Friday, June 8, 2012

Review - The Caves of Etretat by Matt Chatelain

*This is a sponsored review. All opinions are 100% mine.


   
Paul Sirenne owns a small bookstore in Canada and is just living a normal life until his parents are brutally murdered, leaving him with one clue - H.N.  His father had prepared for such tragedy and had sent Paul a note before their untimely demise. The content holds a long, hidden family secret which sends Paul to Etretat, France where a hundred year old family mystery lies within the book “The Hollow Needle” by Maurice Leblanc.

He isn’t alone on the mystery hunt as he is assisted by Leblanc’s great-granddaughter, Raymonde. Together they try to unravel the puzzle that has been unleashed before them, which takes them to the caves in Etretat’s chalk cliffs.

It took me several attempts to get interested in this book as it really wasn’t my cup of tea. Once the action picked up, I became interested in the plot. The main character, Paul, is very likeable as he is a regular person who is thrown into this espionage to try to solve his parents’ murder. He is intelligent and loves solving codes, so he is the perfect person to solve the mystery. Sometimes when an author throws in a romance, it doesn’t work, but not here, as Paul and Raymonde have great chemistry. The author must have spent a lot of time researching the Etretat caves to make the plot tie into history. Overall, I enjoyed reading the book and once I got sucked into the plot, it was a page turner. The Caves of Etretat is a fast-paced thriller that should satisfy most mystery fans.





About the Author


Born in Ottawa, fifty-two years ago, I have been the owner of a used bookstore I opened in Ontario, since 1990. I have been writing since I was ten. Beginning with poetry, I quickly moved on to short stories and non-fiction pieces. I stayed in that format for many years, eventually self-publishing a franchise manual (How to Open Your Own Used Bookstore), as well as a variety of booklets, such as 'How to Save Money at Home', 'Build a Greenhouse with Style' and the ten booklet series of Eddy Brock, Brockville Detective.

Having semi-retired from the bookstore, I embarked on the project of writing my first serious novel, which I expanded to a four book series after discovering an incredible mystery hidden within Maurice Leblanc's books.

My interests are eclectic. I like Quantum Physics, Cosmology, history, archaeology, science in general, mechanics, free power, recycling and re-use. I'm a good handyman and can usually fix just about anything. I'm good with computers. I love movies, both good and bad, preferring action and war movies. I can draw and paint fairly well but am so obsessed with perspective and light that I cannot think of much else. I am too detail oriented. Takes too long to finish anything.

5 comments:

  1. It's great when the research enhances the story & brings in factual history.

    marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com

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  2. Thank you very much for such a great review. I love finding out that Book One of the Sirenne Saga got you interested, even when it wasn't your prefered genre. The thing I love/hate most about 'The Caves of Etretat' is that it misrepresents itself so much in relation to the rest of the series. Each book after this goes faster and expands its scope. Pretty much nothing of book one is as it was perceived in the first read through. It will change several times in the mind of the reader, becoming a completely different book by the end of the series.
    I always wanted to present an average guy in extraordinary circumstances, unprepared for the things thrown at him but willing to give it his best go. Thank you so much for you comments about the story romance. I can tell you that the romance is at the center of the story. It grows in ways no one could have anticipated.
    I tout the Sirenne Saga as an epic adventure. In this, Book One is as 'the Hobbit' was to 'the Lord of the Ring'. Nothing in it prepares you for what is coming, yet all the elements are there, waiting to be revealed.
    I had read so many stories of the genre that hinted at a great end but their stories fell short, failing to provide the answers. I did not want to be in that group. I wanted to find the answers and go beyond.
    I had three questions to answer:
    'Why are we here?'
    'What is it all about?'
    'Is the universe real?'

    Book Four, 'The Greyman' answers all questions ending on the doorstep of book one, changing it into book five in an endless series, forever evolving.

    I have loved seeing the reaction of my book throughout this entire virtual book tour and cannot wait to see reader's reactions as they read book two 'The Four Books of Etretat'.

    I can confirm that Books Three and Four will be out within three months, completing my goal of publishing the entire series in less than a year.
    Your review was a perfect end to the tour and I must thank you all for your great comments.

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  3. I'm always intrigued when a regular person ends up having to solve a mystery. Sounds good!

    vitajex(at)aol(dot)com

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  4. Oftentimes, if a book doesn't grab me right away, I don't try it again so your persistence paid off. I, too, like when an "everyman" gets caught up in intrigue and that Paul is a bookstore owner. He's like Frodo and Sam in that way. They were quiet, average, peacful hobbits enjoying life in the shire when they were thrust into this incredibe adventure. Cool!

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