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Capitain Roger Blanc #1
Murderous Mistral
An atmospheric murder mystery set in the south of France.
Capitaine Roger Blanc, an investigator with the anti-corruption-unit of the French Gendarmerie, was a bit too succesfull in his investigations. He finds himself removed from Paris to the south of France, far away from political power. Or so it would seem.
The stress is too much for his marriage, and he attempts to manage the break up while trying to settle into his new life in Provence in a 200-year-old, half-ruined house. At the same time, Blanc is tasked with his first murder case: A man with no friends and a lot of enemies, an outsider, was found shot and burned. When a second man dies under suspicious circumstances in the quaint French countryside, the Capitaine from Paris has to dig deep into the hidden, dark undersides of the Provence he never expected to see.
Capitaine Roger Blanc, an investigator with the anti-corruption-unit of the French Gendarmerie, was a bit too succesfull in his investigations. He finds himself removed from Paris to the south of France, far away from political power. Or so it would seem.
The stress is too much for his marriage, and he attempts to manage the break up while trying to settle into his new life in Provence in a 200-year-old, half-ruined house. At the same time, Blanc is tasked with his first murder case: A man with no friends and a lot of enemies, an outsider, was found shot and burned. When a second man dies under suspicious circumstances in the quaint French countryside, the Capitaine from Paris has to dig deep into the hidden, dark undersides of the Provence he never expected to see.
280 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2014
218 people are currently reading
1063 people want to read
About the author
Cay Rademacher
54 books132 followers1965 in Flensburg geboren, studierte in Köln und Washington Anglo-Amerikanische Geschichte, Alte Geschichte und Philosophie und lebt heute mit seiner Familie in der Provence.
Seit einigen Jahren Redakteur bei GEO sowie Geschäftsführender Redakteur des Geschichtsmagazins GEO EPOCHE. Außerdem schreibt R. historische Romane und Sachbücher.
Seit einigen Jahren Redakteur bei GEO sowie Geschäftsführender Redakteur des Geschichtsmagazins GEO EPOCHE. Außerdem schreibt R. historische Romane und Sachbücher.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 174 reviews
October 21, 2017
For me, this was a typical murder mystery. That isn't necessarily a bad thing because overall, I did enjoy the novel. Did I come away from reading this with any revolutionary thoughts? No. Will I quickly forget the story? Probably. It was a quick, entertaining, and mysterious read that kept my attention for the duration of the novel....but not much longer than that.
Overall, I did like the storyline and the writing. The author paid exquisite detail to the setting and scenery which really allowed me a perspective to the atmosphere. However, although the setting was in France, I felt the amount of French in the novel was a little over the top. Luckily, I know a little bit of French (I am from Canada...we are practically bred to be at least partially bilingual) and most of it was "simple" words to be translated but still....it felt unnecessary and out of place. I mean, the novel is in English and I don't feel like it needed multiple French phrases in a page.
I don't want to spoil anything but I will say that I liked how the murder played out and that it didn't have a predictable explanation (in my opinion). However, near the end of the novel, there was an event or coupling that soured the novel for me. It just didn't feel appropriate or that it was right for the novel. It also didn't seem like an accurate representation of the main character. Then the ending happened and that coupling was reinforced and it just felt....wrong. I would say those events were really the sole downfall of the novel. It just didn't seem right.
I may possibly continue this series in the future but they aren't easily accessible in my area so it may not happen. Either way, it was a good standalone novel that definitely left some potential in future novels.
***Thank you to Goodreads as well as the author and publisher for supplying me with this novel via a giveaway***
Overall, I did like the storyline and the writing. The author paid exquisite detail to the setting and scenery which really allowed me a perspective to the atmosphere. However, although the setting was in France, I felt the amount of French in the novel was a little over the top. Luckily, I know a little bit of French (I am from Canada...we are practically bred to be at least partially bilingual) and most of it was "simple" words to be translated but still....it felt unnecessary and out of place. I mean, the novel is in English and I don't feel like it needed multiple French phrases in a page.
I don't want to spoil anything but I will say that I liked how the murder played out and that it didn't have a predictable explanation (in my opinion). However, near the end of the novel, there was an event or coupling that soured the novel for me. It just didn't feel appropriate or that it was right for the novel. It also didn't seem like an accurate representation of the main character. Then the ending happened and that coupling was reinforced and it just felt....wrong. I would say those events were really the sole downfall of the novel. It just didn't seem right.
I may possibly continue this series in the future but they aren't easily accessible in my area so it may not happen. Either way, it was a good standalone novel that definitely left some potential in future novels.
***Thank you to Goodreads as well as the author and publisher for supplying me with this novel via a giveaway***
September 22, 2017
Great read. Slick and understated!
Capitaine Roger Blanc is the ideal obsessive investigator, formerly with the Parisian anti-corruption unit. Perhaps a bit too obsessive as after a successful case against personages in high places he finds himself reallocated to Sainte-Françoise-la-Vallée, a hamlet in Provence 500 miles south of Paris.
At the same time his marriage collapses. Blanc is forced into making a fresh start. Fortunately he owns a 200 year old dilapidated house that he'd virtually forgotten he'd inherited and had for some unknown reason kept on paying the taxes.
His welcoming investigation was that of the body of a man deliberately torched. By all accounts Moréas had been a very nasty person; a belligerent bully who terrorized his neighbours and anyone else who crossed his path, a thief and murderer. A man no-one mourned when he met his grisly ending.
Blanc can't help but sniff out corruption, can't help wanting to find the real culprit of Moréas' murder, not just the convenient person his upright, regulation ridden Commandant wants to hang the murder on.
Blanc's partners in his new position are nicely underplayed and as the story progresses we see them develop more fully, just as Blanc does.
The translation from German to English by Peter Millar has the story flowing without a language hitch.
This is the first in the series. I look forward to future developments in the life of Roger Blanc.
A NetGalley ARC
Capitaine Roger Blanc is the ideal obsessive investigator, formerly with the Parisian anti-corruption unit. Perhaps a bit too obsessive as after a successful case against personages in high places he finds himself reallocated to Sainte-Françoise-la-Vallée, a hamlet in Provence 500 miles south of Paris.
