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The Messenger
Wealthy and privileged, Alex has an easy path to success in the Parisian elite his father mingles with. But the two have never seen eye to eye. Desperate to escape the increasingly suffocating atmosphere of their apartment, Alex seeks freedom on the streets of Paris where his new-found friend Sami teaches him how to survive. But everything has a price - and one night of rebellion changes their lives forever.
A simple plan to steal money takes a sinister turn when Alex's father is found dead. Despite protesting their innocence, both boys are imprisoned for murder. Seven years later Alex is released from prison with a single purpose: to discover who really killed his father. Yet as he searches for answers and atones for the sins of his past, Alex uncovers a disturbing truth with far-reaching consequences.
Playing out against a backdrop of corruption, fake news and civil unrest, The Messenger exposes the gritty reality of a changing city through one son's journey to redemption and the truth.
A simple plan to steal money takes a sinister turn when Alex's father is found dead. Despite protesting their innocence, both boys are imprisoned for murder. Seven years later Alex is released from prison with a single purpose: to discover who really killed his father. Yet as he searches for answers and atones for the sins of his past, Alex uncovers a disturbing truth with far-reaching consequences.
Playing out against a backdrop of corruption, fake news and civil unrest, The Messenger exposes the gritty reality of a changing city through one son's journey to redemption and the truth.
448 pages, Hardcover
First published August 1, 2023
55 people are currently reading
720 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
August 20, 2023
A stylish thriller noir that highlights the dark underbelly of politics and media. Filled with twists and growing tension, The Messenger is a cinematic journey family secrets and spreading corruption. It is a high stakes battle for justice amongst the gritty backdrop of contemporary Paris, also discussing issues of xenophobia, classism, and censorship. An atmospheric and engrossing debut that blends a fascinating mix of personal and political, asking the question: how far would you go to know the whole truth?
November 12, 2023
Interesting novel enjoyed it but did feel the ending was rushed though
October 7, 2023
This fell a bit flat for me, which was surprising, as on paper, it has all the elements. Alex’s father is found dead, and Alex and Sami are implicated, and subsequently imprisoned for it. Now released, Alex must return to the faces of the past to find out exactly what happened. Sure, Alex and Sami were the last to see his dad, but that was just a simple burglary…so what happened afterwards, and who would’ve wanted his dad dead? Changing from the murder era, to present time, Alex tries to unravel the past while staying clear of a threat from an invisible enemy.
Touching on family ties, the undercurrent of inequality in modern day Paris, and the power of the press (immigrants are taking my jobs!!! style writing) to inflame tensions, we are left wondering how much of what we read in the dailies is real. Never mind, finished it, so that’s another for the 2023 reading challenge.
Touching on family ties, the undercurrent of inequality in modern day Paris, and the power of the press (immigrants are taking my jobs!!! style writing) to inflame tensions, we are left wondering how much of what we read in the dailies is real. Never mind, finished it, so that’s another for the 2023 reading challenge.
April 4, 2023
This is a really high class thriller. It is so well written. The author manages to get the balance between carefully woven plot, atmosphere and characters just right. You know from the opening pages what has happened to Alex’s dad but the dual narratives of Alex from the past and present work brilliantly together to bring the story to its conclusion. This story also manages to capture and portray the social tensions of modern France reflected in its edgy and dark atmosphere. This is definitely a 5 star read.
November 6, 2022
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
It honestly took me a while to get into this book but around the 60% mark when things began to pick up is when my interest increased, and I couldn’t put this book down. It was fascinating to learn more about Paris and its multifaceted nature, as well as the topics discussed within this book, such as socio-economic factors, racism, corruption and use of media for propaganda purposes. I really found it interesting how Alex was portrayed in this book – you go from seeing him as someone who has had things handed to him on a silver platter, but it isn’t enough for him to feeling empathy and admiration for how dedicated he is to finding out what happened to his dad. Then again, I think it’s due to his guilt why he is so motivated to find out what happened to his dad as he is not without blame. However, it never actually states what Alex was charged with.
The transitions between the dual timelines – the then which gives background information on what lead to Alex’s imprisonment and the now which follows Alex through his journey of what happened to his dad - was not as seamless as I wish they would have been. The story was sometimes hard to follow as it would feel like the narrative would change within a chapter but there was no indication. I was confused about some of the things that happened within this book as there’s a particular point where Alex is discussing something with himself, but it flashes back to his conversation with Elena, which is wrote quite confusingly – it had me re-reading the book because it had not been previously mentioned within the book. There was a lot of repetition such as Alex’s dad’s drinking and how it would increase his anger, which I was tired of hearing about. There were also some errors within this book, such as “Gateway to ParisGateway to Paris”, “zone” (should be capitalised), “they said there were faults with the buildings, that they was unsafe” and parts that were missing speech marks.
I was really happy that the ending tied everything up in a bow, however, it didn’t quite pack the punch that I thought it would. I thought there would have been more fall out from what had happened, and it felt like the conclusion was reached quite quickly.
⚠️ Content warnings: blood, alcohol and drug use, drug dealing, murder, physical assault, profanity, sexual situations including S&M, cheating, mentions of terrorism and war, racism, poverty, corruption, propaganda, derogatory language and slurs, vomiting, self-harm, weapon use (guns and knives), animal cruelty/death, blackmail, suicide, gambling, strangulation, mentions of capital punishment, bullying, police brutality, discrimination and mentions of Nazi imagery ⚠️
Thank you very much to NetGalley and the publisher Bonnier Books UK, Zaffre for the opportunity to read this book!
I have posted this review to my NetGalley and Goodreads accounts. I will also post a review on my Instagram and Tiktok a week before the publication date (30th March 2023). This book will be available to purchase as a hardback for £14.99, an e-book for £7.99 or audiobook for £30.62.
It honestly took me a while to get into this book but around the 60% mark when things began to pick up is when my interest increased, and I couldn’t put this book down. It was fascinating to learn more about Paris and its multifaceted nature, as well as the topics discussed within this book, such as socio-economic factors, racism, corruption and use of media for propaganda purposes. I really found it interesting how Alex was portrayed in this book – you go from seeing him as someone who has had things handed to him on a silver platter, but it isn’t enough for him to feeling empathy and admiration for how dedicated he is to finding out what happened to his dad. Then again, I think it’s due to his guilt why he is so motivated to find out what happened to his dad as he is not without blame. However, it never actually states what Alex was charged with.
The transitions between the dual timelines – the then which gives background information on what lead to Alex’s imprisonment and the now which follows Alex through his journey of what happened to his dad - was not as seamless as I wish they would have been. The story was sometimes hard to follow as it would feel like the narrative would change within a chapter but there was no indication. I was confused about some of the things that happened within this book as there’s a particular point where Alex is discussing something with himself, but it flashes back to his conversation with Elena, which is wrote quite confusingly – it had me re-reading the book because it had not been previously mentioned within the book. There was a lot of repetition such as Alex’s dad’s drinking and how it would increase his anger, which I was tired of hearing about. There were also some errors within this book, such as “Gateway to ParisGateway to Paris”, “zone” (should be capitalised), “they said there were faults with the buildings, that they was unsafe” and parts that were missing speech marks.
I was really happy that the ending tied everything up in a bow, however, it didn’t quite pack the punch that I thought it would. I thought there would have been more fall out from what had happened, and it felt like the conclusion was reached quite quickly.
⚠️ Content warnings: blood, alcohol and drug use, drug dealing, murder, physical assault, profanity, sexual situations including S&M, cheating, mentions of terrorism and war, racism, poverty, corruption, propaganda, derogatory language and slurs, vomiting, self-harm, weapon use (guns and knives), animal cruelty/death, blackmail, suicide, gambling, strangulation, mentions of capital punishment, bullying, police brutality, discrimination and mentions of Nazi imagery ⚠️
Thank you very much to NetGalley and the publisher Bonnier Books UK, Zaffre for the opportunity to read this book!
