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The first in a new historical mystery series, Die Around Sundown by Mark Pryor, is expected to be released by Minotaur Books on August 16, 2022. Readers will travel to Paris post-German invasion and meet police detective Henri Lefort as he tries to solve a murder with a five-day deadline-or else!

A cover image of Die Around Sundown by Mark Pryor for a book review.
Die Around Sundown by Mark Pryor

I want to thank St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of Die Around Sundown. All opinions presented here are solely mine.

Synopsis from Goodreads

Summer 1940: In German-occupied Paris, Inspector Henri Lefort has been given just five days to solve the murder of a German major in the Louvre Museum. Blocked from the crime scene but given a list of suspects, Henri encounters a group of artists, including Pablo Picasso, who know more than they’re willing to share.

With the clock ticking, Henri must uncover a web of lies while overcoming impossible odds to save his own life and prove his loyalty to his country. Will he rise to the task or become another tragic story of a tragic time?

Five days. One murder. A masterpiece of a mystery. 

Positives

An extremely easy read! And a quick one as well. At just over 300 pages, someone could easily be devoured in a weekend. But would you really want to read it that fast?

Henri is flawed, and he knows it. But he also strives to be the best he can be.

The entire cast of characters, including the city of Paris, is remarkably written.

Negatives

The only negative point I have for this book is the dual timelines. While the flashbacks to 1914 seem out of place, they help you understand who Henri is as a person. Their placement in the story sometimes takes you out of the current situation, which is the murder investigation.

My Opinions

Told with a dual timeline, Die Around Sundown takes readers along for the ride with Henri Lefort as the Germans have selected him to investigate the murder of one of their own. The catch? He doesn’t get to see the murder scene, has been given a list of suspects, and gets to see the body after the attending doctor has seen it. The flashbacks help the readers learn about Henri’s experiences with the previous war and how they shaped him into the person he is today.

Henri Lefort struggles with loud sounds. Chewing gum? He despises it and anyone who chews it! Eating carrots or celery? Not while he’s in the room. Even tapping one’s nails on a glass is enough to bother him. As we learn more about his backstory, we start understanding why he has this issue.

The cast of characters in the book is fantastic. The main characters you see are Henri and Nicola, who works on the administrative team for the police force. It turns out she also lives with Henri. She has quite of bit of spunk, and I can’t wait to learn more about her as the series progresses. Another wonderful character is Mimi Bonaparte! She is a force to reckon with and deserves a book of her own.

I have never read any book by Mark Pryor before reading Die Around Sundown. As such, I was unsure what to expect. But I have to say this book has blown me away. I struggled to put it down; I was so invested in learning about Henri. Please tell me I will not have to wait long to see him again!

A cover image of Die Around Sundown by Mark Pryor for a book review.

Looking for some more books to read? Check out my other book reviews and my monthly reading wrap-ups.

4 thoughts on “Die Around Sundown by Mark Pryor: Book Review

  1. This sounds interesting! I don’t usually read historical mysteries (I tend to stick to cozies) but I’ve been trying to branch out a bit more lately. I imagine that this one doesn’t get too gory, since you don’t get to see the crime scene.

    1. Overall, there’s not a lot of gore. Most of that comes when Henri is talking about his time served in WWI. This was such an easy read, and one that kept me hooked.

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