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Victor Lessard #2
La Chorale du Diable
In this intricate, intense mystery from the acclaimed “master of the Quebec thriller,” the ghosts of Victor Lessard’s past come back to haunt him as he investigates a horrific murder-suicide that doesn’t add up.
When a young Montreal family dies in an orgy of bloody violence, all signs point to a rampage by the father. But Victor Lessard isn’t convinced. The brilliant, brooding detective suspects that others were involved in the killings. But who? And why? As Lessard struggles to solve the puzzle, the discovery of a nightmarish chamber of horrors seems to confirm that the murders are part of a wider pattern.
Meanwhile, in the Major Crimes Unit, Jacinthe Taillon is investigating the strange kidnapping of Laila François, a former street kid turned webcam girl. Could there be a connection with Lessard’s case?
With a ghost from his past making him doubt his own sanity, Lessard must evade the lethal operatives of a powerful, highly secretive organization as he races to untangle the mystery — before a diabolical killer can strike again.
When a young Montreal family dies in an orgy of bloody violence, all signs point to a rampage by the father. But Victor Lessard isn’t convinced. The brilliant, brooding detective suspects that others were involved in the killings. But who? And why? As Lessard struggles to solve the puzzle, the discovery of a nightmarish chamber of horrors seems to confirm that the murders are part of a wider pattern.
Meanwhile, in the Major Crimes Unit, Jacinthe Taillon is investigating the strange kidnapping of Laila François, a former street kid turned webcam girl. Could there be a connection with Lessard’s case?
With a ghost from his past making him doubt his own sanity, Lessard must evade the lethal operatives of a powerful, highly secretive organization as he races to untangle the mystery — before a diabolical killer can strike again.
499 pages, Paperback
First published February 21, 2011
21 people are currently reading
2200 people want to read
About the author
Martin Michaud
38 books242 followersReconnu par la critique comme le « maître du thriller québécois », Martin Michaud a pratiqué le métier d’avocat d’affaires pendant vingt ans avant de se consacrer pleinement à l’écriture.
Ses romans lui ont valu un vaste lectorat au Québec et en Europe, ainsi que de nombreux prix littéraires.
Depuis 2017, il scénarise pour la télé la série Victor Lessard, qui a remporté le premier prix au Banff World Media Festival et cumulé plus de 6 millions de visionnements sur le Club Illico. Les droits de distribution de la série ont été récemment acquis par ZDF Entreprises.
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Born in 1970, Martin Michaud is a musician, novelist and screenwriter. He worked as a business lawyer for twenty years before devoting himself to writing full-time in 2012.
His novels have gained a wide readership in Quebec and Europe, winning numerous literary prizes. He is hailed by critics as “the master of the Quebec thriller.”
Author of the bestselling Victor Lessard crime novels, Martin Michaud is also the writer of the hit TV series Victor Lessard, adapted from the books. The series won first prize at the Banff World Media Festival. It has had over 6 million views on Club Illico, and has been bought by ZDF for global distribution.
Ses romans lui ont valu un vaste lectorat au Québec et en Europe, ainsi que de nombreux prix littéraires.
Depuis 2017, il scénarise pour la télé la série Victor Lessard, qui a remporté le premier prix au Banff World Media Festival et cumulé plus de 6 millions de visionnements sur le Club Illico. Les droits de distribution de la série ont été récemment acquis par ZDF Entreprises.
-
Born in 1970, Martin Michaud is a musician, novelist and screenwriter. He worked as a business lawyer for twenty years before devoting himself to writing full-time in 2012.
His novels have gained a wide readership in Quebec and Europe, winning numerous literary prizes. He is hailed by critics as “the master of the Quebec thriller.”
Author of the bestselling Victor Lessard crime novels, Martin Michaud is also the writer of the hit TV series Victor Lessard, adapted from the books. The series won first prize at the Banff World Media Festival. It has had over 6 million views on Club Illico, and has been bought by ZDF for global distribution.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews
November 28, 2021
EXCERPT: Driving along the wet asphalt of Highway 10 toward the Eastern Townships helps to clear his head.
He thinks about the events of the last few hours: the senseless killing that took place under his nose and the subsequent attempt on his own life.
It all seems unreal.
During his entire career as a police officer, Lessard has never experienced anything so outlandish. This is real life, not the movies. What kind of secret could possibly be so important that it justifies killing two people in broad daylight?
ABOUT 'THE DEVIL'S CHOIR': When a young Montreal family dies in an orgy of bloody violence, all signs point to a rampage by the father. But Victor Lessard isn’t convinced. The brilliant, brooding detective suspects that others were involved in the killings. But who? And why? As Lessard struggles to solve the puzzle, the discovery of a nightmarish chamber of horrors seems to confirm that the murders are part of a wider pattern. With a ghost from his past making him doubt his own sanity, Lessard must evade the lethal operatives of a powerful, highly secretive organization as he races to untangle the mystery before a diabolical killer can strike again.
MY THOUGHTS: Dark. Disturbing. Disjointed.
The Devil's Choir is the second book that I have read by Martin Michaud, and I feel very much the same about this as I did about the previous one, Never Forget, which was actually book #3 in the Victor Lessard series, and Devil's Choir is #2. I am unsure why a publisher would choose to start translating a series with the third book. I know that some series are easy to pick up part way through. This isn't one of them. And it is all the more confusing when #2 is translated and published after #3 . . .
The plot is complex. The characters are complex, and there are a lot of them. I enjoyed the beginning of this book, and settled into it quite quickly, but then I became unsettled and managed to lose my way numerous times and had to go back and reread things. I became confused by the disjointed style of writing and the almost nightmarish ambiance. There are simply too many threads to this story, tangled and knotted and difficult to unravel. The confusion kills the suspense.
Victor Lessard is an alcoholic (not drinking, but once an alcoholic...) suffers from depression, anxiety, PTSD, and tends to vomit at the sight of a body. He is not currently in a relationship but has become enamoured by one of his team, Nadja Fernandez. His constant agonizing over her quickly became wearing and added nothing to the story - e.g. 'Lessard thinks of Fernandez. Will he ever find the courage to tell her how he feels? To take the first step?'
It is not often that I am disturbed by an author's portrayal of women, but I really disliked the way Michaud fixated on the women's bodies. He appears to have a fixation with women's breasts.
I believe it is time for this author and I to part ways. I would like to say that I have enjoyed our relationship but, in truth, I have not.
Reading is a personal and subjective experience, and what appeals to one may not please another. So if you enjoyed the excerpt from The Devil's Choir, and the plot outline appeals, please do go ahead and read it. Just because this wasn't for me, doesn't mean that you won't enjoy it.
⭐⭐.4
#VictorLessardThriller #NetGalley
I: #martinmichaudauteur #dundurnpress
T: #VictorLessardThriller @DundurnPress
#contemporaryfiction #crime #detectivefiction #murdermystery #thriller
THE AUTHOR: Born in 1970, Martin Michaud is a musician, novelist and screenwriter. He worked as a business lawyer for twenty years before devoting himself to writing full-time in 2012.
His novels have gained a wide readership in Quebec and Europe, winning numerous literary prizes. He is hailed by critics as “the master of the Quebec thriller.”
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Dundurn Press via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Devil's Choir by Martin Michaud for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
He thinks about the events of the last few hours: the senseless killing that took place under his nose and the subsequent attempt on his own life.
It all seems unreal.
During his entire career as a police officer, Lessard has never experienced anything so outlandish. This is real life, not the movies. What kind of secret could possibly be so important that it justifies killing two people in broad daylight?
