"At an exhibit opening in Paris in 1787, noted artist Bouchard unveils his latest painting. He and his audience are shocked to see it has been badly defaced, and Bouchard immediately — and very publicly — accuses his rival, Hamel, of the crime. When Bouchard is found brutally murdered shortly afterward, Hamel becomes the prime suspect. Colonel Paul de Saint-Martin of the French police is placed in charge of the investigation, and as usual, he asks his wife, Anne Cartier, for help. Anne soon determines that Hamel isn't the only person who might have had reason to deface the portrait or kill Bouchard. With no forensic science, modern investigative tools, or crime-scene teams to call on, Anne and Paul must rely on a combination of intuition and hard work. Eventually, their careful investigation pays off, but nothing has prepared them for the shocking identity of the killer or the tangled, tragic story behind the murders. Deftly drawn characters and a plot that will keep even seasoned mystery fans guessing make this a good choice for historical mystery collections."

Publishers Weekly, May 16, 2005

". . . the protagonists remain as engaging as ever . . . As usual, O'Brien vividly conveys the great inequalities within French society under Bourbon rule."