The Night Gate is book 7 in the Enzo files and I am going to have to admit that not only is this the first book in the series I have read, it is also the first book by Peter May I have read, neither of which statement stopped me from enjoying the book immensely but may have left me kicking myself that I had not ready any of the other books.
Enzo Macleod is called to assist when the body of a man is discovered after a tree falls over. The person was shot in the head and appears to have been in the ground for over 70 years. Whilst he is there an art critic is murdered in the house very close to the site and Enzo finds himself working on both cases. For him to work out what happened and if the two incidents are linked, he has to delve into the past, to a time when France was occupied by Nazi Germany during the second world war. Set over two timelines this is a fast paced and intriguing book that will keep you hooked to the end
I quickly grew to like the character of Enzo as he is certainly very passionate about his job, but there is also an ease about him that seems to ensure that those he works with are happy to help him out when needed. I think that his investigations in an unofficial capacity get many of the people he talks to about events to open up to him as they do not see him as a threat in any way or out to cause trouble. He has a determination about him that sees him putting himself in danger to get to the truth behind both events and ensure that the wrong person is not blamed at least for the present-day crime.
For me the most intriguing part of the book are the stories of Georgette Pignal and her actions during the second world war. Part of this is due to my being a complete and utter history nerd and love delving into the past, but it is also where most of the action lies. Sent to guard the Mona Lisa from falling into Nazi hands, she is never sure who to trust or if she will survive.
They say that to understand the present you often have to understand the past and with The Ninth Gate this is most certainly the case. Peter May has managed to merge both effortlessly and ensured that I devoured this book in a couple of days. ( I will also now have to go and buy the rest of the series to see what I have missed so far)
I will add a note that the present-day element is just that, set in the current times so there are mentions of coronavirus and all the restrictions that come with it, but they are only mentions and if I am honest once I got well and truly engrossed in the story it was not something I really noticed all that much and were handled brilliantly by the author

Peter May is one of my favourite authors, and I love everything he writes. The Enzo files have been an incredible journey for me, and I have loved every minute of reading the books. It is a sad moment now that I have read all seven books in this excellent series. It was nostalgic getting to read about Enzo and his life today. He has finally retired, and it seems he has found somewhat of a peaceful life.

Even though he is retired he takes one more case, his last one. It's a typical case, partly set in the past, and partly in the present. I found the most interesting parts of the book the ones were the reader gets to see what happened to Enzo and his family members after the jaw-dropping ending of book six.

One of the things I love about May's books is that I learn so many interesting things from them, for example about the Waardenburg syndrome. Another thing I love is how the writing is so smooth, it flows perfectly and the pace is just unbelievable good. A third thing is the fabulous characters, and I will surely miss this little group of misfits trying to fit into their own family. The fourth great thing is that the stories are just fantastic. They draw you in already after the first sentence, and I'm hooked until the last full stop.

This book was no exception to the rule, although it was a bit different from the rest in the series, since Enzo had already solved the seven cases of the book he was meant to solve, and there was a lot less family drama in this one. I guess it really means Enzo has gotten old. No matter what, this books is definitely worth a read!

I would like to thank Netgalley and Quercus Books for an advance copy of The Night Gate, the seventh novel to feature forensics specialist Dr Enzo Macleod, set in South-West France.

Enzo is retired but is happy to help an old colleague by inspecting the burial site of a wartime murder victim. When he gets to the village of Cerennac to view the burial site he is invited to assist at a new crime scene, the murder of art critic Emile Narcisse. He soon comes to realise that despite a gap of 75 years these two murders are linked.

There is much to admire about The Night Gate as it is a clever novel, weaving the past and present together into an intriguing plot and a “what if” scenario. Unfortunately it didn’t hold my attention and I’d to push myself to keep reading. This, I think, is due to the format which shifts endlessly between past and present and different points of view. It’s not hard to keep up, but there’s nothing to keep the reader engrossed because just as it starts to offer something meaty it changes course to another character’s story.

The present day story follows Enzo as he tries to piece together the events leading up to the present day murder and identity the skeleton. This is interspersed with the story of Georgette Pignal, sent to France by the Free French to preserve the Louvre’s artworks. This latter would have made a fine novel on its own, weaving intrigue and real historical people and events together. It’s well done and interesting, but due to the format of the novel, fragmented.

I’m sure that many readers will enjoy The Night Gate as it has a well conceived plot, some genuine moments of tension and betrayal and a clever solution, but it never captured my imagination. 3.5*

A retired detective is called upon to offer his insights into the case of a skeleton dating from WW2 that is discovered in the roots of a fallen tree. Shortly afterwards, an art critic is brutally murdered. The detective discovers a connection between the two murders and while they try to track down the man who committed the murder, he is told the story of what happened in the area during WW2 and what led to the murder of the man whose body is underneath the tree.

There are two plots, present and past, which intersect throughout this book. I was much more engaged by the historical section of the novel than the modern day section - the characters from the historical section seemed much more fleshed out and real and I found I cared about their story. In comparison, the modern day murder investigation didn't really interest me at all, and very little plot time was devoted to this really. As criminal investigations go, for those expecting a juicy murder whodunnit, this really wasn't that - but it was a very good wartime resistance novel.

