Murder on the Eiffel Tower

[#1]

On a sweltering summer day during the 1889 World Exposition, a woman collapses and dies while visiting the newly opened Eiffel Tower. The police believe it?s the deadly result of a bee sting, but bookseller Victor Legris -- also on the Tower that day -- has his doubts, especially when other victims of the ?killer bees? start dropping dead in the City of Light. This first in a series of mysteries by Claude Izner (a pseudonym for two sisters who are Parisian booksellers) follows the often clueless Victor through the bustling Exposition as his list of suspects grows with each new body. While the mystery has its share of problems -- among them: thinly drawn characters and wooden dialogue -- it?s also full of period details that provide a vibrant backdrop for readers who like murder encased in history.