ABOUT 'THE DEVIL'S CHOIR': When a young Montreal family dies in an orgy of bloody violence, all signs point to a rampage by the father. But Victor Lessard isn’t convinced. The brilliant, brooding detective suspects that others were involved in the killings. But who? And why? As Lessard struggles to solve the puzzle, the discovery of a nightmarish chamber of horrors seems to confirm that the murders are part of a wider pattern. With a ghost from his past making him doubt his own sanity, Lessard must evade the lethal operatives of a powerful, highly secretive organization as he races to untangle the mystery before a diabolical killer can strike again.
MY THOUGHTS: Dark. Disturbing. Disjointed.
The Devil's Choir is the second book that I have read by Martin Michaud, and I feel very much the same about this as I did about the previous one, Never Forget, which was actually book #3 in the Victor Lessard series, and Devil's Choir is #2. I am unsure why a publisher would choose to start translating a series with the third book. I know that some series are easy to pick up part way through. This isn't one of them. And it is all the more confusing when #2 is translated and published after #3 . . .
The plot is complex. The characters are complex, and there are a lot of them. I enjoyed the beginning of this book, and settled into it quite quickly, but then I became unsettled and managed to lose my way numerous times and had to go back and reread things. I became confused by the disjointed style of writing and the almost nightmarish ambiance. There are simply too many threads to this story, tangled and knotted and difficult to unravel. The confusion kills the suspense.
Victor Lessard is an alcoholic (not drinking, but once an alcoholic...) suffers from depression, anxiety, PTSD, and tends to vomit at the sight of a body. He is not currently in a relationship but has become enamoured by one of his team, Nadja Fernandez. His constant agonizing over her quickly became wearing and added nothing to the story - e.g. 'Lessard thinks of Fernandez. Will he ever find the courage to tell her how he feels? To take the first step?'
It is not often that I am disturbed by an author's portrayal of women, but I really disliked the way Michaud fixated on the women's bodies. He appears to have a fixation with women's breasts.
I believe it is time for this author and I to part ways. I would like to say that I have enjoyed our relationship but, in truth, I have not.
Reading is a personal and subjective experience, and what appeals to one may not please another. So if you enjoyed the excerpt from The Devil's Choir, and the plot outline appeals, please do go ahead and read it. Just because this wasn't for me, doesn't mean that you won't enjoy it.
⭐⭐.4
#VictorLessardThriller #NetGalley
I: #martinmichaudauteur #dundurnpress
T: #VictorLessardThriller @DundurnPress
#contemporaryfiction #crime #detectivefiction #murdermystery #thriller
THE AUTHOR: Born in 1970, Martin Michaud is a musician, novelist and screenwriter. He worked as a business lawyer for twenty years before devoting himself to writing full-time in 2012.
His novels have gained a wide readership in Quebec and Europe, winning numerous literary prizes. He is hailed by critics as “the master of the Quebec thriller.”
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Dundurn Press via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Devil's Choir by Martin Michaud for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
November 15, 2021
4.5 stars I want to extend my sincere thanks to NetGalley and Dundurn Press for this dark, grim, spine-tingling ebook in return for an honest review. I was thrilled to receive an advanced copy of the Devil's Choir by Martin Michaud, having been mesmerized by the two books in the series previously and masterfully translated from French to English. I hope the remaining books will be translated as I want to follow Detective Victor Lessard's further cases. They have also been adapted into a popular French TV series in Quebec, and one of our streaming services needs to show them.
The city of Montreal becomes a predominant character, its good, bad, and beautiful, richly described in atmospheric detail. There are murder and torture scenes that are ghastly and gory, so the story might not be for everyone but is part of this twisty, convoluted and complex plot. There were sex scenes I felt were unnecessary to the story.
The mystery and police investigation begins with a horrifying, shocking murder/suicide. An entire family has been found slaughtered in their home. The father, mother, and three children are dead. The weapon was a bloody axe, and also there were some knife wounds. Forensic evidence points to murder by the father, who committed suicide after slicing out his own tongue. The murder scene was littered with swarms of flies. The Montreal police department considers the case closed.
Detective Victor Lessard is not so certain. He believes there was a third party involved. Lessard is in an emotionally fragile state. He is a brilliant detective, but is suffering from periods of depression, fits of anxiety, and even hallucinating a ghost from his troubled past. He is gruff, lashing out at even those who are sympathetic. Finally, he is ordered to take time off work and receive psychiatric help. Reluctant to do so, he carries on unofficially after discovering some clues that reinforce his belief that the deaths were not as they seem.
The case is connected to one in the past. A husband brutally killed his wife and gouged out his eyes before committing suicide. Similarly, there was a swarm of flies present that could not be explained by science. Helping Lessard in his investigation and secretly going against rules are eventually two of the department's policewomen. Lessard experiences physical injuries to add to his mental anguish.
The complicated investigation has many factors, leading the detectives down the wrong paths. The case involves a suspected pedophile ring and a young sex worker who ran away from her abusive father. She has a strange, charismatic male friend whom she has unsuccessfully tried to seduce. Her father is now a pastor and leader of a cult. Lessard's investigation includes possible Satan worshippers, an entomologist, good and bad priests, exorcist priests, an enigmatic Chinese man, a young homeless boy who was a street hustler and too traumatized to speak, a Mafia thug, a sickly child, a church choir, a pimp, gang members, and adults discovered in underground cells. Adding to this almost impossible case is a secret, separate, fundamentalist and radical arm of the Vatican whose purpose is to consolidate the faith of those leaving the Church. They have sent a member of the Vatican Secret Service to Montreal for an unknown purpose.
With inexplicable associations, puzzles, and motives, it is no surprise the reader cannot connect what is going on, but neither can the investigators who frequently follow wrong paths and mistaken clues and hunches on their way to a solution. As a result, they will encounter danger, injury, and mayhem before the case is brought to a close.
Recommended for readers who don't mind some dark, disturbing content within an intense, thrilling, and complicated mystery containing well-written and complex characters.
The city of Montreal becomes a predominant character, its good, bad, and beautiful, richly described in atmospheric detail. There are murder and torture scenes that are ghastly and gory, so the story might not be for everyone but is part of this twisty, convoluted and complex plot. There were sex scenes I felt were unnecessary to the story.
The mystery and police investigation begins with a horrifying, shocking murder/suicide. An entire family has been found slaughtered in their home. The father, mother, and three children are dead. The weapon was a bloody axe, and also there were some knife wounds. Forensic evidence points to murder by the father, who committed suicide after slicing out his own tongue. The murder scene was littered with swarms of flies. The Montreal police department considers the case closed.
Detective Victor Lessard is not so certain. He believes there was a third party involved. Lessard is in an emotionally fragile state. He is a brilliant detective, but is suffering from periods of depression, fits of anxiety, and even hallucinating a ghost from his troubled past. He is gruff, lashing out at even those who are sympathetic. Finally, he is ordered to take time off work and receive psychiatric help. Reluctant to do so, he carries on unofficially after discovering some clues that reinforce his belief that the deaths were not as they seem.
The case is connected to one in the past. A husband brutally killed his wife and gouged out his eyes before committing suicide. Similarly, there was a swarm of flies present that could not be explained by science. Helping Lessard in his investigation and secretly going against rules are eventually two of the department's policewomen. Lessard experiences physical injuries to add to his mental anguish.
The complicated investigation has many factors, leading the detectives down the wrong paths. The case involves a suspected pedophile ring and a young sex worker who ran away from her abusive father. She has a strange, charismatic male friend whom she has unsuccessfully tried to seduce. Her father is now a pastor and leader of a cult. Lessard's investigation includes possible Satan worshippers, an entomologist, good and bad priests, exorcist priests, an enigmatic Chinese man, a young homeless boy who was a street hustler and too traumatized to speak, a Mafia thug, a sickly child, a church choir, a pimp, gang members, and adults discovered in underground cells. Adding to this almost impossible case is a secret, separate, fundamentalist and radical arm of the Vatican whose purpose is to consolidate the faith of those leaving the Church. They have sent a member of the Vatican Secret Service to Montreal for an unknown purpose.
