![]() ![]() It was said that he “cleaned the streets he conquered the night”. The king created the position of Lieutenant General of Police for him and La Reynie filled that role very effectively. La Reynie, a principled, dedicated but utterly ruthless man was above all completely loyal to Louis. Tucker anchors City of Light, City of Poison around Nicholas de La Reynie, a relatively obscure lawyer from Limoges, using his personal notes to recreate a compelling character. In her new non-fiction book, City of Light, City of Poison: Murder, Magic, and the First Police Chief of Paris, Holly Tucker tells the story of how that criminal darkness spread from the centre of Paris to the epicentre of power. Paris was such a city of darkness in fact that it was in danger of becoming “an embarrassment” to the Sun King. Despite the frightening ease with which you could be imprisoned without trial on the king’s command, the infamous lettre de cachet, crime, particularly at night, was rampant in the city. ![]() Paris in the late 17 th century was not a place for the faint of heart. ![]()
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