This gripping novel follows the story of a Canadian diplomat charged with homicide in France. His lawyer is convinced there is more to the case than what meets the eye, and when a journalist connects the victim to organized crime in Montreal, the mystery starts to wildly unravel.

The book was set in both France and Quebec, Canada, so it comprised of many French words and dialogue that I, unfortunately, did not appreciate. This murder mystery was less focused on the accused murderer and more on the lawyer’s point of view of the crime and trial, making it a very unique and captivating read. I also enjoyed how it indirectly taught the reader some aspects of how the criminal justice system works in the Canadian government and abroad. It’s evident that the author is well-versed on this topic. On the other hand, the book incorporated a lot of legal jargon with no prior explanations which, combined with the occasional french, made for a somewhat confusing start.

I wasn’t expecting the book to be a romance read, so I was disappointed to find it heavily focused on the protagonists' relationships. I found that deterred the focus away from the heart of the mystery. Although predictable, the book kept a steady pace at the beginning, but as it advanced, the plot abruptly quickened and turned into a fast-paced action read leaving little room for well-developed suspense. The book also included multiple potentially difficult topics for readers such as violence, drugs, and sexual references. I love when a book is realistic and reads like a non-fiction book, especially with mysteries, so I was glad to find the characters in this book well-crafted and very realistic.

The book entangles readers in the realm between truth and injustice. Although I found the conclusion to be rushed, most of the plot’s loose ends were tied up nicely. Overall, I think that this book has great potential for a sequel and is a decent read for anyone looking for a good vs evil type of realistic crime novel.

I rate this book ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 /5 stars

Foreign Affairs follows the journey of a lawyer, Peter Verdun, whose client is falsely accused of murder in another country. Peter is confident that his client is innocent, and what he does to discover the truth about the murder gives you goosebumps; it was such a roller coaster ride that had me interested from beginning to end. It was a small and petite suspense thriller novel to read. Nick Wilkshire had had me imagining that I was in the novel the entire time. The writing was descriptive, but not too descriptive that it overwhelmed you. Just because of the vocabulary employed, I realized right once that this book had been thoroughly researched. This is the sort of book that you can pick up and read in between breaks. It takes no "energy" to read it. That's what I find appealing about it. I fell in love with each character since they each had their own qualities and personalities. Aside from the mystery, it was always interesting to glimpse into the characters' lives, and I will always remember how distinct, yet realistic, each character was. I'd love to reread this because of the characters. Personally, I would have liked an epilogue, especially after the resolution. I would have liked to read about how the mystery affected the characters and how they got back to normal. This was just a mind-blowing book, and a 5-star read for me. Overall, it was a wonderful experience reading this book, I still am affected by how excellent the book was! I would recommend reading this, sometimes you just need the classic suspense book, and this book will provide you with that. A chef’s kiss book that you need to read.