Heavy times

The Dark Edge of Night (Henri Lefort mysteries #2) by Mark Pryor       

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

It’s 1940 and Paris is in the hands of the Boche. Inspector Henri Lefort is a policeman who’d fought in the first war and remembers the Germans well. They haven’t disappointed this time around. Still arrogant, demanding, bullying and terrifying.

Henri has been commandeered by the Gestapo to find a missing doctor. Not your usual sort of person to go missing. The doctor is found, run over by a train and disfigured beyond recognition.

Here’s the strange thing a second unrelated person has been found with similar injuries. Coincidence or design?

As well, his neighbour and fried, Princess Bonaparte is upset about French disabled children being seized from orphanages, supposedly to work in a munitions factory in Rennes.

All clues are pointing towards Rennes and Henri needs to discover what’s there. When he does he’s appalled. Now how to solve the problem of giving a report to the Nazis that won’t compromise him.

Based on brilliantly handled shocking truths, Henri Lefort looks like quickly joining the ranks of Philip Kerr’s Bernie Gunther—one of my favorite war time detectives.

Good cop meets immovable fanatic overlords is a great trope and this makes a resounding addition to like  works. The noir feel is palpable and I loved it.

A Minotaur ARC via NetGalley.                                              

Many thanks to the author and publisher.