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A work by Charles O'Brien
Fatal Carnival (Severn House, 2006), the fifth and latest in the series, takes place in southern France, in January 1788. British winter visitors have fled the cold winter for the mild climate of Nice. It's carnival time. Anne Cartier and her husband, Colonel Paul de Saint-Martin, are spending the winter in Nice, in the hope that the mild climate and a rest from work will improve Paul's health. When news reaches them of the escape from Toulon naval prison of convict Jean Lebrun, imprisoned for the murder of his master, 20 years earlier, Paul cannot resist the temptation to investigate. His enquiries, aided by his adjutant Georges, lead them to believe that Lebrun was unjustly condemned. Meanwhile, Anne in the midst of Carnival, has been drawn into unsavoury affairs of the expatriate community of Nice. Another murder takes place and Anne investigates. It's clear that the two murders are connected. |