“The Pale Blue Eye” is an outstanding, if flawed, novel that blends historical fiction and mystery.

It's true that the mystery itself is not particularly engaging and it's maybe too easy to predict the outcome. As a consequence, the twists and turns feel rather forced.

So the novel's greatest strength is not its plot but its rich and atmospheric setting, served by an elegant, engaging style, suffused with humour. Some scenes are masterfully written.