I have posted this review to my NetGalley and Goodreads accounts. I will also post a review on my Instagram and Tiktok a week before the publication date (30th March 2023). This book will be available to purchase as a hardback for £14.99, an e-book for £7.99 or audiobook for £30.62.
November 24, 2022
I inhaled this in one gulp. A breathtakingly clever thriller which evokes a dark side of Paris rarely seen in fiction, it is also beautifully written, brilliantly capturing the complex father-son relationship of Alex Giraud, a rebellious teenager from a privileged background, and Eddy, a heavy-drinking journalist whose past is steeped in secrets. After being imprisoned for seven years for Eddy's death, Alex sets out to discover who really killed his father. As his journey unfolds, it becomes clear that his own safety hangs in the balance. The Messenger is a truly accomplished read and I can't wait for Megan Davis's next work.
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April 5, 2023The Messenger is Megan Davis' debut novel. A truly intelligent and hard hitting gritty thriller.
It is set in my favourite city, Paris. However, this isn't the quaint, laid back Paris that I know and love. Oh no this is the dark underbelly of Paris. Where there is civil unrest and corruption aplenty.
Told through dual timelines, we get the story of Alex. He is wealthy, privileged but does not get on with his father. Seven years ago Alex and his friend were found guilty of murdering Alex's father. Now Alex is hellbent on clearing his name. If it wasn't them then who did kill his father?
It is set in my favourite city, Paris. However, this isn't the quaint, laid back Paris that I know and love. Oh no this is the dark underbelly of Paris. Where there is civil unrest and corruption aplenty.
Told through dual timelines, we get the story of Alex. He is wealthy, privileged but does not get on with his father. Seven years ago Alex and his friend were found guilty of murdering Alex's father. Now Alex is hellbent on clearing his name. If it wasn't them then who did kill his father?
March 27, 2023
You know those books where, to begin with, it feels a bit like you’re sitting quietly on a platform waiting for a train to come along and take you on a journey? You are happy to allow the plot to meander a little to set the scene for you, to give you the backdrop whilst you soak up the atmosphere, scenery and environment that the author lays around you. It’s a slow build up but gradually you hear the train approaching in the distance - it takes a while but there’s a palpable build up of anticipation as the train pulls into the station. You board the train and it’s only then that you realise that you’re actually on an express train, no, make that a BULLET train - THAT’S what this book is! It’s a slow burn to start with but it really gathers momentum and develops into a hugely twisty, gripping thriller that is steeped in complexity, is dripping in conspiracy theories, has a generous dollop of violence laced with a large helping of corruption and is finished off with a heavy sprinkling of blackmail! What a ride!
August 6, 2023
“The Messenger” by Megan Davis is a thrilling mystery novel that is complex. There are secrets, betrayals, conspiracy, danger, and death. In this edgy novel, there is a conspiracy and the search for older evidence. The timeline is set in the present and goes back to the past regarding the characters and events. The setting is in Paris. The author vividly describes the dysfunctional characters as complicated, complex, and flawed. Some of the characters are unlikeable. In this novel, Megan Davis has twists, turns, and disturbing revelations.
Alex Giraud is sixteen when he moves from the United States back to Paris, where his father resides. Alex feels like an outsider and resents his father, Eddy. Eddy is a journalist that is investigating something meaningful. Alex falls in with a difficult crowd of people and becomes friends with Sami, who steals and sells drugs. Alex and Sami devise a plan to get money from Eddy that goes wrong. Eddy is found dead, and Alex and Sami go to jail. Alex spends seven years in jail.
When Alex is released, he is determined to find the person who murdered his father. Alex interviews his father’s acquaintances and friends to discover what Eddy was looking for. The closer Alex gets to finding out the truth, the more danger he is in. Alex feels tremendous guilt.
The author has written an intriguing and powerful layered story. I would recommend this thought-provoking novel to those readers that appreciate crime and suspenseful mystery.
Alex Giraud is sixteen when he moves from the United States back to Paris, where his father resides. Alex feels like an outsider and resents his father, Eddy. Eddy is a journalist that is investigating something meaningful. Alex falls in with a difficult crowd of people and becomes friends with Sami, who steals and sells drugs. Alex and Sami devise a plan to get money from Eddy that goes wrong. Eddy is found dead, and Alex and Sami go to jail. Alex spends seven years in jail.
When Alex is released, he is determined to find the person who murdered his father. Alex interviews his father’s acquaintances and friends to discover what Eddy was looking for. The closer Alex gets to finding out the truth, the more danger he is in. Alex feels tremendous guilt.
The author has written an intriguing and powerful layered story. I would recommend this thought-provoking novel to those readers that appreciate crime and suspenseful mystery.
August 24, 2023
The Messenger by Megan Davis. Thanks to @wunderkindpr for the gifted copy ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
After a robbery gone wrong, Alex’s father Eddie is killed. Years later, after serving time for his role in the robbery, Alex is determined to find out who the real killer is and why.
It took me a bit to get into this one but once I did, I was sucked right into the mystery. There were a lot of pieces to the mystery that you pick up along the way. I liked the two different timelines and how they came together. I found Alex and his relationship with his father interesting to read about and heart breaking as well. I enjoyed the twists and the dark side of Paris, which is not something I’ve read a lot about.
“Poverty is a better jailer than locks and bars can ever be.”
The Messenger is available now.
After a robbery gone wrong, Alex’s father Eddie is killed. Years later, after serving time for his role in the robbery, Alex is determined to find out who the real killer is and why.
It took me a bit to get into this one but once I did, I was sucked right into the mystery. There were a lot of pieces to the mystery that you pick up along the way. I liked the two different timelines and how they came together. I found Alex and his relationship with his father interesting to read about and heart breaking as well. I enjoyed the twists and the dark side of Paris, which is not something I’ve read a lot about.
“Poverty is a better jailer than locks and bars can ever be.”
The Messenger is available now.
February 13, 2025
So, this is an award-winning thriller and first novel. It's about a dysfunctional family based in Paris, where the son Alex is wrongly accused of being involved in (although not guilty of) the murder of Eddy, his father who is an investigative journalist. As always with this theme, the central question is what was he working on? Which turns out to be some pretty dark stuff that is also relevant to today's issues. Because I picked this up and put it down over a period of time, I likely lost the thread and it seemed a bit complicated with its flashbacks and so on., but it was engaging and atmospheric and I am looking forward to the other book by this author that I have in my waiting list.
May 21, 2023
Idk if I fully got this one but it was mildly entertaining. 3*
August 20, 2023
This was a great mystery/thriller! There was a lot packed into this book and it immediately had me intrigued. The story was a bit slow at first, but it picked up quite a bit after the halfway mark. I appreciated the dual timeline as it helped to unravel the story. I also loved the Paris setting, as it made for an atmospheric read. The Messenger was very well written with lots of twists and turns. Overall this was a strong debut novel.
August 24, 2023
Edgy, elegant, and layered. The Messenger is a compelling, twisted literary thriller that spans, secrets, lies, betrayal, and murder in the dark heart of Paris.
Alex Giraud is only sixteen when he moves from the United States to Paris to reside with his father, Eddy. A wealthy journalist who drinks heavily and holds Alex to a harsh standard for his academic performance, Eddy is challenging figure to understand. He is hard on Alex, he frequently brings strange women over, and he seems to be involved in something that may be a bit shady. He says he is on the track of a huge story. Meanwhile Alex wants to see his mother, who is a transient figure in his life. She seems like his savior, but she also is elusive--pulling Alex in only to spend the time sharing about herself instead of getting to know her son.