At the same time his marriage collapses. Blanc is forced into making a fresh start. Fortunately he owns a 200 year old dilapidated house that he'd virtually forgotten he'd inherited and had for some unknown reason kept on paying the taxes.
His welcoming investigation was that of the body of a man deliberately torched. By all accounts Moréas had been a very nasty person; a belligerent bully who terrorized his neighbours and anyone else who crossed his path, a thief and murderer. A man no-one mourned when he met his grisly ending.
Blanc can't help but sniff out corruption, can't help wanting to find the real culprit of Moréas' murder, not just the convenient person his upright, regulation ridden Commandant wants to hang the murder on.
Blanc's partners in his new position are nicely underplayed and as the story progresses we see them develop more fully, just as Blanc does.
The translation from German to English by Peter Millar has the story flowing without a language hitch.
This is the first in the series. I look forward to future developments in the life of Roger Blanc.
A NetGalley ARC
August 23, 2022
Roger Blanc este relocat în Provence, unde încă din prima zi îi este repartizat un nou coleg și un caz de omucidere. La groapa de gunoi este găsit carbonizat un bărbat ce mereu crea probleme, ba chiar umblă vorba că ar fi scăpat nepedepsit după ce a-r fi omorât o femeie tregând-o legată de mașină. Ce rezultă este un roman polițist antrenant, cu personaje bine creionate, umor, replici istețe și o intrigă palpitantă. Am scris mai multe despre carte într-un articol publicat pe blog.
„Nu te angaja niciodată prea devreme într-o anumită versiune a cursului evenimentelor, a motivului, a suspectului. Rămâi deschis. Să nu-ți închizi niciodată ochii și urechile înainte de vreme.„
https://ciobanuldeazi.home.blog/2022/...
„Nu te angaja niciodată prea devreme într-o anumită versiune a cursului evenimentelor, a motivului, a suspectului. Rămâi deschis. Să nu-ți închizi niciodată ochii și urechile înainte de vreme.„
https://ciobanuldeazi.home.blog/2022/...
September 23, 2019
Es un libro de provincias, la historia ya es conocida: poli de París al que envían a la Provence Francesa. El caso está bien narrado. Es una serie, lo que no sé es si se han traducido más.
October 14, 2019
Not an outstanding story, but the setting and descriptions of the small French villages added color.
Not sure if this is the first in a series.
Not sure if this is the first in a series.
November 20, 2017
Fairly disappointing. I’d prefer a book set in Provence to give me a bit more of the ambiance of that storied part of the world. Instead, the French countryside is merely a locale in which to place what is basically a police procedural largely consisting of a “he went here, did this, he went there, did that” linear narrative.
As well, like Martin Walker’s “Bruno, Chief of Police” series, the denouement devolves into a mad chase/shoot-em-up that would be at home in a cowboy novel. None of the characters are very attractive either, so the sum total is rather less than satisfying.
As well, like Martin Walker’s “Bruno, Chief of Police” series, the denouement devolves into a mad chase/shoot-em-up that would be at home in a cowboy novel. None of the characters are very attractive either, so the sum total is rather less than satisfying.
July 25, 2015
Putain!
Mal wieder irrt sich Capitaine Roger Blanc, für einen aufgedeckten Korruptionsfall sollte man doch belobigt und befördert werden. Nun befördert wird Roger Blanc auch, allerdings nicht die Karriereleiter nach oben, sondern in die tiefe Provinz des Midi. Anstatt dorthin mitzukommen, eröffnet ihm seine Frau, sie bleibe lieber in Paris bei ihrem Liebhaber. Als kleiner Fixpunkt in seiner neuen Heimat bleibt Blanc nur ein verfallenes Haus, das er geerbt hat. Bevor er sich in seiner neuen Dienststelle einleben kann, geschieht ein Mord, in dem er und seine Kollegen doch mehr zu tun bekommen, als nur den Tatort zu sichern.
Möglicherweise von den Romanen um Frank Stave begeistert, wird man sich ebenso möglicherweise mit diesem neuen Kommissar etwas schwer tun. Schon wieder ein Polizist, der aus Paris in die französische Provinz versetzt wird. Wenn man dann die Gegen auch nicht kennt, mögen die durchaus ansprechenden Beschreibungen der Landschaft und des Landlebens an einem vorbeirauschen, weil man nicht die passenden Bilder vor Augen hat. Etwas missmutig wirkt zunächst der Ermittler Roger Blanc. So wie dieser sich nur langsam einlebt und einfühlt, braucht man auch als Leser ein wenig Zeit, sich einzuleben und anzufreunden. Der kühle Chef, der nur die Karriere im Sinn zu haben scheint, der abgehalfterte Marius, der irgendwann zurückgelassen wurde, die forsche Fabienne, die eigentlich zu gut für die Provinz ist. Nach und nach allerdings schafft man es, sich den Figuren zu nähern.
Und schließlich wird der Fall zum Finale hin dermaßen rasant und spannend, dass man alle anfänglichen Schwierigkeiten vergisst und sich erinnert, dass dieser Autor einfach gute Bücher schreibt. Und so hat man den Start zu einer Reihe, die es sicher wert ist, sie auf der Merkliste zu behalten.
3,5 Sterne
Mal wieder irrt sich Capitaine Roger Blanc, für einen aufgedeckten Korruptionsfall sollte man doch belobigt und befördert werden. Nun befördert wird Roger Blanc auch, allerdings nicht die Karriereleiter nach oben, sondern in die tiefe Provinz des Midi. Anstatt dorthin mitzukommen, eröffnet ihm seine Frau, sie bleibe lieber in Paris bei ihrem Liebhaber. Als kleiner Fixpunkt in seiner neuen Heimat bleibt Blanc nur ein verfallenes Haus, das er geerbt hat. Bevor er sich in seiner neuen Dienststelle einleben kann, geschieht ein Mord, in dem er und seine Kollegen doch mehr zu tun bekommen, als nur den Tatort zu sichern.
