Book Review - Light Riders and the Fleur-de-lis Murder

Light Riders and the Fleur-de-lis Murder

By: Ann I. Goldfarb
Publisher: Two Cats Press
Publication Date: August 2013
ISBN: 978-1-937083-25-0
Reviewed by: Amy Lignor
Review Date: February 17, 2014

For any reader who has already jumped head-first into the stories of these two teens who can go back in time using refracted light (hence, the Light Riders); and for those who MUST start reading them now because you are missing one of the best series out there, this is a new offering in the series that produces quick dialogue, humor, and a mystery that is both historical and extremely cool.

This time out siblings Aeden and Ryn are once again going to have their Spring Break ruined because of a dead relative. Ryn is more than a little upset because he’s been doing extremely well at lacrosse and does not want to miss out on the practices. For Aeden, she’s just a little sick and tired of the whole thing. However, Mom and Dad get a call about great, great Uncle Henri, who has been found murdered. Oddly enough, he was sliced across the throat with a small fleur-de-lis symbol carved into the skin for extra, added effect. This particular symbol dates back to the French Revolution (1700s), and murders that took down the elite socialist pigs who didn’t understand the plight of the poor.
Well, if you’re going to have your Spring Break ruined, it is an upside that the dead relative you’ve never even heard of is kind enough to lose their life in Paris, of all places. Ryn’s attitude changes immediately and he runs off to speak with his French teacher, who he learned fluent French from (but only because he had a crush, not because he actually wanted to learn), to tell her all about it.
Why is this death so strange, and why would some family in America be called to come to France and investigate? Turns out, Mom has actually been named in the Will; which is impossible, considering the Will was created way before Mom was ever born.

On the plane, a stranger appears and scares Ryn a bit with his odd words; not to mention, he leaves a note in Ryn’s pocket that Ryn finds after the stranger mysteriously disappears. Aeden can suddenly speak fluent French in her sleep, and Uncle Henri’s murder opens the door to a seriously strange background that only the kids may be able to solve.

Using the largest prism in the world, the Louvre, the kids have a small time shift when they attempt to go back just a couple of weeks to solve the murder of Henri. They happen to end up in sewer drains running underneath the city of Paris. It is the apex of the French Revolution and their family is on a list to be killed; if that killing takes place, they will no longer exist in the future.

From the pain and fear of the Bastille, to the elegant households, to the struggle of the city that brings them in contact with the hungriest and most evil of society, this adventure for Aeden and Ryn is more fun than ever. The reader gets lost in Paris during a time of confusion; where wealth was under siege for a very good reason.

This author has once again done a brilliant job of putting together a YA mystery/adventure that is fun for absolutely every age. History is taught in a descriptive, unforgettable way, and the humor and love between Aeden and Ryn shines through.

Quill says: Get on the Light Riders train! You will never be disappointed!

For more information on Light Riders and the Fleur-de-lis Murder, please visit the series' website at: www.timetravelmysteries.com