Alex befriends a man from the streets Sami. Though Sami is essentially homeless and spends his days convincing tourists to buy perfume on the streets and pickpocketing, Alex envies him because he seems free. Meanwhile Sami wonders why someone with a beautiful home and money would ever envy a life like his.
The kids at Alex's school pull him into drugs and a beautiful girl Lisa plays with his heart while bringing on the ire of her boyfriend Thomas (though he seems to already despise Alex). When they ask Alex to help them procure drugs, he becomes an go between for Sami and a man he works for and the wealthy kids of the elite school. But they soon turn on him when he brings them poisoned drugs.
Sami hatches a plot to get money by stealing from Alex's father Eddy. Though Alex is reluctant, he eventually goes along with the charismatic Sami. But on the night they attempt it, Eddy winds up murdered and Sami and Alex are convicted of the crime.
Seven years later, Alex is released from prison, determined to find out who really murdered his father. But what he stumbles across is a web of secrets, deception, and betrayal that is bigger than he realized. The closer Alex gets to the truth, the more danger he is in.
Review
By about 40% I was completely engrossed in this book. I don't want to spoil the main elements of the mystery and where it heads, but it is completely fascinating. I loved the setting in Paris and seeing the darker side to the city.
At it's core, this is a book about dysfunctional families and the challenges youth face. I thought a compelling theme was seeing how much of an outcast Alex was within his peer group, and how that translated to him both finding kinship with Sami, and also being manipulated by Sami. Alex muses at one point when he is in the shady compound where Sami and many of the other street criminal reside that he looks up at the glittering, wealthy streets of Paris where those with means are driving by, and he wonders whether they realize how close they are to the Sami's of the world who they think so poorly of. How the divide between them and society's outcasts is bold but fragile.
Alex’s dynamic with his parents was incredibly well-written. With his father Eddy being the primary caregiver, small daily slights add up to Alex sometimes hating his father, while other times seeking his approval. His mother being an elusive figure in his life meant he often looked at her as his angel, desperate to go live with her. But soon it becomes clear there is a reason he barely sees her and her promises of him living with her always fall through. His father often “forbids it” but its clear that his mother doesn’t actually want him there.
The story centers on Alex but when I reflect, this is about widespread corruption that spans city lines and generations. The city of Paris and it’s various communities and divisions are central to the story. Alex is the character who seems to both belong everywhere and nowhere at times. The prison sentence divides his before and after with a gap that seems insurmountable. Seven years lost of a life that had barely started. The betrayal and lies he uncovers seem to expand and grow, and so many figures that seemed huge later become pawns in a network of greed, corruption, and power.
An edgy literary thriller that delivered a compelling, layered story with a great ending!
Alex Giraud is only sixteen when he moves from the United States to Paris to reside with his father, Eddy. A wealthy journalist who drinks heavily and holds Alex to a harsh standard for his academic performance, Eddy is challenging figure to understand. He is hard on Alex, he frequently brings strange women over, and he seems to be involved in something that may be a bit shady. He says he is on the track of a huge story. Meanwhile Alex wants to see his mother, who is a transient figure in his life. She seems like his savior, but she also is elusive--pulling Alex in only to spend the time sharing about herself instead of getting to know her son.
Alex befriends a man from the streets Sami. Though Sami is essentially homeless and spends his days convincing tourists to buy perfume on the streets and pickpocketing, Alex envies him because he seems free. Meanwhile Sami wonders why someone with a beautiful home and money would ever envy a life like his.
The kids at Alex's school pull him into drugs and a beautiful girl Lisa plays with his heart while bringing on the ire of her boyfriend Thomas (though he seems to already despise Alex). When they ask Alex to help them procure drugs, he becomes an go between for Sami and a man he works for and the wealthy kids of the elite school. But they soon turn on him when he brings them poisoned drugs.
Sami hatches a plot to get money by stealing from Alex's father Eddy. Though Alex is reluctant, he eventually goes along with the charismatic Sami. But on the night they attempt it, Eddy winds up murdered and Sami and Alex are convicted of the crime.
Seven years later, Alex is released from prison, determined to find out who really murdered his father. But what he stumbles across is a web of secrets, deception, and betrayal that is bigger than he realized. The closer Alex gets to the truth, the more danger he is in.
Review
By about 40% I was completely engrossed in this book. I don't want to spoil the main elements of the mystery and where it heads, but it is completely fascinating. I loved the setting in Paris and seeing the darker side to the city.
At it's core, this is a book about dysfunctional families and the challenges youth face. I thought a compelling theme was seeing how much of an outcast Alex was within his peer group, and how that translated to him both finding kinship with Sami, and also being manipulated by Sami. Alex muses at one point when he is in the shady compound where Sami and many of the other street criminal reside that he looks up at the glittering, wealthy streets of Paris where those with means are driving by, and he wonders whether they realize how close they are to the Sami's of the world who they think so poorly of. How the divide between them and society's outcasts is bold but fragile.
Alex’s dynamic with his parents was incredibly well-written. With his father Eddy being the primary caregiver, small daily slights add up to Alex sometimes hating his father, while other times seeking his approval. His mother being an elusive figure in his life meant he often looked at her as his angel, desperate to go live with her. But soon it becomes clear there is a reason he barely sees her and her promises of him living with her always fall through. His father often “forbids it” but its clear that his mother doesn’t actually want him there.
The story centers on Alex but when I reflect, this is about widespread corruption that spans city lines and generations. The city of Paris and it’s various communities and divisions are central to the story. Alex is the character who seems to both belong everywhere and nowhere at times. The prison sentence divides his before and after with a gap that seems insurmountable. Seven years lost of a life that had barely started. The betrayal and lies he uncovers seem to expand and grow, and so many figures that seemed huge later become pawns in a network of greed, corruption, and power.
An edgy literary thriller that delivered a compelling, layered story with a great ending!
October 1, 2024
3.5*
Dark coming-of-age thriller set in PARIS
“Rosamund Lupton meets Lupin”: This is the strap-line that drew me to this novel, as I like both the novelist’s work and Lupin on TV. There is indeed a touch of the former but this story does not deliver on the latter – wry humour, which is so characteristic of the TV series, simply isn’t present. Lupin was probably referenced because of the series’ setting, although the backdrop for the show depicts a very different, and more polished Paris/France in contrast to the downbeat and sordid city depicted in this book.
This is a coming-of-age novel very much set in a dark and dismal Paris. Tourists generally understand that the city has a darker heart than is at first sight apparent, one that feels desolate and dangerous on so many levels.
Teenager Alex is living with his father in Paris, his mother is in New York. The relationship he has with each parent is dysfunctional; his father drinks, tends to walk around the flat in the nude, undermines his son and is generally unpleasant; he also thinks nothing of bedding the mothers of Alex’s fellow classmates. Alex’s experiences of life at home, therefore, result in deep self-loathing, and the stress of his friendless situation at school heightens bouts of eczema all over his body. He finds himself associating with Sami, a homeless young man and together they are eventually accused of the murder of Alex’s father. A jail sentence ensues and the storyline switches between the periods before and after incarceration, having each been found guilty of murder. Alex is adamant that the two young men were not responsible for the killing and once released, he comes to understand that his father, in his role of journalist, was investigating something and that it is no coincidence that a second journalist has been murdered. Alex is driven to try and understand what has been happening, so that he can perhaps exonerate himself, and he finds himself descending into a morass of intrigue and danger.
Having set the early scene, the storyline spins off into a world of drugs, as Alex is egged on by two classmates to supply certain commodities, which inevitably does not hold him in good stead at his trial.
