The Crumpled Letter: Belle Epoque Mystery, Book 1

I know that the ratings on this book were not very high but I actually liked it. I loved how Lola,and her little band of misfits were able to piece together the clues to solve the murder of Clara. I'm going to continue with this author!

A totally unexpected cast with enough hidings going on to keep you up all night. The characters also have a heart for orphans and working girls, remembering their own lives and situations. An engaging choice for anyone who does not harbor harsh opinions about unusual lifestyles.

An unlikely partnership of two women from opposite sides of the track; they outwit and outmaneuver the boys, using feminine wile and guile. Rollicking fun.

I'm not sure who the intended audience is for this novel. The story is overly and unnecessarily complicated. The switching from first person to second person is confusing. It's a Belle-Epoque novel with phrases like "done and dusted and "needing one's separate space" which are 20th century. The characters and their action do not ring trueand there is a bit of lesbianism tossed in and then left hanging. It's like a Readers Digest version of a second rate novel. This dime store courtesan is not pour moi.

Didn't finish, because one of the main characters set me off from the first and I wanted to slap the other almost immediately, and having Guy deMaupassant along for the ride didn't provide enough relief.

I love the characters and as the narrative continues, could imagine being in Cannes during the belle epoch. Well researched.

fast reading

I love this book set in Cannes, one of my favorite city.

This story contains two rape scenes, one of them involving a 12 year old girl.The fact aside that such scenes prevent me from enjoying a story, I am also sick of this cliché that women only become prostitutes/courtesans because they were raped at a very young age. It is always used as an excuse why it is morally okay for her to have this kind of job and still be the heroine, because heaven forbid she just wants to be independent and still make a living for herself or that she even enjoys the money, the gifts, the male attention and yes, the sex.

A rather lack lustre and improbable tale