Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite

Exiles: A Mystery in Paris: The Daniel Levin Mysteries, Book 1 is an historical mystery written by Lawrence J. Epstein. It was 1925, and Daniel Levin aspired to be a writer. World War I had been a brutal experience for him, as it had been for so many others, and, while he had survived, the brutality and bloodshed he had witnessed left him haunted by memories best forgotten. He figured what better place for him to ply his avocation than in Paris, where literary giants were to be found in the cafes and bookstores, and his sister provided him enough money for the trip there. Levin wandered into one such Parisian bookstore which immediately felt like home. The books in Shakespeare and Company lined the walls, leaving ample space for the armchairs that invited prospective buyers to sample the literature available for sale or rent. The proprietor, Sylvia Beach, another American expat, took an instant liking to the somewhat bewildered and earnest young veteran. Hearing of his lack of funds, she set him up in a small apartment above the store, gave him a rental card for her store, and provided him with a small stipend. In exchange, he'd work at the store for a few hours each day, but, above all, she demanded that he write. Levin was touched by her kindness; she almost seemed the mother he had lost to suicide so many years before. He had entered his writer's phase -- and in the best possible way.

Lawrence J. Epstein's historical mystery novel, Exiles: A Mystery in Paris: The Daniel Levin Mysteries, Book 1, is a delightful blend of literary fiction and historical mystery. The setting is inspired, and the conversations Levin has with Hemingway, Fitzgerald and Gertrude Stein are magical. I found myself able to visualize the authors as they argue over who is the better writer while getting gloriously intoxicated. The mystery, which revolves around the murder of a magazine publisher which occurs on the day Levin first enters the store, showcases Levin's instinctive gift for detecting, and the author provides a number of red herrings for the reader to consider on their way to a solution. I had a marvelous time reading Exiles: A Mystery in Paris. Being privy to the conversations and having a glimpse at the lives of the Lost Generation is a rare treat indeed. Exiles: A Mystery in Paris: The Daniel Levin Mysteries, Book 1 is most highly recommended.