At the heart of the narrative is a good premise but there are just so many themes causing the storyline to get bogged down, lose its focus, and, at times, it just didn’t seem to know where it was going. The author is an acute observer of people and their proclivities but it felt all so astutely pejorative and grimly real that it evoked a mild sense of disgust in me. The migrant crisis, local responses and camps form another backdrop, as Alex finds himself confronted by the undercurrents within the milieu.
I listened to this as an audiobook, narrated by actor Adam Sims, who assumes a monotone and nasal American voice à la Stanley Tucci and then moves to different accents to distinguish the different characters. The slightly downbeat tenor of the narration, without a lot of undulation, added to the gloom and although it didn’t put me off, I found it hard to engage. The style somehow also mirrored the 1950/60s Cold War vibe of the bookcover, which doesn’t really represent the main body of the storyline.
The seamier side of Paris is certainly well depicted in this novel.
Dark coming-of-age thriller set in PARIS
“Rosamund Lupton meets Lupin”: This is the strap-line that drew me to this novel, as I like both the novelist’s work and Lupin on TV. There is indeed a touch of the former but this story does not deliver on the latter – wry humour, which is so characteristic of the TV series, simply isn’t present. Lupin was probably referenced because of the series’ setting, although the backdrop for the show depicts a very different, and more polished Paris/France in contrast to the downbeat and sordid city depicted in this book.
This is a coming-of-age novel very much set in a dark and dismal Paris. Tourists generally understand that the city has a darker heart than is at first sight apparent, one that feels desolate and dangerous on so many levels.
Teenager Alex is living with his father in Paris, his mother is in New York. The relationship he has with each parent is dysfunctional; his father drinks, tends to walk around the flat in the nude, undermines his son and is generally unpleasant; he also thinks nothing of bedding the mothers of Alex’s fellow classmates. Alex’s experiences of life at home, therefore, result in deep self-loathing, and the stress of his friendless situation at school heightens bouts of eczema all over his body. He finds himself associating with Sami, a homeless young man and together they are eventually accused of the murder of Alex’s father. A jail sentence ensues and the storyline switches between the periods before and after incarceration, having each been found guilty of murder. Alex is adamant that the two young men were not responsible for the killing and once released, he comes to understand that his father, in his role of journalist, was investigating something and that it is no coincidence that a second journalist has been murdered. Alex is driven to try and understand what has been happening, so that he can perhaps exonerate himself, and he finds himself descending into a morass of intrigue and danger.
Having set the early scene, the storyline spins off into a world of drugs, as Alex is egged on by two classmates to supply certain commodities, which inevitably does not hold him in good stead at his trial.
At the heart of the narrative is a good premise but there are just so many themes causing the storyline to get bogged down, lose its focus, and, at times, it just didn’t seem to know where it was going. The author is an acute observer of people and their proclivities but it felt all so astutely pejorative and grimly real that it evoked a mild sense of disgust in me. The migrant crisis, local responses and camps form another backdrop, as Alex finds himself confronted by the undercurrents within the milieu.
I listened to this as an audiobook, narrated by actor Adam Sims, who assumes a monotone and nasal American voice à la Stanley Tucci and then moves to different accents to distinguish the different characters. The slightly downbeat tenor of the narration, without a lot of undulation, added to the gloom and although it didn’t put me off, I found it hard to engage. The style somehow also mirrored the 1950/60s Cold War vibe of the bookcover, which doesn’t really represent the main body of the storyline.
The seamier side of Paris is certainly well depicted in this novel.
March 28, 2023
There’s a lot to like in Megan Davis’ The Messenger. It’s a strong story that pulls no punches in its depiction of violence, sex and the backdrop of poverty, immigration and alienation in the heart of Paris.
Alex Giraud has recently emerged from a seven year prison stretch and is now living in a half way hovel in Paris. He was sentenced as a juvenile, alongside his older friend, Sami, for the brutal murder of his father, Eddie.
Alex and Eddie had a difficult relationship, not helped by his heavy handed way with Alex, his frequent absences on his work as a journalist and his very heavy drinking. Alex’s mother took off some years ago and has a new life in which Alex really never figured.
Alex is heavily burdened by guilt. Guilt that he testified against his friend at trial and guilt because he doesn’t believe either of them are responsible for his father’s death.
The Messenger is the story of Alex’ quest to find out who did kill his father and why. Told as a dual timeline story narrated by Alex, we learn about Eddie’s drinking and womanising and Alex’s failed attempts to fit in at the succession of private schools he is sent to.
The present day timeline is brilliantly set in today’s deeply schismed Paris where immigration, racism and poverty sit side by side with all the wealth and privilege that Paris has to offer and civil unrest is prowling the streets.
Davis writes very well in what is a slow burn of a book. Alex comes across as fractured and sometimes a little paranoid, but it is clear he is vulnerable as a result of his childhood experiences. In the present day he struggles with his own conscience as he tries to understand who is responsible for jeopardy that follows him upon his release. He stumbles around trying to get to the truth but finds lies everywhere he looks.
As he retraces his father’s steps and begins to question Eddie’s friends and acquaintances, the truth becomes ever more unpalatable and an awful conspiracy is laid bare.
I loved the conspiracy element of this story which felt completely contemporary and absolutely right for our times. Megan Davis brings this aspect of Paris out of the shade and all its ugliness is portrayed once brought into the sunlight. Both intriguing and plausible, this is when the book really comes into its own and the depth of the plot is revealed.
I did think though that this book could have benefitted from some tightening of the plot and an injection of a little more empathy into the characters. The ending was tied up well, but again, given the slow pace of the book, felt a little rushed.
Overall, I enjoyed this dark and intense thriller and I’ll await Megan Davis next book with interest.
Alex Giraud has recently emerged from a seven year prison stretch and is now living in a half way hovel in Paris. He was sentenced as a juvenile, alongside his older friend, Sami, for the brutal murder of his father, Eddie.
Alex and Eddie had a difficult relationship, not helped by his heavy handed way with Alex, his frequent absences on his work as a journalist and his very heavy drinking. Alex’s mother took off some years ago and has a new life in which Alex really never figured.
Alex is heavily burdened by guilt. Guilt that he testified against his friend at trial and guilt because he doesn’t believe either of them are responsible for his father’s death.
The Messenger is the story of Alex’ quest to find out who did kill his father and why. Told as a dual timeline story narrated by Alex, we learn about Eddie’s drinking and womanising and Alex’s failed attempts to fit in at the succession of private schools he is sent to.
The present day timeline is brilliantly set in today’s deeply schismed Paris where immigration, racism and poverty sit side by side with all the wealth and privilege that Paris has to offer and civil unrest is prowling the streets.
Davis writes very well in what is a slow burn of a book. Alex comes across as fractured and sometimes a little paranoid, but it is clear he is vulnerable as a result of his childhood experiences. In the present day he struggles with his own conscience as he tries to understand who is responsible for jeopardy that follows him upon his release. He stumbles around trying to get to the truth but finds lies everywhere he looks.
As he retraces his father’s steps and begins to question Eddie’s friends and acquaintances, the truth becomes ever more unpalatable and an awful conspiracy is laid bare.
I loved the conspiracy element of this story which felt completely contemporary and absolutely right for our times. Megan Davis brings this aspect of Paris out of the shade and all its ugliness is portrayed once brought into the sunlight. Both intriguing and plausible, this is when the book really comes into its own and the depth of the plot is revealed.
I did think though that this book could have benefitted from some tightening of the plot and an injection of a little more empathy into the characters. The ending was tied up well, but again, given the slow pace of the book, felt a little rushed.
Overall, I enjoyed this dark and intense thriller and I’ll await Megan Davis next book with interest.
