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Père Kern et Clarie Kauffmann #1
The Madonna of Notre Dame
Fifty thousand believers and photo-hungry tourists jam into Notre Dame Cathedral on August 15 to celebrate the Feast of the Assumption. The next morning, a stunningly beautiful young woman clothed all in white kneels at prayer in a cathedral side chapel. But when an American tourist accidentally bumps against her, her body collapses. She has been the autopsy reveals disturbing details. Police investigators and priests search for the killer as they discover other truths about guilt and redemption in this soaring Paris refuge for the lost, the damned, and the saved. The suspect is a disturbed young man obsessed with the Virgin Mary who spends his days hallucinating in front of a Madonna. But someone else knows the true killer of the white-clad daughter of Algerian immigrants. This thrilling novel illuminates shadowy corners of the world’s most famous cathedral, shedding light on good and evil with suspense, compassion, and wry humor.
183 pages, Paperback
First published December 9, 2013
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499 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
November 27, 2024
Μια περίεργη ιστορία ξετυλίγεται στην διάρκεια της εξιχνίασης της δολοφονίας της Λουνά,μιας φοιτήτριας της οποίας το νεκρό σώμα ανακαλύφθηκε μέσα στην Νοτρ Νταμ.
Ένας επιθεωρητής κανονικός μπάτσος,με την νοοτροπία του και την πόζα του κλπ,μια εισαγγελέας που την κατατρέχουν οι δικοί της δαίμονες,θρησκόληπτοι αλλά και θρησκευόμενοι πιστοί,ιερείς ,μετανάστες, ιερόδουλες,στρατιώτες και άλλοι πολλοί,βρίσκουν μια θέση στην εξέλιξη αυτής της ιστορίας,που εκτυλίσσεται σε περίπου 250 σελίδες.Ο συγγραφέας με έναν τρόπο που βρίσκεται ανάμεσα στο καυστικό χιούμορ και την έντονη κριτική,θέτει διάφορους προβληματισμούς και σχολιάζει το εμπόριο που λαμβάνει χώρα στους τόπους λατρείας,στο πώς η διαφθορά κάνει πάρτυ στα υψηλόβαθμα στελέχη όπου κι αν υπηρετούν.Σχολιάζει επίσης το πόσο εύκολο είναι να περιθωριοποιούμε ή και να στιγματίζουμε τον διπλανό μας χωρίς καμιά δεύτερη σκέψη.Μου άρεσε πολύ,ήταν μια ευχάριστη αλλαγή στο ύφος που έχουν συνήθως έχουν τα αστυνομικά.5⭐
Ένας επιθεωρητής κανονικός μπάτσος,με την νοοτροπία του και την πόζα του κλπ,μια εισαγγελέας που την κατατρέχουν οι δικοί της δαίμονες,θρησκόληπτοι αλλά και θρησκευόμενοι πιστοί,ιερείς ,μετανάστες, ιερόδουλες,στρατιώτες και άλλοι πολλοί,βρίσκουν μια θέση στην εξέλιξη αυτής της ιστορίας,που εκτυλίσσεται σε περίπου 250 σελίδες.Ο συγγραφέας με έναν τρόπο που βρίσκεται ανάμεσα στο καυστικό χιούμορ και την έντονη κριτική,θέτει διάφορους προβληματισμούς και σχολιάζει το εμπόριο που λαμβάνει χώρα στους τόπους λατρείας,στο πώς η διαφθορά κάνει πάρτυ στα υψηλόβαθμα στελέχη όπου κι αν υπηρετούν.Σχολιάζει επίσης το πόσο εύκολο είναι να περιθωριοποιούμε ή και να στιγματίζουμε τον διπλανό μας χωρίς καμιά δεύτερη σκέψη.Μου άρεσε πολύ,ήταν μια ευχάριστη αλλαγή στο ύφος που έχουν συνήθως έχουν τα αστυνομικά.5⭐
December 7, 2024
Πως ένα βιβλίο 260 σελίδων μπορεί να χωρέσει μέσα ολόκληρη την ιστορία, χωρίς κενά, χωρίς απορίες, να κρατήσει αμείωτο το ενδιαφέρον του αναγνώστη, να σε κάνει να ανατριχιάσεις, να αφουγραστεις, να σκεφτείς, να νιώσεις τόσα αντιφατικά συναισθήματα. Είναι πολλα παραπάνω από ένα αστυνομικό.
Η ιστορία ρέει αβίαστα, δεν κάνει κοιλιά, έχει αρχή μέση τέλος, και μπορεί να ικανοποιήσει και τον πιο απαιτητικό αναγνώστη.
5 αστέρια και φυσικά προτείνεται.
Εξαιρετικό και μπράβο.
Παω να ψαξω και άλλα βιβλία του συγγραφέα.
Η ιστορία ρέει αβίαστα, δεν κάνει κοιλιά, έχει αρχή μέση τέλος, και μπορεί να ικανοποιήσει και τον πιο απαιτητικό αναγνώστη.
5 αστέρια και φυσικά προτείνεται.
Εξαιρετικό και μπράβο.
Παω να ψαξω και άλλα βιβλία του συγγραφέα.
September 14, 2022
This is the sort of crime whodunnit that I used to read a lot of, and no doubt would have scored more highly if I’d read it a few years ago. These days my reading habits of changed, a good reason to go back and read the odd one, especially if they are a bit different.
The morning after the Feast of the Assumption mass, an American tourist discovers that the beautiful woman kneeling beside her is not actually praying, rather, she is dead. The cathedral is closed and the police are called.
The setting used to be enough for me to add it to my tbr list, and though the church and the 4th arrondissement are attractive, it was Ragougneau‘s characters that I enjoyed the most here, not least the tribulations of Father Kern, a flawed and unimportant bit part whose appearances are the highlight.
The morning after the Feast of the Assumption mass, an American tourist discovers that the beautiful woman kneeling beside her is not actually praying, rather, she is dead. The cathedral is closed and the police are called.
The setting used to be enough for me to add it to my tbr list, and though the church and the 4th arrondissement are attractive, it was Ragougneau‘s characters that I enjoyed the most here, not least the tribulations of Father Kern, a flawed and unimportant bit part whose appearances are the highlight.