With inexplicable associations, puzzles, and motives, it is no surprise the reader cannot connect what is going on, but neither can the investigators who frequently follow wrong paths and mistaken clues and hunches on their way to a solution. As a result, they will encounter danger, injury, and mayhem before the case is brought to a close.
Recommended for readers who don't mind some dark, disturbing content within an intense, thrilling, and complicated mystery containing well-written and complex characters.
March 31, 2022
WHOOSH!! That's the sound of all the air leaving my body in relief at finally finishing this book!
This is the third book in the Victor Lessard series but the second book which has been translated into English. Victor is a police detective in Montreal Quebec, an alcoholic currently not drinking, divorced with an adult son with whom he's not on good terms, and a daughter who lives with his ex-wife (I think). As this book begins, he is called to a horrific crime scene which involves the gruesome deaths of an entire family.
This story is very confusing and fragmented. There are many different storylines, involving the Catholic church, a pedophile ring, abduction, exorcism and lots of violence, blood and gore, and there are many characters to try and keep track of. There are also sudden changes from third person to first person without warning and I had to try and figure out which character's head we're in now. It's another one of those books where it feels like somebody's adding pages as I read and it took me forever to read it. I found my attention wandering quite often and I could easily have dnf'd it without knowing or caring how it ended but I felt obligated to finish. Some reviewers complained about the author's depiction of women which didn't bother me as much as the frequent references to someone or other's weight using the word "fat" to describe them. I doubt I'll continue with this series.
I didn't realize it rained so much in Montreal or was this just a bad period in time?! I felt like I was reading a book that took place in the UK! (No offense to my British friends!)
I really don't like to give a book only 1 star but there was too much wrong with it imo for me to even round it up to 2.
Thanks to Dundurn Press via Netgalley for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own. This book was published in November 2021.
This is the third book in the Victor Lessard series but the second book which has been translated into English. Victor is a police detective in Montreal Quebec, an alcoholic currently not drinking, divorced with an adult son with whom he's not on good terms, and a daughter who lives with his ex-wife (I think). As this book begins, he is called to a horrific crime scene which involves the gruesome deaths of an entire family.
This story is very confusing and fragmented. There are many different storylines, involving the Catholic church, a pedophile ring, abduction, exorcism and lots of violence, blood and gore, and there are many characters to try and keep track of. There are also sudden changes from third person to first person without warning and I had to try and figure out which character's head we're in now. It's another one of those books where it feels like somebody's adding pages as I read and it took me forever to read it. I found my attention wandering quite often and I could easily have dnf'd it without knowing or caring how it ended but I felt obligated to finish. Some reviewers complained about the author's depiction of women which didn't bother me as much as the frequent references to someone or other's weight using the word "fat" to describe them. I doubt I'll continue with this series.
I didn't realize it rained so much in Montreal or was this just a bad period in time?! I felt like I was reading a book that took place in the UK! (No offense to my British friends!)
I really don't like to give a book only 1 star but there was too much wrong with it imo for me to even round it up to 2.
Thanks to Dundurn Press via Netgalley for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own. This book was published in November 2021.
November 15, 2021
The Devil’s Choir is a translation of one of Martin Michaud’s thrillers with Detective Victor Lessard. The story begins in Montreal where Lessard is called to investigate an apparent murder-suicide of parents and their two children. However, the detective finds it difficult to believe that this was caused but the father and will stop at nothing to get to the bottom of this mystery. There are a few areas of the book that prevented me from rating this book higher. There are a few too many side-storylines which confuse more than inform the reader. This being a work of fiction, I understand that the truth can be stretched but some instances were too implausible. I found it irksome that the female police officers are described in terms of their sexual attributes instead of their capabilities, this done by a detective who is supposedly in the throes of a failed love affair. In the era of me-too, this adds nothing to the story. I have read and enjoyed previous Martin Michaud books and I expect that this is a one-off and that mysteries to follow will be great. Thank you to Dundurn Press, NetGalley and the author for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
October 2, 2021
Michaud’s Victor Lessard crime thriller series was originally published in French and so popular that it was a television series there. It’s a dark series thematically and, with the discovery of a family murder-suicide, Lessard is pulled back to his childhood trauma and guilt at not being there in time to save his brother. In fact, Lessard is haunted by his brother’s ghost both in his nightly dreams and his waking hallucinations, often at inopportune moments. While he tries to maintain a solid front on the outside, he is falling apart on the inside, not just from his childhood terror, but from failed relationships with women and with his son. There’s little foundation left to his life except his ability to solve cases in the face of all odds. Even that comes into question when he persists in exploring a case against his superior’s orders and even when he’s supposed to be on medical leave, leading to public gunfights and corpses in unlikely spots.
Lessard thus is not quite the debonair man-about-Town Detective, but he’s quite an interesting case study and the case he digs his teeth into nearly proves his undoing.
This series and this novel gives readers a different taste of Montreal than the ordinary tourist gets, particularly the dark and seamy sides. Indeed, in investigating this case, Lessard comes across every kind of perversion and sin imaginable, but even his fertile imagination could not conceive of what lay behind the family slaughter or who was involved even passively.
A thrilling read that shows us crime readers what we’ve been missing, but now get to enjoy in what is really a great translation.
Lessard thus is not quite the debonair man-about-Town Detective, but he’s quite an interesting case study and the case he digs his teeth into nearly proves his undoing.
This series and this novel gives readers a different taste of Montreal than the ordinary tourist gets, particularly the dark and seamy sides. Indeed, in investigating this case, Lessard comes across every kind of perversion and sin imaginable, but even his fertile imagination could not conceive of what lay behind the family slaughter or who was involved even passively.
A thrilling read that shows us crime readers what we’ve been missing, but now get to enjoy in what is really a great translation.
October 31, 2021
The Devil’s Choir is the second book in the Victor Lessard series. However it is possible that it can be read as a stand alone novel without getting too lost among the characters and storyline.
The characters were probably established in the author’s first novel, Without Blood. But that really didn’t affect the story since it appears that the characters are still being developed and fleshed out. It was easy to get a flavor of the main protagonist, Victor Lessard, and his team of investigators.
The storyline is complex with multiple mini stories within the main framework. The plot is more than a simple whodunnit since there are many scenarios at play and all of them are intertwined somehow. That being said, the narrative is a little long and drawn out with some rough transitions. But in the end, everything comes together and any and/or all questions get answered in a somewhat predictable finale.
The targeted audience are those readers that enjoy whodunnit mysteries, and who don’t mind a slow burn plot line. Would I read more from this author? Maybe. I’ll need to read Michaud’s first novel in this series before I pass judgement. Right now, The Devil’s Choi is a fabulous four star read for me.
I received a digital ARC from Dundurn Press through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.
The characters were probably established in the author’s first novel, Without Blood. But that really didn’t affect the story since it appears that the characters are still being developed and fleshed out. It was easy to get a flavor of the main protagonist, Victor Lessard, and his team of investigators.
The storyline is complex with multiple mini stories within the main framework. The plot is more than a simple whodunnit since there are many scenarios at play and all of them are intertwined somehow. That being said, the narrative is a little long and drawn out with some rough transitions. But in the end, everything comes together and any and/or all questions get answered in a somewhat predictable finale.
The targeted audience are those readers that enjoy whodunnit mysteries, and who don’t mind a slow burn plot line. Would I read more from this author? Maybe. I’ll need to read Michaud’s first novel in this series before I pass judgement. Right now, The Devil’s Choi is a fabulous four star read for me.
I received a digital ARC from Dundurn Press through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.
