A Murky Business

A Murky Business is wonderful. The acute eye and superb writing of Balzac are put in service of a political mystery novel. Napoleon is trying to conquer Europe, and Fouche, his police chief (a fascinating historical character) is covering his back, doing all the dirty work. For Napoleon has powerful enemies who are conspiring to depose him. Malin is one of the conspirators, a man who buys a big house called Gondreville, in rural Champagne. Michú, his servant, helps her beautiful and rich neighbor, Lorence de Cynq-Cygne (one of Balzac's strongest and smartest female characters) to get their cousins secretly into France. These guys, called Simeuse, are conspirators exiled by Napoleon. Fouche gets to know the Simeuses are back in France, and starts the search for them, kidnapping Malin. What follows I won't spoil, but it is a great novel with a very dark tone. There are spies, traitors, revenge and passion. I am amazed that this novel is not much more famous, since it is magnificent entertainment and excellent literature.

Conspiracy theorists rejoice. Balzac weaves such a complex web, that a highlighter should be sold with the book. As Napoleon decides the fate of Europe, others are secretely deciding the fate of France. From the streets of Paris, just beneath the Emperors nose, to the provincial farmers of Champaign; machinations with a flair not seen since the Borgias lead the reader along this rollercoaster.