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Black Gold by Charles O'Brien is an excellent follow-up to his first novel, Mute Witness. O'Brien moves the setting of Black Gold from Paris, France to Bath, England.

Here is a summary of the book from Publishers Weekly:

In the winter of 1787, Col. Paul de Saint-Martin, who played a leading role in Mute Witness, travels to England to track down an Irish rogue, Captain Maurice Fitzroy, who's been accused of raping a young woman of aristocratic birth while visiting Paris. A side benefit of the trip is the opportunity to see Anne Cartier, a teacher of the deaf, whom Paul befriended in the earlier book. Anne is employed as a tutor to the young son of Sir Harry Rogers, a self-made merchant and slave-trader who resides near Bath. Paul and Sir Harry strike up a friendship during a training session of Sir Harry's prizefighter slave, and Paul soon becomes the slaver's houseguest at Combe Park. Among the ill-assorted group are Sir Harry and his wife, Lady Margaret, Captain Fitzroy, and Anne and her charge, who bears a striking resemblance to the captain. Also at Bath is the infamous Jack Roach, who is blackmailing several of the city's inhabitants, perhaps even Lady Margaret herself.

As with Mute Witness, O'Brien fills this book with plenty of twists and turns. He drops Cartier and Saint-Martin into a hornet's nest of hate and intrigue at Combe Park. O'Brien successfully describes the various conflicts between those who live at Combe Park. In addition, O'Brien meticulously spins all of the intrigue into a spellbinding work.

The different characters are realistic and easy to like and hate as the case may be. For example, you pick up from where the last book left off - hating Jack Roach and his devious plans to wreak havoc on Cartier's life. Alternatively, you sympathize with Jeff, Sir Harry's prizefighter slave, on the injustices and abuses he has to withstand in order to live.

Furthermore, O'Brien continues to develop the three main characters – Saint-Martin, Cartier, and Georges Charpentier, Saint-Martin's adjunct in the Royal Highway Patrol. The love between Saint-Martin and Cartier continues to develop and Charpentier proves once again why he is an indispensable assistant to Saint-Martin.

In conclusion, I highly recommend Black Gold if you have any interest in historical mysteries set in Eighteenth Century Europe.

The Terror: The Shadow of the Guillotine: France 1792-1794 by Graeme Fife is a fascinating look at France as it was torn apart by the French Revolution. As the publisher notes, Fife draws on contemporary police files, eyewitness accounts, and directives from the sinister Committee for Public Safety, and heart-wrenching last letters from prisoners awaiting execution.

Here is a brief synopsis of the book from the publisher:

1792 found the newborn Republic threatened from all sides: the British blockaded the coasts, Continental armies poured over the frontiers, and the provinces verged on open revolt. Paranoia simmering in the capital, the Revolution slipped under control of a powerful clique and its fanatical political organization, the Jacobin Club. For two years, this faction, obsessed with patriotism and purity--self appointed to define both--inflicted on their countrymen a reign of terror unsurpassed until Stalin's Russia.

It was the time dominated by Maximilien Robespierre, Georges Danton, Jean-Paul Marat, and Louis-Antoine Saint-Just (called "The Angel of Death"), when Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette met their ends, when any hint of dissent was ruthlessly quashed by the State. It was the time of the guillotine, neighborhood informants, and mob justice.

This is the first book I have ever read of the French Revolution and I would not suggest reading this book as your first dabble in the French Revolution. I say this not to demean Fife's book, but to warn any ignorant French Revolution readers that you need to know the general timeline of major events of the Revolution and what occurred on those dates. Fife refers fleetingly to many of the major events (e.g. storming of the Bastille). In addition, I do think some maps may have helped - I found myself looking on the Internet for maps of Paris and France to visualize where the events were occurring.

With that said, Fife does an excellent job of bringing the Revolution to life. You can sense the insanity of the leaders as they grip the whole country in a state of fear - at the height of the Terror, a citizen never knew whether they were going to be arrested one day and sent to the guillotine the next. Fife shows how the Committee of Public Safety led by Robespierre (pure evil) spiraled into paranoia and insanity.