October 17, 2016
4.5 stars
I don't really know why I liked The Madonna of Notre Dame, by Alexis Ragougneau, as much as I did. On its face, it is a short murder mystery, written well (but not spectacularly so) and featuring as its protagonist priest-turned-amateur-detective Father François Kern, one of several priests who serve at Paris's famed Cathedral of Notre Dame. Been done, you say, and of course library shelves abound with such men, although they are usually found in England. Father Kern is neither particularly clever (I identified the killer long before he did, although the motivation was a bit of a surprise) nor particularly smart (he could have easily avoided a dangerous encounter with the murderer if he had just thought about the situation for 30 seconds). He has no police sidekick à la James Runcie's vicar Sidney Chambers and Detective Inspector Geordie Keating, and Notre Dame isn't even "his" church in the sense that Sidney Chambers presides over Grantchester or Reverend Nick Lawrence oversees Lakehurst.
I think this last point may reveal what is special about Father Kern and The Madonna of Notre Dame. Father Kern isn't "important"; he is simply one of the many players in the pageant which is Notre Dame. While he ultimately solves the mystery, many others play significant roles, including a security guard, the sacristan, and even a couple of regular visitors to the cathedral. It is this sense of the drama of little people's lives playing out against the grandeur of a national treasure which paints Father Kern in such stark relief and gives this stunted, pain-ridden man such presence on the page.
This review was based on a free ARC provided by the publisher.
I don't really know why I liked The Madonna of Notre Dame, by Alexis Ragougneau, as much as I did. On its face, it is a short murder mystery, written well (but not spectacularly so) and featuring as its protagonist priest-turned-amateur-detective Father François Kern, one of several priests who serve at Paris's famed Cathedral of Notre Dame. Been done, you say, and of course library shelves abound with such men, although they are usually found in England. Father Kern is neither particularly clever (I identified the killer long before he did, although the motivation was a bit of a surprise) nor particularly smart (he could have easily avoided a dangerous encounter with the murderer if he had just thought about the situation for 30 seconds). He has no police sidekick à la James Runcie's vicar Sidney Chambers and Detective Inspector Geordie Keating, and Notre Dame isn't even "his" church in the sense that Sidney Chambers presides over Grantchester or Reverend Nick Lawrence oversees Lakehurst.
I think this last point may reveal what is special about Father Kern and The Madonna of Notre Dame. Father Kern isn't "important"; he is simply one of the many players in the pageant which is Notre Dame. While he ultimately solves the mystery, many others play significant roles, including a security guard, the sacristan, and even a couple of regular visitors to the cathedral. It is this sense of the drama of little people's lives playing out against the grandeur of a national treasure which paints Father Kern in such stark relief and gives this stunted, pain-ridden man such presence on the page.
This review was based on a free ARC provided by the publisher.
June 28, 2017
I want to give this more stars, but I feel like the story is just not fleshed out enough. It is a short book, but that doesn't mean the characters have to suffer the fate of one-dimension.
The mystery of the "madonna" is a young woman found dead in the Notre Dame Cathedral. As the investigators and the DA piece together the puzzle, it is, ultimately, a priest that connects all of the dots.
A quick read, so one I found worth finishing.
The mystery of the "madonna" is a young woman found dead in the Notre Dame Cathedral. As the investigators and the DA piece together the puzzle, it is, ultimately, a priest that connects all of the dots.
A quick read, so one I found worth finishing.
July 30, 2019
I love reading mysteries written by authors from other countries. It’s an interesting form of armchair travel that has made me a forever-addict to the Akashic Noir series. I have an enduring love Fred Vargas whose procedural mysteries are infused with a deep compassion and humanity. Excited at the possibility of a new French mystery writer, I was eager to read The Madonna of Notre Dame by Alexis Ragougneau, which was translated into English by Katherine Gregor.
The story opens with the murder of a beautiful woman dressed all in white at the famed Cathedral of Notre Dame, a site visited by 50,000 tourists every day. But don’t think that means there are lots of witnesses. She was murdered during the night, placed so she looked like she was praying and not discovered until someone sat next to her.
Father Kern was one of the people who discovered the body and he begins to investigate because he is certain of the innocence of the obvious suspect, a mentally ill young man who had attacked the woman the day before during a procession. He investigates, as does a police detective who is also troubled by the easy, and obvious solution that makes everyone else happy.
★★
I was disappointed in this novel, though if Regougneau writes a second, I will give it a chance and read it because I think he has the makings of a good mystery novelist. I do not read French, so I cannot know for certain if the tone that put me off comes from the translator or the author. There was a prurience that made me uncomfortable. I know that when women are murdered, there are often details of the murder that implicate sexual fetishes and psychoses, but when they are lingered over with too much loving detail, I am turned off. There is a scene in the apartment of the obvious suspect that I thought was gross and unnecessary in its details and narrative excess. It turned me off so much I considered not finishing the book, but I was interested in the humane Father Kern and wanted to see where the author took him.
I also did not like the mysterious disease that afflicts Father kern. Give him rheumatoid arthritis or chronic fatigue or anything but some mysterious recurring and debilitating disease that makes no sense, that seems more like an affliction induced psychosomatically or by a punishing god. I want it to go away forever. There is a hallucinatory scene with the priest that again makes little sense and makes this humane, kindly and intelligent priest seem too naive and unaware to ever be the same person who earlier in that same day made the logical leap that brought him to that neighborhood at that time.
The biggest flaw, though, is that this is not truly a fair mystery. Readers are provided the clues that make the detective and the priest doubt the official police narrative, but the evidence that narrows the field from a set of suspects toward a narrower group is absent. Well, it’s there, the priest sees it plain as day in a video and the detective is told exactly who the murderer is by a witness, but that is “off-screen” so to speak. It would be too revealing to give the specifics, but there should be some other clues that narrow the field somehow.
We are also give the “mind of the murder” narrative, my personal pet peeve, a flashback to the past when the fatal flaw was introduced into the killer’s psyche. It was unnecessary and psychologically unpersuasive.
But, despite all those flaws, I do look forward to reading another by Ragougneau for the following reasons. He writes complex and intriguing characters. He creates a strong sense of place and mood. While I thought that hallucinatory scene with the priest was unlikely, it was truly hallucinatory. As a reader, the whole spinning, out-of-control, why-am-I-here, how-can-this-be unreality of it was magnificent. Ragougneau can write! I just want a stronger plot.
The Madonna of Notre Dame is only available in electronic format at the moment and will be released in paper on October 11th.
http://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpres...
The story opens with the murder of a beautiful woman dressed all in white at the famed Cathedral of Notre Dame, a site visited by 50,000 tourists every day. But don’t think that means there are lots of witnesses. She was murdered during the night, placed so she looked like she was praying and not discovered until someone sat next to her.
Father Kern was one of the people who discovered the body and he begins to investigate because he is certain of the innocence of the obvious suspect, a mentally ill young man who had attacked the woman the day before during a procession. He investigates, as does a police detective who is also troubled by the easy, and obvious solution that makes everyone else happy.