Möglicherweise von den Romanen um Frank Stave begeistert, wird man sich ebenso möglicherweise mit diesem neuen Kommissar etwas schwer tun. Schon wieder ein Polizist, der aus Paris in die französische Provinz versetzt wird. Wenn man dann die Gegen auch nicht kennt, mögen die durchaus ansprechenden Beschreibungen der Landschaft und des Landlebens an einem vorbeirauschen, weil man nicht die passenden Bilder vor Augen hat. Etwas missmutig wirkt zunächst der Ermittler Roger Blanc. So wie dieser sich nur langsam einlebt und einfühlt, braucht man auch als Leser ein wenig Zeit, sich einzuleben und anzufreunden. Der kühle Chef, der nur die Karriere im Sinn zu haben scheint, der abgehalfterte Marius, der irgendwann zurückgelassen wurde, die forsche Fabienne, die eigentlich zu gut für die Provinz ist. Nach und nach allerdings schafft man es, sich den Figuren zu nähern.
Und schließlich wird der Fall zum Finale hin dermaßen rasant und spannend, dass man alle anfänglichen Schwierigkeiten vergisst und sich erinnert, dass dieser Autor einfach gute Bücher schreibt. Und so hat man den Start zu einer Reihe, die es sicher wert ist, sie auf der Merkliste zu behalten.
3,5 Sterne
August 29, 2019
Capitaine Roger Blanc, an investigator with the anti-corruption-unit of the French Gendarmerie situated in Paris, was a bit too succesfull in his investigations. He gets a promotion by a minister to the provinces and finds out that his longtime wife has decided to leave him for another. His kids are all grown up and live their own lives without their dads involvement.
Welcome to the South of France, the Provence, where Blac by sheer luck has an inherited property that does need a lot of love and renovation . Added to the local policeforce his first job is dead unpopular local who first got gunned down with an automatic weapon and then set to fire. Everybody seems to be glad to accept an explanation in which the crooks from Marseille are supposed to be the most obvious culprit.
Blanc having a new house and plenty of time on hands manages to figure out that the solution is not what might be political savy and to put matters in perspective the local investigative Judge is the wife of the minister that send him down to the south.
Roger Blanc has got a lot on his plate, a new house, a new relationship status as being single, new colleagues, an new surrounding in which he has to find his steps.
An excellent new entry of a series which I by accident started with the second book, so with this knowledge I read the first one and found this book to my liking to. I guess I can find myself easier in the European Cozy as I have some sort of referential character to the people and background. I truly enjoy France and his people.
A series I want to continue reading albeit in German if I have to.
Welcome to the South of France, the Provence, where Blac by sheer luck has an inherited property that does need a lot of love and renovation . Added to the local policeforce his first job is dead unpopular local who first got gunned down with an automatic weapon and then set to fire. Everybody seems to be glad to accept an explanation in which the crooks from Marseille are supposed to be the most obvious culprit.
Blanc having a new house and plenty of time on hands manages to figure out that the solution is not what might be political savy and to put matters in perspective the local investigative Judge is the wife of the minister that send him down to the south.
Roger Blanc has got a lot on his plate, a new house, a new relationship status as being single, new colleagues, an new surrounding in which he has to find his steps.
An excellent new entry of a series which I by accident started with the second book, so with this knowledge I read the first one and found this book to my liking to. I guess I can find myself easier in the European Cozy as I have some sort of referential character to the people and background. I truly enjoy France and his people.
A series I want to continue reading albeit in German if I have to.
June 26, 2016
Mir hat das Buch, das ich mir zeitgleich von Oliver Siebeck vorlesen ließ, gut gefallen. Ein gelungener Auftakt zu einer Reihe von Kriminalfällen in der Provence.
http://sunsys-blog.blogspot.de/2016/0...
Ich gebe 08/10 Punkte
http://sunsys-blog.blogspot.de/2016/0...
Ich gebe 08/10 Punkte
May 4, 2021
Gute Story, vielleicht ein bisschen überzogenes Ende. Hat sich gut weggelesen, war spannend. Hat Lust auf die Region gemacht und ich will auf jeden Fall mehr davon lesen.
Read
August 19, 2022Mi-a placut povestea, mi-au placut personajele, mi-a placut atmosfera. Abia astept o eventuala continuare :)
October 18, 2017
I enjoyed the author's new detective, Roger Blanc, for the most part and his descriptions of the region in France where Roger lives.
However, sometimes I felt the writing was overthought and overwritten. The sex scene with Roger and his superior? Why? Definitely just page filler for me and not needed at all. I don't even think it went with the character. A man who wondered if he had kissed or not kissed someone right.
A decent read albeit with a lot of unnecessary writing in which I enjoyed learning more French curse words.
Thanks to St. Martin's Press and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
However, sometimes I felt the writing was overthought and overwritten. The sex scene with Roger and his superior? Why? Definitely just page filler for me and not needed at all. I don't even think it went with the character. A man who wondered if he had kissed or not kissed someone right.
A decent read albeit with a lot of unnecessary writing in which I enjoyed learning more French curse words.
Thanks to St. Martin's Press and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
April 23, 2020
This is the first volume in the Roger Blanc series. I have already read the fourth volume and have now decided to read this series from the beginning.
On the one hand, you get to know all the important people who belong to this series. On the other hand, it shows why Capitaine Blanc was transferred to Provence and how he learns to gain a foothold and make friends.
A troublemaker is found burned on the garbage dump. Blanc and his team will soon find out that various regional personalities have something to hide. But who among them is actually the bad guy? More murders have to be solved before they find him.
It was a cozy mystery and I will read the other books in this series as well.
On the one hand, you get to know all the important people who belong to this series. On the other hand, it shows why Capitaine Blanc was transferred to Provence and how he learns to gain a foothold and make friends.
A troublemaker is found burned on the garbage dump. Blanc and his team will soon find out that various regional personalities have something to hide. But who among them is actually the bad guy? More murders have to be solved before they find him.