After reading this book, I now understand why France is as messed up as it is. Any country going through this baptismal of fire will be affected by the upheaval of a society in such a short period of time. I don't think that the Russian Revolution was the first Communist Revolution - the French Revolution was.

If you have an interest in China and you enjoy photography I would highly recommend you check out China: People Place Culture History recently released by DK Publishing:

In the tradition of the photographic essay, China will take you through time and across borders by way of informative text, historical voices, rousing poetry and more than 700 specially commissioned images by world-class photographers. China threads its way through the country's storied 4,000 year culture and compels the reader to rethink his concept of China and its people.

As the world's oldest continuous civilization and most populous country, with the fastest-growing economy, China is experiencing profound social, economic, and political change. A detailed exploration of the country's long, rich history paired with its complex present makes China a one-of-a-kind reference that offers an eye-opening, thought-provoking and authoritative visual guide to one of the world's great nations.

My parents recently spent a couple of years teaching English in China and the pictures and stories they brought back were beautiful, often strange, but always captivating. I plan on buying a copy of this remarkable book for them as I know they would enjoy the chance to continue to explore China's people, places, cultures, and history.

Regular readers will be familiar with my affection for Young Adult Fantasy Fiction and my appreciation for well designed books with strong illustrations. So it should come as no surprise that I enjoyed D.M. Cornish's Foundling (Monster Blood Tattoo, Book 1) released today in paperback.

As other critics have noted, this debut novel and first in a series, is a rather unique blend of Dickens and Tolkien. We have an orphan, Rossamund Bookchild, on the cusp of independence struggling with his funny name and with the daunting task of making his way in the dangerous world outside the orphanage door. But this is no ordinary world. In the Half-Continent Cornish has created an fascinating alternate universe populated by man and monsters.

The Dickens reference obviously comes from the orphan plot line and the semi-Victorian feel. But also from the strong characters. We see Cornish's world through the eyes of Rossamund, a good natured, loyal, and often brave young man. But there are a number of interesting secondary characters: the beautiful and kind orphanage parlor maid Verline; the tough but loving dormitory master Fansitart; the evil sea captain Poundich; the strange, rather cold, and yet beguiling monster killer Europe; and the kind and sympathetic postman Fouracres. Cornish skillfully develops Rossamund as a character not only through his own thoughts and actions but through his relationships and encounters with other characters. Because each character is drawn with a history, a unique perspective, and relationship with Rossamund the world seems natural and organic rather than artificial.

The Tolkienesque aspect comes from the complexity and detailed nature of Cornish's creation. The world of the Half-Continent has a depth and level of detail that is rare in YA fantasy. This depth is reinforced by Cornish's own attractive black and white illustrations of the main characters as well as the "Explicarium" or glossary provided at the back of the book. This addition provides over 100 pages of detailed explanations of the people, places, and creatures that make up this world as well as detailed maps, uniform sketches, and ship illustrations.

I think the School Library Journal summed it up well:

Cornish's world-building efforts show a depth and intricacy reminiscent of the work of J. R. R. Tolkien or Robert Jordan. While the elaborate jargon may bewilder some, the unique and fascinating Half-Continent, where ships with organic engines sail caustic vinegar oceans and monster-hunters gain supernatural powers through dangerous surgeries, is a delightful, refreshing standout in a sea of cookie-cutter fantasy worlds.

I for one can't wait for the next book in the series.

Those of us who have enjoyed Olen Steinhauer's Eastern European crime series continue to be perplexed by their failure to break out into mainstream success. Although the books have been shortlisted for a variety of awards, they seem unable to break free of their genre label and reach the larger audience they deserve.

This week marks the release of the fifth and final book in the series, Victory Square. Appropriately, the book not only brings the series full circle by again featuring the lead character from the first book, but it also brings Steinhauer back to the subject of his first attempts as a novelist.

