Wednesday, August 23, 2017

The Sorbonne Affair - A Hugo Marston Novel by Mark Pryor

The Sorbonne Affair: A Hugo Marston Novel. Mark Pryor. Prometheus Books. August 2017. 270 pp. ISBN #: 9781633882614. 

Hugo Marston is attending a funeral when he is approached by a very well-known romance novel writer, Helen Hancock.  Immediately after the funeral she asks him to help her as she’s discovered someone has planted a camera in her hotel room.  The reader is puzzled about how important this was that she had to stalk Hugo out at a funeral and how she knew he was there.  Later for that.  For now, Hugo does discover a camera in her room but is unable to do anything more as Helen doesn’t want the hotel notified and wants no publicity. 

Before they can do anything more, a hotel bell-hop is found murdered in the stairwell of the hotel.  Not a clue is evident and the tension rivets upward when the next day reveals an internet video showing Helen Hancock with one of her writing students, Ambrosia Silva, naked and embracing.

Hugo now realizes that someone is being bribed for an ulterior purpose and yet another death confirms that theory.  Hugo himself has a suspicious encounter with someone outside of his home and realizes he must be careful as it appears he is to be the next victim.

The mystery plot thickens and Hugo Marston follows his instincts as well as his well-honed investigative skills to discover a most surprising perpetrator of the constant death and mayhem. 

One of the lovely side notes in this novel includes Hugo’s appreciation for the food, drink, architecture and weather of Paris, making the reader long to visit and partake of the experiences that so satisfy our resident investigator who works for an embassy but would love to remain in Paris forever, if circumstances should allow that dream!

All in all, The Sorbonne Affair… is a terrific read that will satisfy all mystery genre fans and anyone else looking for a very good read!  Nicely done, Mark Pryor!