It was a cozy mystery and I will read the other books in this series as well.
March 1, 2024
Ein Buch, von dem ich mir mehr versprochen habe, als es am Ende hielt. Aber das Setting ist gut und die Geschichte hat eine schöne Entwicklung! Ich würde es trotzdem jedem empfehlen, der Krimis mag, die mal nicht nur "mainstream" sind.
August 22, 2022
Din recenzia apărută pe Biblioteca lui Liviu în cadrul blog tourului dedicat publicării în limba română a volumului „Mistralul ucigaș”:
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„Ancheta înaintează anevoios, căci probele sunt puține și, cum spuneam, nu plânge nimeni după un smardoi pe care nu-l agrea niciun membru al comunității. Însă totuși cine se încumetase să facă rost de un Kalașnikov, să-l împuște cu sânge rece și să-i mai dea și foc, apoi să nu lase nicio urmă, niciun martor, ziua în amiaza mare? Pictorul (a cărui poveste de viață, minus un aspect dramatic, se aseamănă tulburător de mult cu cea a autorului însuși)? Arhitectul? Judecătoarea de instrucție? Secretara româncă (bineînțeles, stricată și ieftină, așa am ajuns să fim considerați pe oriunde ne-am duce și orice am face)? Vreun jandarm sătul de relele lui Moreas? Vreun executant de ordine trimis de vreun grangure de la Marsilia pentru a-l pedepsi pe Moreas pentru cine știe ce vină închipuită? Cine, oare cine? Iar pentru ca lucrurile să se complice și mai mult, în bucolicul sat în care a fost exilat Blanc mai apare un cadavru, victima unui aparent accident nautic, însă coincidența parcă ar fi cam mare când se descoperă cine e acesta. Iar lucrurile încep să se precipite.
Fără a fi cea mai alertă poveste din lume și cu un personaj de care n-am reușit să mă apropii nici în ruptul capului, cu toate că e crunt lovit de soartă din toate părțile și pare cam singurul dispus să facă o anchetă ca la carte, povestea este destul de atipică și are un farmec aparte, susținut din plin de peisajele absolut superbe. Deși e conștiincios și pare stăpânit de o tristețe infinită (amintiți-vă ce am scris în al doilea paragraf), Blanc se repede ca un hăitaș în căutare de indicii și pune cap la cap, cu o logică de fier, întâmplări disparate, fragmente de discuții, mărturii ale martorilor și motive ascunse de la unii pe care nu-i credeai în stare de fapte abominabile, totul pe fondul unor peisaje absolut mirobolante, minunat surprinse pe una dintre cele mai reușite coperte văzute de mine în ultima vreme. Povestea este plină de întorsături de situație, inclusiv un fir narativ dinspre final pe care l-am anticipat, dar apreciat totuși din plin, mai ales când stai și privești în urmă și admiri cum ajunge să se întoarcă roata.”
Mai multe: https://bibliotecaluiliviu.ro/2022/08...
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„Ancheta înaintează anevoios, căci probele sunt puține și, cum spuneam, nu plânge nimeni după un smardoi pe care nu-l agrea niciun membru al comunității. Însă totuși cine se încumetase să facă rost de un Kalașnikov, să-l împuște cu sânge rece și să-i mai dea și foc, apoi să nu lase nicio urmă, niciun martor, ziua în amiaza mare? Pictorul (a cărui poveste de viață, minus un aspect dramatic, se aseamănă tulburător de mult cu cea a autorului însuși)? Arhitectul? Judecătoarea de instrucție? Secretara româncă (bineînțeles, stricată și ieftină, așa am ajuns să fim considerați pe oriunde ne-am duce și orice am face)? Vreun jandarm sătul de relele lui Moreas? Vreun executant de ordine trimis de vreun grangure de la Marsilia pentru a-l pedepsi pe Moreas pentru cine știe ce vină închipuită? Cine, oare cine? Iar pentru ca lucrurile să se complice și mai mult, în bucolicul sat în care a fost exilat Blanc mai apare un cadavru, victima unui aparent accident nautic, însă coincidența parcă ar fi cam mare când se descoperă cine e acesta. Iar lucrurile încep să se precipite.
Fără a fi cea mai alertă poveste din lume și cu un personaj de care n-am reușit să mă apropii nici în ruptul capului, cu toate că e crunt lovit de soartă din toate părțile și pare cam singurul dispus să facă o anchetă ca la carte, povestea este destul de atipică și are un farmec aparte, susținut din plin de peisajele absolut superbe. Deși e conștiincios și pare stăpânit de o tristețe infinită (amintiți-vă ce am scris în al doilea paragraf), Blanc se repede ca un hăitaș în căutare de indicii și pune cap la cap, cu o logică de fier, întâmplări disparate, fragmente de discuții, mărturii ale martorilor și motive ascunse de la unii pe care nu-i credeai în stare de fapte abominabile, totul pe fondul unor peisaje absolut mirobolante, minunat surprinse pe una dintre cele mai reușite coperte văzute de mine în ultima vreme. Povestea este plină de întorsături de situație, inclusiv un fir narativ dinspre final pe care l-am anticipat, dar apreciat totuși din plin, mai ales când stai și privești în urmă și admiri cum ajunge să se întoarcă roata.”
Mai multe: https://bibliotecaluiliviu.ro/2022/08...
January 30, 2016
Wer die Provence kennt oder kennenlernen möchte, wird dieses Buch lieben. Ein sehr leicht zu lesender Provence Krimi mit liebevoll gezeichneten Charakteren. Sehr unterhaltsam und mit einem glaubwürdigem Plot. Der Leser darf sich auf tolles Kopfkino freuen. Die sommerliche Provence wird lebendig und man möchte eigentlich nicht, dass der Krimi zu einem Ende kommt. Ich hätte mir persönlich noch etwas mehr Tiefgang zu den einzelnen Charakteren und der Umgebung vorstellen können. Die Liebe vom Autor zur Provence ist spürbar. Gut gefallen haben mir die Gedankenspiele des Kommissar Blanc, besonders wenn er die Atmosphäre des Midi beschreibt. Das nächste Buch von Cay Rademacher ist schon gekauft und ich bin gespannt auf die weiteren Abenteuer des Kommissars in der Camargue. "Moerderischer Mistral" wird der Leser wohl recht schnell lesen. Aber das macht ja auch ein gutes Buch aus, oder? Menschen mit weniger Zeit können das Buch auch mal zur Seite legen und der Wiedereinstieg sollte einfach sein. Die Leser können sich hier auf einen leichten provenzalischen Sommerkrimi freuen.