After getting his MFA and spending a year in Romania on a Fulbright scholarship Steinhauer returned to finish what he hoped would be his first novel. The resulting manuscript - a "sprawling epic" set during the Romanian Revolution of 1989 - revealed enough talent to spark some interest but it clearly needed work. Agents asked: got anything else?

The answer was yes. Inspired by reading Raymond Chandler, and his time in Romania, Steinhauer had decided to write a "straight story" something that didn't set out to be the "experimental" novel of a recent MFA grad. This non-experimental experiment became The Bridge of Sighs a hardboiled detective story set in an unnamed country in communist occupied post-war Eastern Europe.

As it turned out, Bridge of Sighs was the first in a five book series centered on the homicide division of the People's Militia in this unnamed country. Each book focuses on a new character and brings us forward a decade. In Bridge of Sighs Emil Brod is a 22-year old rookie investigating his first case, the murder of a popular national songwriter, when he uncovers evidence that a party leader worked for the Gestapo during the war. He ends up marrying the songwriter's widow and sending his killer, the disgraced party leader, to a labor camp.

Victory Square, the fifth and final book, returns the focus on Emil and brings the series to a close. And it also brings Steinhauer back to the subject of that first manuscript: the revolutionary year of 1989 in a country very much like Romania.

Emil, now homicide chief, is called by the Ministry for State Security to complete the paper work for an apparent heart attack of one of their officers The stubbornly persistent Emil, however, uncovers evidence of foul play and a list of six people all connected to the very first case of his career. Two of the six have recently turned up murdered and the party leader Emil had sent away has disappeared. The other important name on the list? His own.

I mentinoned previously that I planned to re-read Olen Steinhauer's People's Miltia series in order to fully apprciate the final book in that series Victory Square. Having done so, I wanted to offer some thought on the series as a whole prior to posting my review of the last book.

In thinking about the series I keep coming back to something I wrote in my review of 36 Yalta Bouevard:

What is so captivating and entertaining about Steinhauer is that each book tackles a new character and brings a new perspective. Steinhauer is not just cranking out sequels to make his publisher happy. He is using the history and culture of Eastern Europe as a setting and as a source for an imaginative tweak on a host of genres. Aspects of hard boiled detective story, police procedural, psychological mystery, espionage thriller, and historical fiction are all included as he tells the story of these unique characters.

And yet their is more. Steinhauer explores deeper issues than just who did what, where, and how. Thorny personal, political, and cultural issues are addressed while the mystery unfolds. Taken together they paint a thought provoking portrait of time and place; and yet each work stands satisfyingly on its own. "Literary crime series" may seem like an oxymoron to some, but it seems a perfect description of Steinhauer's work.

This is indeed the appeal of this fascinating series. There is always more than meets the eye.

Threshold of Terror: The Last Hours of the Monarchy in the French Revolution by Rodney Allen is an exciting and engaging piece of work. Allen brings to life the last vestiges of Louis XVI's reign.

The book primarily centers on August 10 and 11, 1792 - when "the mob" stormed the Tuileries to end Louis' reign. Allen pays particular attention to the fate of the Swiss Guards - a unit charged with defending the king after his personal guard was disbanded. In describing their fate, Allen dispels many myths about the Swiss Guards - one of which is that the Guards were overwhelmed and in many instances massacred, Allen contends through his research that many Guards were killed, but the unit was far from being completely annihilated.

Although Allen has a particular affinity toward the king, he justly criticizes Louis when he failed to act at certain points (Allen argues that the Revolution could have been halted in its tracks if Louis had just shown some leadership and backbone). For example, Allen argues that the monarchy may not have fallen if Louis had allowed more ammunition to be disbursed to the Swiss Guards and other loyal national guardsmen.

I think that Allen may have been able to make the book more succinct if he had cut down the number of chapters devoted to the escape of four men (each man's story of escape had a chapter). Although the stories were different, I just do not think that including all four adds anything extra to the book.

