The Paris Affair

Pre-revolutionary France; emperor of Austria Joseph II., and brother of Marie Antoinette, is concerned about vile rumours that fly around her and french court, so he sends young musician/spy Theresa Schurman there to find a truth.

Theresa is adamant to excel in music skills but as a queens milliner bookkeeper that is hard to achieve.

Intrigues, great historic atmosphere, murder and of course love.

I've enjoyed the book immensely.

A good book well researched, although not as good as Emilie's Voice, which I believe was also written by this author, I would have given that a 5 star review, so in all fairness, I am giving this one 4 stars. That said, it is a really good novel, and I would recommend it.

My thanks to Susanne Dunlap, Books Go Social and NetGalley for the ARC of THE PARIS AFFAIR.
Teresa Schurman is a very likeable character. She also has some eminent contacts one of whom is the Emperor of Austria, Joseph II, the brother of Marie Antoinette whom he is trying to protect from rumours which are threatening her right to the throne. He sends Teresa to Paris to discover who is printing the pamphlets containing the vile rhetoric. This was great fun to read, loved the atmosphere created in Versailles and would like to read more

Susanne Dunlap writes magnificent historical mysteries, and Book 3 in this thrilling series is no exception.

It’s Paris 1783, and horrific rumors are being spread about Marie Antoinette by radical pamphleteers. Marie’s brother, the emperor of Austria, hires violinist/sleuth Theresa Schurman to discover the truth behind the slander.

As the pub blurb teases, “Be prepared for music, mystery, love, and murder in this riveting tale of pre-revolutionary Paris.”

Add in that gorgeous cover, and THE PARIS AFFAIR is a page-turning triumph!

5 of 5 Stars

Pub Date 30 Sep 2020

Thanks to the author, BooksGoSocial, and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are mine.

#TheParisAffair #NetGalley

Wow! This book is just amazing! It is full of mystery, intrigue, action, a touch of romance, and is quite entertaining! Whenever I picked up "The Paris Affair", I was whisked back in time to 18th Century Paris and Vienna, and was drawn in from the very first page to the last!

This is the third book in Ms. Dunlap's "A Theresa Schurman Mystery" series, but the first I have read. I definitely think it can be read as a stand-alone book as well. While there are definitely some characters who have relationships with one another from previous books, Ms. Dunlap does an amazing job of filling the reader in (without it ever being too much), and I never felt lost or confused. I so look forward to reading the first two books, and hope there will be many more in the future! Her world building is absolutely spectacular, and the various locations sprang to life before my eyes. She also seamlessly weaves fact and fiction, and she beautifully intertwines historical figures with people she has created. I loved learning more about this time period, about the incredible Chevalier de Saint-Georges, about fashion and music, and can't wait to go and do more research on my own.

Theresa is sent to Paris by Emperor Joseph II to find out who is spreading horrific rumors about Marie Antoinette, Queen of France, and also Joseph's sister. When she arrives, she is thrust into a world very different from her own, and must navigate between truth and lies, good and bad, and figure out what truly is going on. There, she works with Captain von Bauer once again, and meets new friends along the way. No spoilers here, but, I will say, many have much more going on than meets the eye.

Theresa is such strong, spirited, intelligent, and fun protagonist. The story is told from her point of view, and it is so intriguing to be able to figure things out along the way with her. Her determination to do what is right, even if it means potentially putting herself in harms way, really drives the plot and story forward...and what a story it is!

If you enjoy historical fiction, I highly recommend this book! I found myself reading into the early hours of the morning to see what would happen next, and stayed up until 3am to finish the book because I absolutely could not put it down! There were quite a few twists and turns that had me on the edge of my seat and holding my breath to see how everything would work out.

Thank you so much to HFVBT, Netgalley, BooksGoSocial, and Susanne Dunlap for the ARC of this novel, I just loved it! All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This book was really really good ! It was nice to come back to the world that Dunlap had created! It was especially fun for Theresa to go to France and try to figure out a crime there,

I really like the intrigue and the different twists and turns that were thrown our way while reading. I could never quite figure out who was the perpetrator of the crime ! But my favourite part was the unsuspecting romancing that was thrown our way, especially since they were more enemies !! That was a treat in itself.