Confession time. I didn’t realise that this was actually the finale to a series, so that took me by surprise and naturally took a period of adjustment to the characters.

What I did find was a beautiful woven, intricate plot of murder, art forgery and deception that jumped from the Second World War to modern day France.

Throughout the book are references to the current pandemic and it was actually refreshing to read. I did think the author liked to draw out some of the descriptive parts which meant the writing and the story weren’t as sharp as they should have been which could have caused the attention of the reader to wane slightly.

However, because of the twists and turns, this book is worth keeping with and makes a silly error like mine all the more pleasing as I now have 6 other Enzo stories to find.

Happy reading!

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. I really enjoy all this authors books and this was no exception. Great storyline, great characters and a thoroughly good read.

Another great book by Peter May. Great to see Enzo back in business all be it a little older. The mystery in this book was complex going between the 2nd world war and present date .
And who would have thought that the killer of the art dealer was !

When Enzo is persuaded to come out of retirement to examine a newly unearthed skeleton in a public park, he gets embroiled in a current murder investigation and very soon regrets getting involved. The pressure to solve the mystery is increased when the country goes back into lockdown due to the resurgence of the current pandemic.
A good read embracing two time zones.
Thank you to NetGalley and Quercus Books for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

I have read almost everything Peter May has written (or listened to as an audio) and this will go down as one of my favourites. While I have read all the previous Enzo books, this can easily be read as a stand alone without any knowledge of what has gone before.

This is a fantastic page-turning mystery/thriller about forgery in WWII and Hitler's obsession with plundering the art treasures of France. The story crosses back and forwards in time as Enzo is called upon to help solve the mystery of an old skeleton found buried under a tree and a bizarre and bloody murder in the nearby house.

This kept my interest easily from the first chapter, however it did take me a little while to get used to the fact that it is set in modern day during COVID restrictions. The talk of masks and social distancing and lockdowns was a little bit jarring at first but I got used to it quickly and it took nothing away from the actual story.

Excellent!

4.5 rounded up.

Enzo Macleod is now retired from his job as head of forensic science at Toulouse University. However, he is consulted when a skeleton of a Luftwaffe Officer is found buried in a shallow grave in Carennes in the Dordogne, followed by the murder of an art dealer from Paris. This intriguing investigation takes us back in time to World War Two where Georgette Pignal is tasked by de Gaulle to prevent the Mona Lisa from falling into Nazi hands, Paul Lange is sent or acquire it by Hitler for his planned museum in Linz and Karlheinz Wolff is dispatched by Göring to obtain it for his personal collection. The story is told from several perspectives throughout the war years and in 2020/21.

This is how you write a thriller! I’ve enjoyed previous Macleod books but I think this one will become my favourite! I love the wartime element which is very immersive and compelling. I love the symbolism of the de Gaulle’s desire to save the La Joconde for France and the world. The character of Georgette is fabulous, she’s clever, brave, loyal, full of initiative and spirit. My heart leaps with joy when Georgette is sent to the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides to train for her mission and we get a decent tour of the island. Thank you!! The tale that the author constructs is credible and believable with episodes of danger and excitement, with fear and tension, plenty of twists some of which are unpredictable. The characterisation is good with a good balance of likeable and those to despise. I really like the contrast between 2020 and the war years with France yoked by Nazi control and in the present day under the duress of fighting a different kind of enemy. I’m glad Peter May chose to include the pandemic because it makes the storytelling realistic and authentic. Central to the plot is the Mona Lisa which is a superb element adding an excitement all of its own in this fast paced novel. The settings are fantastic with the Dordogne adding it’s own inimitable atmosphere both in wartime and 2020. There are some very good descriptions and some tense scenes in places well known by tourists. The plot unfolds well and I have no difficulty following the threads from then to now and I like how they all connect in this cohesive thriller. This is a well blended mix of fact and fiction.

Overall, a very enjoyable intelligent thriller which I recommend to fan of Peter May and the genre.

With thanks to NetGalley and Quercus Books, riverrun for the much appreciated arc for an honest review.

I’m rapidly becoming a big fan of Peter May so I was confident that this book wouldn’t disappoint and it didn’t. There’s a lot going on in this story and it, seamlessly, crosses various times, jumping to the war era and back to present time in the blink of an eye but it didn’t feel confusing, it just added to the beauty of the interlinking main theme. There are inbuilt stories of love, wartime struggles, family loyalty, a certain very famous painting (the prestige of which, the mystery surrounding it and a hint of this possibly being a true theory made it feel a little Da Vinci Code) and a good splattering (pun intended) of forensics. I also liked the way Covid was worked into the modern day part of the story, the first book I’ve read that has done so. It very cleverly made Covid just matter of fact rather than gratuitously referencing for Brownie points. Fantastic, quality craftsmanship, thank you.

Enzo Macleod is a retired forensic scientist living in France , he is asked to give his opinion on some remains buried under a tree in a French village . Whilst he is there a murder investigation of a gallery owner is taking place and he is invited to consult on the case. Are the two connected or is it a coincidence?