May 4, 2017
La suite de Il ne faut pas parler dans l’ascenseur qu'il est, selon moi, impératif d'avoir lu avant d'attaquer "la chorale du diable" puisque comme souvent dans ce type de série, le suivi des personnages fait partie intégrante de l'histoire.
On en apprend, d'ailleurs, beaucoup plus sur Victor Lessard, son passé, sa vie, ses démons qui le poursuivent depuis son enfance et les terribles événements qu'il a vécu. Son personnage est magnifiquement bien développé. On vit avec lui, on souffre avec lui...
"Il ne faut pas parler dans l'ascenseur" est très bon. Je n'aime pas la notion de comparaison ou la notion de meilleur. Quoi qu'il en soit, "la chorale du diable" est encore un cran au dessus !
Plus cru que le précédent, plus dur aussi. Le style est encore plus fort, plus percutant. Comme si Martin Michaud montait en puissance dans ses récits mais aussi dans un émotionnel. Les mots s'alignent tous plus terribles et perturbants les uns que les autres. Il percutent, bouleversent... On s'arrête, on s'interroge, on reprend son souffle, on poursuit...
L'intrigue est super bien ficelée, le dénouement parfait. J'avoue, au départ, avoir été un peu perturbée par la construction de la dernière partie, comme une "inversion" des chapitres puisque la fin vient bien avant la fin (euhh ça parait pas clair ce que je dis là !!!). Le dénouement est donné mais le pourquoi du comment se fait ensuite...Original, bien torché. Au final, j'ai trouvé ça génial !
Un parcours musical et cinématographique riche et intéressant.
Des récits touchants dans des vies bousculées, basculées. Des vécus dont personne ne voudrait...
Du coup je vous balance plusieurs extraits, simplement parce qu'ils parlent d'eux-même, bien mieux que je ne le ferai et qu'il est inutile d'en rajouter...en espérant que vous serez conquis...comme je l'ai été !!!
Le stupide journal de Félix....Les mots simples, innocents, durs, forts, bouleversants d'un enfant...
"Je te prie de me croire, cher stupide journal, il est devenu raide comme un mort et ses yeux se sont encore transformés en oignons. Il m'a pris dans ses bras et il m'a serré fort, comme pour m'étrangler d'amour. (...)
C'était quand je passais beaucoup de temps dans les parcs avec les vieux messieurs, ceux qui me donnaient des sous pour que je fume leur pipe. Un soir, le patron a trouvé que je ne fumais pas assez fort, alors il s'est fâché et il a frappé le mur de pierre avec ma tête."
Moi, j'ai pensé que ma date d'expiration était arrivée. Et quand votre date d'expiration arrive, il n'y a rien à faire. Alors j'étais triste pour le mur que j'abîmais avec mon front."
On en apprend, d'ailleurs, beaucoup plus sur Victor Lessard, son passé, sa vie, ses démons qui le poursuivent depuis son enfance et les terribles événements qu'il a vécu. Son personnage est magnifiquement bien développé. On vit avec lui, on souffre avec lui...
"Il ne faut pas parler dans l'ascenseur" est très bon. Je n'aime pas la notion de comparaison ou la notion de meilleur. Quoi qu'il en soit, "la chorale du diable" est encore un cran au dessus !
Plus cru que le précédent, plus dur aussi. Le style est encore plus fort, plus percutant. Comme si Martin Michaud montait en puissance dans ses récits mais aussi dans un émotionnel. Les mots s'alignent tous plus terribles et perturbants les uns que les autres. Il percutent, bouleversent... On s'arrête, on s'interroge, on reprend son souffle, on poursuit...
L'intrigue est super bien ficelée, le dénouement parfait. J'avoue, au départ, avoir été un peu perturbée par la construction de la dernière partie, comme une "inversion" des chapitres puisque la fin vient bien avant la fin (euhh ça parait pas clair ce que je dis là !!!). Le dénouement est donné mais le pourquoi du comment se fait ensuite...Original, bien torché. Au final, j'ai trouvé ça génial !
Un parcours musical et cinématographique riche et intéressant.
Des récits touchants dans des vies bousculées, basculées. Des vécus dont personne ne voudrait...
Du coup je vous balance plusieurs extraits, simplement parce qu'ils parlent d'eux-même, bien mieux que je ne le ferai et qu'il est inutile d'en rajouter...en espérant que vous serez conquis...comme je l'ai été !!!
Le stupide journal de Félix....Les mots simples, innocents, durs, forts, bouleversants d'un enfant...
"Je te prie de me croire, cher stupide journal, il est devenu raide comme un mort et ses yeux se sont encore transformés en oignons. Il m'a pris dans ses bras et il m'a serré fort, comme pour m'étrangler d'amour. (...)
C'était quand je passais beaucoup de temps dans les parcs avec les vieux messieurs, ceux qui me donnaient des sous pour que je fume leur pipe. Un soir, le patron a trouvé que je ne fumais pas assez fort, alors il s'est fâché et il a frappé le mur de pierre avec ma tête."
Moi, j'ai pensé que ma date d'expiration était arrivée. Et quand votre date d'expiration arrive, il n'y a rien à faire. Alors j'étais triste pour le mur que j'abîmais avec mon front."
August 20, 2021
A Victor Lessard Thriller book #3
(La Chorale du Diable), book#2, the French version
An orgy of bloody violence and ghosts from the past haunts Victor Lessard on his latest investigation. What a nightmarish chamber with horrific murders he faces while he struggles to solve the puzzle and put an end to this insanity. Where does Lessard fit in this equation? What is his connection between missing girls and the savage murder of a family and who are the lethal operatives behind a highly secretive organization the detective needs to evade?.....
What an exciting read this well-run thriller is. The author writes with a rather particular rhythm; not hectic, but rather jazzy. The background is bloody, the heroic character just right and the intrigue very complex. The plot is super well put together with the perfect ending: original and well flared. I particularly liked the fact that behind this family drama hides a twisted secret and reality about today's world. At the forefront: pedophilia, rape, murder, Satanism, belief and Catholicism. Surely not a pleasant topic meant for everyone. What a complicated investigation with so many characters that cross the pages no wonder at times I couldn’t picture what was going on...but as in any good mystery it all comes together slowly and by the end leaves you very satisfied....The predominant character is Montreal City with its good and bad. In vivid cinematic scenes the beauty of the vibrant city shines in the author’s words. The atmospheric and chilling details give goose bumps.....
If you like a dark and thrilling mystery played by well-rounded although complex characters you will enjoy "The Devil's Choir"
Thank you Netgalley and Dundurn Press for the ARC
(La Chorale du Diable), book#2, the French version
An orgy of bloody violence and ghosts from the past haunts Victor Lessard on his latest investigation. What a nightmarish chamber with horrific murders he faces while he struggles to solve the puzzle and put an end to this insanity. Where does Lessard fit in this equation? What is his connection between missing girls and the savage murder of a family and who are the lethal operatives behind a highly secretive organization the detective needs to evade?.....
What an exciting read this well-run thriller is. The author writes with a rather particular rhythm; not hectic, but rather jazzy. The background is bloody, the heroic character just right and the intrigue very complex. The plot is super well put together with the perfect ending: original and well flared. I particularly liked the fact that behind this family drama hides a twisted secret and reality about today's world. At the forefront: pedophilia, rape, murder, Satanism, belief and Catholicism. Surely not a pleasant topic meant for everyone. What a complicated investigation with so many characters that cross the pages no wonder at times I couldn’t picture what was going on...but as in any good mystery it all comes together slowly and by the end leaves you very satisfied....The predominant character is Montreal City with its good and bad. In vivid cinematic scenes the beauty of the vibrant city shines in the author’s words. The atmospheric and chilling details give goose bumps.....
