Paris, 1661. Cardinal Mazarin, who has been the prime minister of the country for twenty years, has only a few weeks to live. Between Mazarin's closest confidant Colbert and Finance Minister Fouquet, a fierce battle ensues over his successor. With the help of the beautiful Louise de la Vallière, for whom the King is also aflame, Gabriel tries to reveal the secret that has been guarded for centuries. The fate of France and the Sun King depends on it.
What we have in "The Sun King Conspiracy" by Yves Jego and Denis Lépée, is a novel of mystery and intrigue set in the court of Louis XIV in 1661 (which was one of the original titles of the book - also published as The Sun King Rises). There is the usual cast of characters: Moliere, Mazarin, Fouquet, the Mancini Sisters, Colbert, d'Artagnan, who cross the stage as the story unfolds.
A secret society will stop at nothing to obtain a secret document held by the dying Cardinal Jules Mazarin, and to this end they employ one Gabriel de Pontbriand, an actor in Moliere's troupe, to retrieve the document. But now, Gabriel has become a target as those who employed him now seek to recover this mysterious document. Gabriel finds himself under the protection of Nicholas Fouquet, little realising Fouquet is not what he appears. A meeting with his father, and the secret is partly revealed (hence another alternate title of this book - The Fifth Gospel).
It helped that I was somewhat familiar with this period in history, so the cast was not unknown. The pace was certainly maintained and my interest did not wain, despite the length of the novel. The fact that both authors are politicians may have enhanced the heightened elements of political courtly intrigue that feature so prominently at the French court at this time - a veritable hornets nest.
Will there be a sequel ..... the reader was certainly left with questions unanswered so I hope so.
See review @ Euro Crime
See review @ Historical Novel Society
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