My one issue with this book is that it just ended, there was a small conclusion but nothing that wrapped the bigger issues of the book !! So I really really hope that this is not the last book in the series !!! Please let it not be the last book in the series !!!!!!!

Many thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for giving me this advance copy !!

This book is set in Pre-revolution France, the world of a Marie Antoinette. The queens brother Austrian emperor Joseph II is concerned about his sister, and the rumours flying about regarding France, he send Teresa Schurman to act as his spy and find out what’s going on. Teresa is a lovely character and carried the story for me. This was face paced and totally enjoyable. I loved it and read it in one sitting.

This book proves that young adult literature is a true art in it of itself and deserves any and all recognition it receives. Every page of this book deserves to be savored and appreciated. Even though this is the 3rd book in the series any reader can pick it up and not feel like they are unable to follow the relationship between the main characters. Dunlap provides a multifaceted plot with layers of intrigue, deception, and romantic tension. She gives us a glimpse into the lives of several socioeconomic groups of Paris society. The book, most notably the main character, provides a magnificent outlet for Dunlap's passion for and knowledge of music. This is a delightfully plotted out mystery that any reader would enjoy.

The Paris Affair by Susanne Dunlap is an exciting tale of espionage in pre-Revolution France. It follows Theresa Schurman, a young violinist devoted to solving mysteries. She is sent to France, and tasked with finding out who is spreading insidious rumors about the queen, Marie Antoinette. Quick paced with romance sprinkled without, this was a super enjoyable book!

Despite being a work of fiction, this book had dozens of historical Easter eggs hidden within. Real musician, composers, nobles, and people were all starred, and every one of their characters is explored. We are given characters from every class of citizen, giving us readers a well rounded view of France before the Revolution. Although the history of France is definitely not my forte, I loved how this stayed pretty close to the truth.

Although we only read from one character’s perspective in this book, almost every side character was well rounded. Theresa was a particularly compelling character, her utter loyalty to her king, and her determination to get to the bottom of the mystery kept me hooked. Although I don’t have a definite favorite character, I’d be willing to read more about all of them.

Dunlap even does an excellent job confronting the discrimination that people faced in the time period. One of our main characters, the Chevalier de Saint-Georges, is a black violinist, and we get to hear about his struggles and how he had to work so much harder to get to where he was. Even better, he is a real historical figure, who is often forgotten, but is highlighted in this book.

Although I would never classify this as a romance, I loved having the bits of a relationship being scattered throughout. It added a bit of happiness in a book that was otherwise suspenseful and mysterious. The romance left on an excellent note, and I’m super excited to see where the author takes it in the next book.

All in all, this book was an excellent read! Although it is in a genre I don’t typically read, I really enjoyed it, and will be looking to continue this series!

Thanks to Susanne Dunlap and Netgalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review

The Paris Affair was a well-written and researched book set five years before the French Revolution. I did not realize that this was a part of a series when I began the novel but I found that the author gave enough character background that I was not completely lost in the recurring themes. I found it very interesting that the author wrote this book specifically to include the real-life historical figure Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de St. Georges, an accomplished violinist, composer, and fencer, within the world of her main character Theresa. It was very well done in terms of historical events and accuracy (I have studied the French Revolution) and I really enjoyed the various viewpoints she gave of life in late 18th century, pre-revolutionary France.

The main character Theresa was smart and tenacious. She was a strong, independent, rule-breaker that I found refreshing for a book set during this time period. This is a good story with more than one mystery to be solved and it is told in a manner that makes you want to keep reading chapter after chapter.

I would recommend this book to those who enjoy books that take place during this time period. I wish I had read the previous titles and might do so now that I've read and enjoyed this novel. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

