Novel set in 16th Century MADRID
A family mystery set in NOTTING HILL and PARIS
25th July 2024
The Midnight Hour by Eve Chase – a family mystery set in Notting Hill and Paris.
The Midnight Hour is set in both Notting Hill and Paris in 1998 and again in 2019. Over the intervening 21 years Maggie Parker has grown from being a 17 year old in a somewhat strange world in Notting Hill to being a successful Paris based author. In 1998 she was living in Notting Hill with her mother (erstwhile fashion model and then TV personality) and her younger brother, Kit. One evening her mother went missing without trace.
For a week Maggie told no one and looked after Kit as best she could. In that week she met a young man called Wolf who was to become the love of her life. A crisis developed in London and Wolf helped Maggie and Kit flee to Paris to stay with their aunt. Wolf remained behind and had to ‘vanish’ into a new life. Maggie heard nothing from him (except a couple of drunken calls) for the next 21 years. He then contacted her in Paris with some very disturbing news that took her right back to Notting Hill in 1998. A discovery which they did not want to be made had been made – with frightening implications for all, especially Maggie, Kit, and Wolf.
The book switches between events in Notting Hill and Paris in 1998 and 2019. And it very well captures the times for both. Notting Hill in the 90s had a very different vibe to that which it had in 2019 – much more ‘real’ with genuine market stalls and a great sense of community. By 2019 it had been much more gentrified. Similarly Paris changed over the years – perhaps less bohemian and perhaps more middle class.
The Midnight Hour is a very well worked and well written mystery with many a twist in the plot. The characters are complex and believable. I suspect you will not see the denouement coming…
Definitely recommended.
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