The Leopard of Batignolles
A Paris Bookshop Mystery
Claude Izner author Lorenza Garcia translator
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Pushkin Press
Published:27th Aug '26
Should be back in stock very soon

'An especially crafty solution' Publishers Weekly
1893. A deadly fire engulfs a Parisian bookbindery. Then, a celebrated artist is stabbed to death in the street. As panic spreads the police struggle to keep pace with a killer growing ever bolder.
Soon amateur sleuth Victor Legris and his bookselling team are on the case. But the murderer seems to be taunting them, leaving cryptic notes at every crime scene and even placing a death notice in the newspaper. Who is this theatrical killer, and can Victor untangle the mystery before they strike again?
- - PRAISE FOR THE VICTOR LEGRIS MYSTERIES * - *
A clock-beating thriller * Financial Times *
A book of great charm, full of delightful historical detail and deftly written -- Frank Tallis, author of 'Mortal Mischief' and 'Vienna Blood'
Reading Izner is like taking a ride into the belle epoque in a time machine. A wonderfully breathtaking ride -- Boris Akunin, author of the 'Erast Fandorin Mysteries'
Witty and creepy... a seamless translation captures the novel's many period charms * Independent *
An extremely satisfying traditional mystery with lots of suspects and panache. Izner writes in a witty, breezy style, which conjures up the Paris of 1889 and the huge sprawl of the exhibition. The plot is terrific, and who can't enjoy another good time in the City of Light... * Providence Journal-Bulletin *
I read this charming, evocative, and suspenseful book with the mounting excitement I always get when I realize I've found a new series - I can't wait for the next Victor Legris book. What a pleasure it is to visit Paris with such an expert tour guide! -- Charles Finch, author of 'A Beautiful Blue Death'
Fans of quality historical will welcome Izner's debut. The taut pacing and vivid period detail will have readers eagerly turning the pages * Publishers Weekly *
The energetic curiosity of the hero dovetails nicely with the readers' interest in a fascinating era. The colorful supporting cast lays a solid foundation for Victor's further exploits * Kirkus Reviews *
A charming and amusing whirl around a time of rapid social an intellectual change * Morning Star *
Izner combines a sparkling puzzle (reminiscent of one of Agatha Christie's most famous novels) with complex characters and appealing descriptions of Paris... A well-executed beginning to a series with great potential * Richmond Times Dispatch *
A charming journey through the life and intellectual times of an era * Le Monde *
Evokes the electric atmosphere of 1889 Paris * Le Nouvel Observateur *
ISBN: 9781805335931
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: unknown
336 pages