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Reviewed by Rita Vetsch for Readers' Favorite
The Gargoyle In The Seine; A Victorian Mystery is a thrilling mystery novel written by Dee Garretson. Clary Ashton is an art student studying in Paris, 1878. Her brother, Sam, tells her that there is a gargoyle lurking nearby the Seine River, whose job it is to be guardian of the drowned and hopeless souls. Strolling along nearby the river, Clary runs into a past art acquaintance named, Liam, who seems a bit distraught and quickly hands her a folio and then dashes away. Clary then witnesses Liam as he plunges to his mysterious death from the bridge into the icy depths of the rippling Seine River. Who pushed Liam off the bridge? Was it suicide or did her own brother, Sam, have something to do with the murder? Caught up in politics and superstition, Clary soon discovers clues unraveling before her very eyes. She will find out that Liam had many forbidden secret scandals of his own and how it all entwines with the story that unfolds before her very eyes. Mr. Reese Tretheway steps into the picture as a secret agent and Clary finds herself as his sidekick in trying to halt a royal assassination and an imperialist spy. Will you be able to guess who the killer really is?
The cover of this book is very appealing and gives the reader a unique glimpse into this incredible Victorian Era mystery novel. The descriptive words used to describe the setting are delicately written and the reader feels like they can use all of their senses to take in the scenery and settings. I felt like I could smell the mist rose and view the beautiful iron spirals near the Seine River in person. The time period of this story brings us back to a vintage era where it is fun to imagine all the characters dressed up, speaking French and trying to solve a complex mystery. It was interesting to think that the artists Renoir and Monet were alive and interacting with the characters in this novel along with Scotland Yard. I felt a little overwhelmed with all the characters in the beginning and found it difficult to keep them all in order until Chapter 10 arrived. Then things began to fall into place for me and I could comprehend the novel better. This intriguing story truly allowed me to be my own sleuth character in Paris, fighting off danger and dark characters to seek the truth. Dee Garretson has done an incredible job of combining action, adventure, mystery, politics, superstition and art into one very well written novel.
