In the oppressive Parisian summer heat, Police Commandant Morel is called to murder scene. An elderly woman has been killed in her apartment. With few clues, and no witnesses, Morel begins an exhausting investigation. But as more bodies are found and the pressures mount, will Morel find the murderer before it is too late?
This is Anna Jaquiery's first novel (ok, so I read the sequel, Death in the rainy season, in the wrong order but you can read our review here). Introducing us to Morel and his strange ways of living and working, and giving us an understanding of the professional and personal pressures he is under. Unlike some other crime novels, this one does lift the veil on the lives of the investigators and allows us to see the real person under the uniform.
I really enjoyed this book. I won't give anything away about the plot or murderer, but suffice to say that more is revealed than you could guess by the time the book closes.
Well crafted and with detailed descriptions, I could see Paris as Morel sought the perpetrator. Definitely worth a read - and then follow it up with Death In The Rainy Season for good measure!
The Lying Down Room, by Anna Jaquiery, is published by PanMacmillan and is available from their website.
Disclosure: Pan Macmillan sent me this book to keep for the purposes of review. All opinions are our own.
Ohh sounds interesting, thanks for the recommendaton. Mich x
ReplyDeletethanks Mich. Yes richard did enjoy it - i stick with the kids book reviews and he does most the others. x
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