The Twelve Detectives – a society of the world’s top sleuths – are meeting at the 1889 Paris World’s Fair. But before the fair opens, a series of murder require their collective expertise.

De Santis studied literature and worked as a journalist and comic-book writer. This latter endeavor is clearly represented in his debut novel. The plot is thinly drawn, but the characters are as vivid (if two-dimensional) as the best Dick Tracy or Batman villains. All we’re missing are the drawings and a few KABOW!s …

It was mildly entertaining, but he spent way too much time setting up the story. There were too many characters, many of whom had no discernible role. The plot did not flow in a way that built suspense; in fact I lost interest half way through, put it aside and nearly didn’t finish at all.