2024 the best book seller review

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Who is killing the celebrated bouquinistes of Paris? Max—an elderly Paris bookstall owner—is abducted at gunpoint. His friend, Hugo Marston, head of security at the US embassy, looks on helplessly, powerless to do anything to stop the kidnapper. Marston launches a search, enlisting the help of semiretired CIA agent Tom Green. Their investigation reveals that Max was a Holocaust survivor and later became a Nazi hunter. Is his disappearance somehow tied to his grim history, or even to the mysterious old books he sold? On the streets of Paris, tensions are rising as rival drug gangs engage in violent turf wars. Before long, other booksellers start to disappear, their bodies found floating in the Seine. Though the police are not interested in his opinion, Marston is convinced the hostilities have something to do with the murders of these bouquinistes. Then he himself becomes a target of the unknown assassins. With Tom by his side, Marston finally puts the pieces of the puzzle together, connecting the past with the present and leading the two men, quite literally, to the enemy's lair. Just as the killer intended. From the Trade Paperback edition.

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00C4B2LRI
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Seventh Street Books; First Edition (October 9, 2012)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 9, 2012
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 831 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Print length ‏ : ‎ 306 pages
Reviewer: Texascatbird
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Great crime plot set in Paris
Review: Quick read since the plot progression moves forward with speed. Characters developed easily by the author. The Paris, France setting along the Seine’s narrow streets works wonder for intrigue during telling of nefarious crime figures undoing. Hugh Marston is a likable persona along with his CIA operative friend, Tom. Just enough love interest to spice up the story. Recommend The Bookseller for anyone who enjoys crime thrillers spiced with international intrigue.

Reviewer: Susan Goldin
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title: A Tale of One City
Review: The first Hugo Martin mystery series begins in Paris along the Seine among the booksellers who ply their trade in their green stalls at the river's edge. The books primary character, Hugo has a passion for wonderful books and his old friend Max, one of the city's beloved booksellers whose stall overlooks the Seine -- shares his passion. Soon after Hugo buys a couple first edition books, Max is set upon by thugs and kidnapped right in front of Hugo. But no one from the french police appears to believe that Max is missing. As the head of security for the American embassy in Paris and a former FBI agent, Hugo tries to personally unravel what has happened to Max and trips into a complex hornets' nest of trouble and intrigue in his Texas two-step cowboy boots. Along the way he meets the charming and beautiful Claudia, a French reporter and resurrects a friendship with his old colleague and buddy Tom who left the FBI for the CIA a couple of decades earlier. This team, with the help of a few others, begin the difficult task of finding Max. What they discover in the charing byways of Paris and countryside of France is a very disturbing new reality for the booksellers of the city. This story is a fast moving drama with plenty of intrigue and enjoyable twists and turns ---- and a fascinating backstory regarding an old Nazi hunter (Max) turned exposer of WWII French Nazi collaborators. An armchair traveler's enjoyable read with just enough spice, wit and daring to suck the eager mystery reader into the pages of this charming new series. I hope to see what Hugo is up to in a few more of these nicely written, contemporary mysteries.

Reviewer: HollisterBulldawg
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Excellent book!
Review: In trying to branch out from established writers, I have discovered two gems: Ben Rehder and Mark Pryor. This first novel by Pryor is a winner. I hope to read many more novels with Hugo Marston as the protagonist. Mr Marston is ex-FBI and now the head of US embassy security in Paris. A good friend disappears and Marston believes he was kidnapped and possibly harmed. From there the plot thickens nicely. In the course of the story, the reader will learn about bouquinistes, the Pyrenees, rare books, Nazis, and the lovely city of Paris. The book never slows its pace of forward momentum. No hokey, contrived plot lines. Excellent writing and researching. Nearly top notch editing: The dreaded phrase "went missing" occurred only once and "to try and..." showed up only once.This book is easy to read and is fun to read. Thanks to Google Earth, I learned quite a bit about Paris that I missed in my youth. And I enjoyed the side trip to the city of Bielle. Wish I had gone there myself.I strongly recommend this mystery to all readers of this genre. Mr Pryor is going to be a favorite author of mine. I am looking forward to the next novel.

