This very readable French 'historical crime' story combines the swashbuckling charm of 'The Three Musketeers' with the clever plotting of 'The Murders in the Rue Morgue'. An easy way to learn some French history too.
Extract
Where the gallows once stood all was silence again. The cart moved off into the distance and with it the muffled echo of conversation. Darkness closed in and the wind blew like a gale. What had been left on the ground gradually began to come to life: it seemed to be writhing and devouring itself from within. Faint squeals could be heard and a frantic scuffling began. Even before dawn, the huge crows were awake and coming closer, soon followed by a pack of dogs ...