If you like a dark and thrilling mystery played by well-rounded although complex characters you will enjoy "The Devil's Choir"
Thank you Netgalley and Dundurn Press for the ARC
November 24, 2021
A compelling read. A confusing story full of conflicting plot lines. Interesting characters who are multidimensional but, at times, risk being unrealistic. A story I had to finish once I began…I had to know what happened, and why.
The Devil’s Choir is one of a series of police/crime/thrillers written in French by Martin Michaud and set in Montreal that are now being gradually translated into English. This is, I believe, the third book of the series but the second to be translated. Victor Lessard is the detective Sargent who leads this story, a man who has extensive personal emotional baggage as well as a past within the department. He is already rundown when he encounters the “case from Hell.”
The deaths of a young family begin a case that fans out across the city and into neighboring areas as Lessard tries to make sense of what he found at that crime scene. And as he then tries to make sense of other incidents occurring nearby or that may be related. At one point in the novel, we are told: What does it all mean? One thing’s for sure: Lessard hasn’t yet found the common factor that can turn these disparate details into a coherent picture. And if Lessard can’t, neither can the reader. There are street kids and a drug culture, some sort of religious cult, a side story of a teenage girl making sex videos to get by, and other violent deaths.
While I did find the book compelling and wanted to know the how and why and who, I found some of the details just too excessive for my taste. The description of the crime scenes and deaths were horrific. The multi-linear plot occasionally became confusing. And, as I said above, some of the characters behave in what seem, to me, to be unrealistic ways even in a fictional police procedural. But, and this is a big but, the story does keep you coming back, wanting answers.
Rating 3.5* rounded down.
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.
The Devil’s Choir is one of a series of police/crime/thrillers written in French by Martin Michaud and set in Montreal that are now being gradually translated into English. This is, I believe, the third book of the series but the second to be translated. Victor Lessard is the detective Sargent who leads this story, a man who has extensive personal emotional baggage as well as a past within the department. He is already rundown when he encounters the “case from Hell.”
The deaths of a young family begin a case that fans out across the city and into neighboring areas as Lessard tries to make sense of what he found at that crime scene. And as he then tries to make sense of other incidents occurring nearby or that may be related. At one point in the novel, we are told: What does it all mean? One thing’s for sure: Lessard hasn’t yet found the common factor that can turn these disparate details into a coherent picture. And if Lessard can’t, neither can the reader. There are street kids and a drug culture, some sort of religious cult, a side story of a teenage girl making sex videos to get by, and other violent deaths.
While I did find the book compelling and wanted to know the how and why and who, I found some of the details just too excessive for my taste. The description of the crime scenes and deaths were horrific. The multi-linear plot occasionally became confusing. And, as I said above, some of the characters behave in what seem, to me, to be unrealistic ways even in a fictional police procedural. But, and this is a big but, the story does keep you coming back, wanting answers.
Rating 3.5* rounded down.
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.
April 29, 2022
Deuxième roman de Martin Michaud et un bien meilleur livre que son premier. Non pas que le précédent était mauvais, mais on y reconnaissait sans difficulté les balbutiements d’un jeune auteur. Ici, la marche entre les deux est impressionnante. Une intrigue plus solide, plus fluide, mieux ficelé également et bien plus sombre. Les personnages gagnent également en profondeur au fil des pages, bien que l’on n’échappe pas à certains clichés et que, par moment, les dialogues semblent artificiels. J’ai aussi été légèrement déçu par la fin un peu facile et même un peu paresseuse par sa structure au niveau de l’épilogue. En conclusion, un roman divertissant malgré ses faiblesses et qui me confirme que je vais parcourir l’œuvre entière de Michaud au cours des prochains mois.
August 6, 2021
Fans of Dan Brown will find this right up their street. A thriller that comes at you from many different directions. It is a story you have to really concentrate on as there are many threads that do not add up until the end end of the book. It can leave you confused in places but is well worth persevering with. Lead policeman Victor Lessard find’s his past overwhelms him when he is called in to investigate an apparent murder suicide where a family is killed in horrifying circumstances. When Victor gets too close to a cover up that goes to the highest people in society he ends up going on a run for his own life. Victor is a character who has many layers but also has the support of his colleagues when all seems against him.
I was given an arc of this book by Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I was given an arc of this book by Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
August 11, 2025
Un thriller qui m’a fait un peu pensé à la série télé LARRY mais en moins bon. Certains commentaires racistes, grossophobes et sur le corps des femmes m’ont dérangée.
December 22, 2025
Écouté en audio.
Je suis perplexe. On dirait qu'il y avait trop de choses qui se passaient en même temps, mais pas assez de réponses/conclusions claires à la fin.
Je suis perplexe. On dirait qu'il y avait trop de choses qui se passaient en même temps, mais pas assez de réponses/conclusions claires à la fin.
November 8, 2021
Detective Sergeant Victor Lessard is called out to the apparent murder/suicide of a young family. The more questions he asks, the more he believes the deaths are linked to other murders with sinister connections.
THE DEVILS CHOIR is the second Victor Lessard novel in the series. Set in Montreal, it’s a dark, intriguing thriller involving themes of addiction, religion, satanism and paedophilia. Lessard is deeply troubled by his own past trauma which is revisited as a result of the case. His personal life is a shambles and he’s barely existing. His colleagues are worried and his boss is looking for any opportunity to make an example of him requesting he have a psychological evaluation. Probably timely given Lessard is having flashbacks and visions preventing him from focusing objectively on the investigation at hand.
Rich in setting, THE DEVILS CHOIR provides a deeper dive into Lessard’s character and depicts his personal struggle with his traumatic past. With dogged determination and a large dose of total disregard for his own physical and emotional well-being Lessard hurtles towards the darkness.
Pick this one up if you can stomach violence and dark themes in your crime thrillers, and loads of twists and turns. There’s a hint of the supernatural in this one, or at least the premise ghosts from the past keep company until the living find their resolution. There are competing storyline’s and descriptions that seem to be tenuously linked until it all comes together.
THE DEVILS CHOIR is the second Victor Lessard novel in the series. Set in Montreal, it’s a dark, intriguing thriller involving themes of addiction, religion, satanism and paedophilia. Lessard is deeply troubled by his own past trauma which is revisited as a result of the case. His personal life is a shambles and he’s barely existing. His colleagues are worried and his boss is looking for any opportunity to make an example of him requesting he have a psychological evaluation. Probably timely given Lessard is having flashbacks and visions preventing him from focusing objectively on the investigation at hand.
Rich in setting, THE DEVILS CHOIR provides a deeper dive into Lessard’s character and depicts his personal struggle with his traumatic past. With dogged determination and a large dose of total disregard for his own physical and emotional well-being Lessard hurtles towards the darkness.
Pick this one up if you can stomach violence and dark themes in your crime thrillers, and loads of twists and turns. There’s a hint of the supernatural in this one, or at least the premise ghosts from the past keep company until the living find their resolution. There are competing storyline’s and descriptions that seem to be tenuously linked until it all comes together.
October 19, 2021
Victor Lessard is a troubled detective. His adult son has moved in with him and their relationship is strained as it also is with his ex-wife. His current relationship with girlfriend Veronique appears doomed and he spends his nights sleeping in a Layzboy chair. He cannot even find solace in his favourite coffee due to his recurring reflux.
He gets called to an apparent murder/suicide incident where the husband has murdered his wife and 3 children with an axe before cutting out his own tongue and then ending his life. The murder site is horrific and made worse by masses of flies in the air and a thick carpet of dead ones which need to be cleared before the techs can work. A seemingly ‘open and shut’ case bothers Victor and he feels the need to investigate further despite warnings by his superior Tanguay.
Victor is clearly disturbed by this case, his colleagues notice this, but they are unaware of his past. Victor’s own father murdered his family and committed suicide as well, Victor being the only survivor as he was late home that day. This torments him and begins to see vivid images of his brother Raymond such that they can seemingly communicate with each other. Eventually Tanguay stands him down for his own good.
