10 Crime Books that feature Paris

Paris has long served as a moody and atmospheric backdrop for many crime novels. Here are 10 crime books that prominently feature Paris:

1. “The Da Vinci Code” by Dan Brown
   A global bestseller that begins with a murder in the Louvre, leading its protagonists on a thrilling chase through Paris’s historic landmarks.
2. “Murder in the Marais” by Cara Black
   This is the first in a series featuring private investigator Aimée Leduc. Each novel is centered around a different Parisian arrondissement.
3. “Maigret Sets a Trap” by Georges Simenon
   One of the most popular books featuring Chief Inspector Maigret, who sets out to catch a serial killer in Montmartre.
4. “Death in the Latin Quarter” by Raphael Cardetti
   A thrilling tale of ancient manuscripts, dark secrets, and of course, murder in the heart of Paris.
5. “The Châtelet Apprentice” by Jean-François Parot
   The first in the Nicolas Le Floch series, which follows a young detective in 18th-century Paris.
6. “The Eiffel Tower Mystery” by Claude Izner
   This is one of the books from the Victor Legris series, featuring a bookseller turned detective in Belle Époque Paris.
7. “Have Mercy on Us All” by Fred Vargas
   Police Commander Adamsberg must solve a mystery that revolves around an ancient plague of the Middle Ages.
8. “Confessions of a Paris Potty Trainer” by Vicki Lesage
   While not strictly a crime novel, this humorous memoir contains some elements of mystery, mostly centered around life’s “crimes” in the city of lights.
9. “The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency” by Alexander McCall Smith
   While the series is set in Botswana, there are moments when the protagonist, Mma Ramotswe, finds herself embroiled in mysteries connected to France.
10. “A Bed of Scorpions” by Judith Flanders
    The story of a London-based book editor who gets involved in a Paris-centered mystery after the sudden death of her ex’s business partner.

These books capture the allure of Paris, juxtaposing its romantic image with the darker undertones of crime, making them enticing reads for lovers of mystery and the City of Light.