March 30, 2023
The Messenger is a novel by Megan Davis that reveals itself layer by layer, much like the gradual peeling of an onion. Along the way, there are red herrings and conspiracy theories, and more than a few wrong turnings. But the story provides interesting insights into the darker side of The City of Light as well as the multiple forms of corruption - moral and otherwise - that exist at different levels of French society.
At first glance, The Messenger is about the relationship between a father and son. Deeply unsettled after his parents' divorce, Alex lives with his father, but is not happy about it.
His Dad, Eddy, is a journalist who also seems quite unhappy with his life, and has a serious alcohol problem to contend with. Eddy is very critical of Alex, who resents his father's preoccupation with his grades almost as much as his withholding of paternal affection.
Things come to a head when Alex makes friends with Sami, a young man who comes from a very different background. The latter is part of the huge community of have-nots who populate the underbelly of Paris, making a living from petty criminal activities.
After Alex and Sami come up with the unwise notion of robbing Alex's father, the plan fails horribly, and the next day Eddy is found dead, brutally murdered in his apartment. Alex and Sami are accused of killing him, and in order to save himself, Alex throws Sami to the wolves.
As a result, Sami - already known to the police as a small time criminal - goes down for 25 years, and Alex, as a minor and the son of a rich white man, gets a reduced sentence of 7 years.
But once he has served his sentence, Alex becomes obsessed with clearing his name alongside that of Sami's. Unfortunately, whoever is responsible for Eddy's death has too much at stake to allow Alex to investigate the murder unhindered.
So what was the last piece of investigative journalism that Eddy had been involved in? Could that have played a role in his death? And who in his friends' circle knows more about this than they are admitting? These are the questions that begin to plague Alex, leading him deeper and deeper into the mystery of his father's death.
When one of his father's friends dies of an apparent suicide shortly after going through the documents that Eddy was working on, Alex becomes convinced that there is more to this story than meets the eye. The real question is whether he will survive long enough to find out the truth...
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for a fair review.
At first glance, The Messenger is about the relationship between a father and son. Deeply unsettled after his parents' divorce, Alex lives with his father, but is not happy about it.
His Dad, Eddy, is a journalist who also seems quite unhappy with his life, and has a serious alcohol problem to contend with. Eddy is very critical of Alex, who resents his father's preoccupation with his grades almost as much as his withholding of paternal affection.
Things come to a head when Alex makes friends with Sami, a young man who comes from a very different background. The latter is part of the huge community of have-nots who populate the underbelly of Paris, making a living from petty criminal activities.
After Alex and Sami come up with the unwise notion of robbing Alex's father, the plan fails horribly, and the next day Eddy is found dead, brutally murdered in his apartment. Alex and Sami are accused of killing him, and in order to save himself, Alex throws Sami to the wolves.
As a result, Sami - already known to the police as a small time criminal - goes down for 25 years, and Alex, as a minor and the son of a rich white man, gets a reduced sentence of 7 years.
But once he has served his sentence, Alex becomes obsessed with clearing his name alongside that of Sami's. Unfortunately, whoever is responsible for Eddy's death has too much at stake to allow Alex to investigate the murder unhindered.
So what was the last piece of investigative journalism that Eddy had been involved in? Could that have played a role in his death? And who in his friends' circle knows more about this than they are admitting? These are the questions that begin to plague Alex, leading him deeper and deeper into the mystery of his father's death.
When one of his father's friends dies of an apparent suicide shortly after going through the documents that Eddy was working on, Alex becomes convinced that there is more to this story than meets the eye. The real question is whether he will survive long enough to find out the truth...
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for a fair review.
April 9, 2023
Set in Paris, Megan Davis’s THE MESSENGER is the story of a dysfunctional family, of Alex Giraud, an angsty teenager, born in France raised in USA, and struggling to fit in Paris to which he, and his father Eddy, have recently returned. Increasingly estranged from his father, bullied by his peers at school, Alex escapes to the streets of Paris where he meets Sami, a small time dealer, a survivor, who introduces him to drugs and the small-time criminals who traffic them. Alex sees a way to use the supply of recreational narcotics to buy his way into the circle of those whose approval he craves, but actually hates, and together he and Sami hatch a plan to rob Eddy, Alex’s father, a plan that ends in tragedy.
The novel actually begins with Eddy’s death on Christmas Eve. Sami flees the apartment telling the hiding Alex not to go in, that, “He’ll be all right. He was still speaking.” Running to he father, Alex finds Eddy dying from stab wounds. And, seven years later, Alex is released from prison, having served a lighter sentence than the 25 years given to the older Sami, determined to find out who really murdered Eddy Giraud, and why.
THE MESSENGER is engrossing, tightly plotted and peopled by realistic, characters most of whom are simultaneously fascinating and unlikeable. It is slow-paced but never boring and, as the author alternates between NOW and THEN, we learn a lot about Alex, his relationship with his father, and the events that led to Eddy’s death and Alex’s incarceration; we see the older Alex’s obsessive drive to find his father’s real murderer and clear his and Sami’s names. Megan Davis reveals just enough information so that both timelines build in a deliberate, measured way until, about two thirds of the way in, the pace explodes, the stakes get much higher, and we career to the shocking conclusion.
It is difficult to believe that THE MESSENGER is Megan Davis’s debut novel, such is the ease with which she handles the plot. The whodunnit elements are satisfying, the atmospheric setting, the seedy Parisian underbelly, thoroughly convincing, and the suspicion of a deeper conspiracy seeded just enough to build the oppressive, claustrophobic atmosphere. It feels ‘real’ and I was completely won over.
The novel actually begins with Eddy’s death on Christmas Eve. Sami flees the apartment telling the hiding Alex not to go in, that, “He’ll be all right. He was still speaking.” Running to he father, Alex finds Eddy dying from stab wounds. And, seven years later, Alex is released from prison, having served a lighter sentence than the 25 years given to the older Sami, determined to find out who really murdered Eddy Giraud, and why.
THE MESSENGER is engrossing, tightly plotted and peopled by realistic, characters most of whom are simultaneously fascinating and unlikeable. It is slow-paced but never boring and, as the author alternates between NOW and THEN, we learn a lot about Alex, his relationship with his father, and the events that led to Eddy’s death and Alex’s incarceration; we see the older Alex’s obsessive drive to find his father’s real murderer and clear his and Sami’s names. Megan Davis reveals just enough information so that both timelines build in a deliberate, measured way until, about two thirds of the way in, the pace explodes, the stakes get much higher, and we career to the shocking conclusion.
It is difficult to believe that THE MESSENGER is Megan Davis’s debut novel, such is the ease with which she handles the plot. The whodunnit elements are satisfying, the atmospheric setting, the seedy Parisian underbelly, thoroughly convincing, and the suspicion of a deeper conspiracy seeded just enough to build the oppressive, claustrophobic atmosphere. It feels ‘real’ and I was completely won over.
April 4, 2023
‘The Messenger’ is a complex thriller that sneaks up on you and hits you in your solar plexus! It's was a delicious slow burn of a story that when the action kicks in you are thrown into chaos and misdirection. I loved this book. I'm a sucker for books which are set in my favourite city but this was also a brilliant thriller that managed to draw me into Alex’s story from the first page.
Alex has grown up in a wealthy and privileged household both in Paris and America. But he and his father have never really gotten along and now he is starting to push his boundaries by partying and escaping to the streets of Paris. There he meets Sami and is drawn into street life where one does what one needs to do to survive. But there are consequences of their actions and one decision is going to change the rest of their lives. Alex suggests that they steal from his apartment but things go wrong and Alex’s father is found dead. Despite both boys saying they are innocent they are imprisoned anyhow. When Alex is released seven years later he is determined to work out what happened that night and as he searches for answers he manages to uncover something that ruffles a lot of feathers!
