Murder below Montparnasse

“Aimée Leduc, the appealing sleuth in this series…is always zipping
around on her pink Vespa, carrying out some ‘quick and dirty’ computer security
job. But she keeps up a running commentary on whatever quartier of the city her
work takes her to. Here it’s the unfashionable backside of Montparnasse…This
unassuming neighborhood is a rich one for the purposes of a plot that hangs on
a Modigliani canvas and involves Russian émigrés and Surrealist artists,
including some who live on in legend.”

“Lighter than in most other Euro-noir. After all, this is Paris…The
spice in this tale, set in 1998, involves a long-hidden, newly stolen
Modigliani that Leduc is hired to retrieve. Before she can even begin hunting,
her client is killed…Fortunately, Leduc has a network of loyal friends to aid
in her escapades. Pity the knife-wielding villain who offends that infallible
sense of style.”

“Black is an old pro with an ear for language and dialogue and a gift
for knowing just when to pop the next surprise.”

“Consistently entertaining…Plus, there’s a surprise at the end of the
book that promises some very interesting times ahead.”

“[Has] a lengthy, well-developed subplot.
Allusions to Modigliani, Picasso, Cocteau, Man Ray, and Duchamp help evoke
1920s Paris.”

“Madeleine
Lambert brings a clear voice and authentic French accent to investigator
Aimée Leduc and her compatriots…The plot,
which is perfectly suited to the audio format, involves the black market
art world, a long-lost portrait of Lenin by Modigliani, and Aimée’s
long-missing mother. Lambert moves the narration along at a snappy pace.
She convincingly ramps up the drama of the heroine’s escapades as she
chases dangerous shadows down the cobblestoned alleyways of Paris on her
trusty Vespa.”

“Brisk, engaging…Another great Aimée Leduc read; fans will be intrigued
by the new developments.”