Lost in Paris- A Novel by Betty Webb
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Web ID: 16836732Just not my cup of tea
I really enjoy historical fiction. I read it all the time. Having said that, Lost in Paris by Betty Webb just did not do it for me. The story looked interesting enough, but I never was invested in any of the characters or the reasons for some of the things the heroine, Zoe Barlow did. Exiled to Paris after an issue in her home state of Alabama (and this information comes way too late in the story in my opinion), she has made friends with other artists. Some of the big names of the era are in this book, but alas, their backstories or their art weren't highlighted or even spoken about that much. It seems like she's always running across dead bodies and other mysteries but, I just couldn't get excited about Zoe or the other characters and what they were going through. There will be many people who will love this book. I'm just not one of them. I do appreciate the time, effort, and research the author did, that's why I'm giving the book 3 stars. If you're a reader enamored by the 1920's and the societal changes that were ushered in during that decade, give this book a try.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Who Did It?
This is a murder mystery where the murdered and the murderer are all friends of an exiled Alabama girl named Zoe. She starts searching for a missing valise filled with important writings of her friend's husband Earnest Hemingway. In her searching she runs across two sets of dead bodies and still searches for the papers. While searching she also tries to solve the case of the murders although the good looking policeman tells her to leave it to the police. I listened to the audio book and the narrator was easy to understand. I wasn't impressed with this book, it had some unsavory language and incidents which I felt were distracting rather than adding to the story. It was a bit of a repetitive story in parts and a bit dragging along the way. Thanks to Betty Webb for writing the story, to Hope Newhouse for the narration, to Dreamscape Media for publishing it and to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the audio book to listen to and review.
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Paris in the 1920s
I had a tough time deciding what the purpose of this book was. It may have been because the last couple of books I read were much heavier but I couldn’t get into it. Most of the characters were introduced in the first chapter and I had to keep referring back to see who they were. There were unanswered questions at the end – what became of her sister, Gabrelle and Hadley? A quick read if you are looking for something light.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
1920’s Mystery
Lost in Paris is a wonderful mystery set in the 1920’s with members of the Lost Generation. Zoe Barlow is a Bright Young Thing who has endured unimaginable hardship but has retained her Joie de vivre and has made many friends amongst the artists and writers of Paris. When Zoe’s friend Hadley Hemingway loses her husband Ernest’s (yes that Ernest) manuscripts Zoe agrees to assist her in their retrieval. When Zoe tracks down the manuscripts she finds two bodies as well, Not quite the ending she was expecting. Zoe must solve the case before her friends or herself becomes the next victim. I love the time period and the mystery. Zoe was a likeable character who despite the tragedies in her life has made a life and a family for herself. Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher Poisoned Pen Press and the author for the chance to read ad review this book.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Distinctive Capture of Paris' Lost Generation
I chose LOST IN PARIS, a unique historical mystery, because of that glorious cover. Alas, the author captures the zeitgeist of the 1920s Lost Generation so well that it left me feeling "lost" too. I could not connect with the poor souls -- artists, writers like Hemingway, Russian escapees from the Revolution (Anastasia?) -- who numb out post-war by drinking, gambling, and sleeping around. However, other histfic mystery fans drawn to tragedy will likely love this distinctive tale. Thanks to the author, Poisoned Pen Press, and NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are mine.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Totally engrossed in the story!
What an engrossing story! Main characters and real people living in Paris in the 1920s. All with heartbreaking secrets, personal issues, and professional challenges. Throw in murder and Bolsheviks. Zoe Barlow, a transplanted Alabama artist, has plenty of pain and regrets but she also has plenty of artist friends, until they start getting picked off, one by one. I hope this is the start of a series because there are a lot of stories here and the characters have so much depth.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Entertaining book
Lost in Paris by Betty Webb is a great post-WWI - era historical fiction that kept me eagerly turning each page from beginning to end. I enjoyed this historical fiction that takes place in Paris during the infamous decade that was the 1920s. I enjoyed exploring this pivotal decade and the mixture of decadence and glamour with devastation, loss, and poverty is a dichotomy that really represents the time. I liked Zoe as a main character and amateur sleuth. The elements of history, mystery, and suspense really made this book unique and engaging. I also liked the addition of well-known historical individuals within the narrative as well. Made for a very entertaining read. 4/5 stars
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Historical mystery set in 1920's Paris!
Zoe Barlow is an American artist living in post-World War One Paris, four years ago she was banished from the family plantation Beech Glen, in Alabama and by her older brother Brice and nasty step-mother. Zoe has made friends with other artists, writers and members of Paris's bohemian crowd, including Hadley and Ernest Hemingway. Ever Wednesday she invites guests to her apartment for a poker night, they play cards, her housekeeper Madeline prepares a feast and they wash it down with lots of wine. One day Hadley calls Zoe in a panic, she was catching a train, when a bag containing Ernest’s latest manuscript, went missing and she thinks it might have been stolen. Zoe offers to try to find it, she hires cabdriver Avak Grigoryar to ferry her around and she follows up any leads. They drive to the French countryside, in a derelict hut in the forest near Le Mesnil-Theribus, they find the bodies of a Russian man and his daughter. The rumours start circulating immediately, the young woman is of course Princess Anastasia Romanov, Zoe disputes this theory as it makes no sense and why would she be living in squalor? Inspector Henri Challiot is assigned to the murder case, he questions both Zoe and Avak. Zoe realises the missing manuscript isn’t the criminals main objective, when other acquaintances are killed, her apartment in ransacked and her paintings are damaged and Zoe starts carrying a gun for protection. Ms. Webb’s latest novel looks at life in Paris during the 1920’s, a city full of war widows, orphans and men and women who have been injured during the war. The main character Zoe has some interesting friends, authors, artists and a Moulin Rouge dancer. At the time Paris is full of displaced Russians, this could be the reason for the tension in the city and Zoe is keeping secrets of her own. Three and a half stars from me, a historical fiction mystery and with possible ties to the Bolsheviks and Russian criminals.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com