A queer historical romantic suspense novel about a young engineer working for Gustave Eiffel caught in a web of deceit that could destroy both him and the famous tower.
A queer historical romantic suspense novel about a young engineer working for Gustave Eiffel caught in a web of deceit that could destroy both him and the famous tower.
A queer historical romantic suspense novel about a young engineer working for Gustave Eiffel caught in a web of deceit that could destroy both him and the famous tower.
Fin Tighe is clinging to respectability by his nail-bitten fingers. He may be the illegitimate son of an English earl, but he hasn't spoken to his father in a decade, and his engineer's salary is barely enough to support him and his cousin Aurelie. A dancer in the corps de ballet, Aurelie is at constant risk from groping, leering men who assume any dancer is a prostitute in training. And Fin's evenings spent in the clandestine gay community may be legal through a loophole in the Napoleonic Code, but they leave him vulnerable.So, when Fin's employer, Gustave Eiffel, announces that he needs additional investors to pay for his pet project, a 300-meter tower that will dominate the city's skyline, Fin jumps at the chance. If he raises enough money, the commission will earn him a fortune, and hopefully, some protection. Capricious stranger Gilbert Duhais appears to be a boon from the gods. Gilbert is handsome, wealthy, connected, and somehow privy to Fin's background. Gilbert persuades Fin to masquerade as his father's heir-which couldn't be further from the truth-and introduces him to every nouveau riche speculator in the city. Each provocative interaction heightens Fin's risk of exposure. But also brings Fin closer to his dream of financial security.When a dear friend of Fin's is murdered above a clandestine gay club, the stakes rise even higher. Fin must untangle the disparate threads of his past-and his current romantic gamble-before they become his noose."A tense romance... from the back alleys of the Rive Gauche to the glittering boulevards of Parisian society."--The New York Times
"In The Paris Affair, Maureen Marshall crafts a mesmerizing tale of suspense, romance, and historical intrigue set against the backdrop of the iconic Eiffel Tower's construction. With a narrative that keeps readers on the edge of their seats, Marshall takes us on a journey through the vibrant streets of Belle Époque Paris, where danger lurks in the shadows and love blossoms amidst uncertainty."--Lost in Book Land
"Marshall's effervescent debut. [She] laces the novel's first half with delightful characterizations and rich historical detail, then ratchets up the pace in the second, delivering a barrage of well-earned reveals. Francophiles, take note: this steamy slice of romantic suspense is très bien."--Publishers Weekly
"Bold, intricate, and as deftly constructed as the contested tower at the center of its plot, The Paris Affair is a marvel. With a keen eye for both historical detail and the frailties of the human heart, Marshall builds the perfect balance of mystery and love story around a young man's quest to secure a future, delving into questions of longing, loss, and what it means to live one's truth; of what truly makes a family--and a home."--Rose Sutherland, author of A Sweet Sting of Salt
"Filled with mystery and danger, The Paris Affair is a seductive journey through the glamour and shadows of nineteenth-century Paris." --Kelly Bowen, author of The Paris Apartment
"In The Paris Affair, Maureen Marshall has created an evocative, intriguing story set in the historical shadow of the iconic Eiffel tower. In a world of aristocrats, dancers and the demi-monde, where reputation is everything and love is just another commodity to be bought and sold, Marshall tells the story of a young man's determination to build his own destiny, and in doing so protect the curious family of outcasts and misfits who gather around him."--Emily Hourican, author of The Glorious Guinness Girls
Maureen Marshall is a former history teacher whose passion is wandering through the olde parts of European cities. She has lived in Scotland, France, and Sweden and most of the mid-Atlantic states where people can catch blue crabs.
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