August 18, 2022
O poveste care nu are intenția de a-și depăși granițele, un peisaj paradiziac așa cum numai în sudul Franței poți întâlni și un protagonist care, în ciuda nepăsării celor din jur, depune tot efortul pentru a pune mâna pe adevăratul ucigaș. Cay Rademacher este un autor care își clădește intriga pe o structură clasică de roman polițist, reușind astfel să ne introducă într-un univers ficțional autentic, într-un spațiu în care toate elementele sunt aruncate chiar sub ochii cititorilor. Așadar, tot ce ne rămâne de făcut este să recuperăm toate piesele și să le îmbinăm perfect, pentru a avea acces la imaginea de ansamblu și pentru a-l descoperi pe cel care, printr-o crimă odioasă, a reușit să tulbure liniștea locuitorilor din Provence.
Recenzia:
http://www.cartilemele.ro/2022/08/rec...
Recenzia:
http://www.cartilemele.ro/2022/08/rec...
August 7, 2016
Ein spannender und amüsanter Krimi im Midi. GErade richtig, da bei uns der Sommer ja nicht werden will.
Hier gibt es heißblütige Frauen, unberechenbare Mörder, Korruption und Gemauschel. Der wie so oft strafversetzte Kommissar aus Paris muss sich in einem kleinen Dorf in Südfrankreich behaupten, was er mit Hilfe einer netten Kollegin, einer risikobereiten Staatsanwältin und einem Flic, der an einem alten Fall gescheitert ist, schafft.
Das nächste Buch von Rademacher "Tödliche Camargue" werde ich sicher auch noch lesen.
Hier gibt es heißblütige Frauen, unberechenbare Mörder, Korruption und Gemauschel. Der wie so oft strafversetzte Kommissar aus Paris muss sich in einem kleinen Dorf in Südfrankreich behaupten, was er mit Hilfe einer netten Kollegin, einer risikobereiten Staatsanwältin und einem Flic, der an einem alten Fall gescheitert ist, schafft.
Das nächste Buch von Rademacher "Tödliche Camargue" werde ich sicher auch noch lesen.
June 11, 2017
Auftakt der Roger Blanco Serie und er gefällt mir sehr, sehr gut. Grummeliger, fokussierter, etwas verschrobener Ermittler, der von Paris in den Midi versetzt wird. Filz, Mord und ein paar alte Bekannte kreuzen seinen Weg.
Längere Kapitel, sehr gut zu lesen. Werde auf jeden Fall dran bleiben.
Längere Kapitel, sehr gut zu lesen. Werde auf jeden Fall dran bleiben.
October 11, 2019
Interesting story with great characters that get built on as the story goes on. Blanc has an interesting love life to be sure.
Shades of Bruno (Martin Walker) in his character. Looking forward to the others in the series
Shades of Bruno (Martin Walker) in his character. Looking forward to the others in the series
September 15, 2017
Murderous Mistral is the first in a new series by Cay Rademacher who also writes the Inspector Frank Stave series about a German police officer in American-occupied German after World War II. This new series features Captain Roger Blanc, an intuitive and determined investigator whose stunning success at uncovering official corruption has landed him in exile in Provence just in time for the mistral – cold, dry high winds that blow down the Rhone Valley to the Mediterranean. These winds are nearly mythic and dominate the region during their season.
Blanc is assigned a murder case the day he arrives, one that is expected to be handed off to Marseilles as soon as they show up. However, the victim is a local miscreant so he gets to stay on the case. Assisting him, a burned out fellow officer haunted by an old case that involved the victim and a hyper-competent lesbian officer who makes Blanc’s success possible.
The story is rich in local detail, with neighbors who drop by, with the scent of thyme and the beautiful vistas of Provence. Much is made of the cultural differences of the midi, the South of France compared to Blanc’s childhood in the north and his adult life in Paris. There is a lot that reminds me of Martin Walker’s Chief Bruno series, the local characters, the reverence for food and wine, and the mystery rooted in local knowledge and politics.
Murderous Mistral is a fair mystery with an interesting main character and supporting characters. The clues are there and shared with the reader. This is a good procedural, walking us through how the police work with prosecutors throughout the investigation, a very different system than ours that adds interest to the story.
There is a cynicism about police corruption that is disturbing. Blanc is convinced that his superiors could gladly arrest an innocent man whose biography makes a good story that rocks no boats. Would that happen? Perhaps, human nature can be appalling when folks want to protect their livelihood. Still, French police are considered relatively free of corruption relative to most other countries. There was a scandal in Marseilles (the closest big city in this book) in 2012 with officers seizing drugs and then letting drug dealers go while retaining the drugs for their personal enrichment, but that is not the kind of corruption here.
Perhaps, human nature can be appalling when folks want to protect their livelihood. Still, French police are considered relatively free of corruption relative to most other countries. There was a scandal in Marseilles (the closest big city in this book) in 2012 with officers seizing drugs and then letting drug dealers go while retaining the drugs for their personal enrichment, but that is not the kind of corruption here.
I am looking forward to the next in the series. Blanc is an interesting, smart detective, starting a new life, divorced after twenty years of marriage, exiled from his city, so there is plenty of interest in addition to the mystery.
Murderous Mistral will be released on September 19th. I received an advance e-galley from NetGalley
Murderous Mistral at St. Martins Press | Macmillan
The Roger Blanc Series at Macmillan
Cay Rademacher personal blog (German)
Cay Rademacher on GoodReads
★★★
https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpre... (
Blanc is assigned a murder case the day he arrives, one that is expected to be handed off to Marseilles as soon as they show up. However, the victim is a local miscreant so he gets to stay on the case. Assisting him, a burned out fellow officer haunted by an old case that involved the victim and a hyper-competent lesbian officer who makes Blanc’s success possible.
