There Are 3 Women and 4 Men

 Book 99 of my 2025 Reading Challenge

read from December 29 - 31

There Are 3 Women and 4 Men by Jaden Payne

published 2023

Summary (via the book jacket)

Laurent Fontaine has an obsession with spectacle.

This is precisely the reason why he is the most famous art curator of the 20th century and why the Fontaine Museum of Art has more success than any other museum has seen. That is, of course, until he shuts it down.

When Laurent's wife, Marie, is found dead during an exhibition opening of the museum in 1967, the police are quick to determine suicide. Laurent is quick to determine otherwise.

He promptly closes his historic building and halts his highly coveted life in the arts to dedicate the next ten years to one thing: finding the person who killed Marie.

In 1977, exactly ten years after the tragedy, Laurent invites who he found to the be the six most likely suspects back into his museum, breaking his silence for the first time in a decade. With the event disguised as a "Grand Reopening," the guests arrive, and Laurent reveals the truth: none of these misfortunate people will be leaving his palace until justice is served.

But, Laurent Fontaine has an obsession. Is this truly justice, or its there spectacle hidden in revenge? Is this truly an investigation, or is the emperor of art putting on one last performance? How far can Laurent morally push his grand finale?

My Opinion

4 stars

I added this book to my TBR after seeing it on TikTok.  Although it's a hefty book to hold, it read fairly quickly.

As long as the reader suspends belief regarding the circumstances getting everyone to the museum and the lack of disturbances from inside or outside once it became clear they were being held there, the actual events in the museum were paced well and there were some real surprises in the reveals.

I feel bad for how things ended for the decoys, especially the man; that felt undeserved and unnecessary.