★★
I was disappointed in this novel, though if Regougneau writes a second, I will give it a chance and read it because I think he has the makings of a good mystery novelist. I do not read French, so I cannot know for certain if the tone that put me off comes from the translator or the author. There was a prurience that made me uncomfortable. I know that when women are murdered, there are often details of the murder that implicate sexual fetishes and psychoses, but when they are lingered over with too much loving detail, I am turned off. There is a scene in the apartment of the obvious suspect that I thought was gross and unnecessary in its details and narrative excess. It turned me off so much I considered not finishing the book, but I was interested in the humane Father Kern and wanted to see where the author took him.
I also did not like the mysterious disease that afflicts Father kern. Give him rheumatoid arthritis or chronic fatigue or anything but some mysterious recurring and debilitating disease that makes no sense, that seems more like an affliction induced psychosomatically or by a punishing god. I want it to go away forever. There is a hallucinatory scene with the priest that again makes little sense and makes this humane, kindly and intelligent priest seem too naive and unaware to ever be the same person who earlier in that same day made the logical leap that brought him to that neighborhood at that time.
The biggest flaw, though, is that this is not truly a fair mystery. Readers are provided the clues that make the detective and the priest doubt the official police narrative, but the evidence that narrows the field from a set of suspects toward a narrower group is absent. Well, it’s there, the priest sees it plain as day in a video and the detective is told exactly who the murderer is by a witness, but that is “off-screen” so to speak. It would be too revealing to give the specifics, but there should be some other clues that narrow the field somehow.
We are also give the “mind of the murder” narrative, my personal pet peeve, a flashback to the past when the fatal flaw was introduced into the killer’s psyche. It was unnecessary and psychologically unpersuasive.
But, despite all those flaws, I do look forward to reading another by Ragougneau for the following reasons. He writes complex and intriguing characters. He creates a strong sense of place and mood. While I thought that hallucinatory scene with the priest was unlikely, it was truly hallucinatory. As a reader, the whole spinning, out-of-control, why-am-I-here, how-can-this-be unreality of it was magnificent. Ragougneau can write! I just want a stronger plot.
The Madonna of Notre Dame is only available in electronic format at the moment and will be released in paper on October 11th.
http://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpres...
August 23, 2020
A satisfying read which, if you have visited within Notre Dame, will be all that more entertaining. A sickly priest with many self doubts and anxieties; a young Magistrate who makes a decision that will haunt her; a detective gumshoe who has to put up with a rude, crude and inept superior. Their backstories influence their actions. A body in the Cathedral at the end of a raucous feast of the Assumption. Ragougneau builds the backstory of his characters carefully and deliberately. Very moody, graphic without being profane, this first in a series shows great promise!
June 7, 2024
Entretenida, pero fuera de eso no es muy wow. Es algo predecible quién es el asesino y quién no jeje. Aunque me gustó el personaje del padre. Con excepción de él, no logré empatizar con ningún otro personaje y buena parte de ellos me cayeron muy, muy mal que casi dejo el libro ja.
August 6, 2020
Lite hårdkokt, inte så svårläst och en intrig och tematik som var ganska tankeväckande trots allt. Lite annat stuk med en fransk kriminalhistoria!
September 21, 2016
This book tells the story about a murder that occurred at Notre Dame the day after the Feast of the Assumption. A young woman was discovered dead in the cathedral passageway, she had been previously seen the day before at the church and near the procession. The young women was dressed inappropriately for church, but no one said anything to her because they were overlooking inappropriately dressed women nowadays they were more worried about shirtless people or attacks.
The ending of this book is AMAZING! It really tied everything up nicely and kept me on the edge of my toes right up until the end. What is revealed is worth reading the entire book!
The story is told through multiple points of view up until the end of the book. We get to hear from a priest who was there that day Father Kern, the lead investigator, and also the prosecutor of the case. Each has their own agendas and thoughts about the case. Father Kern is the one who just couldn’t believe that the young man they suspected of the murder could have possibly done it and starts to work on figuring out who really did it. The case eventually gets dropped by the prosecution when the lead suspect dies.
I loved the character development that the author was able to achieve throughout the book. I loved Father Kern as a character. The author did a great job creating a backstory for Father Kern as well as showing that he can have flaws as a priest. The disease that Father Kern has was also very interesting to learn about and helped build him up in my eyes as more of a loner and someone who might not have had a lot of friends in the past to confide in making it hard for him to truly trust anyone. I also liked the man who gave Father Kern some helpful tips and also saved his life. He was a complete side character, but in my mind changed pivotal points of the story.
The author did an amazing job creating suspense within the book. From the first suspect that they choice I wasn’t sure it was him and I was already leaning towards Father Kern’s opinion and felt like he couldn’t have done it, but then who. The author did a great job circling back to the keys being left unattended and also timing of the events so it left a lot of people who could have been involved. Also, I wasn’t sure where the lead detective’s loyalties where, because he just didn’t seem interested or was he more interested and not showing it. I had a lot of questions.
I really enjoyed how the author created the chapters out of days of the week. It really helped to put a timeframe on the events occurring. It also showed how quickly this whole situation was resolved.
One thing I didn’t love was the one side story that was being told throughout the book about the army gentleman. I am not 100% sure if I missed the connection, but I didn’t really feel like that helped the story being told. I felt more like that was a story within itself and hard to make a connection with.
I would suggest this book as a weekend or beach read. It has a lot of action and brings up a lot of questions so it was hard to put down. I wanted to know what was going to happen in the end. The ending of the book is really good it keeps you on your toes the whole time.
I received a copy of this book from France Book Tours for the purpose of providing an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of this book.
The ending of this book is AMAZING! It really tied everything up nicely and kept me on the edge of my toes right up until the end. What is revealed is worth reading the entire book!
The story is told through multiple points of view up until the end of the book. We get to hear from a priest who was there that day Father Kern, the lead investigator, and also the prosecutor of the case. Each has their own agendas and thoughts about the case. Father Kern is the one who just couldn’t believe that the young man they suspected of the murder could have possibly done it and starts to work on figuring out who really did it. The case eventually gets dropped by the prosecution when the lead suspect dies.
I loved the character development that the author was able to achieve throughout the book. I loved Father Kern as a character. The author did a great job creating a backstory for Father Kern as well as showing that he can have flaws as a priest. The disease that Father Kern has was also very interesting to learn about and helped build him up in my eyes as more of a loner and someone who might not have had a lot of friends in the past to confide in making it hard for him to truly trust anyone. I also liked the man who gave Father Kern some helpful tips and also saved his life. He was a complete side character, but in my mind changed pivotal points of the story.
