Another brooding, dark entry in the adventures on M. Pinaud, He shows a little more insight than he did in the last book of the series I read (I'm reading out of order) as he tries to save M. le Chef from a murder charge when a housemaid is found dead in his bed. One learns a lot about M. le Chef in this book, and, as always, it is the characterization that drives so much of the plot. M. Pinaud also escapes cleverly from a couple of close calls--which considering how much he eats and drinks is possibly an advertisement for gluttony and excess alcohol consumption! ( )