Suspension isn’t going to stand in Victor’s way though and he surreptitiously contacts his partner Fernandez to continue investigating. They turn up a similar case of murder suicide some years earlier outside Montreal which is the break he is looking for. He gets access to the case files and after demonstrating that there are matters unexplained the original investigating officer agrees to get involved thereby helping to legitimise Victor’s efforts. In doing so a sexual abuse and imprisonment is unearthed and a paedophile ring exposed.
Victor is convinced that the sinister forces are work are being controlled by a priest or a group of them. Is a satanic sex cult at the centre of it all? The answers are eventually revealed on home ground back in Montreal.
There’s certainly a lot crammed in here. The plot when distilled down is the hunt for a serial killer. However, there is so much complexity added in, layers of confusion and red herrings that play out, such that the reader is never certain where the story is going or who is controlling the killer, if indeed anyone is.
Most of the story is told in third person but parts are in first person which initially confused me a little until I realised those passages were reserved for past recollections or when Felix was writing in his diary. The writing style is un-fussy, and it comes as no surprise that the author has written extensively for television. Indeed, this novel reads like it would adapt perfectly for a multi episode series.
Here we see mainly the seedier side of Montreal away from the big city glare and the French/Canadian duality adds a nice twist to the narrative. However, much of the novel covers the major city problems of drugs, HIV infection prostitution and homelessness could be set anywhere. These are problems that many care to ignore but are all around us. Here they add an air of authenticity and grimy reality to a far-reaching plot. What violence there is muted and gory bits kept to a minimum.
Essentially this is an incident driven story but the characterisation of Lessard is extensive, and his back story is complex. We learn about how he becomes orphaned, his time in foster care and on the street, his past dealings with Monsieur Antoine’s outreach and his final mentoring phase with the gay policemen. All covered with a nice level of sensitivity.
https://peterturnsthepage.wordpress.c...
I was allowed access to a pdf review copy on Net Galley. Thanks to the author and publisher for organising this.
He gets called to an apparent murder/suicide incident where the husband has murdered his wife and 3 children with an axe before cutting out his own tongue and then ending his life. The murder site is horrific and made worse by masses of flies in the air and a thick carpet of dead ones which need to be cleared before the techs can work. A seemingly ‘open and shut’ case bothers Victor and he feels the need to investigate further despite warnings by his superior Tanguay.
Victor is clearly disturbed by this case, his colleagues notice this, but they are unaware of his past. Victor’s own father murdered his family and committed suicide as well, Victor being the only survivor as he was late home that day. This torments him and begins to see vivid images of his brother Raymond such that they can seemingly communicate with each other. Eventually Tanguay stands him down for his own good.
Suspension isn’t going to stand in Victor’s way though and he surreptitiously contacts his partner Fernandez to continue investigating. They turn up a similar case of murder suicide some years earlier outside Montreal which is the break he is looking for. He gets access to the case files and after demonstrating that there are matters unexplained the original investigating officer agrees to get involved thereby helping to legitimise Victor’s efforts. In doing so a sexual abuse and imprisonment is unearthed and a paedophile ring exposed.
Victor is convinced that the sinister forces are work are being controlled by a priest or a group of them. Is a satanic sex cult at the centre of it all? The answers are eventually revealed on home ground back in Montreal.
There’s certainly a lot crammed in here. The plot when distilled down is the hunt for a serial killer. However, there is so much complexity added in, layers of confusion and red herrings that play out, such that the reader is never certain where the story is going or who is controlling the killer, if indeed anyone is.
Most of the story is told in third person but parts are in first person which initially confused me a little until I realised those passages were reserved for past recollections or when Felix was writing in his diary. The writing style is un-fussy, and it comes as no surprise that the author has written extensively for television. Indeed, this novel reads like it would adapt perfectly for a multi episode series.
Here we see mainly the seedier side of Montreal away from the big city glare and the French/Canadian duality adds a nice twist to the narrative. However, much of the novel covers the major city problems of drugs, HIV infection prostitution and homelessness could be set anywhere. These are problems that many care to ignore but are all around us. Here they add an air of authenticity and grimy reality to a far-reaching plot. What violence there is muted and gory bits kept to a minimum.
Essentially this is an incident driven story but the characterisation of Lessard is extensive, and his back story is complex. We learn about how he becomes orphaned, his time in foster care and on the street, his past dealings with Monsieur Antoine’s outreach and his final mentoring phase with the gay policemen. All covered with a nice level of sensitivity.
https://peterturnsthepage.wordpress.c...
I was allowed access to a pdf review copy on Net Galley. Thanks to the author and publisher for organising this.
November 1, 2021
Thank you to @dundurnpress for including me in
#DundurnSpookySzn and the gifted book for an honest review. Don’t forget to check out their website for more book recommendations!
This is my second Victor Lessard thriller and OMG does this series deliver.
It’s dark, gritty & disturbing. You have a brutal crime that includes murder suicide, sex crimes, cults (!!) and the Catholic Church. The book also dives deep into Lessard’s traumatic past, bringing lots of layers to an already interesting man.
I love that Montreal is a main character in the story with the local culture and landmarks having prominent roles. I also loved the music references (Stars!).
The translation from the original French to English is really well done. This is something I’m extra picky about in thrillers because sometimes the tension is literally lost in translation, but that’s not the case here.
I definitely recommend this book to readers who enjoy intense and dark thrillers with complex plots and characters.
#DundurnSpookySzn and the gifted book for an honest review. Don’t forget to check out their website for more book recommendations!
This is my second Victor Lessard thriller and OMG does this series deliver.
It’s dark, gritty & disturbing. You have a brutal crime that includes murder suicide, sex crimes, cults (!!) and the Catholic Church. The book also dives deep into Lessard’s traumatic past, bringing lots of layers to an already interesting man.
I love that Montreal is a main character in the story with the local culture and landmarks having prominent roles. I also loved the music references (Stars!).
The translation from the original French to English is really well done. This is something I’m extra picky about in thrillers because sometimes the tension is literally lost in translation, but that’s not the case here.
I definitely recommend this book to readers who enjoy intense and dark thrillers with complex plots and characters.
October 18, 2021
This was the first Victor Lessard book I’ve read, I believe this is the third book in the series.
This is a very dark thriller which focusses on the murder suicide of a young family. Victor does not believe that this is a straight forward murder suicide and the more digging he does the more all is not as it seems which involves the Catholic church, potential pedophiles, assassins and very bloody murders.
The murder suicide also brings back some painful history for Lessard and is struggles now coping with this.
It’s not the best thriller I’ve read but definitely not the worst. Would maybe have enjoyed it more if I’d previously read the other books in the series.
Thanks for NetGalley for giving me an opportunity to read this book.
This is a very dark thriller which focusses on the murder suicide of a young family. Victor does not believe that this is a straight forward murder suicide and the more digging he does the more all is not as it seems which involves the Catholic church, potential pedophiles, assassins and very bloody murders.
The murder suicide also brings back some painful history for Lessard and is struggles now coping with this.
It’s not the best thriller I’ve read but definitely not the worst. Would maybe have enjoyed it more if I’d previously read the other books in the series.
Thanks for NetGalley for giving me an opportunity to read this book.
July 30, 2021
I would like to thank Netgalley and Dundurn Press for an advance copy of The Devil’s Choir, the third novel to feature Montreal detective Victor Lessard.
A father annihilates his family and then kills himself. Case closed to everyone but Lessard who suspects the involvement of a third party, but who and why? He is determined to find out, but with few clues and the ones he has not making sense, a ghost from his past clouding his thoughts and a lack of support from his boss, he is on his own against a dangerous opponent.
I enjoyed The Devil’s Choir, which is a challenging read with what ends up being a rather fantastic plot that pushes the reader’s credulity. That’s not a very encouraging introduction, but, after a slow start, I was absolutely hooked on the journey to the said ending.
