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Les Evangélistes #2
Un po' più in là sulla destra
Mentre è in appostamento su una panchina Louis Kehlweiler, detto il Tedesco, trova per terra un frammento di osso umano. Una traccia perduta dentro la città. All'apparenza ormai definitivamente. Eppure Kehlweiler la segue, con i suoi due aiutanti, Marc e Mathias. La segue con ostinazione e ossessione fino ad arrivare in un piccolo villaggio della Bretagna. Qui trova un collezionista di macchine per scrivere, fanatico di qualsiasi meccanismo ben oliato, un sindaco pavido e untuoso che non vuole problemi, un losco individuo ferocemente razzista, pronto a tutto pur di diventare sindaco lui. Con la pazienza e la fredda ferocia dell'indagatore, Kehlweiler toglie la maschera a tutti e ricostruisce la storia, le sue follie, le sue mostruosità. Inseguendo le tracce. Come chi scrive.
258 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1996
88 people are currently reading
755 people want to read
About the author
Fred Vargas
66 books1,625 followersFred Vargas is the pseudonym of the French historian, archaeologist and writer Frédérique Audoin-Rouzeau (often mistakenly spelled "Audouin-Rouzeau"). She is the daughter of Philippe Audoin(-Rouzeau), a surrealist writer who was close to André Breton, and the sister of the historian Stéphane Audoin-Rouzeau, a noted specialist of the First World War who inspired her the character of Lucien Devernois.
Archeo-zoologist and historian by trade, she undertook a project on the epidemiology of the Black Death and bubonic plague, the result of which was a scientific work published in 2003 and still considered definitive in this research area: Les chemins de la peste : Le rat la puce et l'homme (Pest Roads).
As a novelist, Fred Vargas writes mostly crime stories. She found writing was a way to combine her interests and relax from her job as a scientist. Her novels are set in Paris and feature the adventures of Chief Inspector Adamsberg and his team. Her interest in the Middle Ages is manifest in many of her novels, especially through the person of Marc Vandoosler, a young specialist in the period.
She separated her public persona as a writer from her scientific persona by adopting the pseudonym Fred Vargas. "Fred" is the diminutive of her given name, Frédérique, while with "Vargas", she has chosen the same pseudonym than her twin sister, Jo Vargas (pseudonym of Joëlle Audoin-Rouzeau), a painter. For both sisters, the pseudonym "Vargas" derives from the Ava Gardner character in "The Barefoot Contessa".
Her crime fiction policiers have won three International Dagger Awards from the Crime Writers Association, for three successive novels: in 2006, 2008 and 2009. She is the first author to achieve such an honor. In each case her translator into English has been Sîan Leonard, who was also recognized by the international award.
Archeo-zoologist and historian by trade, she undertook a project on the epidemiology of the Black Death and bubonic plague, the result of which was a scientific work published in 2003 and still considered definitive in this research area: Les chemins de la peste : Le rat la puce et l'homme (Pest Roads).
As a novelist, Fred Vargas writes mostly crime stories. She found writing was a way to combine her interests and relax from her job as a scientist. Her novels are set in Paris and feature the adventures of Chief Inspector Adamsberg and his team. Her interest in the Middle Ages is manifest in many of her novels, especially through the person of Marc Vandoosler, a young specialist in the period.
She separated her public persona as a writer from her scientific persona by adopting the pseudonym Fred Vargas. "Fred" is the diminutive of her given name, Frédérique, while with "Vargas", she has chosen the same pseudonym than her twin sister, Jo Vargas (pseudonym of Joëlle Audoin-Rouzeau), a painter. For both sisters, the pseudonym "Vargas" derives from the Ava Gardner character in "The Barefoot Contessa".
Her crime fiction policiers have won three International Dagger Awards from the Crime Writers Association, for three successive novels: in 2006, 2008 and 2009. She is the first author to achieve such an honor. In each case her translator into English has been Sîan Leonard, who was also recognized by the international award.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 239 reviews
August 13, 2014
For me, reading this new Fred Vargas the first time was like devouring a rum soaked cake; I soared through it all at once, quickly and greedily with a slight sense of being drunk. For the second time around, I plan to read it slowly, like I'm sipping soup. I will savour her entranced, wandering, galloping thinking bracketed with simple truths. "The world is full of horrors and bloodshed." "I could do with a beer." Vargas is my first choice; her books are more than entertainment. But, caution, you must enjoy thinking sideways.
