I read this in preparation for a test in the topic of anthropology of the old testament, and it did help to see the facts spelled out once again, it activated what I heard in the lecuture. And It had some new chapters that my lecture did not cover, so it was a nice addition of "There is more" though I admit to not have paid close attention to those chapters. One thing I do wish that could have been added was a table of the hebrew words that are counted as important for this matter just so I do not have to work through all the chapters again to find that one word.

"As if death itself were merely another seasonal collection." ARC-Review! Emma Greene, a past teacher, arrived in Paris to start anew after her failed engagement in America. She opens a bookshop focused on her english literature to fulfill the curious and help students with their reading material. Right across her is as another woman running a shop and she might just be as odd (and if my nose is right queer), if not more, than her. Wearing pants, having a noisy parrot and knitting her time away, while her bookshop gives a look to her past adventures over sea. But with an rich and fancy invitation to the opening of the Maison Fournier, a shop for the luxuries of life, right down the street, her life changes. Together with her new friend she steps into that party that is meant to make her feel small and unimportant, while simultaneously dazzle her with the extravagance of a legacy. A legacy that is quickly tainted by the Shop owner Henri Fournier dying on the top of the stairs right after he made a toast. But Emma Greene noticed something strange and suspicious and mentions it to Inspector Lefèvre. Who is controlled in all his words and movements, deliberate and careful. But due to all of this Emma's reputation is pulled into question and she finds herself at the mercy of a society that looks for convenience rather than uncomfortable truths. She puts upon herself to clear her name with the help of her friends, against the counsel of the worried Inspector Lefèvre. A hunt for the truths begins that leads us from the sparkling halls of Maison Fournier to a shabby theater and to secrets beneath their feet.

I read this book while preparing for a test and it helped with relaxing me. To be carried of into the life of a bookkeeper who makes friends in her new home and braves the uncertainty.

It was a very enjoyable read. Though there is a lot of telling instead of showing, but this can be explained with our FMC being the narrator and she is characterized as very attentive and analytical. So this might just be down to her character. There are a lot of repeats of certain passages that get tiring but the tone carried me through nicely.

The book is character heavy in my eyes as well as character strong. Which is wonderful to see.

Luc, the artist, together with Cécile are the strongest in my eyes. Worked out nicely and bringing life into the situation. Emma herself is more reserved until she starts to sleuth around. But she is more the quiet type and as an introvert myself I can relate to that. Inspector Lefèvre does not get as much focus as he maybe should have gotten with how he is part of the romantic subplot. But I personally view it more as a "Love/Attraction at first sight" slowburn and it is only as the start of what might come from it. He is the tight controlled guy, focused on work. To see him care made me certainly perk up and his sense to get justice and the truth out makes him a great inspector. Which maybe is why I wanted to see more of him and his work as well outside of Emma's POV.

The plot is alright, most notable is that our character owns a bookshop and is more detecting out of necessity than personal interest. It can come across as impatience but her income depends on her not being thought of as a murderer or incompetence from the police, which does not add up in my mind with Lefèvre's portrayal. Part of me wonders if it was allowed to slander someone like that in the newspaper in 1888 like that without evidence. In my home country it wasn't and it isn't, you have to either make clear it is rumor or that there is heavy evidence. She is a suspect but so is everyone else at the party because the man had more than one enemy. But none of the others are named which is strange.

The finding of evidence seems more to be lead by luck and at guessing connections that end up being right than a controlled poking with an argument and reason behind it. There is a lose end with one side-character but that is acknowledged and I am guessing we will never know how much they did know in the end.

It is a nice read and I think the characters carry it a lot. And I like the premise and the setting. I do wish the bookshop and the books would play a bit more of an integral part of the plot and were not just a unique backdrop.