The novel opens with a few scenes from the eighties. I only realised their relevance when I re-read them after finishing the novel, so pay attention to everything. It then switches to Lessard in the hospital and proceeds to go back to the events that got him there. It also switches points of view between several different characters with no hint of how they connect to the investigation or to each other. It’s slow and confusing, but bear with it as the novel soon becomes engrossing, tense and exciting as the links gradually establish themselves. It is also long and detailed in its interconnections and false assumptions on Lessard’s point. It is not a novel for skim reading.
I hesitate to mention the themes in the novel as some are quite distressing, but unfortunately not uncommon. I give the author full marks for his imaginative motive, which only becomes apparent in the concluding chapters, but don’t ask me to believe it could be real, although with my conspiracy theory hat on there are enough nutters out there that anything is possible.
Lessard is in a bad way in this novel in terms of his mental health, but the past has a way of causing trouble in the present and this case brings back bad memories for him. I like him as a character, far from perfect but striving to be a better person.
The Devil’s Choir is an intriguing novel that I can recommend as a good read.
A father annihilates his family and then kills himself. Case closed to everyone but Lessard who suspects the involvement of a third party, but who and why? He is determined to find out, but with few clues and the ones he has not making sense, a ghost from his past clouding his thoughts and a lack of support from his boss, he is on his own against a dangerous opponent.
I enjoyed The Devil’s Choir, which is a challenging read with what ends up being a rather fantastic plot that pushes the reader’s credulity. That’s not a very encouraging introduction, but, after a slow start, I was absolutely hooked on the journey to the said ending.
The novel opens with a few scenes from the eighties. I only realised their relevance when I re-read them after finishing the novel, so pay attention to everything. It then switches to Lessard in the hospital and proceeds to go back to the events that got him there. It also switches points of view between several different characters with no hint of how they connect to the investigation or to each other. It’s slow and confusing, but bear with it as the novel soon becomes engrossing, tense and exciting as the links gradually establish themselves. It is also long and detailed in its interconnections and false assumptions on Lessard’s point. It is not a novel for skim reading.
I hesitate to mention the themes in the novel as some are quite distressing, but unfortunately not uncommon. I give the author full marks for his imaginative motive, which only becomes apparent in the concluding chapters, but don’t ask me to believe it could be real, although with my conspiracy theory hat on there are enough nutters out there that anything is possible.
Lessard is in a bad way in this novel in terms of his mental health, but the past has a way of causing trouble in the present and this case brings back bad memories for him. I like him as a character, far from perfect but striving to be a better person.
The Devil’s Choir is an intriguing novel that I can recommend as a good read.
January 9, 2020
Avant de vous donner mon avis sur le livre, il faut savoir que je ne l'ai pas lu mais écouté... et pour faire original lu par un acteur du cru, donc avec l'accent canadien, ou plutôt québecois devrais-je dire. C'est une expérience intéressante car si elle donne une certaine dose de véracité, notre oreille n'est pas habituée. En conséquence, on a tendance à décrocher de l'histoire et de perdre le fil de la lecture.
En soi Martin Michaud n'offre pas d'histoire très originale avec La Chorale du diable : . Je suis même un peu dessus par l'aspect linéaire de l'enquête. J'irais même jusqu'à dire qu'elle est à la limite bâclée. Le b-a-ba d'une enquête avec des meurtres présentant des similitudes est d'enquêter sur la vie des victimes, leurs relations, leurs emplois du temps et leurs loisirs. Là, rien, pour arriver au final avec la découverte de ce point commun qui vient solutionner rapidement l'enquête. Aussi, je suis un peu déçu par Martin Michaud dont j'avais gardé un meilleur souvenir après avoir lu Il ne faut pas parler dans l’ascenseur.
Mais ce n'est pas pour autant que le roman policier est mauvais. Sa grande force est l'aventure humaine des personnages tant dans leur travail que dans leur vie personnelle. Ils sont bien sûr confronter à l'horreur un peu particulière du crime, de leur interrogation sur cette présence peu coutumière de ces mouches, et des affronts qu'ils rencontrent lors de leur investigation.
A défaut d'être original, ce livre est tout de même agréable à lire tranquillement.
https://quoilire.wordpress.com/2020/0...
En soi Martin Michaud n'offre pas d'histoire très originale avec La Chorale du diable : . Je suis même un peu dessus par l'aspect linéaire de l'enquête. J'irais même jusqu'à dire qu'elle est à la limite bâclée. Le b-a-ba d'une enquête avec des meurtres présentant des similitudes est d'enquêter sur la vie des victimes, leurs relations, leurs emplois du temps et leurs loisirs. Là, rien, pour arriver au final avec la découverte de ce point commun qui vient solutionner rapidement l'enquête. Aussi, je suis un peu déçu par Martin Michaud dont j'avais gardé un meilleur souvenir après avoir lu Il ne faut pas parler dans l’ascenseur.
Mais ce n'est pas pour autant que le roman policier est mauvais. Sa grande force est l'aventure humaine des personnages tant dans leur travail que dans leur vie personnelle. Ils sont bien sûr confronter à l'horreur un peu particulière du crime, de leur interrogation sur cette présence peu coutumière de ces mouches, et des affronts qu'ils rencontrent lors de leur investigation.
A défaut d'être original, ce livre est tout de même agréable à lire tranquillement.
https://quoilire.wordpress.com/2020/0...
November 5, 2021
Detective Victor Lessard, it's fair to say, had an horrendous start in life but in many ways he's made a success of what came next. When he's called to a murder/suicide however, a lot of bad memories come to rest just below the surface, and his struggle becomes real once again. Knowing he's missing something, and not wanting to fail the victims, Victor resolves to look harder and delve deeper not realising how much danger he and those close to him are about to be in.
This is the second of Martin Michaud's Victor Lessard novels but the third to be translated. Some things are known because of this but with a decent amount of time between each book's publication it is less of a problem this time around. The storyline is told mainly through Victor's eyes, some of the many antagonists, and the occasional insight from other protagonists along the way. There were also a few sections slotted in from the aftermath which didn't seem to do anything other than show in advance who survived and consequently weren't really necessary.
I enjoyed this book but found it complicated in part with sections which seemed to add nothing to the storyline. That said I would read any further Victor Lessard novels as he is, in all three installments, a very likeable, endearing, and easy to root for main character.
I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the opinions expressed are my own. I enjoyed this but with definite reservations.
This is the second of Martin Michaud's Victor Lessard novels but the third to be translated. Some things are known because of this but with a decent amount of time between each book's publication it is less of a problem this time around. The storyline is told mainly through Victor's eyes, some of the many antagonists, and the occasional insight from other protagonists along the way. There were also a few sections slotted in from the aftermath which didn't seem to do anything other than show in advance who survived and consequently weren't really necessary.
I enjoyed this book but found it complicated in part with sections which seemed to add nothing to the storyline. That said I would read any further Victor Lessard novels as he is, in all three installments, a very likeable, endearing, and easy to root for main character.
I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the opinions expressed are my own. I enjoyed this but with definite reservations.
August 16, 2021
440 pages
4 stars
Victor Lessard’s past is in the forefront of this novel. He is assigned to investigate a family annihilation - or so it seems at first. It sure looks like a murder-suicide, but something about it is bothering Victor.
The ghosts of Victor’s past are intruding on his investigation and he is having problems with his live-in son.
When Victor and his team begin to investigate, they discover a conspiracy that involves some of the “cream” of society. Before he knows it, Victor is on the run himself. Darn good thing he has loyal colleagues.