June 15, 2016
If you have never read Fred Vargas, this may be a good book to start with. The focus is all on Louis, the investigator, and he is a very interesting character. The story starts very simply, with Louis finding a bone in a Paris park, but how he solves the mystery of the bone is where the fun is. Louis is part Sherlock, part Pendergast, and part Poirot, but unique enough to warrent more books with him as the driving force. A couple of characters from The Three Evangelists are in this as well, and as I loved that book I was glad to see them. You do not need to have read anything else from Vargas to enjoy this book, but her stories are well worth the time, especially The Chalk Circle Man.
March 1, 2022
Asocio a Fred Vargas con Adamsberg (casi insuperables; solo me faltan dos por leer), así que no sé si seré lo suficientemente objetivo. La autora sigue con su particular, rebuscado y bien encontrado absurdo, pero le falta mucho para ser otra novela destacable. Tenía la sensación que quería colocar en la trama a los del Caserón, y no sabía cómo (yo, al menos, los esperaba mucho más).
December 15, 2014
Un po’ troppo in là…
Dopo aver letto anni fa quasi tutti i romanzi della Vargas, all’inizio con un certo divertimento, avevo infine raggiunto la soglia di saturazione, anche a causa di un’evidente ripetitività della formula, accentuata dalla spiccata caratterizzazione dei personaggi.
Mi era rimasto ancora, in una zona seminascosta della libreria, questo romanzetto che ho intrapreso più per l’impegno preso con me stesso di abbattere la pila dei libri ancora “da leggere”, che per oggettivo interesse.
Ciò premesso devo ammettere che, nella prima metà del libro, la Vargas è tornata a farmi sorridere per la verve degli eventi descritti e la loro obliqua consequenzialità che non sai mai dove ti porterà (in Bretagna, questa volta…); poi nel corso della lettura ho ritrovato il tic dell’autrice di spingersi sempre “un po’ più in là…” sulla destra, sulla sinistra o altrove, accumulando situazioni sempre più artificiali e stucchevoli; finché l’ultimo quinto del romanzo sbraca non solo nell’inverosimile (cosa cui ero preparato…) ma anche nel fastidioso autocompiacimento dove Parigi, la Francia, l’Europa stessa, sembrano un borgo di poche anime tutte collegate e tutte impegnate a riconoscersi o a farsi riconoscere reciprocamente in un balletto grottesco da pochade (gli improvvisati rimbalzi della trama verso gli eventi bellici passano il limite della parodia…).
Ciò nonostante, considerato che per oltre la metà era riuscito a divertirmi, non mi sento di decretare un giudizio complessivamente negativo per questo romanzo, in fin dei conti da leggere senza troppe pretese, fra il 2 e il 3, un po’ più in là verso il 3...
Dopo aver letto anni fa quasi tutti i romanzi della Vargas, all’inizio con un certo divertimento, avevo infine raggiunto la soglia di saturazione, anche a causa di un’evidente ripetitività della formula, accentuata dalla spiccata caratterizzazione dei personaggi.
Mi era rimasto ancora, in una zona seminascosta della libreria, questo romanzetto che ho intrapreso più per l’impegno preso con me stesso di abbattere la pila dei libri ancora “da leggere”, che per oggettivo interesse.
Ciò premesso devo ammettere che, nella prima metà del libro, la Vargas è tornata a farmi sorridere per la verve degli eventi descritti e la loro obliqua consequenzialità che non sai mai dove ti porterà (in Bretagna, questa volta…); poi nel corso della lettura ho ritrovato il tic dell’autrice di spingersi sempre “un po’ più in là…” sulla destra, sulla sinistra o altrove, accumulando situazioni sempre più artificiali e stucchevoli; finché l’ultimo quinto del romanzo sbraca non solo nell’inverosimile (cosa cui ero preparato…) ma anche nel fastidioso autocompiacimento dove Parigi, la Francia, l’Europa stessa, sembrano un borgo di poche anime tutte collegate e tutte impegnate a riconoscersi o a farsi riconoscere reciprocamente in un balletto grottesco da pochade (gli improvvisati rimbalzi della trama verso gli eventi bellici passano il limite della parodia…).
