A Death in Gascony
Sarah D’Almeida’s fourth installment in her mystery series with Alexander Dumas’ famous 17th century Musketeers as sleuths gets off with a gallop: Henri D’Artagnan, barely six months into his new life in Paris, is called home to Gascony after the death of his father. Which is suspicious. And his son’s life is also in grave danger.
Young Henri tries to face his troubles alone, but is joined (in the nick of time, of course!) by the all-for-one fellows: the noble Athos, cunning Aramis, and loyal red-headed giant Porthos. Bodies and suspects mount, and the family tree proves not as once thought by its young heir.
The views of investigation through the minds of each the musketeers prove both rich and entertaining. Rational Aramis searches through the roots of the country’s religious wars. Emotion-based Athos thinks the source is money. Porthos enjoys playing the amiable dunce like a musketeer Columbo as he trails a herd of horses. D’Artagnan interviews family members and grows suspicious of most of them, even his beautiful mother. And of course, the dastardly Cardinal Richelieu is involved to his teeth. The answers, of course, lie at the end of all these roads. A great, swashbuckling treat!