The author did an amazing job creating suspense within the book. From the first suspect that they choice I wasn’t sure it was him and I was already leaning towards Father Kern’s opinion and felt like he couldn’t have done it, but then who. The author did a great job circling back to the keys being left unattended and also timing of the events so it left a lot of people who could have been involved. Also, I wasn’t sure where the lead detective’s loyalties where, because he just didn’t seem interested or was he more interested and not showing it. I had a lot of questions.
I really enjoyed how the author created the chapters out of days of the week. It really helped to put a timeframe on the events occurring. It also showed how quickly this whole situation was resolved.
One thing I didn’t love was the one side story that was being told throughout the book about the army gentleman. I am not 100% sure if I missed the connection, but I didn’t really feel like that helped the story being told. I felt more like that was a story within itself and hard to make a connection with.
I would suggest this book as a weekend or beach read. It has a lot of action and brings up a lot of questions so it was hard to put down. I wanted to know what was going to happen in the end. The ending of the book is really good it keeps you on your toes the whole time.
I received a copy of this book from France Book Tours for the purpose of providing an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of this book.
May 28, 2014
Ich habe dieses Buch gerne gelesen, auch wenn es die eine oder andere Schwäche hatte. Dabei liegt für mich der Schwerpunkt der Geschichte auf den Charakteren, die ich sehr interessant fand, und weniger auf der Auflösung des Kriminalfalles – vielleicht sollte man das wissen, wenn man das Buch beginnt zu lesen. Denn ein spannender Krimi oder gar Thriller ist dieses Buch nicht, eher ein ruhiger Roman, in dem halt auch ein Mordfall aufgeklärt wird.
Dabei hat mir der Plot sehr gut gefallen und die Idee des ermittelnden Pfarrers noch mehr. Zunächst ist jedoch die örtliche Polizei mit dem Mordfall behaftet, und hier hat der Autor – was die Charaktere angeht - leider tief in die Klischee-Kiste gegriffen. Es gibt einen guten und einen schlechten Bullen, beiden Rollen sind wenig ausgefeilt und in meinen Augen sehr unkreativ. Auch Ermittlungsarbeit findet nicht wirklich statt, ein Täter ist schnell gefunden und der Fall abgeschlossen.
Dann aber kommen Pater Kern und die Staatsanwältin Kauffmann ins Spiel. Diese beiden Charaktere sind sehr gut herausgearbeitet, beide haben eine Vergangenheit, die sie plagen und ihr Handeln und Denken beeinflussen. Zwar wird nicht richtig klar, was genau geschehen ist, und es werden viele Andeutungen gemacht, aber vielleicht erfährt man mehr in weiteren Büchern rund um Pater Kern. Gerade er ist mir sehr ans Herz gewachsen. Er ist so menschlich, sehr sympathisch, bedacht und hat stets ein offenes Ohr. Er ist nicht abgestumpft, sondern macht sich viele Gedanken über seine Mitmenschen. Die Staatsanwältin Claire Kauffmann wird zwar zunächst als hart und abgebrüht dargestellt, doch sie hat einen weichen Kern und ihre Fassade beginnt in einigen Momenten zu bröckeln. Sie ist mir zwar nicht sehr sympathisch, aber ich finde ihre Figur sehr interessant, denn auch sie hat in der Vergangenheit Dinge erlebt, die sie sehr beeinflussen.
Der Schreibstil hat mir sehr gut gefallen, er ist zwar einfach, aber sehr beschreibend – gerade was die Gedankenwelt des Pater Kern angeht. Und doch bleibt er angenehm zu lesen, so dass die Seiten nur so dahin geflogen sind. Dabei kommt in dem Buch keine Spannung auf, wie ich sie in einem Kriminalroman vielleicht erwarten würde, sondern das Buch lebt eben durch den Charakter des Pfarrers.
Das Ende und die Auflösung des Mordfalles haben mich nicht überzeugen können, für mich sind Fragen offen geblieben und der ganze Fall war mir dann letztlich zu schnell und einfach gelöst.
Mein Fazit
Ein ruhiger französischer Roman, in dem auch ein Mord aufgeklärt wird, in dem aber das Augenmerk auf den interessanten Charakteren liegt – ihre Gedanken, ihr Handeln, ihre Vergangenheit. Das Buch liest sich gut und angenehm und ich habe mich mit dem Protagonisten wohlgefühlt – daher gebe ich trotz einiger Schwächen, was die Kriminalgeschichte angeht, 4 Sterne.
Dabei hat mir der Plot sehr gut gefallen und die Idee des ermittelnden Pfarrers noch mehr. Zunächst ist jedoch die örtliche Polizei mit dem Mordfall behaftet, und hier hat der Autor – was die Charaktere angeht - leider tief in die Klischee-Kiste gegriffen. Es gibt einen guten und einen schlechten Bullen, beiden Rollen sind wenig ausgefeilt und in meinen Augen sehr unkreativ. Auch Ermittlungsarbeit findet nicht wirklich statt, ein Täter ist schnell gefunden und der Fall abgeschlossen.
Dann aber kommen Pater Kern und die Staatsanwältin Kauffmann ins Spiel. Diese beiden Charaktere sind sehr gut herausgearbeitet, beide haben eine Vergangenheit, die sie plagen und ihr Handeln und Denken beeinflussen. Zwar wird nicht richtig klar, was genau geschehen ist, und es werden viele Andeutungen gemacht, aber vielleicht erfährt man mehr in weiteren Büchern rund um Pater Kern. Gerade er ist mir sehr ans Herz gewachsen. Er ist so menschlich, sehr sympathisch, bedacht und hat stets ein offenes Ohr. Er ist nicht abgestumpft, sondern macht sich viele Gedanken über seine Mitmenschen. Die Staatsanwältin Claire Kauffmann wird zwar zunächst als hart und abgebrüht dargestellt, doch sie hat einen weichen Kern und ihre Fassade beginnt in einigen Momenten zu bröckeln. Sie ist mir zwar nicht sehr sympathisch, aber ich finde ihre Figur sehr interessant, denn auch sie hat in der Vergangenheit Dinge erlebt, die sie sehr beeinflussen.
Der Schreibstil hat mir sehr gut gefallen, er ist zwar einfach, aber sehr beschreibend – gerade was die Gedankenwelt des Pater Kern angeht. Und doch bleibt er angenehm zu lesen, so dass die Seiten nur so dahin geflogen sind. Dabei kommt in dem Buch keine Spannung auf, wie ich sie in einem Kriminalroman vielleicht erwarten würde, sondern das Buch lebt eben durch den Charakter des Pfarrers.
