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

Interview with Author Ann I. Goldfarb

Today we're talking with Ann I. Goldfarb, author of Light Riders and the Fleur-de-lis Murder

FQ: Being a teacher and school principal, I must ask, are Ryn and Aeden based on, or have any specific qualities of, students you once taught?

GOLDFARB: Ryn and Aeden are composites of the students I’ve taught as well as my nieces and nephews. I’ve taken bits and pieces of individual personalities and fused them together to create believable characters. Since “Light Riders” is a series, I’ve worked hard to make sure that my characters develop with each novel. In the first novel, Light Riders and the Morenci Mine Murder, Ryn is thirteen and Aeden is twelve. He’s somewhat whiny but it makes him endearing given the situation. Aeden is wide-eyed and charming but all of that changes when she turns fourteen in this novel, Light Riders and the Fleur-de-lis Murder. Aeden is now bossy and according to her brother, a “know-it-all.” Again, their personalities grow in the subsequent novel.

FQ: The locations you pick, especially this latest story set during the French Revolution...are these specific locations you wish to visit one day, or have? And what location, if you can narrow one down for us, would be the ultimate place you would like to visit?

GOLDFARB: I was fortunate to spend two weeks in Paris during my study abroad program while in college. The city and its rich history was fascinating for me. In addition, my mother was quite knowledgeable about the French Revolution and gave me the “fodder” I needed to craft this adventure. There are a number of places I’d like to visit so be on the look-out for: Iceland, and the Mediterranean countries.

FQ: In a way, I always think of Jessica Fletcher (Murder She Wrote) when I read these fantastic books. I start feeling as if this is the last family you want to be in, considering they have a lot of relatives who drop dead of odd murders. Are there any specifics you can give us on how this ‘family’ and their mysteries first began in your mind?

GOLDFARB: Interestingly, the setting for the first novel in the series was the immediate thing to “gel” for me. I based it on an actual house not far from where I live. Then, the characters started to emerge in my mind. Sometimes, I can “hear” their dialogue. The names that begin with “A” in the series are the actual names of real readers who live in Missouri and whose grandmother is a friend of mine.

FQ: One question, a signature question, if you will, that I always have to ask is: If there was one writer (living or dead) you could sit and have lunch with and ask any questions you like, who would that be, and why?

GOLDFARB: Without a doubt, Charles Dickens. I continue to be mesmerized by his storytelling, his crafting of characters and his ability to create mood. From the fictional “Coketown” from Hard Times to the bucolic setting in Pickwick Papers, he does it all.

FQ: Even though these are ‘YA’ categorized, I have to say these books, much like Potter, can truly be enjoyed by all ages. Do you, personally, like the action/adventure genre as a reader? Or, historical fiction?

GOLDFARB: While I have an eclectic approach to reading, I do tend to gravitate towards historical fiction, gothic romance and high adventure. I’ll fluctuate from a nail-biting high octane novel to a descriptive romance and a laugh out loud comedy. As long as the characters are compelling and the plot is solid, I’ll keep turning the pages.

FQ: The way you chose your characters’ mode of travel - with refracted light was ingenious, considering many use a piece of jewelry, or something similar. How did this particular ‘route’ come to mind for you?

GOLDFARB: When I first started writing time travel mysteries, I did quite a bit of research. I wanted readers to have enough science so that the “suspension of disbelief” would be seamless. In addition, I always want to spark curiosity in my readers so that they will do a bit of research on their own. (That’s the teacher in me!)

FQ: I am hoping (like many others) that the Light Riders will continue on. Can you give us that good news here today, and perhaps speak of the next location for them that you are playing with in the imagination?

GOLDFARB: I’ve got good news for you. The next novel in the series, The Time Borrower, will be released by my publisher, Two Cats Press, in June, 2014. It takes place at the end of the 13th-century in Scotland with a series of strange murders at a monastery. Readers can catch the preview on my website at: www.timetravelmysteries.com. Each month, I’ll reveal a bit more on the storyboard.

FQ: Will Ryn EVER be able to move forward in lacrosse and enjoy a spring break without murder getting in the way?

GOLDFARB: Not likely!

To learn more about Light Riders and the Fleur-de-lis Murder please read the review at: Feathered Quill Book Reviews.