This story is rather convoluted and difficult to follow in places, but it is well worth sticking with the book. Mr. Michaud has woven a complicated and winding plot. And, it works! I’ve read the previous Lessard novels, and I can’t say that I enjoyed this one as much as the previous ones. I believe it was the bad guys. I usually try to steer away from that.
I want to thank NetGalley and Dundurn Press for forwarding to me a copy of this very good book for me to read, enjoy and review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
4 stars
Victor Lessard’s past is in the forefront of this novel. He is assigned to investigate a family annihilation - or so it seems at first. It sure looks like a murder-suicide, but something about it is bothering Victor.
The ghosts of Victor’s past are intruding on his investigation and he is having problems with his live-in son.
When Victor and his team begin to investigate, they discover a conspiracy that involves some of the “cream” of society. Before he knows it, Victor is on the run himself. Darn good thing he has loyal colleagues.
This story is rather convoluted and difficult to follow in places, but it is well worth sticking with the book. Mr. Michaud has woven a complicated and winding plot. And, it works! I’ve read the previous Lessard novels, and I can’t say that I enjoyed this one as much as the previous ones. I believe it was the bad guys. I usually try to steer away from that.
I want to thank NetGalley and Dundurn Press for forwarding to me a copy of this very good book for me to read, enjoy and review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
June 18, 2021
Thank you Netgalley and Dundurn Press for the eARC.
This was my third Victor Lessard book and unfortunately my least favorite.
Victor is in a bad place: he's investigating a horrific scene of domestic violence. It seems that the father took an axe to his wife and children, killing them, then cut his tongue out, stabbing himself and bled to death. It brings back Victor's terrible childhood memories and he's haunted by his murdered little brother...literally.
He ends up being put on paid leave, because his team are worried about him, but he's determined to still be involved, especially when there's a public attempt on his life.
It's a dire case, involving the Catholic church, pedophiles, assassins and very bloody murders by seemingly normal family men.
I found it hard to put down, but also quite depressing. I love Victor and the Montreal setting and would like to see the TV series on Netflix or Amazon, but I hope the next in the book series will be as gripping, but a bit more uplifting!
Recommended, but it's not for the faint of heart.
This was my third Victor Lessard book and unfortunately my least favorite.
Victor is in a bad place: he's investigating a horrific scene of domestic violence. It seems that the father took an axe to his wife and children, killing them, then cut his tongue out, stabbing himself and bled to death. It brings back Victor's terrible childhood memories and he's haunted by his murdered little brother...literally.
He ends up being put on paid leave, because his team are worried about him, but he's determined to still be involved, especially when there's a public attempt on his life.
It's a dire case, involving the Catholic church, pedophiles, assassins and very bloody murders by seemingly normal family men.
I found it hard to put down, but also quite depressing. I love Victor and the Montreal setting and would like to see the TV series on Netflix or Amazon, but I hope the next in the book series will be as gripping, but a bit more uplifting!
Recommended, but it's not for the faint of heart.
July 25, 2011
Lecture en deux temps. Je l'ai commencé en mai, et je n'ai pas vraiment accroché. J'ai dû rendre le livre à la bibliothèque car il était réservé. J'aurais pu le reprendre en juin, mais j'étais occupée par mon déménagement et pas trop accrochée comme je l'ai dit. Je reprends en juillet (je déteste ne pas terminer un livre) et paf! en 2 pages je deviens totalement accro. Finalement j'ai déboulé ma lecture jusqu'à la fin. Je ne sais pas si le début était lent ou si c'était moi en mai qui n'était pas dans le bon état d'esprit. Je penche pour la 2e option, car il est vrai qu'en mai j'avais beaucoup de choses en tête et une capacité de concentration en lecture qui commençait à être très limitée.
Ce roman est beaucoup mieux écrit que son premier. Les personnages ont plus de profondeurs. Et toujours cette petite touche de fantastique. Je suis prête pour la suite des aventures de Lessard!
Ce roman est beaucoup mieux écrit que son premier. Les personnages ont plus de profondeurs. Et toujours cette petite touche de fantastique. Je suis prête pour la suite des aventures de Lessard!
July 19, 2021
Hell, death, good vs evil.
Victor Lessard is back fighting them all.
He becomes involved in a case of murder suicide of the Cook family. Has the father gone crazy? Killing himself after killing his family or is there something/someone else at work here?
Victor, the maverick cop is the only one who thinks everything is not straightforward and is determined to discover the truth.
There are a lot of strands, twists and red herrings in this story so the reader has to pay attention to every detail to follow it .
This book is very different from most crime thrillers and very well written. You can’t skim over anything as you may miss something that is important later.
If you like Dan Brown books - this is better written and more enjoyable.
4 Stars ⭐️
Thanks to Netgalley for allowing me to read this book in return for a fair review.
Victor Lessard is back fighting them all.
He becomes involved in a case of murder suicide of the Cook family. Has the father gone crazy? Killing himself after killing his family or is there something/someone else at work here?
Victor, the maverick cop is the only one who thinks everything is not straightforward and is determined to discover the truth.
There are a lot of strands, twists and red herrings in this story so the reader has to pay attention to every detail to follow it .
This book is very different from most crime thrillers and very well written. You can’t skim over anything as you may miss something that is important later.
If you like Dan Brown books - this is better written and more enjoyable.
4 Stars ⭐️
Thanks to Netgalley for allowing me to read this book in return for a fair review.
July 21, 2021
Victor lessard the modern ultra age Sherlock Holmes ! An amazing read , I just got lessard locked. It's always an element of surprise to see the protagonist as a vulnerable individual which makes us connect more to the character, such emotions make it all real. Lessard is spectacular as always. Loved how he uncovered the uncouthed events unfolding before his eyes.
Lessard is certainly joining the carefully curated list of my favourite protagonists of all time ! This book will make you get totally and truly immersed within its pages and you wouldn't want to float .
Lessard is certainly joining the carefully curated list of my favourite protagonists of all time ! This book will make you get totally and truly immersed within its pages and you wouldn't want to float .
January 26, 2016
C'est un bon livre qui mélange le polar et un peu le surnaturel. Tout le long du livre on se demande où va nous entraîner l'intrigue.Le roman est un peu long et il aurait pu très bien se tenir sans la partie sur le kidnapping. J'ai trouve le personnage un peu trop typique des romans policier, c'est à dire un ancien alcoolique, divorcé, qui a de la difficulté avec ses enfants et surtout avec l'autorité de son supérieur. Cependant la qualité de l'histoire l'emporte sur le petits défauts.
June 24, 2021
Another fast paced thriller from Mr. Michaud. The writing is uniform and the tension is well maintained, but the plot is too convoluted taking the readers and the investigators down blind ends. The events are also quite gruesome and the mental state of Lessard seems to be very fragile. Balancing these are the supporting characters and the city itself with its bright and dark sides. 4.5 stars
October 18, 2021
A highly compelling thriller with both a very dark storyline and a dark protagonist, Victor, the detective investigating an apparent murder suicide of a young family. Like a lot of thriller heroes, Victor is something of a lone wolf on the darker streets of Quebec, but the author successfully tells the story of his tenacious yet intuitive revealing of the sinister truth behind the crime.
October 2, 2018
Derrière ce drame familial se cachent un secret et une réalitée tordus sur le monde de nos jours.
Se croisent pédophilies, viol, meurtre, secte, satanisme, croyance et, bien sur, catholicisme.
Un roman à coupé le souffle, mais déconseillé aux jeunes!
PS: Il y a trop de scènes non catholique...
Se croisent pédophilies, viol, meurtre, secte, satanisme, croyance et, bien sur, catholicisme.
Un roman à coupé le souffle, mais déconseillé aux jeunes!
PS: Il y a trop de scènes non catholique...
August 27, 2025
Son premier était meilleur, ceci dit c'était quand même assez bon pour que je veuille continuer la série. Mais le dénouement manque de morceaux je trouve...
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