Un vrai Tourne Page - a real page turner

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Alex

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By Pierre LEMAITRE

Translated by Frank WYNNE

Maclehose Press, 2013

ISBN: 978-0-85705-626-9






This was a real page turner of a book from Pierre LEMAITRE, whose literary talents were recognised through the award of the Prix Goncourt for another of his works - The Great Swindle.  The book was translated from French by Frank WYNNE and published by Maclehose - the same publisher who brought us Karim Miské's Arab Jazz.

Alex is the second in a series which features the superbly drawn character of a diminutive Commandant Camille Verhœven (a talented artist himself) and the equally well crafted characters of his team at the Brigade Criminelle in Paris.

I've read Alex out of sequence but it was nonetheless a great read, recapping aspects of the previous book, Irène and anticipating the third instalment, Camille.

Look, there are no spoilers here...except to say there are twists and turns that although shocking were very satisfying. We start with a brutal kidnapping, incarceration, connected violent murders and painstaking police work.  Why not check out the publisher's blurb here and see if it gets you hooked ?

If it does, then settle down for a reading in one sitting of un vrai tourne page - a real page turner of French noir.