Ciò nonostante, considerato che per oltre la metà era riuscito a divertirmi, non mi sento di decretare un giudizio complessivamente negativo per questo romanzo, in fin dei conti da leggere senza troppe pretese, fra il 2 e il 3, un po’ più in là verso il 3...
February 26, 2017
A trop regarder les merdes, on s'attire des problèmes : c'est la leçon que tire Louis Kehlweiser des premières pages de ce livre, après qu'une crotte de chien lui ait livré son secret, un bout d'os humain digéré. Cet orteil en vacances le mènera sur les routes de l'ouest, terres de bière et de kouign amann, loin de Paris, mais toujours proches de ses collègues de culture historique et d'enquêtes policières, les évangélistes.
Deuxième tome de leur série, "Un peu plus loin sur la droite" n'est pas, selon moi, le plus réussi des Vargas. Un peu long à démarrer, un peu rapide à finir, j'aurais aimé qu'on ait laissé une chance au lecteur de trouver l'assassin. Au lieu de ça, les enchaînements se succèdent, au risque du cliché. La réponse n'est pas à notre portée, elle n'apparaît pas vraiment comme naturelle non plus. Et parfois, l'auteure tombe dans certains travers qui lui sont propres.
Le charme opère toujours, celui des personnages de doux rêveurs et du contenu historique, la lecture est agréable, mais quand on aime une auteure, on peut parfois faire la fine bouche sur les textes un peu en-dessous - non ?
Deuxième tome de leur série, "Un peu plus loin sur la droite" n'est pas, selon moi, le plus réussi des Vargas. Un peu long à démarrer, un peu rapide à finir, j'aurais aimé qu'on ait laissé une chance au lecteur de trouver l'assassin. Au lieu de ça, les enchaînements se succèdent, au risque du cliché. La réponse n'est pas à notre portée, elle n'apparaît pas vraiment comme naturelle non plus. Et parfois, l'auteure tombe dans certains travers qui lui sont propres.
Le charme opère toujours, celui des personnages de doux rêveurs et du contenu historique, la lecture est agréable, mais quand on aime une auteure, on peut parfois faire la fine bouche sur les textes un peu en-dessous - non ?
July 20, 2014
Fred Vargas writes unique mysteries with one-of-a-kind characters. This book is the second in the Three Evangelists series and while I miss Inspector Adamsberg, this one is working for me. Ex-special investigator Ludwig/Louis Kehlweiler and his team keep watch from numbered benches and trees in Paris. He is an information addict. During one of his vigils he finds a human bone which leads him to a tiny Breton fishing village and a murderer. He enlists St. Mark and St. Matthew as well as Marthe and Bufo in his hunt. An interesting theme here is the echoes of World War II haunt many of the characters and how that affects the investigator known as The German. I'm looking forward to the next novel in this series.
May 13, 2014
In Dog Will Have His Day, set in France in 1995, Fred Vargas has produced a deliciously off-beat novel that delivers on suspense while also being a pleasure to read.
Much about Dog Will Have His Day is slightly off-centre, including our first glimpse of the central character, Louis/Ludwig Kehlweiler, through the eyes of the ageing Marthe, once "the most beautiful taxi girl on the Left Bank", in a late-night cafe.
Details of Kehlweiler's backstory are scattered tantalisingly throughout the novel. We learn early on that he is an ex-cop who spent twenty-five years in bomb disposal, his knee shot to pieces in a showdown with the mob in a hotel in Antibes. Or perhaps in a fire. The story is as slippery as the shuffling array of ancestors Kehlweiler lays claim to in order to suit his purposes. His actual origins are shady, born in 1945 to a French mother and a German father, a "child of World War II" whose origins no one is willing to probe.
As if that is not enough, Kehlweiler has a pet toad, Bufo, who seems to serve him as a device for gauging character: if not a case of 'love me, love my toad', then at least 'respect my toad and I'll respect you'.
Although Kehlweiler has left the police force, he continues to monitor and investigate crimes, aided by an army of informants and, in Paris, a network of public benches that serve as observation posts. It is from bench number 102 that he spies a human bone fragment, excreted by a dog on the grill around a tree.
In an effort to identify the responsible dog, Kehlweiler seeks the help of his administrative assistant, Marc Vandoosler -- aka St Mark -- a student of medieval history, who in turn recruits Mathias -- aka St Matthew -- who Marc describes as "a hunter-gatherer housemate from the palaeolithic period." (Although he doesn't feature in this novel, there's mention of a third housemate, Lucien -- aka St Luke -- a historian who specialises in the Great War).
