Kensington
Published March 31, 2026
Reviewed by Sharon Mensing
I generally reserve 5 star reviews for literary novels with gorgeous, poetic writing, but in this case I am over the moon with Pryor’s move to resurrect Hugo Marsten after some attempts at other directions. Don’t get me wrong, he’s a good writer, no matter what story he tells, but his Hugo series captured me from the beginning, and I was sad to see it fade away and am so pleased it’s back. Well done, Mr. Pryor!
In this book, Hugo has retired from his security job with the American Embassy in Paris and is opening a Paris bookstore focused on crime fiction. I see a version of Shakespeare and Company in my mind. His ties with the embassy haven’t been completely severed, however, so he is asked by the American Ambassador to look into a case “off the record,” even as he is setting up for his bookstore’s grand opening. All of his old compatriots are in evidence as he investigates, and those who have followed the series from the beginning will enjoy reconnecting with them. But if you haven’t ever read a Hugo Marsten book, it’s no problem because Pryor fleshes all of the characters, new and old, out so very well.
As Pryor always does so well, the reader is transported to Paris. From the history, the Seine, the city geography, the weather, the shops and cafes, and the chateaux to the culture and language, one feels the atmosphere of the city all around. This is great escapist literature. Add to that a complex and nuanced plot with a strong procedural bent, and the book begs to be read in one sitting even though a part of me wanted it to drag out and provide a longer vacation from daily life.
Pryor cannot write a sequel fast enough for me. I’m waiting…