I would like to thank NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read the ARC of Susanne Dunlap’s new historical fiction novel A Paris Affair. I enjoyed it immensely.
The novel begins in Austria when the emperor, Joseph II, decides to send an entourage to Paris to protect his sister, Marie Antoinette, the queen of France, from slander. Theresa Schurman is sent undercover as a bookkeeper to the queen’s Milner. This undercover position does not provide her with enough gossip. She knows she has to do something. But, what? She is on a walk one afternoon, when she hears the unmistakable music of a violin. She is shocked to see, the Chevalier de Saint Georges so close. She must meet him! After all,she also plays the violin. Is this an amazing coincidence? They both play the same instrument, or is he part of the s candal surrounding the queen?
The Chevalier de Saint Georges, is in paris as the music director for the Hotel Montesson. Theresa accepts an invitation from Sophie, to be a guest in the hotel while Sophie is betrothed to the Marquis.
Theresa finds some tunnels and goes exploring in the middle of the night. she finds a printing press. she also hears men arguing. She has to extinguish her candle to avoid being seen by them. If they find her, she will tell she is lost. They would never suspect a young beautiful girl to be a spy.
I commend Ms.Dunlap. This novel is a Masterpiece! She created a story around actual events in history.
I highly recommend this book.
thank you.

This was an engrossing book that I read quickly because I didn’t want to put it down! Therese was an engaging character who I really liked and Susanne Dunlap wrote so well in the historical context that you could clearly see the time and place of pre-revolutionary France. There was mystery and romance and music and it should be an excellent read for anyone who loves historical fiction.

The Paris Affair by Susanne Dunlap is a historical mystery set in pre-Revolution France. It is the third in series for young adults featuring Theresa Schurman, a young Viennese violinist. This installment works well as a stand-alone. Though I recommend the first two for some great sleuthing!

Theresa Schurman is sent to France on an espionage mission by Emperor Joseph II. His sister, Marie Antoinette is being slandered by nasty rumors. She is working with Captain von Bauer who was part of the previous book. Theresa is a strong, smart and independent character. Her search leads her to some dangerous and surprising twists and turns. It was very captivating and I highly recommend it.

What I love about this book is how Dunlap works in so much musical history. I also love that Dunlap creates a diverse cast of characters from every walk of life. One of our main characters is the Chevalier de Saint-Georges, a black violinist. I appreciate that Dunlap tackles the discrimination and struggles he faces.

There is someone romance sprinkled in and I’m hoping the next installment has even more!

I think this book and series are best for high schoolers (14 and up).

I was given an advance readers copy by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
#netgalley #theparisaffair #susannedunlap

The Paris Affair is the third book in the Theresa Schurman series by Susanne Dunlap.  An exciting tale of espionage in pre-Revolution France. The story follows Theresa Schurman, a young violinist devoted to solving mysteries. All in all, this book was an excellent read! Although it is in a genre I don’t typically read, I really enjoyed it, and will be looking to continue this series!

Marie Antoinette has always been a woman of mystery to me. Everyone seems to have an opinion about her. She was either loved or hated with not many opinions in between.
The Paris Affair by Susanne Dunlap is apparently book 3 in the Theresa Schurman series but it certainly didn't read that way. I didn't read either of the previous books in the series and found this book very enjoyable.
While this was fictional, I always enjoy reading about real people. Two "real people" featured in this story were Emperor Joseph II and the one and only, Marie Antoinette. Each character that came into play were so diverse and memorable. They all were so different, and yet, complete the storyline so well. I couldn't see this story being as good as it was without each person. The book even tackles black discrimination and has a touch of romance, as well.
I found this to be such a joy to read and was never bored. Dunlap is definitely an author I'll be adding to my "favorites" list.

