The Paris Mistress - (A Revolutionary War Mystery) by Mally Becker (Paperback)

About the Book

George Washington's two least likely spies for liberty are determined to marry and leave their undercover past behind-until a plot to bribe Benjamin Franklin leads to murder.

Book Synopsis

Summer 1781. Passy, France. George Washington's two least likely spies for liberty, Rebecca Parcell and Daniel Alloway, are determined to marry and leave their undercover past behind- until a plot to bribe Benjamin Franklin leads to murder.

Becca is eager to reach Paris to marry Daniel, who's gone ahead to take up a new post there. But their idyllic prenuptial life unravels when they accept an invitation to reside with Dr. Benjamin Franklin, America's brilliant, enigmatic ambassador to France.

It's bad enough that someone is stealing Dr. Franklin's correspondence and sending it to London. But then he receives a mysterious letter offering him a bribe to help England. And when a murdered man is found on the roof of Dr. Franklin's home outside of Paris, and he calls upon Becca and Daniel his two new houseguests-former spies for George Washington-to investigate. The duo find themselves searching for the murderer through the labyrinth of 18th century Paris, a city brimming with danger, secrets, and the ever-present whispers of revolution.

With time running out, Becca and Daniel must determine whether the killer is a member of Dr. Franklin's inner circle or a cunning outsider. And as the couple race from the cobblestone streets of Paris to the gilded halls of Versailles, they discover that their own lives are in grave danger and that the stakes for Dr. Franklin and America are even higher than they could have imagined.

Will Becca and Daniel find the killer before the murderer strikes again, and will they ever manage to marry?

Review Quotes

"Someone is trying to kill American ambassador Benjamin Franklin in this wonderfully engaging mystery set in pre-Revolutionary Paris. Becca Parcell and Daniel Alloway are planning a wedding when a man is found dead, tied to a lightning rod. Their search for his killer will take them to Notre-Dame, the chic perfumeries of Paris, and a ball at Versailles, presided over by the doomed Marie-Antoinette. A sly and witty Franklin makes a delightful addition to this sparkling, clever series." - Mariah Fredericks, author of The Lindbergh Nanny

"Exploring a little-known aspect of the Revolutionary War, this intriguing mystery demands that Becca and Daniel uncover the spy in Benjamin Franklin's Paris home. Becca is shrewd and passionate, equally adept at speaking French and solving mental puzzles, and a heroine to root for. With scenes set all around Paris, from the seediest alleys to the palace at Versailles, and with fresh, engaging prose, this is Becker's best yet." - Karen Odden, USA Today bestselling author of Under A Veiled Moon, nominated for the Agatha, Lefty, and Anthony Awards (2023).

"A trifecta of delights for fans of historical mysteries. First, there's the Benjamin Franklin we never knew from school. Second, our couple, Becca and Daniel, find their romance tested when a murder disrupts their wedding plans in Paris, and they are asked to become spies to solve the crime. Third, readers will meet a slick, charming, and treacherous villain that is a delight. The Paris Mistress is steeped in vivid but unique period details. The pace is unrelenting, and this is riveting history with stakes and teeth." - Gabriel Valjan is an Agatha, Anthony, Derringer, and Shamus nominated author. He writes the Shane Mystery series, set in seventies Boston.

"A delightful combination of brilliant plot, well-researched history, and a little snuggly romance." - C.L. Tolbert, author of the Thornton Mystery Series 

"A wedding in Paris! That's what Rebecca Parcell dreamed of when she set sail to marry Daniel Alloway. Instead the couple finds themselves embroiled in a traitorous plot to stop the French King from continuing to support the American Revolution, with Dr. Benjamin Franklin right in the middle of it all. Deftly plotted and rich in historic details, Mally Becker's The Paris Mistress will leave you wanting more." - Cathi Stoler, award-winning author of The Murder On The Rocks Mysteries and The Nick Donahue Adventures.