretary at work; Daniel Moulin, a “flic” in the same Prefecture; and the elegant, sophisticated Mimi, who happens to be the great grandniece of Napoleon Bonaparte. In addition to Mimi, many real-life people from this time period make cameo appearances.

This book can be read as a stand-alone, although there are some references to the characters and details in the previous book. While nothing explicit takes place on the pages, readers with triggers related to children may want to explore these themes further before reading. Overall, a great addition to the historical fiction subgenre!

To enter to win a copy of The Dark Edge of Night, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “edge” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen September 9, 2023. US residents only. You must be 18 or older to enter. If entering via email please include your mailing address in case you win. You can read our privacy statement here if you like.

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You can use this link to purchase the book. If you have ad blocker on you may not see the Amazon link. You can also click here to purchase the book.

Nicole Segro is a school librarian born and raised in New Jersey. When not acting as chauffeur to her young son, she enjoys reading many genres: mysteries, of course; romance, contemporary fiction, and historical fiction.

Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.