This was told in a dual timeframe with the point of view of Alex firstly at the time running up to that fateful night and after he has been released from prison. They swap as the story progresses and although it's a slow meander in the first half of the book the tension and pace pick up in the latter half! But I was gripped through the whole book and enjoyed it all as you got to know a very nuanced character in Alex. I really liked Alex. I thought his quest for justice was both thought-provoking but also exciting for a reader.
The book looks at a few socials issues in Paris - the socioeconomic differences between central Paris and the suburbs, the rise of migration and how their lives look like in a developed country, and the rise of the far-right in France, racism in general and the corruption in society. How this all matters to Alex’s story, well I will let you discover that!
Let me know if you pick this one up!
Alex has grown up in a wealthy and privileged household both in Paris and America. But he and his father have never really gotten along and now he is starting to push his boundaries by partying and escaping to the streets of Paris. There he meets Sami and is drawn into street life where one does what one needs to do to survive. But there are consequences of their actions and one decision is going to change the rest of their lives. Alex suggests that they steal from his apartment but things go wrong and Alex’s father is found dead. Despite both boys saying they are innocent they are imprisoned anyhow. When Alex is released seven years later he is determined to work out what happened that night and as he searches for answers he manages to uncover something that ruffles a lot of feathers!
This was told in a dual timeframe with the point of view of Alex firstly at the time running up to that fateful night and after he has been released from prison. They swap as the story progresses and although it's a slow meander in the first half of the book the tension and pace pick up in the latter half! But I was gripped through the whole book and enjoyed it all as you got to know a very nuanced character in Alex. I really liked Alex. I thought his quest for justice was both thought-provoking but also exciting for a reader.
The book looks at a few socials issues in Paris - the socioeconomic differences between central Paris and the suburbs, the rise of migration and how their lives look like in a developed country, and the rise of the far-right in France, racism in general and the corruption in society. How this all matters to Alex’s story, well I will let you discover that!
Let me know if you pick this one up!
April 8, 2023
A young man in Paris, freed after serving seven years for a crime he did not commit, sets out to discover the truth about his murdered father and uncovers a tissue of corruption in high echelons. The story unfolds in two parallel times – one setting the scene for Eddie’s death; the other following Alex when he is released from prison.
The events of the past show there’s no question that Eddie is domineering, harsh and demanding. He wants and expects his son to do brilliantly at school, but his method of stick versus carrot only succeeds in alienating Alex.
Alex’s teenage rebellion takes him to the seamier side of Paris’s underworld, where his behaviour leads him to the tragic events of the night of Eddie’s murder. But all through their trial and subsequent imprisonment, Alex and his friend Sami swear they had only robbed Eddie, not killed him.
Now free, Alex discovers his father was working on something big before he died, something that would rock people in high places, something that he might conceivably be killed for.
It seems those people are still willing to go to any lengths to protect their secrets, and Alex
I have to confess I found the various threads of the plot difficult to fathom at times, involving as they do corruption, fake new and civil unrest. But the emotional pull of Alex’s journey from surly teenager to a young man faithful to his quest to bring justice for his father drew me in and kept me reading.
Alex is a very sympathetic character .I also empathised with Eddie, a far less sympathetic character, but still a great portrayal of a man whose strength and weaknesses have led him down some strange paths.
Finally, for me what made this book so readable was the utterly gripping glimpse into the seamier side of Paris. I’ve only ever seen the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the restaurants and the shows. But in the suburbs and the side streets, there is poverty and hardship, people who have nothing, and subsequently have nothing to lose. The description is stunningly realistic, and you can’t look away.
A powerful story which offers the reader far more than the surface plot, and a great debut from Megan Davis.
The events of the past show there’s no question that Eddie is domineering, harsh and demanding. He wants and expects his son to do brilliantly at school, but his method of stick versus carrot only succeeds in alienating Alex.
Alex’s teenage rebellion takes him to the seamier side of Paris’s underworld, where his behaviour leads him to the tragic events of the night of Eddie’s murder. But all through their trial and subsequent imprisonment, Alex and his friend Sami swear they had only robbed Eddie, not killed him.
Now free, Alex discovers his father was working on something big before he died, something that would rock people in high places, something that he might conceivably be killed for.
It seems those people are still willing to go to any lengths to protect their secrets, and Alex
I have to confess I found the various threads of the plot difficult to fathom at times, involving as they do corruption, fake new and civil unrest. But the emotional pull of Alex’s journey from surly teenager to a young man faithful to his quest to bring justice for his father drew me in and kept me reading.
Alex is a very sympathetic character .I also empathised with Eddie, a far less sympathetic character, but still a great portrayal of a man whose strength and weaknesses have led him down some strange paths.
Finally, for me what made this book so readable was the utterly gripping glimpse into the seamier side of Paris. I’ve only ever seen the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the restaurants and the shows. But in the suburbs and the side streets, there is poverty and hardship, people who have nothing, and subsequently have nothing to lose. The description is stunningly realistic, and you can’t look away.
A powerful story which offers the reader far more than the surface plot, and a great debut from Megan Davis.
January 5, 2023
Megan Davis’ debut thriller ‘The Messenger’ is set in contemporary Paris. Nevertheless, not amongst the well-known tourist sites of Notre Dame, the Seine, the beautiful boulevards or the tempting patisseries and chic cafes, and it is all the better for it. Davis focuses far more on life beyond the Périphérique where immigrants struggle in sub-standard housing and the homeless fight for their patch of squalor. The author has lived in Paris and her depiction of life beyond the city’s glossy façade feels entirely authentic.
Her story focuses on Alex who has been in prison for seven years, caught up as a teenager in the murder of his journalist father. Davis skilfully moves the reader between the timelines of then, involving angry teenager Alex, and now, as newly-freed Alex investigates who actually killed his father and why.
The author’s depiction of the fractious father-son relationship is a strength of the novel. Granted, Alex is truculent and materially spoilt but his divorced parents treat him very poorly. Brought back to France after living for a decade in the US, he feels like a complete outsider and is bullied at school and lectured at home. No one attempts to understand his predicament. When he strikes up a friendship of sorts with Sami, a homeless boy, he is drawn into a world of drugs and increasingly desperate behaviour.
In the second half of the novel, Alex gradually finds the answers to all his questions, notwithstanding the dangers he faces. Whilst based on the author’s research about French journalistic influences – an interesting subject in itself – the concluding sections of the novel felt less convincing and were less absorbing. Overall, whilst some might find the thriller elements satisfying, the depiction of messy familial relationships is what I shall remember ‘The Messenger’ for.
My thanks to NetGalley and Bonnier Books UK, Zaffre for a copy of this novel in exchange for a fair review.
Her story focuses on Alex who has been in prison for seven years, caught up as a teenager in the murder of his journalist father. Davis skilfully moves the reader between the timelines of then, involving angry teenager Alex, and now, as newly-freed Alex investigates who actually killed his father and why.
The author’s depiction of the fractious father-son relationship is a strength of the novel. Granted, Alex is truculent and materially spoilt but his divorced parents treat him very poorly. Brought back to France after living for a decade in the US, he feels like a complete outsider and is bullied at school and lectured at home. No one attempts to understand his predicament. When he strikes up a friendship of sorts with Sami, a homeless boy, he is drawn into a world of drugs and increasingly desperate behaviour.
In the second half of the novel, Alex gradually finds the answers to all his questions, notwithstanding the dangers he faces. Whilst based on the author’s research about French journalistic influences – an interesting subject in itself – the concluding sections of the novel felt less convincing and were less absorbing. Overall, whilst some might find the thriller elements satisfying, the depiction of messy familial relationships is what I shall remember ‘The Messenger’ for.