The story is rich in local detail, with neighbors who drop by, with the scent of thyme and the beautiful vistas of Provence. Much is made of the cultural differences of the midi, the South of France compared to Blanc’s childhood in the north and his adult life in Paris. There is a lot that reminds me of Martin Walker’s Chief Bruno series, the local characters, the reverence for food and wine, and the mystery rooted in local knowledge and politics.
Murderous Mistral is a fair mystery with an interesting main character and supporting characters. The clues are there and shared with the reader. This is a good procedural, walking us through how the police work with prosecutors throughout the investigation, a very different system than ours that adds interest to the story.
There is a cynicism about police corruption that is disturbing. Blanc is convinced that his superiors could gladly arrest an innocent man whose biography makes a good story that rocks no boats. Would that happen? Perhaps, human nature can be appalling when folks want to protect their livelihood. Still, French police are considered relatively free of corruption relative to most other countries. There was a scandal in Marseilles (the closest big city in this book) in 2012 with officers seizing drugs and then letting drug dealers go while retaining the drugs for their personal enrichment, but that is not the kind of corruption here.
Perhaps, human nature can be appalling when folks want to protect their livelihood. Still, French police are considered relatively free of corruption relative to most other countries. There was a scandal in Marseilles (the closest big city in this book) in 2012 with officers seizing drugs and then letting drug dealers go while retaining the drugs for their personal enrichment, but that is not the kind of corruption here.
I am looking forward to the next in the series. Blanc is an interesting, smart detective, starting a new life, divorced after twenty years of marriage, exiled from his city, so there is plenty of interest in addition to the mystery.
Murderous Mistral will be released on September 19th. I received an advance e-galley from NetGalley
Murderous Mistral at St. Martins Press | Macmillan
The Roger Blanc Series at Macmillan
Cay Rademacher personal blog (German)
Cay Rademacher on GoodReads
★★★
https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpre... (
July 27, 2025
Desigur! Iată o **recenzie fără spoilere** pentru ***Mistralul ucigaș*** (*Der tote im Mistral*) de **Cay Rademacher**:
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### 🌬️ **Recenzie fără spoilere – *Mistralul ucigaș*, de Cay Rademacher**
*Mistralul ucigaș* este un roman polițist atmosferic, primul din seria cu comisarul **Roger Blanc**, plasat în pitorescul, dar tensionatul sud al Franței – Provence. Cay Rademacher combină cu succes misterul unei crime, corupția politică și farmecul rustic al regiunii, într-o poveste care se citește cu ușurință, dar nu fără profunzime.
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### 🕵️♂️ **Despre poveste (fără spoilere):**
**Roger Blanc**, un anchetator parizian, este „exilat” în Provence, într-un orășel aparent liniștit, după ce a deranjat niște oameni influenți. Acolo, este imediat atras într-un caz de crimă: un bărbat este găsit ars într-o colibă, chiar în timpul unei furtuni de mistral – vântul rece și violent specific regiunii. Pe măsură ce Blanc investighează, descoperă că sub fațada idilică a sudului Franței se ascund interese murdare și pericole neașteptate.
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### 📍 **Ce oferă romanul:**
* **O atmosferă autentică de Provence**, cu peisaje, gastronomie și cultură locală
* **Un detectiv credibil**, inteligent, ironic, dar uman
* **Un ritm echilibrat**, cu mister bine dozat și răsturnări de situație
* **Elemente sociale și politice** care dau profunzime investigației
* **Un stil clar, elegant, fără artificii inutile**
---
### 🎯 **Pentru cine este recomandat:**
Ideal pentru fanii romanelor polițiste **clasice**, dar și pentru cei care apreciază un **cadru deosebit** și o **anchetă inteligentă**, fără exces de violență sau dramatism forțat. Dacă îți plac cărțile lui **Martin Walker** (*Bruno, chief of police*) sau **Andrea Camilleri** (*Montalbano*), acest roman ți se va potrivi perfect.
---
### 🧭 **Concluzie:**
*Mistralul ucigaș* este mai mult decât un simplu roman polițist – este o călătorie în inima sudului Franței, unde crimele se amestecă cu tradiția, vinul și vântul tăios. O lectură elegantă, echilibrată și promisiunea unui detectiv de urmărit mai departe.
---
---
### 🌬️ **Recenzie fără spoilere – *Mistralul ucigaș*, de Cay Rademacher**
*Mistralul ucigaș* este un roman polițist atmosferic, primul din seria cu comisarul **Roger Blanc**, plasat în pitorescul, dar tensionatul sud al Franței – Provence. Cay Rademacher combină cu succes misterul unei crime, corupția politică și farmecul rustic al regiunii, într-o poveste care se citește cu ușurință, dar nu fără profunzime.
---
### 🕵️♂️ **Despre poveste (fără spoilere):**
**Roger Blanc**, un anchetator parizian, este „exilat” în Provence, într-un orășel aparent liniștit, după ce a deranjat niște oameni influenți. Acolo, este imediat atras într-un caz de crimă: un bărbat este găsit ars într-o colibă, chiar în timpul unei furtuni de mistral – vântul rece și violent specific regiunii. Pe măsură ce Blanc investighează, descoperă că sub fațada idilică a sudului Franței se ascund interese murdare și pericole neașteptate.
---
### 📍 **Ce oferă romanul:**
* **O atmosferă autentică de Provence**, cu peisaje, gastronomie și cultură locală
* **Un detectiv credibil**, inteligent, ironic, dar uman
* **Un ritm echilibrat**, cu mister bine dozat și răsturnări de situație
* **Elemente sociale și politice** care dau profunzime investigației
* **Un stil clar, elegant, fără artificii inutile**
---
### 🎯 **Pentru cine este recomandat:**
Ideal pentru fanii romanelor polițiste **clasice**, dar și pentru cei care apreciază un **cadru deosebit** și o **anchetă inteligentă**, fără exces de violență sau dramatism forțat. Dacă îți plac cărțile lui **Martin Walker** (*Bruno, chief of police*) sau **Andrea Camilleri** (*Montalbano*), acest roman ți se va potrivi perfect.
