Richard Grayson (1) (1922–)

This is a police who-dun-it set in belle epoque France. Our charming, and oh so very French, detective Gautier mends his broken heart by focusing on his work, hanging out at his favorite cafe and allowing a few kind ladies to attend to him. One of his superiors maneuvers him into investigating a high society blackmail situation involving indescrete ladies, their lovers, their irate sons, their coachmen, their cuckolded husbands, etc. Wrapped up in this affair is an Egyptian asp, a dead chambermaid, possible anarchists, some naughty photos and a bomb here or there. Unlike many mysteries this one makes the series of events completely plausible and the characters all too human. Cheers for Gautier, who always gets his man--or woman.… (meer)