My thanks to NetGalley and Bonnier Books UK, Zaffre for a copy of this novel in exchange for a fair review.
November 21, 2022
Set in Paris, the book moves back and forth between the present day and seven years ago. In the present, Alex Giraud is struggling to cope with life following his release from prison for his role in the murder of his father, seven years ago. The narrative slowly discloses what happened seven years ago when Alex, privileged public school boy goes off the rails. Today's story reveals why Alex is himself at risk in the present day. As the book develops the two stories become more intimately entwined revealing that what is happening today is to do with what happened in the past. I found this book a bit of a slow burner to start with, although it became a more compelling read as it progressed. I thought it was overall a clever book, and raised some interesting issues about privilege and class.
There were, however, a couple of bitsthat didn't ring true to me. Firstly, Alex has a brief relationship with a girl, Lisa, aged 16. When released from prison she seemingly jumps at the chance to get involved with him again, although the earlier narrative suggests she was not actually that keen on him (but more interested in what drugs he could score). The second aspect which bothered me is when Alex reads his medical records while in hospital. The present-day world in this book is very similar to the world of 2022 where medical records and much of our data generally is digited- so the likelihood of Alex finding a letter marked confidential revealing the truth about his father seems highly unlikely to me, and clearly designed to reveal that little twist.
There were, however, a couple of bitsthat didn't ring true to me. Firstly, Alex has a brief relationship with a girl, Lisa, aged 16. When released from prison she seemingly jumps at the chance to get involved with him again, although the earlier narrative suggests she was not actually that keen on him (but more interested in what drugs he could score). The second aspect which bothered me is when Alex reads his medical records while in hospital. The present-day world in this book is very similar to the world of 2022 where medical records and much of our data generally is digited- so the likelihood of Alex finding a letter marked confidential revealing the truth about his father seems highly unlikely to me, and clearly designed to reveal that little twist.
March 29, 2023
I love anything set in Paris so I was looking forward to reading this. Written in dual timeline and told from the POV of the main protagonist, Alex Giraud this was quite a slow burner but it was worth sticking with it. Alex is the son of a former professor and journalist who is a heavy drinker and has become increasingly belligerent towards Alex. Their relationship is fractious at best.
Briefly, we meet Alex aged 23 when he has just been released from prison for the murder of his father when he was 16. Alex and his friend Sami had intended to rob his father but it appears things got out of hand and his father ended up dead. Whilst Sami was jailed for 25 years Alex only got 7 as he was a minor at the time. On his release Alex sets out to find the truth as he is convinced his father was alive when they left him. He and his friend Lisa start to question friends and relatives and bit by bit a tale of corruption and false flag events are uncovered leading to massive media misinformation.
As well as corruption there is also serious drug abuse, sordid sex and racism to contend with. The descriptions of Paris were excellent exploring not the tourist Paris I know and love but it’s dark underbelly. Be prepared there are some terrible revelations as the story moves towards the end. A good read, quite dark at time, which explores relationships and socioeconomic class dynamics, a shocking read.
Briefly, we meet Alex aged 23 when he has just been released from prison for the murder of his father when he was 16. Alex and his friend Sami had intended to rob his father but it appears things got out of hand and his father ended up dead. Whilst Sami was jailed for 25 years Alex only got 7 as he was a minor at the time. On his release Alex sets out to find the truth as he is convinced his father was alive when they left him. He and his friend Lisa start to question friends and relatives and bit by bit a tale of corruption and false flag events are uncovered leading to massive media misinformation.
As well as corruption there is also serious drug abuse, sordid sex and racism to contend with. The descriptions of Paris were excellent exploring not the tourist Paris I know and love but it’s dark underbelly. Be prepared there are some terrible revelations as the story moves towards the end. A good read, quite dark at time, which explores relationships and socioeconomic class dynamics, a shocking read.
November 8, 2023
Alex Giraud now lives in Paris with his father, Eddy, after being in the US for a number of years. Alex is rich and in the elite group. Goes to a private school. He is not happy in this situation and often disagrees with his father. Eddy continually berates Alex for various things.
To avoid his father, he takes to the French streets and meets Sami who seemingly shows him the way of the streets. A plan is formed, just a robbery, that leaves Eddy dead. Sami is charged with the murder and sentenced to 25 years and Alex gets 7.
Time passes and Alex is released from prison a very cynical person now, he still professes his innocence. But how does he prove it? He feels guilt about Sami because he knows that he did not kill his father. Now his purpose is to find out who actually did the crime.
As he searches for the truth, he comes across a plot that can and did change the streets of Paris. Can he survive and will he be able to find the truth?
This story is very intense, in that there are so many twists and turns, and I was surprised by the ending. Plus Alex learned about some aspects of his parents, especially his father that opened up his eyes to who he really was.
I think if you enjoy a novel that is in the noir genre, I think that you would love to read this book! I enjoyed it! I give it 5 stars!
I was provided a copy of the book by the publisher for review purposes only and was not monetarily compensated for said review.
To avoid his father, he takes to the French streets and meets Sami who seemingly shows him the way of the streets. A plan is formed, just a robbery, that leaves Eddy dead. Sami is charged with the murder and sentenced to 25 years and Alex gets 7.
Time passes and Alex is released from prison a very cynical person now, he still professes his innocence. But how does he prove it? He feels guilt about Sami because he knows that he did not kill his father. Now his purpose is to find out who actually did the crime.
As he searches for the truth, he comes across a plot that can and did change the streets of Paris. Can he survive and will he be able to find the truth?
This story is very intense, in that there are so many twists and turns, and I was surprised by the ending. Plus Alex learned about some aspects of his parents, especially his father that opened up his eyes to who he really was.
I think if you enjoy a novel that is in the noir genre, I think that you would love to read this book! I enjoyed it! I give it 5 stars!
I was provided a copy of the book by the publisher for review purposes only and was not monetarily compensated for said review.
March 15, 2024
This book has way too much happening for me to give a decent review but what I will say is Eric was being raised by his father Eddie who had a bully holier than thou type attitude so when Eddie and his friend Sam decide to rob his dad Sam goes upstairs to rob him and the next thing they know Eric and Sam are being arrested for his murder. After Eric serves time he wants to know who really killed his dad in the rest of the book is him searching for these answers and also a retrospect of his life with his dad, butt where this book went I was not prepared and OMG this really was a good book can a murder mystery feel like a Gothic read because this one certainly did. Set in Paris, with a pulse pounding atmosphere the author really knows how to ramp up the tension with just every day Life stressors the mystery reaches international places and I really enjoyed it. I especially enjoyed the narration Buy Adam Sims this really was an original read in one any mystery fan would love. If you like family drama mixed with international dealings you’ll definitely love the Messenger by Megan Davis. Throughout the book I kept thinking it had such a Gothic feel for a current day novel I DK but if you read it you may understand it was a great book and one I definitely recommend. I want to thank Xapher, bonaire UK audio and NetGalley for my free arc audio copy please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.
July 27, 2024
Wealthy and privileged, Alex has an easy path to success in the Parisian elite. But he and his domineering father have never seen eye to eye. Desperate to escape his life, Alex seeks freedom on the streets of Paris with his new friend Sami. His rebellion takes a sinister turn when Alex's father is found dead, and both boys are imprisoned for murder. Seven years later Alex is released from prison with a single purpose: to discover who really killed his father.
I ended up enjoying this more than I’d expected! Initially anticipating a popcorn thriller, this came with an extra level of depth about parent-child relationship against the backdrop of political turmoils in Paris.
The alternating chapters between Alex’s past and present offered interesting contrasts. The ‘past’ Alex was whiney, spoilt and didn’t appreciate his life as much as he should’ve. Of course, he didn’t realise how fortunate he was until he lost it all. Not gonna lie, I didn’t like the ‘past’ Alex at all.