---
### 🧭 **Concluzie:**
*Mistralul ucigaș* este mai mult decât un simplu roman polițist – este o călătorie în inima sudului Franței, unde crimele se amestecă cu tradiția, vinul și vântul tăios. O lectură elegantă, echilibrată și promisiunea unui detectiv de urmărit mai departe.
---
August 7, 2017
Originally published in German in 2014 as Mörderischer Mistral and translated to English by Peter Millar.
This is the first of (currently) 4 books with Inspector Roger Blanc, a captain in the anti-corruption department of the Sûreté who has been sent to Provence after a particularly sensational corruption case involving high ranking politicians in Paris. This is the only one translated to English thus far (though I sincerely hope the others follow soon). The translation work is beautifully done and the narrative is perfectly readable and doesn't suffer for having been translated from its original language.
The stress of Roger Blanc's job has taken a toll on his marriage, so with both the marriage and his career in tatters, he moves to a ruin of a house he inherited years before in Provence.
If that seems a slightly trite set up, what follows is a taut, beautifully paced well written book which I loved reading.
The sense of place is palpable. The characters are believable and well written. They're smart and clever and competent (and not provincial clods). The setting is as much a part of the story as the characters are, along with the sights and smells of the French countryside complete with wine and local cuisine.
The culture and slow pace of life in southern France contrast well with the rather brutal murder (the first victim turns up at the local dump, burnt after being shot multiple times with a kalashnikov rifle). The pacing of the book ramps up quickly to a breathless denouement .
I couldn't give higher praise than to say that this book reminded me of the wonderful Montalbano series by Andrea Camilleri. I will absolutely be checking out the author and hope very much that the next books follow soon.
Five stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher.
This is the first of (currently) 4 books with Inspector Roger Blanc, a captain in the anti-corruption department of the Sûreté who has been sent to Provence after a particularly sensational corruption case involving high ranking politicians in Paris. This is the only one translated to English thus far (though I sincerely hope the others follow soon). The translation work is beautifully done and the narrative is perfectly readable and doesn't suffer for having been translated from its original language.
The stress of Roger Blanc's job has taken a toll on his marriage, so with both the marriage and his career in tatters, he moves to a ruin of a house he inherited years before in Provence.
If that seems a slightly trite set up, what follows is a taut, beautifully paced well written book which I loved reading.
The sense of place is palpable. The characters are believable and well written. They're smart and clever and competent (and not provincial clods). The setting is as much a part of the story as the characters are, along with the sights and smells of the French countryside complete with wine and local cuisine.
The culture and slow pace of life in southern France contrast well with the rather brutal murder (the first victim turns up at the local dump, burnt after being shot multiple times with a kalashnikov rifle). The pacing of the book ramps up quickly to a breathless denouement .
I couldn't give higher praise than to say that this book reminded me of the wonderful Montalbano series by Andrea Camilleri. I will absolutely be checking out the author and hope very much that the next books follow soon.
Five stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher.
October 10, 2017
I picked up this book on a whim and am so glad I did. The author does a splendid job of telling a compelling tale populated with intriguing characters. He also portrays the novel's setting - a tiny town in Provence, France with its seasonal mistrals (hence the title), its beautiful yet stark and sometimes harsh landscape - so vividly, it becomes as tangible to the story as the players within it.
Roger Blanc is a police detective who is transferred from Paris to Provence for doing his job just a little too well - by exposing political corruption that made his higher-ups mighty nervous. To add insult to injury, his wife of 20+ years leaves him for another man, and his first day on the job is fraught with tension among his new peers and mistrust from his new commandant. And his new home, for lack of a better description, is an old, decrepit olive mill his late uncle left him years ago - one that will require alot of money and time to repair.
Roger takes as much as he can in stride, quickly adapting to his new work environment. He's skilled at reading people and keeping his cards close to his vest. He's also trying to learn from his past mistakes - both personal and professional - as he begins this new chapter of his life.
Along with his two new team members, Francine and Marius, Roger is assigned to investigate the murder of a local thug who was hated and feared among the townsfolk. As they dig deeper, and another murder occurs, they find links to a decades-old cold case, as well as present-day plans for the town's future, and both are rife with political corruption & cover-ups.
The action picks up as Roger and his two sidekicks maneuver through the landmines of these situations, and there's an appreciable sense of urgency as the story comes to its close. I look forward to Roger's next adventure! If you enjoy authors such as Andrea Camilleri, SJ Rozan, Fred Vargas, Martha Grimes you would find Murderous Mistral much to your liking as well.
Roger Blanc is a police detective who is transferred from Paris to Provence for doing his job just a little too well - by exposing political corruption that made his higher-ups mighty nervous. To add insult to injury, his wife of 20+ years leaves him for another man, and his first day on the job is fraught with tension among his new peers and mistrust from his new commandant. And his new home, for lack of a better description, is an old, decrepit olive mill his late uncle left him years ago - one that will require alot of money and time to repair.
Roger takes as much as he can in stride, quickly adapting to his new work environment. He's skilled at reading people and keeping his cards close to his vest. He's also trying to learn from his past mistakes - both personal and professional - as he begins this new chapter of his life.
Along with his two new team members, Francine and Marius, Roger is assigned to investigate the murder of a local thug who was hated and feared among the townsfolk. As they dig deeper, and another murder occurs, they find links to a decades-old cold case, as well as present-day plans for the town's future, and both are rife with political corruption & cover-ups.
The action picks up as Roger and his two sidekicks maneuver through the landmines of these situations, and there's an appreciable sense of urgency as the story comes to its close. I look forward to Roger's next adventure! If you enjoy authors such as Andrea Camilleri, SJ Rozan, Fred Vargas, Martha Grimes you would find Murderous Mistral much to your liking as well.