Reviewed on Chicks, Rogues and Scandals blog

Firstly let’s take a moment to fully appreciate just how beautiful this cover is, it’s so striking, you could frame it and put it on the wall.
I am a late arrival of Susanne Dunlap’s books, but after reading my first of her last year I was completely taken with her magical and atmospheric writing, this is the first of her Theresa Schurman Mystery series I’ve read – as always I have started a series bang in the middle, but to be honest, it doesn’t matter as this can very easily be read a stand-alone, but I will definitely be loading my kindle with the previous books as soon as possible.
Set during 1783The series follows a young violinist; Theresa Schurman as she becomes embroiled in a mystery which surrounds the beautiful; Marie-Antoinette. There are some malicious rumours circulating the city in the form of pamphlets which puts the Queen in a very bad light leading to mass public hatred of her. Marie-Antoinette’s brother; Emperor Joseph II enlists the help of Theresa, he has heard of her skills of solving mysteries, it is due to the gorgeous Captain von Beaur for Theresa’s role in the saga. Once our heroine has made it to Paris, she soon finds herself right in the middle of Marie-Antoinette’s world and in a perfect position to find the truth.
The Paris Affair is a wonderfully exciting, easy to read and excellent story, with a brilliant plot which not only is engrossing, entertaining and original, but it’s engaging and knowledgeable, I love the addition of real people from history, it brings the overall story to life and really draws you into the past and into Theresa’s world.
This is, in essence, a thrilling historical mystery and that alone would have made it a must-read, but add in a bit of a romance which is sprinkled throughout the story, which makes for fabulous reading.
I really like how Susanne has handled the obvious and blatant discrimination which so many faced during the era, with this being a young adult’s book it’s not as ‘in-your-face’ as it probably would if the story was written with adults in mind, but that doesn’t take anything away from the ways she has written about such a subject with realism and sensitivity.
There is a slight edginess to this, with revolution just around the corner and with the unease due to these rumours spreading through the country, you can feel the danger and unrest lurking in the shadows, the writing is exquisite, each scene is captivating, you are drawn into a dark and yet beautiful world full of music, intrigue, and danger.
As always Susanne Dunlap proves once again that she is an extraordinarily gifted and talented author, she transports the reader right into the pages of the story with her clever and articulate writing, the attention to detail is perfect, it’s sparkles with life and atmosphere.

With rumors and intrigue surrounding France's queen, the Austrian Emperor sends violinist Theresa Schurmann undercover to help identify the source of inflammatory pamphlets in Paris. Through her own initiative and the manipulations of her handler, the handsome and secretive Captain von Bauer, she soon finds herself in the orbit of Marie Antoinette herself as well as those who oppose her.

The Paris Affair is a lively blend of historical characters, locations, mystery and intrigue. In Theresa Schurmann, author Susanne Dunlap has created an intrepid and impetuous young woman whose intellect and curiosity lead her to take risks. Her adventures in pre-revolutionary France and the relationships she forms at various levels of society are related in a straight-forward manner. This is a well paced and interesting historical mystery.

A third in series book is not always an advisable entry point. However, in The Paris Affair Dunlap blends Theresa's past experiences in a way that strikes a fine balance between references that inform the story and the new reader. By the time Theresa is on her way to visit the French court, I was thoroughly engaged and reluctant to put the book down until the end.

This review refers to a digital galley I voluntarily read through NetGalley. A positive review was not required and these are simply my own honest opinions.

The Paris Affair

“He and I both agree that you – with your instinct for nosing out the most complicated and hidden conspiracies and your complete lack of social standing or renown – would be the ideal person to act as our…source of inspiration, if you see what I mean”.

And so, begins the story of Theresa Schurman’s latest adventure which takes her from the quaint cobbled streets of Vienna to the heart of Paris.

Summary:

Set mainly in Paris, a few years before the French Revolution, we meet Theresa as she accepts a commission to embark on a secret mission to uncover the truth behind the scandalous rumours being spread about the Queen of France, Marie Antoinette; this means Theresa must go undercover as she tries to infiltrate the highest ranks of French aristocracy.

What I loved:

Susanne Dunlap creates a stunning and lavish image of the Paris of the 18th century. It is easy to see, within the first few pages that the book is very well researched, and succeeds in taking a figment of history and creating a fictional tale full of suspense and intrigue.

Overall the plot retains a steady pace, faltering not even once and waffling never. Also, her attention to detail when it comes to the customs and traditions of the 18th century is incredible as is her knowledge of the intricacies of classical music.

I especially loved the little note at the end of the book where Susanne talks about the real-life inspirations behind the key characters (no, not just Marie Antoinette).

What was challenging

Before reading the book, I had no idea that this was actually part of a series of books. There were parts that referred to what has occurred in the previous book(s) which for me, was slightly confusing.

Final Thoughts:

One of the best things about accepting advanced readers copies, is that it helps you discover genuinely talented authors, who would have otherwise remained on the back shelves, flying low on the radar. This book was a genuinely good find in the many many ARC’s I have reviewed so far, and a book I would recommend to all fans of history and historical fiction.

P.S. I’d strongly recommend a playlist of classical / neo-classical music playing in the background for this book!