Das Ende und die Auflösung des Mordfalles haben mich nicht überzeugen können, für mich sind Fragen offen geblieben und der ganze Fall war mir dann letztlich zu schnell und einfach gelöst.
Mein Fazit
Ein ruhiger französischer Roman, in dem auch ein Mord aufgeklärt wird, in dem aber das Augenmerk auf den interessanten Charakteren liegt – ihre Gedanken, ihr Handeln, ihre Vergangenheit. Das Buch liest sich gut und angenehm und ich habe mich mit dem Protagonisten wohlgefühlt – daher gebe ich trotz einiger Schwächen, was die Kriminalgeschichte angeht, 4 Sterne.
May 21, 2014
Die Kathedrale von Notre-Dame. Jeden Tag empfängt sie an die 50.000 Besucher, doch an diesem Tag ist etwas anders. Eine junge Frau im weißen Minikleid fällt tot – ermordet – von einer Kirchenbank.
Schnell steht fest, dass die Tote am Vortag, während der Maria Himmelfahrts Prozession eine handgreifliche Auseinandersetzung mit einem jungen Mann hatte. Der Verdächtige steht fest und ist auch schnell gefunden. Für die Polizei und die Staatsanwaltschaft, in Person der jungen Staatsanwältin Claire Kauffmann, ist der Fall gelöst und als der Verdächtige Thibault Selbstmord begeht, werden die Ermittlungen für beendet erklärt.
Einzig Pater Kern mag nicht recht an diese einfache Version der Ereignisse glauben oder daran, dass der verstörte Junge die Frau in religiösem Wahn getötet hat. Als er von dem Obdachlosen Polen Kristof einen Hinweis erhält, beschließt er nachzuforschen.
Ein Entschluss, der ihn selbst in tödliche Gefahr bringt, denn Schuld und Sünde machen auch vor einer Kathedrale nicht halt.
Ich hatte so meine Mühe mit dem Buch, die Geschichte kam für meinen Geschmack nie so richtig in Fahrt und von Pater Kern vielleicht abgesehen, fand ich alle Personen mehr oder weniger unsympathisch.
Pater Kern leidet an einer geheimnisvollen Krankheit, die sowohl seine Kleinwüchsigkeit also auch ständig wiederkehrende starke Schmerzen bedingt. Worum genau es sich bei dieser Krankheit handelt wird nicht weiter erklärt. Warum es ihm hilft einen alten Wecker auseinander und wieder zusammenzubauen auch nicht. Wenn ich das Buch richtig verstanden habe, wird er zum Schluss auf wundersame Weise geheilt, aber vielleicht hab ich das auch irgendwie vercheckt. Sein im Gefängnis verstorbener Bruder wird mehrmals erwähnt, aber die genauen Umstände werden nicht erörtert.
Am interssantesten fand ich die Freundschaft und Gespräche des Paters mit dem Mörder und Gefängnisinsassen Djibril.
Die Staatsanwältin Claire, offenbar mehr als genug mit ihren eigenen Problemen beschäftigt blieb für mich sehr blass. Irgendwas Schlimmes wird sie wohl erlebt haben, was genau? Man weiß es nicht.
Commandant Lenard, der Chefermittler, ist schlicht und ergreifend ein selbstgefälliges Ar …. ja. Von Ermittlungsarbeit keine Spur. Ich hoffe für die französische Justiz, dass echte Ermittler an mehr interessiert sind als 3 Bier zum Mittagessen und einem halben Päckchen Zigaretten.
Alles in allem hat mich das Buch nicht wirklich überzeugt. Mir hat das Motiv für den Mord nicht uneingeschränkt eingeleuchtet und ich hatte auch mehr so eine Mischung aus Dan Brown trifft Hercule Poirot in der Kirche erwartet. War’s irgendwie nicht.
Schnell steht fest, dass die Tote am Vortag, während der Maria Himmelfahrts Prozession eine handgreifliche Auseinandersetzung mit einem jungen Mann hatte. Der Verdächtige steht fest und ist auch schnell gefunden. Für die Polizei und die Staatsanwaltschaft, in Person der jungen Staatsanwältin Claire Kauffmann, ist der Fall gelöst und als der Verdächtige Thibault Selbstmord begeht, werden die Ermittlungen für beendet erklärt.
Einzig Pater Kern mag nicht recht an diese einfache Version der Ereignisse glauben oder daran, dass der verstörte Junge die Frau in religiösem Wahn getötet hat. Als er von dem Obdachlosen Polen Kristof einen Hinweis erhält, beschließt er nachzuforschen.
Ein Entschluss, der ihn selbst in tödliche Gefahr bringt, denn Schuld und Sünde machen auch vor einer Kathedrale nicht halt.
Ich hatte so meine Mühe mit dem Buch, die Geschichte kam für meinen Geschmack nie so richtig in Fahrt und von Pater Kern vielleicht abgesehen, fand ich alle Personen mehr oder weniger unsympathisch.
Pater Kern leidet an einer geheimnisvollen Krankheit, die sowohl seine Kleinwüchsigkeit also auch ständig wiederkehrende starke Schmerzen bedingt. Worum genau es sich bei dieser Krankheit handelt wird nicht weiter erklärt. Warum es ihm hilft einen alten Wecker auseinander und wieder zusammenzubauen auch nicht. Wenn ich das Buch richtig verstanden habe, wird er zum Schluss auf wundersame Weise geheilt, aber vielleicht hab ich das auch irgendwie vercheckt. Sein im Gefängnis verstorbener Bruder wird mehrmals erwähnt, aber die genauen Umstände werden nicht erörtert.
Am interssantesten fand ich die Freundschaft und Gespräche des Paters mit dem Mörder und Gefängnisinsassen Djibril.
Die Staatsanwältin Claire, offenbar mehr als genug mit ihren eigenen Problemen beschäftigt blieb für mich sehr blass. Irgendwas Schlimmes wird sie wohl erlebt haben, was genau? Man weiß es nicht.
Commandant Lenard, der Chefermittler, ist schlicht und ergreifend ein selbstgefälliges Ar …. ja. Von Ermittlungsarbeit keine Spur. Ich hoffe für die französische Justiz, dass echte Ermittler an mehr interessiert sind als 3 Bier zum Mittagessen und einem halben Päckchen Zigaretten.
Alles in allem hat mich das Buch nicht wirklich überzeugt. Mir hat das Motiv für den Mord nicht uneingeschränkt eingeleuchtet und ich hatte auch mehr so eine Mischung aus Dan Brown trifft Hercule Poirot in der Kirche erwartet. War’s irgendwie nicht.