Following the dog's trail leads the three men -- Louis, Marc and Mathias -- to the far end of Brittany and small fishing village of Port-Nicolas, where the secrets of the past collide spectacularly with the crimes of the present.
Remarkably, given the eccentric array of main characters -- not to mention some pretty quirky minor players in Port-Nicolas -- Dog Will Have His Day manages to avoid being at all twee.
The plot unfolds like a puzzle box with sliding panels and unexpected twists, especially when it emerges that Kehlweiler's agendas range further than 'simply' solving the mystery of the human bone fragment excreted by the dog in Paris.
Fred Vargas is the pseudonym of French historian, archeologist and writer Frédérique Audoin-Rouzeau, well known for her Commissaire Adamsberg police procedurals. Dog Will Have His Day is the second in her Three Evangelists series, a translation of the French original published in 1996 as Un peu plus loin sur la droite.
Vargas and her translator Siân Reynolds have won the CWA International Dagger an impressive four times since the prize was inaugurated in 2006, including for the series debut, The Three Evangelists (2006). If Dog Will Have His Day is anything to go by, it's easy to see why.
Entertaining and engaging, Dog Will Have His Day satisfies as a standalone novel, though you may find yourself, like me, seeking out more of Fred Vargas's work after reading it.
Much about Dog Will Have His Day is slightly off-centre, including our first glimpse of the central character, Louis/Ludwig Kehlweiler, through the eyes of the ageing Marthe, once "the most beautiful taxi girl on the Left Bank", in a late-night cafe.
Details of Kehlweiler's backstory are scattered tantalisingly throughout the novel. We learn early on that he is an ex-cop who spent twenty-five years in bomb disposal, his knee shot to pieces in a showdown with the mob in a hotel in Antibes. Or perhaps in a fire. The story is as slippery as the shuffling array of ancestors Kehlweiler lays claim to in order to suit his purposes. His actual origins are shady, born in 1945 to a French mother and a German father, a "child of World War II" whose origins no one is willing to probe.
As if that is not enough, Kehlweiler has a pet toad, Bufo, who seems to serve him as a device for gauging character: if not a case of 'love me, love my toad', then at least 'respect my toad and I'll respect you'.
Although Kehlweiler has left the police force, he continues to monitor and investigate crimes, aided by an army of informants and, in Paris, a network of public benches that serve as observation posts. It is from bench number 102 that he spies a human bone fragment, excreted by a dog on the grill around a tree.
In an effort to identify the responsible dog, Kehlweiler seeks the help of his administrative assistant, Marc Vandoosler -- aka St Mark -- a student of medieval history, who in turn recruits Mathias -- aka St Matthew -- who Marc describes as "a hunter-gatherer housemate from the palaeolithic period." (Although he doesn't feature in this novel, there's mention of a third housemate, Lucien -- aka St Luke -- a historian who specialises in the Great War).
Following the dog's trail leads the three men -- Louis, Marc and Mathias -- to the far end of Brittany and small fishing village of Port-Nicolas, where the secrets of the past collide spectacularly with the crimes of the present.
Remarkably, given the eccentric array of main characters -- not to mention some pretty quirky minor players in Port-Nicolas -- Dog Will Have His Day manages to avoid being at all twee.
The plot unfolds like a puzzle box with sliding panels and unexpected twists, especially when it emerges that Kehlweiler's agendas range further than 'simply' solving the mystery of the human bone fragment excreted by the dog in Paris.
Fred Vargas is the pseudonym of French historian, archeologist and writer Frédérique Audoin-Rouzeau, well known for her Commissaire Adamsberg police procedurals. Dog Will Have His Day is the second in her Three Evangelists series, a translation of the French original published in 1996 as Un peu plus loin sur la droite.
Vargas and her translator Siân Reynolds have won the CWA International Dagger an impressive four times since the prize was inaugurated in 2006, including for the series debut, The Three Evangelists (2006). If Dog Will Have His Day is anything to go by, it's easy to see why.
Entertaining and engaging, Dog Will Have His Day satisfies as a standalone novel, though you may find yourself, like me, seeking out more of Fred Vargas's work after reading it.