I enjoyed the story , it took the reader back in time to World War 2 and to the present day and I usually find this confusing , but not in this case. It added an extra dimension to the writing which makes it an easy read and it includes the current pandemic and its restrictions which gives it the added edge of credibility.

An enjoyable read and highly recommended!

Thanks to NetGalley and Quercus Books for this arc copy.

'The Night Gate' by Peter May is described as the "the Razor-Sharp Finale to the Enzo Macleod Investigations" and I cannot think of a more accurate description for this book.
Set in the present day France, under the restrictions caused by the Corona virus, Macleod and his family are being cautious and careful. Enzo is finally relaxing and attempting to enjoy his retirement when a case suddenly arrives on his lap. In a nearby village, an old tree is uprooted after a storm and beneath the tree, a body is discovered. And then a few days later, a murder occurs in the house bordering the trees where the body was discovered. Despite the deaths occurring some 70 odd years apart, there are some strange links revealed between the deaths and Enzo decides that he is time for him to do some more digging.
The story jumps between 1940 - 1944 and the present day, where we learn of events from the perspective of various people involved. Some parts of the tell are more obvious and easy to guess but May keeps some of the story well under wraps and there are some decent twists in the tale that he only reveals in the last pages.
An intriguing tale, mixing fact and fiction in a wonderful manner that ensures a thrill a minute ride for the reader. Don't miss this read!

Firstly I'd like to give Mr May a big clap on the back,and thank him for referencing the pandemic,masks,social distancing etc etc.
So refreshing to read.

I hadn't realised this was a book in a series,so I struggled a bit with Enzos complicated life and family.
The rest however was good.. art,murder and world war 2.
Enjoyable.

Enzo Macleod is called out to investigate the body of a man, killed over 70 years ago, that was found tangled in the roots of a tree. Whilst there, he gets entangled in a fresh murder investigation at a house overlooking the park where the body was found. What links the two deaths?

This book flips between two time periods - France in World War II - as we follow Georgette, and Enzo's adventures in modern-day COVID-secure France. For most of the book, we don't see much of a link between them - they feel very disjointed. However, it does all come together in the end.

I will say I worked out the identity of the old body and new killer about halfway through the book, and it's also a very long book - ~460 pages. It's a bit of a commitment!

The Night Gate is the 7th book in Peter May's very popular Enzo McLoud series. The book sees a retired Enzo reluctantly talked into helping investigate the discovery of a WW2 era body,as a favour to a old friend, that has been exposed when a tree falls down . There is evidence that the deceased has been shot in the head. This in a small French village of Carennac ,where it seems that,like buses,you wait years for one murder to be discovered then 2 happen at once and McCloud finds that the site the body was found at is within sight of an active murder scene.

From that start the story runs in 2 connected storylines with French efforts to keep the the Mona Lisa out of German hands during the war the common thread., As Enzo investigates he finds himself in danger as their are those who don't welcome his interference.He's also feeling his age,65, and there's an exciting but definitely not high speed chase scene but it is refreshing for an older character to still be involved in a popular series .

With it's contemporary setting the Covid virus plays a part,Enzo at one point finds himself unexpectedly working against a deadline because of it and a popular series character is affected.
All the regular characters are here and readers can catch up with McCloud's friends and loved ones from previous books and there's a surprising reunion.

I'm not sure if this will be the last Enzo McCloud book, as is painfully brought home to him he's too old now to be running around and engaging in violence. If this is his last outing it's a great way to bow out.

I am a fan of Peter May so much so that I happily read his books without even reading the synopsis and I haven’t been disappointed yet! This book is quite different to any of his I’ve read before as this is most definitely more of a historical story rather than a pure crime thriller but as a fan of both genres this is now one of my favourite Peter May books. I really enjoyed the way that the history blended with the current timeline and although there are quite a few timelines they are all easily distinguishable and work brilliantly together to tell the whole story. What makes this story even better is knowing that a lot of he history is true. This is the first book I’ve read that has referenced the current pandemic, which was included perfectly, as part of the story but not the story.

Enzo Macleod is a retired forensic scientist invited to a French village to see the body of a man discovered buried under tree roots, having been there for decades. On his arrival, he finds an art critic has been murdered in a nearby house and the local police rather improbably ask for his help with this murder.

He starts to talk to a local woman, and a story emerges from the Second World War of a half-French girl, Georgette, who is recruited by De Gaulle to ensure the safety of the Mona Lisa from Nazi predators. We follow her training in Scotland and her arrival in France.

We are also introduced to Bauer, possibly suspect for the murder, who's family history links him back to the Nazi seeking the Mona Lisa.

It all sounds a bit improbable, but is actually quite a good tale, if you accept the introduction of famous people from history into a fictional story. However, I found the leaping around between time lines - 1940s, just before the murder, present day - to be rather disjointed. I also felt the book was rather rushed, perhaps in an effort to produce a 'contemporary' story while the Covid pandemic is still raging.

Overall I enjoyed it, but was not bowled over with the way it was written.

Thank you to NetGalley, Quercus Books and riverrun for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.