THE CORAL THIEF by Rebecca Stott, 2009.

I finished this late last night. Set in Paris in 1815 after Napoleon is being sent away to St. Helena, the story involves a young Englishman named Daniel Connor, who is heading to Paris to study at the Jardin des Plantes. On the way, his letter of introduction and some valuable coral specimens for the famous Dr. Cuvier are stolen by a mysterious woman on the stagecoach. In trying to find his lost possessions, Daniel is drawn into plots to steal other valuables, discovers the beautiful woman is a philosopher-thief with many secrets, and more than once finds himself in the seamy underworld of Paris.

An interesting mix of suspense, history, and philosophy set in a time that is often underused by novelists (postrevolutionary France); although this is the second such I've read recently (The Black Tower being the other one). I found it an intriguing sort of story, with well drawn characters, good historical detail, and a pleasant narrative; probably the least interesting parts were the philosophical musings. However, that wasn't enough to keep me from reading, and overall it was an enjoyable read.