September 8, 2014
First off, why did it take 20 years for this delightful book to be translated into English, and why did I have to go to England to find a hard copy? That's just wrong. Vargas and her readers deserve better then that.
That aside, this book is even better than The Three Evangelists - the plot is more complex and the action begins in Paris but moves to a little Breton town near Quimper so there is more scene setting and local color, all brilliantly done.
Louis/Ludwig Kehlwieler, depending on his mood (French mother, German father, end of WWII baby whose parents loved each other and him)is a former special investigator for the Ministry of Justice, invalided out due to a leg injury. He can't stop investigating, and his old contacts are still available to help him out. He's old school - observation, following, general snooping. And keeping records of everything everywhere. He and his cranky old friend Marthe have a regular rotation of observation posts around Paris, with occasional help from others. He has engaged the services of Marc Vandoosler, the medievalist evangelist, to help him organize the clippings he has amassed of odd or sinister happenings all over the country.
One day while sitting at bench 107 (his observation posts are numbered)he spots an anomaly. There is a bone in a pile of dog excrement that was not there the day before. Mathias, the paleo evangelist recognized it as a bone that has passed through a dog's intestine and analysis shows it is the toe of a human female.
First he has to identify the source of the bone, then convince the police of a possible crime. Identifying the regular dogs on the route and their owners is a start. Then investigating recently dead women in the vicinity of the dog owners. It all eventually leads to an elderly woman dead of a fall on the beach in a little Breton town. Kehweiler's research into the tides at the time proves that the woman's shoe could not have come off accidentally and that the death was murder so the police do get involved, but he stays on the case with Marc as his assistant and Mathias brought in at the end.
The plot has interesting complications, and there are some wonderful side notes. The owner of the dog who left the bone behind restores antique typewriters and has invented a pointless machine that sits in the town square giving enigmatic answers to questions posed by passers by. It's a wonderful concept that belongs in Musee des Arts et Metiers and it plays a part in the ultimate solution to the crime.
The endearingly quirky characters - Kehweiler's constant companion is his pet toad Bufo - shades of the Commissaris and his tortoise in the Van de Wetering books - and the smart, complex writing make the book a real treat. As Ludwig/Louis says at one point, "We have someone here who is able to distinguish between the really pointless and the fake pointless, and another who can read signs from underground." With skills like that, success was assured, though not easily come by.
That aside, this book is even better than The Three Evangelists - the plot is more complex and the action begins in Paris but moves to a little Breton town near Quimper so there is more scene setting and local color, all brilliantly done.
Louis/Ludwig Kehlwieler, depending on his mood (French mother, German father, end of WWII baby whose parents loved each other and him)is a former special investigator for the Ministry of Justice, invalided out due to a leg injury. He can't stop investigating, and his old contacts are still available to help him out. He's old school - observation, following, general snooping. And keeping records of everything everywhere. He and his cranky old friend Marthe have a regular rotation of observation posts around Paris, with occasional help from others. He has engaged the services of Marc Vandoosler, the medievalist evangelist, to help him organize the clippings he has amassed of odd or sinister happenings all over the country.
One day while sitting at bench 107 (his observation posts are numbered)he spots an anomaly. There is a bone in a pile of dog excrement that was not there the day before. Mathias, the paleo evangelist recognized it as a bone that has passed through a dog's intestine and analysis shows it is the toe of a human female.
First he has to identify the source of the bone, then convince the police of a possible crime. Identifying the regular dogs on the route and their owners is a start. Then investigating recently dead women in the vicinity of the dog owners. It all eventually leads to an elderly woman dead of a fall on the beach in a little Breton town. Kehweiler's research into the tides at the time proves that the woman's shoe could not have come off accidentally and that the death was murder so the police do get involved, but he stays on the case with Marc as his assistant and Mathias brought in at the end.
The plot has interesting complications, and there are some wonderful side notes. The owner of the dog who left the bone behind restores antique typewriters and has invented a pointless machine that sits in the town square giving enigmatic answers to questions posed by passers by. It's a wonderful concept that belongs in Musee des Arts et Metiers and it plays a part in the ultimate solution to the crime.
The endearingly quirky characters - Kehweiler's constant companion is his pet toad Bufo - shades of the Commissaris and his tortoise in the Van de Wetering books - and the smart, complex writing make the book a real treat. As Ludwig/Louis says at one point, "We have someone here who is able to distinguish between the really pointless and the fake pointless, and another who can read signs from underground." With skills like that, success was assured, though not easily come by.