July 4, 2019
3.5 stars
Murderous Mistral is a reasonably entertaining murder mystery which takes place in the South of France. Enter a Parisian cop, Captain Roger Blanc, sent to the Midi in disgrace for uncovering corruption which the powers that be would have preferred to be swept under the carpet.
Shortly after Blanc’s arrival a still sizzling charred body is found in a rubbish dump (why on earth is the instruction to search the dumpster only given a couple of days after the event?) Could it be the work of the Marseille mafia, or perhaps simply a disgruntled neighbour (armed with a Kalashnikov!) who blew several holes into the unpopular Moréas before setting him alight?
Blanc finds himself in a land of wine, women and song - perhaps scrap the song as there isn’t any of that, but wine, women and wily politicians are in abundant supply. Blanc soon adapts to local ways, already forgetting the wife in Paris who found love elsewhere while he was unearthing corruption.
Another body surfaces, and Blanc’s detection whiskers are twitching. Nothing is going to stop him doing his job. He does hope that he won’t “end up lying like a peppered, grilled chicken in some godforsaken corner of the Midi”. A perpetually slightly sozzled and apathetic Lieutenant Tonon and the delightful and savvy Fabienne assist him in this task. Everyone else covers his own butt. The infamous Mistral plays an important role in events, and to round things off nicely there is a car chase along little French country roads.
So, suspend disbelief, pour yourself a glass of rosé, breathe in the aroma of wild thyme, listen to cicadas and enjoy reading.
3 stars for the story; an extra half-a-star for local flavour and ambience.
#####
This light-hearted romp is quite different from the author’s Chief Inspector Skave series which takes place in Germany shortly after WWII.
German by birth, author Cay Rademacher now lives in the South of France.
Murderous Mistral is a reasonably entertaining murder mystery which takes place in the South of France. Enter a Parisian cop, Captain Roger Blanc, sent to the Midi in disgrace for uncovering corruption which the powers that be would have preferred to be swept under the carpet.
Shortly after Blanc’s arrival a still sizzling charred body is found in a rubbish dump (why on earth is the instruction to search the dumpster only given a couple of days after the event?) Could it be the work of the Marseille mafia, or perhaps simply a disgruntled neighbour (armed with a Kalashnikov!) who blew several holes into the unpopular Moréas before setting him alight?
Blanc finds himself in a land of wine, women and song - perhaps scrap the song as there isn’t any of that, but wine, women and wily politicians are in abundant supply. Blanc soon adapts to local ways, already forgetting the wife in Paris who found love elsewhere while he was unearthing corruption.
Another body surfaces, and Blanc’s detection whiskers are twitching. Nothing is going to stop him doing his job. He does hope that he won’t “end up lying like a peppered, grilled chicken in some godforsaken corner of the Midi”. A perpetually slightly sozzled and apathetic Lieutenant Tonon and the delightful and savvy Fabienne assist him in this task. Everyone else covers his own butt. The infamous Mistral plays an important role in events, and to round things off nicely there is a car chase along little French country roads.
So, suspend disbelief, pour yourself a glass of rosé, breathe in the aroma of wild thyme, listen to cicadas and enjoy reading.
3 stars for the story; an extra half-a-star for local flavour and ambience.
#####
This light-hearted romp is quite different from the author’s Chief Inspector Skave series which takes place in Germany shortly after WWII.
German by birth, author Cay Rademacher now lives in the South of France.
October 26, 2017
Captain Roger Blanc is changing his life, but not of his own accord. His last post in France's Gendarmerie brought him a certain amount of attention for his work in the anti-corruption unit. Unfortunately for him, it was the wrong kind of attention, and he got shipped from his comfortable Paris life to a small town in Provence. And if that's not bad enough, his wife chose to stay in the city with her lover, leaving Blanc to start this new chapter of his life alone.
He does have a place to live in his new city, as he had inherited a rundown house from his uncle ten years before. And while he loves the scent of the wild thyme growing in his new neighborhood, some of the new neighbors are not so happy to have a stranger moving in. And if Blanc thought the neighbors would be challenging, he had no idea what was waiting for him at his new post in the Gendarmerie.
On his first day in his new department, Blanc is sent with his new partner to investigate a body that was on fire at the garbage dump. While it originally seems like it's just a matter of filling out the paperwork and handing off the body, it turns out that Blanc's partner figures out who was killed--a local thief and thug who made a lot of enemies. Suddenly, they have a genuine mystery on their hands, and Blanc needs to figure out how to find the killer without stepping on any more toes.
Murderous Mistral was originally published in Germany and has been translated into English. Cay Rademacher brings Provence to life through the vivid and sensuous descriptions. But if you're looking for a cozy mystery with some warmth and humor, then this is not the book for you. Closer to a police procedural, Murderous Mistral is just a good police story told well, in a beautiful and moving location.
Galleys for Murderous Mistral were provided by St. Martin's Press through NetGalley.com, with many thanks.
He does have a place to live in his new city, as he had inherited a rundown house from his uncle ten years before. And while he loves the scent of the wild thyme growing in his new neighborhood, some of the new neighbors are not so happy to have a stranger moving in. And if Blanc thought the neighbors would be challenging, he had no idea what was waiting for him at his new post in the Gendarmerie.
On his first day in his new department, Blanc is sent with his new partner to investigate a body that was on fire at the garbage dump. While it originally seems like it's just a matter of filling out the paperwork and handing off the body, it turns out that Blanc's partner figures out who was killed--a local thief and thug who made a lot of enemies. Suddenly, they have a genuine mystery on their hands, and Blanc needs to figure out how to find the killer without stepping on any more toes.
Murderous Mistral was originally published in Germany and has been translated into English. Cay Rademacher brings Provence to life through the vivid and sensuous descriptions. But if you're looking for a cozy mystery with some warmth and humor, then this is not the book for you. Closer to a police procedural, Murderous Mistral is just a good police story told well, in a beautiful and moving location.
Galleys for Murderous Mistral were provided by St. Martin's Press through NetGalley.com, with many thanks.
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