[3] Grandville is set in a steampunk world, featuring steam-powered motor vehicles, air transport, robots (known as "Automatons") and televisions.

23 years later, by which time the English is only spoken in rural communities, Britain is linked to the French Empire by the Channel railway bridge, and Paris is the biggest city in the world.

This is most likely because compared to animal facial features, human faces appear as pale and smooth, reminiscent of the dough substances used to make bread.

[5] The book begins with a chase in the streets of Paris, also known as Grandville, in which British diplomat Raymond Leigh-Otter (an otter) escapes from a group of assassins.

Detective Inspector Archie LeBrock of Scotland Yard, a large, heavily built badger,[6] arrives with his assistant, Detective Roderick Ratzi (a rat), and deduces that Leigh-Otter was in fact murdered, after LeBrock notices that Leigh-Otter is holding the gun in his right paw when in fact he is left-handed.

After LeBrock and Ratzi check into their hotel, they learn that Leigh-Otter often met up with a female guest, Coco (a very attractive cat), the dresser for music hall star Sarah Blairow (a badger).

After searching Tope's old lab, LeBrock receives a telephone call from Sarah asking him to visit, because she is worried about her safety.

Ratzi uncovers a photograph which features Tope and several other public figures: Jean-Marie Lapin (a rabbit), a far-right nationalist politician and now Prime Minister who came to power following the bombing of Robida Tower, promising a "War on Terror"; Madame Krupp (a wombat), an arms manufacturer and newspaper owner; the Archbishop of Paris (a chimpanzee); Reinhardt (a rhinoceros) the Minister for War; and Hyen (a hyena), Chief of Police and Secret Service.

An attempt to unite the people by having a war in French Indo-China had failed, so the Knights began to spread stories of a British super-bomb aimed at Paris.

Their final plan is to launch a skyship from Krupp's estate and fly it into the Paris Opera House, where thousands will be watching the Trans-Empire Song Contest.

Outside, LeBrock tells Ratzi that he believes that Leigh-Otter was not a diplomat, but a member of the British Secret Service trying to stop the Knights' plan.

The next day the public learns the truth about the Knights and the attack on Robida Tower, with some wondering if a revolution might happen following the news.

Ryan Agee from The Skinny gave Grandville four out of five stars, writing: "Corny puns abound, but this is a stunningly well drawn book with a compelling mystery, and a great detective team at it's [sic] heart.

"[7] Neel Mukherjee in The Times was also positive saying: "It's a playful, allusive book in which there's a witty touch or deliciously knowing in-joke on almost every page: the French press whipping up Anglophobia; LeBrock's Holmes-like unpacking of apparently innocent signs, which yield vital information, when he makes his first appearance; the drug-addled Milou/Snowy, dreaming of plotlines of Tintin books in his opium-induced stupors.

The numerous fight sequences are simply cracking, especially the beautifully rendered sprays of blood and, throughout, the glossy gorgeousness fills your eyes.

"[9] Joe McCulloch from The Savage Critics was less positive however, writing: "This doesn't automatically lend itself to a tremendous amount of depth, frankly, and the somewhat stale, vengeful nature of Talbot's plot leaves it teetering on the edge of embarrassing-silly instead of fun-silly.