Rebecca Stott

The author actually did a great job in sending you back to 1815 era in Paris. The story takes place at the end of the Napoleonic War when thousands of men were really drawn to Paris. And, in 1811, a criminal really was head of the police investigative department. The endless tunnels under Paris told in the story are also real. One problem…the subject was a bit boring and the use of French place names and sentences made it very difficult to get through. But, unlike so many authors I’ve been reading lately, this story at least had some “depth”. It gives the feel of the old-time investigative movies on TV where the tall, beautiful woman walks into a dark investigators office and speaks with a sexy, smoky voice while holding a cigarette in a gloved hand. This is Lucienne! She’s atheist and a transformist who collected, stole, and studied corals because she believed they held the answers to the beginning of time, and Daniel Conner, a 21-year-old striving botanist, who believes more in the God theory.

Daniel Conner heads to Paris to work under the prestigious anatomist, Cuvier. He is sent with a certification of high recommendations, mammal bones, and a hand-written manuscript from his teacher to be added to the largest volume of the science and study of all animals, along with a few valuable corals. On route, he is robbed by the beautiful Lucienne Bernard, who is 10 years older, while dozing on the coach ride to Paris. He reports the theft upon arriving in Paris to Jagot, a criminal running the police investigation department who has it out for Lucienne and her partner in crime, Silviel, because Silviel shot and killed one of Jagot’s men.

But, she’s a bit of an elusive character and you get the feel that she’s playing on his vulnerability. She’s spotted here and there, but always just out of Daniel’s reach. Daniel falls so in love with her, but he’s so young and naïve. She keeps putting off returning the things she stole from Daniel until eventually he corners her and is furious because he’s about to lose his position in the school if he doesn’t hand over all the things he was entrusted with. She finally makes a bargain with him to save him. She agrees on returning everything but the coral, which she kept. They meet here and there; they make love a few times. He finds himself in deep with this group of criminals. And because of his love for her, he couldn’t care less and is drawn into their world of crime. But, she had grown affections towards him and in the end wouldn’t allow Daniel to throw it all away and run away with her.

Lucienne and Silviel, and their daughter got away with the diamond through the tunnels of Paris, leaving behind Daniel…whether by accident or on purpose. She saved Daniel from being involved in the scandal by telling him to tell Jagot that she was holding a gun to his head. The gun “accidentally” went off above their heads causing a cave-in…Daniel and Jagot on one side and Lucienne, Silviel, and their daughter on the other side…supposedly dead. That’s how the story ended, but, Daniel knew they had survived by reading the papers and following them over the years.… (més)