April 27, 2024
The Madonna of Notre Dame by Alexis Ragougneau (translated into English by Katherine Gregor) is a crime novel in the French tradition of detective stories with unlikely sleuths (think Fred Vargas, amongst many others). The shocking, erotically-tinged murder at the centre of this whodunnit takes place in the hallowed spaces of the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris, and so it is perhaps hardly surprising that the character who, quite against his wishes, investigates and solves the mystery is none other than one of the Cathedral clerics, Father François Kern.
Father Kern has a medical condition which brings him great pain, but his suffering is more of a spiritual one, the result of the loss of a brother for which he considers himself, in some way responsible. Kern’s inquiry brings him in contact with other outsiders, including a homeless man who sleeps near the cathedral, a prisoner who gives him tips about the investigation, and an inquiring magistrate whose official investigation of the case is tragically cut short but who strikes an unexpected friendship with the priest.
This is, on the whole, an interesting crime novel, but I can’t deny certain reservations. The first one is that, because of its very subject (the murder of an attractive young woman dressed all in white and – without going into specifics – the abuse of her body in one of the most famous Catholic cathedrals in the world) the novel skirts closely, depending on your sensitivities, either to blasphemy and/or to a triggering portrayal of disturbing religious/sexual fetishes. All this, ultimately, just for the sake of a good story which would have worked equally well without some of the more explicit detail.
I also found the portrayal of Father Kern rather unconvincing. Apart from the fact that his debilitating disease is never really explained (despite it featuring prominently in the novel), his character suffers from a complex which sometimes seems to afflict fictional clerics: even when, like Father Kern, they are portrayed as good and practising priests, they resort to prayer surprisingly rarely and their reasoning and thought processes are scarcely different from that of any other “lay”/secular character. Another point is that when the murderer is revealed there is an attempt to delve into the murderer’s psyche, an idea which I found compelling, but is not developed in any detail.
I see that Alexis Ragougneau has written a sequel featuring Father Kern. I liked the first novel of the series well enough to look out for its translation, even though I’m hoping it will deliver more.
https://endsoftheword.blogspot.com/20...
Father Kern has a medical condition which brings him great pain, but his suffering is more of a spiritual one, the result of the loss of a brother for which he considers himself, in some way responsible. Kern’s inquiry brings him in contact with other outsiders, including a homeless man who sleeps near the cathedral, a prisoner who gives him tips about the investigation, and an inquiring magistrate whose official investigation of the case is tragically cut short but who strikes an unexpected friendship with the priest.
This is, on the whole, an interesting crime novel, but I can’t deny certain reservations. The first one is that, because of its very subject (the murder of an attractive young woman dressed all in white and – without going into specifics – the abuse of her body in one of the most famous Catholic cathedrals in the world) the novel skirts closely, depending on your sensitivities, either to blasphemy and/or to a triggering portrayal of disturbing religious/sexual fetishes. All this, ultimately, just for the sake of a good story which would have worked equally well without some of the more explicit detail.
I also found the portrayal of Father Kern rather unconvincing. Apart from the fact that his debilitating disease is never really explained (despite it featuring prominently in the novel), his character suffers from a complex which sometimes seems to afflict fictional clerics: even when, like Father Kern, they are portrayed as good and practising priests, they resort to prayer surprisingly rarely and their reasoning and thought processes are scarcely different from that of any other “lay”/secular character. Another point is that when the murderer is revealed there is an attempt to delve into the murderer’s psyche, an idea which I found compelling, but is not developed in any detail.
I see that Alexis Ragougneau has written a sequel featuring Father Kern. I liked the first novel of the series well enough to look out for its translation, even though I’m hoping it will deliver more.
https://endsoftheword.blogspot.com/20...
August 26, 2015
An einen normalen Morgen in der Kathedrale Notre-Dame wird eine leicht bekleidete junge Dame tot auf der Bank in einer der Kapellen gefunden. Niemand weiß wie sie hinein gekommen ist, seit wann sie da sitzt oder wer sie überhaupt ist. Schnell wird ein Schuldiger gefunden der anscheinend auch Motive hatte den Mord zu begehen. Und für die Polizei, das Ministerium und die Leitung der Kirche ist der Fall damit abschlossen.
Nur nicht für Pater Kern. Er findet die ganze Situation seltsam und will weiter forschen. Dabei erhält er hilfe von den Verlorenen Seelen von Notre-Dame und der jungen Staatsanwältin Claire Kauffmann.
Was soll ich zu diesem Buch sagen, falls nur ein Prozent der Menschen in Paris sich so verhalten wie die Leute die in diesem Buch beschrieben werden,dann werde ich nie wieder nach Paris fahren. Es scheint Paris ist nur voller verrückter, geisteskranker, perverser und psychopaten. Frauen werden fast als nur reine Lustobjekte dagestellt und jeder Mann von seinen Trieben so sehr getrieben, dass sie allem hinterherschauen was Brüste hat. Die Schreibart ist an manchen Stellen total absurd.Viele Nebenstories total unsinnig für mich bzw. unnötig für die Handlung. Ich weis, dass das Buch ein erstlings Werk war und der Autor zuvor Teaterstücke geschrieben hat. Dieser Schreibstil ist vielleicht für Theaterstücke gut, aber mir hat es überhaupt nicht gefallen und ich werde sicherlich nicht noch in Buch des Autors lesen.
Nur nicht für Pater Kern. Er findet die ganze Situation seltsam und will weiter forschen. Dabei erhält er hilfe von den Verlorenen Seelen von Notre-Dame und der jungen Staatsanwältin Claire Kauffmann.
Was soll ich zu diesem Buch sagen, falls nur ein Prozent der Menschen in Paris sich so verhalten wie die Leute die in diesem Buch beschrieben werden,dann werde ich nie wieder nach Paris fahren. Es scheint Paris ist nur voller verrückter, geisteskranker, perverser und psychopaten. Frauen werden fast als nur reine Lustobjekte dagestellt und jeder Mann von seinen Trieben so sehr getrieben, dass sie allem hinterherschauen was Brüste hat. Die Schreibart ist an manchen Stellen total absurd.Viele Nebenstories total unsinnig für mich bzw. unnötig für die Handlung. Ich weis, dass das Buch ein erstlings Werk war und der Autor zuvor Teaterstücke geschrieben hat. Dieser Schreibstil ist vielleicht für Theaterstücke gut, aber mir hat es überhaupt nicht gefallen und ich werde sicherlich nicht noch in Buch des Autors lesen.
