Review: Louis Mie and the Trial of Hautefaye by LM Twist

Synopsis: In the birth of a new French Republic, a man must risk his honor, his marriage and even his life in a battle between his ideals and his ambition.

France, 1870. A frenzied mob brutally murders a man they believe to be a Prussian spy and a threat to the cult of Emperor Napoleon III. Louis Mie, a republican lawyer, finds himself entangled in a web of political intrigue and moral dilemmas when he is tasked with defending one of the murderers: a political show trial that could send his career to new heights.

But as Louis delves deeper into the high-profile case, he quickly realizes that defending the enigmatic Leonard Piarrouty is far more complex than he ever imagined. And now his entire life is about to fall apart as his obsession with his work takes his strained marriage to the brink of collapse.

In a gripping race against time, Louis must confront the blurred lines between justice, loyalty, and the pursuit of power, risking everything to unearth the truth: secrets that ruthless men will kill to protect.

~ ~ ~

The narrative alternates between the events that led to the trial (both the crime and the appointment of Louis Mie for the defence) and the actual "present day" of the trial and the outcome. The past narrative also includes details of Louis' life leading up to the trial.

The author notes that this is a "fictional account" of events, being a novel of speculation and interpretation, especially with regards to the main character - Louis Mie. This for me was a little disappointing, although I do understand that it is hard to surmise what an historical figure may be thinking or feeling - and without it, the main character may appear a little one dimensional.

The novel deals with the themes of mob violence, suspicion and paranoia, fear and panic in an enclosed community during the height of war; it details the violence and torture quite openly.

Myself, I would have preferred a more non-fictional account that than a fictional one; but kudos to the author for tackling such an obscure historical event, which is what drew me to this tome originally.

If you are after something different in the historical fiction genre - and are not particularly squeamish - then this might be a tome worth tackling.