All in all, I think the book is an entertaining and enlightening look at the last hours of the French monarchy in the French Revolution.

Few things are as popular among conservatives as internecine philosophical battles. In magazines, Op-Eds, and book length treatises conservatives of various stripes regularly lay out the reoccurring battle for the soul of conservatism. And as others have pointed out, this is probably healthy. Conservatives believe ideas are important and worth fighting about.

But let’s face it, not all of these battles are intelligent and civil debates over first principles. And that is what makes The Future of Conservatism edited by Charles W. Dunn and published by ISI so refreshing. Rather than a diatribe about which faction hijacked the movement, or which politician betrayed it, it is an intelligent and thoughtful discussion about the various perspectives within conservatism, the principles at issue, and how these debates might play out in the future.

There is a lot to chew on in this slim volume and I have been contemplating a longer essay/review for weeks. But I simply don't have time at this point. So let me simply outline why you should read this book if you are interested in conservatism past, present, or future.

For a brief outline of essays involved click below.

After reading a book about the last hours of the French Monarchy in the French Revolution (review to follow shortly), I found myself drawn to this time period in France. In this vein, I just finished an historical mystery entitled Mute Witness by Charles O'Brien. It is the first book in a series and, based on the first, I cannot wait to read the rest.

Here is a brief summary from the book's website:

The story is set in France on the eve of the Revolution. Paris in 1786 seethes with fiscal crisis and social tensions. Anne Cartier hears distressing news. Her stepfather, the actor Antoine Dubois has mysteriously died in Paris. The official verdict: he killed his mistress, then himself.
Anne enlists the aid of Colonel Paul de Saint-Martin and his adjutant Georges Charpentier of the royal highway patrol. Their investigation goes nowhere. Then, a deaf, illiterate seamstress with a talent for puppetry leads Anne to the truth. Along the way, she confronts an amateur theatrical society of dissolute young noblemen; a tormented female botanist; a sadistic aesthete; a rich, well-connected financier; a professional assassin.

Unravelling the mystery tests Anne's nerve as well as her remarkable acrobatic skills. At a critical juncture in the investigation, she acts the part of an exotic queen in Indian costume at a reception. Priceless Indian jewelry disappears. Its owner, an aged count is murdered. And a venal police inspector threatens to derail Anne's project.

The story rises to a violent climax in a labyrinthine cave outside Paris where the city has begun to bury its dead.

The heroine and the heroes in the book are very likeable. They are very human – with believable strengths and weaknesses that allow you to embrace them and feel their varying emotions.

Although the book is fiction, it captures the time before the French Revolution perfectly. O'Brien describes the class tension between the poor and the aristocrats through Cartier's experiences with both. You can understand why the French Revolution occurred because of the poor treatment of the commoners by the aristocrats and the unfair advantages the aristocrats had over everyone else.

This is a must read for anyone who is a connoisseur of mysteries or the French Revolution era.

It is not easy to label Michael Marshall's latest book. Is it a mystery? A psychological thriller? Science Fiction? Horror? As you might have guessed, it is all of those things wrapped up in a complicated and compelling package.

The plot of The Intruders starts out pretty basic. Ex-cop Jack Whalen has recently left Los Angeles for Washington State. Jack quit the force after the publication of his artsy coffee table book and his wife's work in advertising allows her to live in this idyllic town east of Seattle and commute to the various company offices when needed. Jack is having trouble getting started on his second book, but other than that everything seems to be going well.

That is until an old acquaintance from high school tracks Jack down and asks for his help in solving the mysterious double murder that opened the book. Jack demurs but is slowly pulled into the mystery as a strange series of events seem to connect his wife to the case. His search for answers leads him deeper into a complicated - and unbelievable - conspiracy and into the ghosts of his own past.

At some point, however, the plot switches from standard mystery/thriller to paranormal or science-fiction/fantasy. The explanation at the bottom of the mystery involves a twist that is beyond the normal conception of human existence. I can't say more without giving away the plot.