July 10, 2016
It is the Feast of Mary's Assumption at Notre Dame de Paris; thousands gather for the special masses, and join the procession led by the Knights of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem, members of an order that dates back to Charlemagne. On their shoulders these modern-day Crusaders carry a silver statue of the Blessed Virgin to the steps of the cathedral.
Dancing and prancing at the head of the cortege is a breathtakingly beautiful young woman dressed in a short white dress, whose overt sexuality confounds and distracts the church leadership from their sacred duties. From within the crowd a serious young man with the face of an angel emerges, enraged at her display. He calls her a whore, grabs her by the hair and violently shoves her away. She is left bleeding as the ceremony moves inside.
The cathedral and its many clergy and lay workers will come under the scrutiny of the Paris Police and the Palais de Justice when a corpse is discovered the next day at the feet of the "Virgin of Paris." Dark secrets will be revealed in unexpected ways.
If you enjoy police procedurals with dark suspense and a religious aspect, The Madonna of Notre Dame is sure to please. The characters are drawn with particular skill, the translation from the original French is commendable, and the descriptions of beloved Paris landmarks are memorable.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
Dancing and prancing at the head of the cortege is a breathtakingly beautiful young woman dressed in a short white dress, whose overt sexuality confounds and distracts the church leadership from their sacred duties. From within the crowd a serious young man with the face of an angel emerges, enraged at her display. He calls her a whore, grabs her by the hair and violently shoves her away. She is left bleeding as the ceremony moves inside.
The cathedral and its many clergy and lay workers will come under the scrutiny of the Paris Police and the Palais de Justice when a corpse is discovered the next day at the feet of the "Virgin of Paris." Dark secrets will be revealed in unexpected ways.
If you enjoy police procedurals with dark suspense and a religious aspect, The Madonna of Notre Dame is sure to please. The characters are drawn with particular skill, the translation from the original French is commendable, and the descriptions of beloved Paris landmarks are memorable.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
October 20, 2016
Die Bewertung fiel mir bei diesen Buch direkt ein wenig schwer, ich konnte mich kaum entscheiden, ob ich 4 oder 5 Sterne vergeben soll. Letztendlich habe ich mich für 5 Sterne entschieden, da mir keine Begründung einfiel, weshalb ich einen Stern abziehen sollte. Zwar werde ich das Gefühl nicht ganz los, dass irgendwas fehlt, aber trotzdem hat mich "Die Madonna von Notre-Dame" gepackt. Von der ersten Seite an las es sich sehr schnell und unterhaltsam, nie habe ich mich gelangweilt, auch wenn es keine Action oder großen Spannungsbogen gibt. Die Handlung fließt ruhig und kurzweilig dahin, der Fall ist meiner Meinung nach plausibel und die Personen interessant, wenn auch eine wenig Stereotyp und nicht immer sympathisch. Dieses Buch habe ich in nicht mal sechs Lesestunden verschlungen und kann es Freunden des klassischen Kriminalromans/Cozy Mysteries empfehlen.
September 29, 2015
Lo más interesante del libro: la sinopsis. Por lo demás es aburrido hasta decir basta, personajes planos y anodinos, trama igual de simple y monótona. Sin nada destacable o que llame la atención. Lo único bueno: es corto, no se podría soportar en caso contrario.
Si hay una palabra que pueda describir este libro es, sin duda, ABURRIDO. Y cuando un libro de misterios y asesinatos es aburrido algo se ha hecho mal.
No lo recomiendo y decidamente no creo que vuelva a leer nada de este autor, ya que ni siquiera me gusta como escribe, mucho tiene que mejorar, muy buenas críticas tiene que tener para que me anime a volver a leer algo que salga de su pluma.
Si hay una palabra que pueda describir este libro es, sin duda, ABURRIDO. Y cuando un libro de misterios y asesinatos es aburrido algo se ha hecho mal.
No lo recomiendo y decidamente no creo que vuelva a leer nada de este autor, ya que ni siquiera me gusta como escribe, mucho tiene que mejorar, muy buenas críticas tiene que tener para que me anime a volver a leer algo que salga de su pluma.
January 27, 2017
There has been a murder in the great cathedral and in its aftermath a great cast of characters is introduced. The suspect, an angelic looking young pervert; Clair, a young deputy magistrate haunted by memory; a bad cop and his good cop colleague; a homeless drunk Pole; and a host more. I'm glad to see this is a series as Père Kern is both engaging and ill so it's good to see that he will have another adventure.
My copy from my subscription to New Vessel Press.
My copy from my subscription to New Vessel Press.
December 14, 2018
Τι θέλω και κοιτάζω τη βαθμολογία στο goodreads; είπα μετά το διάβασμα του βιβλίου.
Αν "τους" είχα ακόυσει, δεν τα το είχα διαβάσει, και τότε πόσο λάθος, θα είχα χάσει ένα τόσο ωραίο βιβλίο, δυό απολαυστικά απόγεύματα, τη γνωριμία μου με ένα νέο γάλλο συγγραφέα, την επαφή με τη γαλλική αστυνομική λογοτεχνία, ένα βίρτσουαλ ταξίδι στο Παρίσι και στη Νότρ Νταμ και τόσες πληροφορίες για τους τουρίστες και τις διαδικασίες μέσα σ΄αυτή την πιο διάσημη εκκλησία του κόσμου...
Δεν θα είχα ανακαλύψει ότι ένα βιβλίο αστυνομικό μεν αλλά όπου το μυστήριο λύνεται από έναν παππά με προβλήματα υγείας, ένα έκτρωμα ύψους 1,48 και 43 κιλών όπως λέει ο ίδιος για τον εαυτό του, θα μπορούσε όχι απλά να μου κρατήσει το ενδιαφέρον αλλά να με συγκινήσει επιπλέον μέχρι δακρύων για πάνω από δύο φορές.
Έτσι λοιπόν. Ας μη δίνουμε σημασία σ΄ότι βλέπουμε γραμμένο για ένα βιβλίο από δω κι από κει. Γι' αυτό έγραψα κι εγώ τη γνώμη μου και πάω τώρα να την ανεβάσω τώρα στο goodreads μπας και βοηθήσω κανέναν αναποφάσιστο αναγνώστη.
Αν "τους" είχα ακόυσει, δεν τα το είχα διαβάσει, και τότε πόσο λάθος, θα είχα χάσει ένα τόσο ωραίο βιβλίο, δυό απολαυστικά απόγεύματα, τη γνωριμία μου με ένα νέο γάλλο συγγραφέα, την επαφή με τη γαλλική αστυνομική λογοτεχνία, ένα βίρτσουαλ ταξίδι στο Παρίσι και στη Νότρ Νταμ και τόσες πληροφορίες για τους τουρίστες και τις διαδικασίες μέσα σ΄αυτή την πιο διάσημη εκκλησία του κόσμου...