Reviewer: Daisymsg
Rating: 3.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Throw your credibility in the Seine
Review: This is book 1 of the Hugo Marston series. I purchased both the Kindle and the Audible editions. I listened more than I read. This book is narrated by Michael Pritchard, who is a favorite narrator of mine. Pritchard narrated the Nero Wolfe novels, and I think his narration of them is stellar. However, he has no talent for foreign accents and doesn’t know French.I bought this book because I really like France. I have visited most of its provinces, although Paris is not one of my favorite places. The book’s setting, Paris, is tissue thin, but we are seeing it through an American’s eyes, Hugo Marston. Perhaps that is the point: seeing a foreign city through an American perspective. If so, why not Brussels (home of the EU) or Berlin (capital of Germany, lots of history)? Maybe as simple as France sells and the others not so much. I was anticipating some wonderful triggers to the sights and experience I had visiting France – nothing.Hugo Marston is head of security at the US embassy in Paris. I know from knowing armed services people posted overseas that their experiences in Europe are superficial. They live in barracks. They eat at mess halls. They shop at the commissary. So, if that is your only experience with Europe, you may feel comfortable with the way Hugo interacts with Parisians.Hugo has a side-kick, of course. The interaction of the men is good except for Tom’s language – coarse. I can see that Pryor wanted an easy marker between the two men, but coarse? Why not, international (Japanese, Israeli), or a different region of the country (New York or California)?The plot is superficial. There are opportunities to make it deeper, but none are explored. The descriptions of places are so thin I don’t think Pryor has ever been to France, much less Paris. The scenes of interiors sound more American than European – wingback chairs? I didn’t find the characters compelling. Hugo’s police procedures are sloppy, almost nonexistent. Hugo has an apartment in Paris that he describes early in the book, including a custom safe he had installed to keep his gun, credentials, etc. The apartment is invaded and ransacked. Once the criminals are gone, does he check his safe to see if it has been breached? No! He doesn’t even think about it! Hugo’s judgement is nonexistent as well. His secretary at the embassy is in love with him. All he sees is a human Siri to do his research for him. He meets a female journalist one night, spends the night with her, is immediately entangled, and doesn’t question her loyalty! Is she part of the villain’s gang? Is she just a ruthless journalist? Hugo doesn’t even think about it.At one point, Hugo and Tom get out their American lock picks to open a door in Paris. I don’t think that would work. The keys I have been given in France do not look or function like American keys and locks. Another opportunity missed.I don’t find the characters compelling. I don’t think Pryor has any experience with the characters’ backgrounds. For example, he puts a count in the story, but the count is weak even though he is supposed to be wealthy, titled and influential. During the story the count says he has early onset dementia but does not mention how he plans to save his estate for his daughter. Under Salic Law, she cannot inherit the title or the entailed estate. If the estate is not entailed (entailment runs for a time period), under Napoleonic Law, she only gets half. This would have been a good opportunity to enlighten an American – totally missed. Why make him titled at all?If you want to spend a pleasant day with an unchallenging mystery, you may enjoy this.

Reviewer: Circlestones Books Blog
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: “If peace had a smell, he thought, it would be the smell of a library full of old, leather-bound books.” (Quotation page 221)ContentHugo Marston, forty-two years old, a former FBI profiler and now security chief at the American embassy in Paris, loves Paris and old books. Therefore, on his first day of a vacation he did not ask for, he visits his friend Max, a bouquiniste who owns one of the traditional bookstalls on the bank of the Seine. His has to watch as Max is kidnapped at gunpoint. The Paris police does not show very interested in Marston’s observations, because some witnesses, other bouquinistes, confirm they had seen no violence. But soon more booksellers disappear and fortunately Tom Green, an old friend of Hugo Marston, former CIA agent, now kind of retired as he says, has come to Paris for a visit and together they immediately start their own investigations and researches. Is the disappearance of Max connected to one of his special antiquarian books, and who tries to take over the bookstalls? How can so many different traces fit together?Theme and genreThis first book of the Hugo Marston Series is a crime novel located in Paris. Themes are investigation, crime and books.CharactersWe meet different characters, they all have their own stories and background. Their actions and behavior are believable and plausible.Plot and writingThe story, based on crime and investigations, takes place within a tight time schedule and is an enjoyable mixture of action, researches and a lively description of Paris and everyday life in the vibrant, famous city Paris. The plot brings up different themes, some of them reaching back into the past, and has enough unpredictable turns to maintain the narrative tension.ConclusionAn interesting, gripping crime novel with surprising twists, where some antiquarian books play an important role. Enjoyable read, not only for booklovers.

Reviewer: quentin
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: A security person working at the US embassy and a rollicking yarn of murder and intrigue concerning the Second World War.Fabulous.Onto the next story by Mark Pryor

Reviewer: jeanne harcourt
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: I loved this book. This is the second book I've read by this author ,and I will absolutely look for more of his work. Anyone looking for a satisfying story with interesting characters and a story with an interesting twist to it should read this. I read his second book featuring Hugo Marston, and really enjoyed it, too. Marston is a little different from the usual central character featured in a mystery , and he has some strange friends. His plots are so well described, I can actually feel as if I am there!

Reviewer: john martin
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: The first and possibly the best but all are good

Reviewer: Madge
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Very evocative descriptions of Paris sights and cultureExcellent characters and an intriguing story lineStory built into a page turner!