Review | For the King by Catherine Delors

Hardcover: 352 pages
Publisher: Dutton
Release Date: July 8th, 2010
Source: I received this ARC from the publisher for review.

It has been a real treat for me this month to read and review not only this upcoming novel by Catherine Delors, but also her debut novel Mistress of the Revolution. Although the two are not members of a series, For the King does pick up time period-wise where Mistress of the Revolution left off. In that sense, I did feel like there was some continuity between the two books, even though the tone of one is vastly different from that of the other. They are also different in historical fiction sub-genre, as this time Catherine Delors has written a historical mystery/political thriller. For the King is a gripping joy ride through the first modern police investigation, which took place following the explosion of an “infernal machine” on Rue Saint-Nicaise on Christmas Eve of 1800 during a failed attempt to assassinate Napoléon, who was then the First Consul of France. The blast was set off by a group of Royalists or “Chouans” who wished to restore the monarchy and oust Napoléon and his supporters from power (this happens right in the very beginning of the book so I’m not giving away any spoilers here).

There is a lot of dramatic irony in this book from the very beginning; we as readers learn truths behind the investigation long before our protagonist Chief Inspector Roch Miquel himself discovers the identities of the would-be assassins or which characters are secretly Royalist agents working for “the cause.” Events begin to take a very interesting turn halfway through the book, as we find out more details of the private lives of many of the key characters.

At first I didn’t feel much of a real connection to Roch, but as the book went on I found his character more likable, and I enjoyed reading about the father/son relationship between Roch and Old Miquel, which for me also added sentimental value to these characters. There were flashbacks to his childhood throughout the book and I felt I really got to know Roch a lot better by learning his past and finding out how he came to be in his current position of Chief Inspector at the Paris Prefecture of Police. Because he came from a poor family, his promotion to such a high-ranking office illustrates for readers the differences in levels of respect displayed towards the common people pre- and post- Revolution. The newfound equality rights experienced by the Average Joe after the fall of the aristocracy were dramatic. Under the Ancien Régime, someone with Roch’s background would never have even been considered for a position that that wielded any significant authority.

Though this is by no means a historical romance, there is a romantic thread that continues throughout the book between Roch and his beautiful mistress Blanche. The two are very much in love despite the fact that Old Miquel wishes Roch to marry his wealthy childhood friend Alexandrine. I wish I had gotten to know these two women a bit more in the book, as they both play important roles in Roch’s life by the end of the story. I found the characters directly involved with the events on Rue Nicaise and those responsible for investigating the crime to be the most fully developed. Each had distinctive personalities that made them stand apart. I particularly enjoyed the desciption of the Prefect of Police, Citizen Dubois, Roch’s immediate superior and sometimes foe:

“During all the years of the Revolution, he had never expressed any political opinion, defended any noteworthy cause, been a member of any club, participated in any event of any import. He had simply avoided being noticed. Absent some extraordinary mishap, men of such stubborn, deliberate mediocrity survived the stormiest of times (page 44).”

My favorite character from the book was Joseph Fouché, Minister of Police (a very real figure from history). One never quite knows what he is thinking in that fickle head of his and this ambiguity made me eager to learn more about his life. While Roch is considered somewhat of a protégé to the Minister, Fouché keeps Roch on his toes throughout the story, and his hunger for power (and the actions he took in order to maintain his power) heightened the drama of the book. My only real complaint with the book would be its final chapter, which felt a bit abrupt to me. I’ve recently discovered how much I enjoy historical thrillers and For the King is a perfect example of how, when they are are done right, they can be utterly un-put-down-able. All the clues and nuances of the conspiracy were cleverly woven into the plot and none of the situations felt contrived. Multiple cliff-hangers left me anxious to know what would happen next. If this story sounds like it might be something you, too, would enjoy, be sure to enter my giveaway for a chance to win your very own copy of For the King, in stores July 8th.