The ‘present’ Alex, on the other hand, knew better. He was more sceptical of life in general. My heart broke for him as I followed his journey to find the truth.
This was a great psychological mystery suspense that was delivered even better as an audiobook!
(Thanks to NetGalley and Zaffre Books for a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review)
See my bookstagram review.
I ended up enjoying this more than I’d expected! Initially anticipating a popcorn thriller, this came with an extra level of depth about parent-child relationship against the backdrop of political turmoils in Paris.
The alternating chapters between Alex’s past and present offered interesting contrasts. The ‘past’ Alex was whiney, spoilt and didn’t appreciate his life as much as he should’ve. Of course, he didn’t realise how fortunate he was until he lost it all. Not gonna lie, I didn’t like the ‘past’ Alex at all.
The ‘present’ Alex, on the other hand, knew better. He was more sceptical of life in general. My heart broke for him as I followed his journey to find the truth.
This was a great psychological mystery suspense that was delivered even better as an audiobook!
(Thanks to NetGalley and Zaffre Books for a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review)
See my bookstagram review.
May 28, 2024
Ugh!!! Initially I felt this book was a bit like the old classic The Catcher in the Rye because the teen protagonist is privileged and yet so resentful. As the story progresses I realized there are a few slight similarities but the writing doesn't begin to compare to The Catcher in the Rye. Sadly, I did
see Alex has a reason for his resentment.
The storyline pops back and forth between present time and seven years earlier when Alex and a 'friend' named Sami rob Alex's father and are blamed for his murder. Seven years later Alex is released from jail and is trying to address the guilt he feels about Sami's long prison term and the death of his father. Add to this Alex knows Sami did not kill his father but he doesn't know who did
nor why. Add in the anger and confusion about the falsehoods his worthless parents presented to him over the course of his life and you end up with a wreck of a human being.
The only decent person in the whole novel is Alex's Aunt Bea. Everyone else is full of deceit, self-absorbed, moral-less, and etc.
Somewhere I heard this was good book so I kept plodding along but I eventually gave up and skim read the last 20 pages of the book but still didn't find anything compelling about the story.
In my opinion life is too short to waste on this book.
see Alex has a reason for his resentment.
The storyline pops back and forth between present time and seven years earlier when Alex and a 'friend' named Sami rob Alex's father and are blamed for his murder. Seven years later Alex is released from jail and is trying to address the guilt he feels about Sami's long prison term and the death of his father. Add to this Alex knows Sami did not kill his father but he doesn't know who did
nor why. Add in the anger and confusion about the falsehoods his worthless parents presented to him over the course of his life and you end up with a wreck of a human being.
The only decent person in the whole novel is Alex's Aunt Bea. Everyone else is full of deceit, self-absorbed, moral-less, and etc.
Somewhere I heard this was good book so I kept plodding along but I eventually gave up and skim read the last 20 pages of the book but still didn't find anything compelling about the story.
In my opinion life is too short to waste on this book.
December 25, 2025
This was an intriguing 'who done it' set in Paris. The story jumped back and forth to before the crime to current day after Alex is released from prison for the crime of killing his father. The man who was with him still has a long stretch to serve and Alex feels obligated to find the real killer.
From a privileged background, Alex suffered his domineering father and his expectations of Alex's future in that society, where Alex does not feel he fits in.
His mother has remarried and seems unwilling to even see him.
His father is a journalist, with other journalist/writer friends. After Alex is released from prison, because he was a minor at the time of the alleged murder, he is determined to discover what story his father was working on that may have led to his murder. Another of his friends also died in apparent suicide shortly afterwards.
The backstory is that Alex was able to steal money from his father's accounts and ran away from home when he's been barred from the elite school he attended. He had met a guy named Sami on the streets, who was able to teach him how to survive that way. They hatch a plot to steal more money from Alex's father and run away more permanently. But it all goes badly wrong and somehow his father ends up dead.
It's a complex story, with many strands, but it did keep me interested. There was a twist at the end too.
From a privileged background, Alex suffered his domineering father and his expectations of Alex's future in that society, where Alex does not feel he fits in.
His mother has remarried and seems unwilling to even see him.
His father is a journalist, with other journalist/writer friends. After Alex is released from prison, because he was a minor at the time of the alleged murder, he is determined to discover what story his father was working on that may have led to his murder. Another of his friends also died in apparent suicide shortly afterwards.
The backstory is that Alex was able to steal money from his father's accounts and ran away from home when he's been barred from the elite school he attended. He had met a guy named Sami on the streets, who was able to teach him how to survive that way. They hatch a plot to steal more money from Alex's father and run away more permanently. But it all goes badly wrong and somehow his father ends up dead.
It's a complex story, with many strands, but it did keep me interested. There was a twist at the end too.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 14, 2022
Set in Paris, “The Messenger” is about a teenager’s quest to find his father’s killer after he is wrongly imprisoned for his murder.
Read it if: you want a slow-paced literary mystery combined with a coming-of-age story.
Don’t read it if: you’re looking for something you can speedily sail through – this one forces you to stop and think.
As far as thriller mysteries go, this plot of “The Messenger” is very compelling. You are really feel the protagonist’s (Alex) confusion about his father’s life, career and the mysterious circumstances of his death. The plot brings in big political issues such as class, the nature of protest, homelessness, ethics in business and journalistic integrity.
My favourite parts of the book are when we see Alex’s interactions with his father and other family members, and we follow his struggle to be accepted for who he is, and ultimately to be believed and have his suspicions vindicated.
The novel also has a dystopian feel to it, as it presents a terrifying future that I found extremely believable as we reach the end of 2022.
With thanks to Bonnier Books and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Read it if: you want a slow-paced literary mystery combined with a coming-of-age story.
Don’t read it if: you’re looking for something you can speedily sail through – this one forces you to stop and think.
As far as thriller mysteries go, this plot of “The Messenger” is very compelling. You are really feel the protagonist’s (Alex) confusion about his father’s life, career and the mysterious circumstances of his death. The plot brings in big political issues such as class, the nature of protest, homelessness, ethics in business and journalistic integrity.
My favourite parts of the book are when we see Alex’s interactions with his father and other family members, and we follow his struggle to be accepted for who he is, and ultimately to be believed and have his suspicions vindicated.
The novel also has a dystopian feel to it, as it presents a terrifying future that I found extremely believable as we reach the end of 2022.
With thanks to Bonnier Books and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 16, 2023
Alex Giraud lives with his father in Paris and rarely sees his mother who has remarried. He's unhappy at his exclusive school and doesn't seem to have any friends. He also doesn't have a great relationship with his father.
Alex becomes friendly with an older boy, Sami, and after a drug deal goes wrong they come up with a plan to rob Alex's father to pay off the dealer. Unfortunately the plan goes wrong and Eddy, Alex's father, is killed. Sami and Alex are convicted of his murder with Alex serving less time because of his age.
When he is released from prison after seven years Alex is determined to find out who really killed his father and why. However there are plenty of people who are determined that he won't succeed.
A very enjoyable tale with many twists and turns .
Thanks to the Pigeonhole and the author for the opportunity of reading this book.
Alex becomes friendly with an older boy, Sami, and after a drug deal goes wrong they come up with a plan to rob Alex's father to pay off the dealer. Unfortunately the plan goes wrong and Eddy, Alex's father, is killed. Sami and Alex are convicted of his murder with Alex serving less time because of his age.
When he is released from prison after seven years Alex is determined to find out who really killed his father and why. However there are plenty of people who are determined that he won't succeed.
A very enjoyable tale with many twists and turns .
Thanks to the Pigeonhole and the author for the opportunity of reading this book.
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