Sailing in a Sea of Words

Book: The Sorbonne Affair

Author: Mark Pryor

Genre: Fiction/Mystery

Summary: Someone is spying on American author Helen Hancock. While in Paris to conduct research and teach a small class of writers, she discovers a spy camera hidden in her room at the Sorbonne Hotel. She notifies the US Embassy, and former FBI profiler Hugo Marston is dispatched to investigate. Almost immediately, the stakes are raised from surveillance to murder when the hotel employee who appears to be responsible for bugging Hancock's suite is found dead. The next day, a salacious video clip explodes across the Internet, showing the author in the embrace of one of her writing students - both are naked, and nothing is left to the imagination. As more bodies pile up, the list of suspects narrows; but everyone at the Sorbonne Hotel has something to hide, and no one is being fully honest with Hugo. He teams up with Lieutenant Camille Lerens to solve the case, but a close call on the streets of Paris proves that he could be the killer's next target. -Seventh Street Books, 2017.

I decided to try another Hugo Marston mystery since I liked the first one. Plus, I always enjoy a good mystery that involves authors and hotels. This one continues right off from the last one I read, The Paris Librarian. This time, Hugo is asked to help a famous author who thinks she's being spied on. When a secret camera is discovered in her suite, Hugo must find out who placed it there and why.

The writing and storytelling are in line with the previous book and the side storyline that Hugo goes through with his former colleague, Tim, is equally interesting. While there isn't a resolution to the side story this time (that will probably come in the next book), it provides some much needed backstory of our duo. It tells of the special relationship between Hugo and Tim and the dark secret they share.

The main mystery is pretty good, but my only complaint is that the rationale behind the murder of the first victim isn't explained very well. It's technically a simple reason, but as it's the catalyst to the whole plot, I wish it was given a more dedicated explanation.

I'm still interested in reading more of the series and I still recommend it to anyone who is interested in reading the series.

I give The Sorbonne Affair an A.

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