P.P.S. I’d like to thank Netgalley and BooksGoSocial for my advance readers copy.

i really enjoyed reading this book, I liked this take on Marie Antoinette. It felt like it was meant to be in this time, overall this was a great read.

This is a wonderful YA mystery/historical fiction set in Paris, France in 1783. It is part of the Theresa Schurman Mystery Series. It is full of mysterious characters, complex plots, adventures and risks, and a labyrinth of puzzles to figure out. It gives great insight into what was happening among the aristocrats before the French Revolution. It reads like a classic, but has the high action to keep the attention of a contemporary reader. I would highly recommend this book to fans of murder mysteries or historical fiction!
Thank you to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

I have to admit that I downloaded this as an accident – it was vaguely my kind of book, but not really a period of history I’m very interested in. However, having downloaded it, and having received an email from the author asking me when I was going to review it, I thought I should read it.

To be honest, I found it less than gripping at the beginning. But I felt it picked up fairly quickly, after which it romped along at a good pace. It is the third (?) in a series, which I hadn’t realised, so the two main protagonists had met before: this was economically explained, but there were occasional references to events from previous books which were a tad confusing, but not so much as to spoil the story.

The plot was easy enough to follow, although there were a couple of events or coincidences, which perhaps demanded a suspension of disbelief. The surroundings, the time, the people were described well, and were credible enough.

The book was well written, with no editing errors or glaring anachronisms. I enjoyed it, and found it interesting enough that I wasn’t checking how far through it I was ( which is always a good sign, I find!) I give it 3.5 stars here, but I’m rounding it up to 4 stars for Net Galley: it’s certainly better than books I’ve given 3 stars to, so I’m trying to be fair!

First, I had no idea this was Book 3 in a series. While I was engrossed in this historical mystery (and Googling the French aristocrats like someone possessed), I gathered I was missing introductory chapters of Theresa Schurman's story. I paused long enough to stalk Susanne Dunlap's author profile. Sure as the terror of the French Revolution, Books One and Two had escaped my attention. I wanted to stop at once and begin from the top, but NetGalley has been patiently awaiting my clever thoughts. I'm terribly behind with ARC/DRCs, and instead - chose to reward myself with a digital copy of the predecessors. I'm quite interested in learning more about Dunlap's feisty heroine and her arch nemesis, Captain von Bauer. Well, he's not exactly an enemy. Captain von Bauer and Theresa are on another mission ( i say 'another' because, as I mentioned, I missed a great deal of action in the previous books) for the Austrian Emperor. The duplicitous Captain von Bauer is a difficult character; like a pompous, egocentric sidekick one loves to hate. Theresa is forced to answer to him as they arrive in Paris. Their mission: locate the printing party responsible for spreading treasonous gossip about the Emperor's sister, Marie Antoinette, Queen consort of Louis XVI. The story moves along seamlessly. Lush, historical details are presented throughout, leaving the reader immersed in the whos who of Versailles and the Bourbon rival, House of Orléans. The mystery itself is chock-full of suspense. What blew my mind was the ending - WHY? How could it end this way? I have more questions than answers. And, I hate cliffhangers. When all is said and done the conclusion left me feeling deflated. I'm not as excited to backtrack to the beginning as I once was. For a big plot, the culmination was lackluster. How do I go about rating a book with a remarkable tale and a ho-hum ending? I'm going to round up a 3.5 to a 4 for one reason only - I'm tired of trying to figure it out.

I really enjoyed this intriguing read based in 18th century Paris and Vienna. Great characters and a solid story line with a smattering of mystery, romance and history.

A big thank you to Netgalley and Susanne Dunlap for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I didn't realize at the time of accepting this ARC that it was the third in a series. While there were definitely some references too earlier books I obviously didn't get, it surprisingly did not hinder my ability to enjoy The Paris Affair. It was quite a fun read for me. I love the French Revolution period, and Dunlap was superb in her storytelling. Now I must go read the first two, because if they are even half as good as this one, it will be time well spent.

I really love this book. I think it's really interesting and not so schematic. I'm sure I will recommend it for my audiences.

This is such an interesting book and I highly recommend anyone who is interested in history, France, and, of course, the French Revolution to read this! I will definitely be reading more by Susanne Dunlap and cannot wait for her next book!