Skip to main content

Blog Tour: Death at the Paris Exposition (Emily Cabot Mysteries #6) by Frances McNamara: A Book Review

02_Death at the Paris ExpositionDeath at the Paris Exposition by Frances McNamara

Publication Date: September 1, 2016 Allium Press Paperback; 276 Pages Series: Emily Cabot Mysteries #6  Genre: Historical Mystery
Source: This book was given to me by Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours in exchange for an honest review.

  Add to GR Button     

Synopsis: Amateur sleuth Emily Cabot’s journey once again takes her to a world’s fair–the Paris Exposition of 1900. Chicago socialite Bertha Palmer is named the only female U. S. commissioner to the Exposition and enlists Emily’s services as her secretary. Their visit to the House of Worth for the fitting of a couture gown is interrupted by the theft of Mrs. Palmer’s famous pearl necklace. Before that crime can be solved, several young women meet untimely deaths and a member of the Palmer’s inner circle is accused of the crimes. As Emily races to clear the family name she encounters jealous society ladies, American heiresses seeking titled European husbands, and more luscious gowns and priceless jewels. Along the way, she takes refuge from the tumult at the country estate of Impressionist painter Mary Cassatt. In between her work and sleuthing, she is able to share the Art Nouveau delights of the Exposition, and the enduring pleasures of the City of Light with her family.

     My Review: Emily Cabot is a social secretary for Chicago socialite Bertha Palmer for the Paris Exposition in 1900. While they are at the House of Worth for Bertha to be dress fitted, she realizes that Bertha’s pearl necklace has been stolen. Before Emily investigates the case for Bertha’s missing jewelry, she finds the body of the House of Worth’s hatmaker. Emily wonders if the two cases are connected. The prime suspect seems to be Bertha’s son, who behaves suspiciously from the beginning. Could Emily find evidence that Bertha’s son is innocent and find the real killer?

     I really like Emily’s character. She seems to be observant and curious. However, in the beginning, she seems to be passive. Because she is on vacation, she is reluctant to investigate Bertha’s missing jewels. Once she finds the body of the hatmaker, she finally agrees to investigate the murder. I did find her to be a strong character. She is very independent and makes her own decisions. She also earns the respect of the French police. There were moments that she was blind to other people’s actions, but eventually she sees through their flaws. Thus, Emily is a character that readers can relate to and root for in an amatuer female sleuth.

     Overall, this story was about friendship, secrets, family, and social class. I really liked how it portrays France’s elite. I also liked the cameos of some of the Impressionist painters, including Edgar Degas. I thought this book was meticulously researched. There were some details that bogged me down a bit, especially the descriptions of what every character wore. I thought that those details could have been trimmed down. I also thought that it took a while for the story to get going, and there were some unnecessary scenes. When it did take off, I found it hard to put down, and I thought the murder mystery was very clever. Thus, I recommend this book for fans of Karen Odden, Deanna Raybourn, and Susanna Calkins.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

                                              Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound


About the Author:


     
   Frances McNamara grew up in Boston, where her father served as Police Commissioner for ten years. She has degrees from Mount Holyoke and Simmons Colleges, and formerly worked as a librarian at the University of Chicago. When not working or writing she can be found sailing on the Charles River in Boston or beaching on Cape Cod. 

     For more information please visit Frances McNamara's website. You can also find her on Facebook and Goodreads

     Sign up for Frances McNamara Newsletter to receive notification of new books and events.


Blog Tour Schedule


Monday, September 5 
Review at Jorie Loves a Story 
Spotlight at A Bookaholic Swede 

Tuesday, September 6 
Spotlight at A Literary Vacation 

Wednesday, September 7 
Review at Book Nerd 

Thursday, September 8 
Spotlight at What is That Book About 

Friday, September 9 
Spotlight at Passages to the Past 

Sunday, September 11 
Review at One Book Shy of a Full Shelf 

Tuesday, September 13 
Spotlight at To Read, or Not to Read 

Wednesday, September 14 
Review at History From a Woman's Perspective 

Thursday, September 15 
Review at Impressions In Ink 

Friday, September 16 
Guest Post & Excerpt at The Silver Dagger Scriptorium


Giveaway:


     To win a paperback copy of Death at the Paris Exposition, please enter via the Gleam form below. 2 copies are up for grabs!

Rules:

– Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on September 16th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Giveaway is open to US addresses only.
– Only one entry per household.
– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.
– Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen. 



04_Death at the Exposition_Blog Tour Banner_FINAL

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

The Life and Times of Hannah Crafts: The True Story of The Bondwoman's Narrative by Gregg Hecimovich: A Book Review

  The Life and Times of Hannah Crafts: The True Story of the Bondwoman’s Narrative Author: Gregg Hecimovich Genre: History, Nonfiction, Biography  Publisher: Ecco Release Date: 2023 Pages: 430 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: A groundbreaking study of the first Black female novelist and her life as an enslaved woman, from the biographer who solved the mystery of her identity, with a foreword by Henry Louis Gates Jr.       In 1857, a woman escaped enslavement on a North Carolina plantation and fled to a farm in New York. In hiding, she worked on a manuscript that would make her famous long after her death. The novel, The Bondwoman’s Narrative, was first published in 2002 to great acclaim, but the author’s identity remained unknown. Over a decade later, Professor Gregg Hecimovich unraveled the mystery of the author’s name and, in The Life and Times of Hannah Crafts, hefinally tells her story.   ...

Nell: Marshal of Bodie (The Nell Doherty Mysteries #1) by John Edward Mullen: A Book Review

Nell: Marshal of Bodie (The Nell Doherty Mysteries #1) Author: John Edward Mullen Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery & Suspense, Western  Publisher: Murders in Time Press Release Date: 2022 Pages: 300 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: In the winter of 1892, the once-vibrant gold-mining town of Bodie, California is in serious decline.        Nell Doherty, an 18-year-old young woman with a wooden leg, dreams of leaving and becoming a Pinkerton detective.       When a tragic shooting presents her with an opportunity to prove she has the skills needed to work for the Pinkertons, Bodie’s justice of the peace deputizes Nell — over the loud objections of the majority of the town’s residents.      Can she prove them all wrong?       Nell digs in and investigates the shooting, with the help of Rags, her half-Irish, half-Chinese be...

The King's Jewel by Elizabeth Chadwick: A Book Review

The King’s Jewel Author: Elizabeth Chadwick Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance Publisher: Sphere Release Date: 2023 Pages: 456 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: Wales, 1093.      The warm, comfortable family life of young Nesta, daughter of Prince Rhys of Deheubarth, is destroyed when her father is killed and she is taken hostage. Her honour is further tarnished when she is taken as an unwilling concubine by King William's ruthless younger brother Henry, who later ascends the throne under suspicious circumstances.      But it is Nesta's marriage that will really change the course of her life. Gerald FitzWalter, an ambitious young knight, is rewarded for his unwavering loyalty to his new King with Nesta's hand. He is delighted, having always admired her from afar, but Nesta's only comfort is her return to her beloved Wales. There, she cannot help but be tempted by the handsome, charismatic and danger...