Δεν θα είχα ανακαλύψει ότι ένα βιβλίο αστυνομικό μεν αλλά όπου το μυστήριο λύνεται από έναν παππά με προβλήματα υγείας, ένα έκτρωμα ύψους 1,48 και 43 κιλών όπως λέει ο ίδιος για τον εαυτό του, θα μπορούσε όχι απλά να μου κρατήσει το ενδιαφέρον αλλά να με συγκινήσει επιπλέον μέχρι δακρύων για πάνω από δύο φορές.
Έτσι λοιπόν. Ας μη δίνουμε σημασία σ΄ότι βλέπουμε γραμμένο για ένα βιβλίο από δω κι από κει. Γι' αυτό έγραψα κι εγώ τη γνώμη μου και πάω τώρα να την ανεβάσω τώρα στο goodreads μπας και βοηθήσω κανέναν αναποφάσιστο αναγνώστη.
August 17, 2019
Entertaining little crime story, set in the crowded, convoluted edifice of my favorite building on earth. The author worked in visitor management at the cathedral, so is happy to show off his knowledge of its private staircases, wings, and chambers most of us will never see. One protagonist, Father Kern, is an ailing little priest, beset by flares of bodily pain that have stunted him since childhood (the medical me is guessing Still's disease?), who sets out to understand who was behind the bizarre death of a pretty young woman dressed in white. The plot is nothing special, with a requisite red herring, and a somewhat predictable villain and conclusion, revealed all at once to the sympathetic young policeman Gombrowicz. Read this one for Paris, for Notre Dame, for Father Kern's earnest travails, for a comfortable evening or two.
October 15, 2024
Translated from French I initially thought “The Madonna of Notre Dame” was simply a police procedural with a French accent. But much of this quick read deals with the heavy psychological baggage carried by virtually every character, from victim, to cop, to suspects, to the priests of Notre Dame itself. Obviously written before the devastating fire that struck a few years ago, it presents us with an inside look at how the staff must deal with thousands of tourists, as well as the oddballs and religiously obsessive orbiting and entering the cathedral’s confines. So many damaged souls converging on this Medieval monument. So, much more went into this book than I expected, giving me much more to ponder. Unfortunately, it appears this may be one of the only Alexis Ragougneau novels translated into English. C’est la vie…
November 21, 2019
I really like New Vessel Press, and the write-up in the back of one of their other books sounded amazing ... Sadly it didn’t quite live up to the promise, which is a real shame. There’s some great characters developed here - especially Father Kern, who feels like he could be a nice recurring Hercule Poirot type character - but there’s not enough of them to create a mystery, and they’re not fleshed out enough, which makes the outcome rather predictable. It was less whodunnit and more how, and not in a way that was particularly compelling. I’m a fan of short, well told stories, but this one misses the mark with its brevity. I’d give Ragougneau another chance though ... he’s definitely got merit.
November 12, 2022
Bei dem Buch handelt es sich um eine kurze Mystery/Crime Geschichte in der ein Pfarrer der Kathedrale Notre Dame einen Fall aufklärt nachdem die französische Justiz grandios versagt hat bei ihren Ermittlungen.
Die Geschichte ist gut geschrieben, aber nicht besonders spektakulär, dennoch gibt sie einen Einblick in die Getriebe der katholischen Kirche und ihre Einflussnahme auf die Politik. Das Werk stellt also eine eher kritische Ansicht der französischen Justiz und der Kirche da.
An manchen Stellen zog sich die Handlung meiner Meinung nach etwas, aber im großen und ganzen fand ich das Buch gut und habe es relativ schnell durchgelesen.
Die Geschichte ist gut geschrieben, aber nicht besonders spektakulär, dennoch gibt sie einen Einblick in die Getriebe der katholischen Kirche und ihre Einflussnahme auf die Politik. Das Werk stellt also eine eher kritische Ansicht der französischen Justiz und der Kirche da.
An manchen Stellen zog sich die Handlung meiner Meinung nach etwas, aber im großen und ganzen fand ich das Buch gut und habe es relativ schnell durchgelesen.
August 17, 2022
A beautiful and short murder solving mystery that takes place in one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Aside from the plot itself, which can only be characterized as very well-written and full of clues to be a part of the storyline, the imagery and description of the places around Paris help you transport in the french streets and be lost in the dark alleys.
I think it's a very nice option for people who want a fast-paced story that doesn't take pages to unfold and it's satisfying to read.
I think it's a very nice option for people who want a fast-paced story that doesn't take pages to unfold and it's satisfying to read.
November 25, 2017
Worth reading, but it's sketchy in spots, spots that should have been a little fuller. The blurb on the back says the writer is a playwright and that this is his first novel. Possibly that accounts for those spots of narrative thinness--he is used to writing for actors whose job it is to flesh out the characters and embody the plot.
Not a conventional mystery. More of a psychological study of the main character.
Not a conventional mystery. More of a psychological study of the main character.
March 15, 2021
Una novela que tiene todos los ingredientes para resultar realmente entretenida pero no lo logra. Le faltan páginas, y ahondar más en los personajes, darles vida, y en realidad es eso lo que le falla en términos generales. La figura del preso no se sabe ni el porque ni porque no de su presencia, por tanto son situaciones que el autor deja colgadas sin desarrollar. No recomiendo, lo único que engancha es la escena del crimen sin más.
June 1, 2017
A quick, good mystery that takes place in my favorite city in the world. With Notre Dame as the setting, I got hints of Dan Brown (The Da Vinci Code) however this book had far less ridiculous chases and conspiracy theories.
September 4, 2017
One of the priests at Notre Dame Cathedral becomes an amateur sleuth when a young girl is found murdered there. Initially, the main suspect is a mentally disturbed young man with an obsession for the Virgin Mary. The author offers a behind-the-scenes look at the cathedral
October 28, 2020
Probably the first crime book in my life that I liked so little that I actually considered not reading it until it’s end...
I struggled it through in the end, but it was really boring, the characters were uninteresting, the story was uninteresting, the end was uninteresting:(
I struggled it through in the end, but it was really boring, the characters were uninteresting, the story was uninteresting, the end was uninteresting:(
August 24, 2021
Not as thrilling and suspenseful as I was expecting or hoping for, but maybe that’s just my American sensibilities. Characters were fantastic, but it felt more like a character study than a real mystery.
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