Author:Georges Simenon,Siân Reynolds
The city of Simenon's youth comes to life in this new translation of this disturbing novel set in Liège, book ten in the new Penguin Maigret series.
In the darkness, the main room is as vast as a cathedral. A great empty space. Some warmth is still seeps from the radiators. Delfosse strikes a match. They stop a moment to catch their breath, and work out how far they have still to go. And suddenly the match falls to the ground, as Delfosse gives a sharp cry and rushes back towards the washroom door. In the dark, he loses his way, returns and bumps into Chabot.
Maigret observes from a distance as two boys are accused of killing a rich foreigner in Liège. Their loyalty, which binds them together through their adventures, is put to the test, and seemingly irrelevant social differences threaten their friendship and their freedom.
Penguin is publishing the entire series of Maigret novels in new translations. This novel has been published in a previous translation as Maigret at the "Gai-Moulin".
'Compelling, remorseless, brilliant' John Gray
'One of the greatest writers of the twentieth century' Guardian
'A supreme writer . . . unforgettable vividness' Independent
A twisted tale . . . I couldn't put it down
—— Lisa JacksonWill have readers sleeping with the lights on
—— Publishers Weekly (starred review)This pacey, exciting thriller is Neville's best yet
—— Sunday MirrorCrisply written and fast-moving, the novel has a brutal honesty that confirms Neville's place in the first division of crime writers
—— SpectatorCrime fiction doesn't get much better
—— Lee ChildWhat makes Stuart Neville so special is that he never forgets the human heart that beats inside the bleakest darkness
—— Val McDermidSuccinct and pacy storytelling stretched taut across a morass of unresolved tensions and motives for murder that don’t necessarily fit the prevailing post-peace process narrative. Lennon could well serve as a poster boy for conflict resolution, a deeply flawed man who has in the past been his own worst enemy and is now battered and scarred, physically and emotionally, as he pursues truth and justice by any means necessary
—— Irish TimesThis is crime fiction right out of the top drawer. The dialogue throughout the book snaps and jitters with electricity, and as the climax unfolds nothing will be able to make you put the book down. The elements of pity, humanity and compassion are never far under the swirling surface action of this novel, and it will certainly be put on my ‘best of 2014' shelf
—— CrimefictionloverNeville is back with a bang… Just as captivating as the previous novels… I loved everything about the book
—— Ulster TatlerNeville, who was heaped with praise for his first book, has managed to keep the good stuff coming, and his new novel shows no sign of a dip in performance
—— Sunday Business PostWith a sure grasp of the mechanics of suspense, Neville’s real coup is his multifaceted and conflicted protagonists
—— Good Book GuideEssential Scandi-fiction
—— Sunday ExpressThe novel is gripping. Erlendur is arguably Nordic fiction’s unhappiest and loneliest but most intriguing detective… It’s a sad disturbing book, chilling both in its setting and in the depths of human angst is explores
—— Marcel Berlins , The TimesBe warned: if you’ve ever spent time with this marvelous Scandi crime character, you’ll be hard pressed to hold back a tear
—— Siobhan Murphy , MetroThis final chapter in the Erlendur series stalks the human heart unremittingly
—— Kerry Fowler , Sainsbury's MagazineAnother riveting thriller. Tackling difficult subjects with intelligence and humanity
—— Hello MagazineA compelling summer read not to be missed
—— OK MagazineThis addictive new thriller from bestselling author Liane Moriarty weaves three stories together to a shocking and unpredictable climax
—— Take A Break MagazineIt's a hell of a good book. Funny and scary. She nails the feuding moms.
—— Stephen KingNot only an enthralling murder investigation... but a plot that is strengthened and illuminated by two of the best characters I have read for some time- reporter Sully Carter and his cohort, the streetwise gangster Sly Hastings... their exchanges are pure gold.
—— Raven Crime ReadsThis is a terrific first novel by a man with a long career in journalism. The tale builds to a dramatic conclusion, with a final unexpected and terrible twist in the tail.
—— Crime Review