February 4, 2020
Maljka - per RFS
.
Rieccoci di nuovo alle prese con i nostri tre evangelisti, li abbiamo conosciuti nel racconto precedente, ma ripetiamo i loro nomi: Marc, Louis e Mathias, un trio alquanto strano, ognuno con delle peculiarità che gli attribuiranno caratteristiche fondamentali per la loro caratterizzazione nei romanzi della trilogia.
In questo racconto ci troviamo alle prese con una parte di osso umano trovato sulla griglia di un albero e riesumato da un cane, un pitbull per la precisione. Ma come ci è arrivato in un parco quel frammento? E di chi è soprattutto? Louis Kehlweiler, mentre è in appostamento su una panchina con Martha, vecchia battona… ehm entraîneuse del V arrondissement di Parigi trova appunto questa traccia perduta dentro la città. Eppure Kehlweiler la segue, con i suoi soliti due aiutanti. La segue con ostinazione e ossessione fino ad arrivare in un piccolo villaggio della Bretagna.
Il frammento della falange di un alluce sinistro è della signora Maria, una vecchina raccogli patelle, apparentemente morta dopo esser caduta dalla scogliera sulla spiaggia di Vauban a Port Nicolas. Ma il problema permane: come ci è arrivato nel loro parco quel frammento? E soprattutto perché l’investigatore ha gli occhi puntati sul cane dei Sevran, famiglia che da anni ospita la donna, ovvero la vittima, considerando che il signor Sevran è un uomo di mondo che ogni giovedì sera parte per Parigi per lavoro? Saranno loro i veri colpevoli?
Molte volte colui che immaginiamo essere il carnefice, in realtà è il primo degli innocenti, ma una cosa è certa: devi avere davvero del sangue freddo per uccidere a sassate in fronte qualcuno!
Il ritmo è serrato, ho amato l’amico rospo, in arte Bufo di Louis, ex ministro degli interni, che farà partire le indagini sull’omicidio. Questi tre ricercatori spiantati e un ex poliziotto corrotto, sono personaggi alquanto particolari, ma vi rimarranno nel cuore, e saranno loro a condurre le indagini.
Si inizia a leggere e non ci si ferma più. Sono libri molto ben strutturati, sia come storia che come ambientazioni, seppur semplici e ricchi di dialoghi, che ti porteranno a far scorrere le pagine come non mai. Credo che leggerò altri romanzi di quest’autrice francese.
E oltretutto, essendo io amante di gialli, ho finalmente conosciuto una nuova scrittrice in gamba che ti porta per mano fino a farti scoprire la persona di cui non sospettavi minimamente!
.
Rieccoci di nuovo alle prese con i nostri tre evangelisti, li abbiamo conosciuti nel racconto precedente, ma ripetiamo i loro nomi: Marc, Louis e Mathias, un trio alquanto strano, ognuno con delle peculiarità che gli attribuiranno caratteristiche fondamentali per la loro caratterizzazione nei romanzi della trilogia.
In questo racconto ci troviamo alle prese con una parte di osso umano trovato sulla griglia di un albero e riesumato da un cane, un pitbull per la precisione. Ma come ci è arrivato in un parco quel frammento? E di chi è soprattutto? Louis Kehlweiler, mentre è in appostamento su una panchina con Martha, vecchia battona… ehm entraîneuse del V arrondissement di Parigi trova appunto questa traccia perduta dentro la città. Eppure Kehlweiler la segue, con i suoi soliti due aiutanti. La segue con ostinazione e ossessione fino ad arrivare in un piccolo villaggio della Bretagna.
Il frammento della falange di un alluce sinistro è della signora Maria, una vecchina raccogli patelle, apparentemente morta dopo esser caduta dalla scogliera sulla spiaggia di Vauban a Port Nicolas. Ma il problema permane: come ci è arrivato nel loro parco quel frammento? E soprattutto perché l’investigatore ha gli occhi puntati sul cane dei Sevran, famiglia che da anni ospita la donna, ovvero la vittima, considerando che il signor Sevran è un uomo di mondo che ogni giovedì sera parte per Parigi per lavoro? Saranno loro i veri colpevoli?
Molte volte colui che immaginiamo essere il carnefice, in realtà è il primo degli innocenti, ma una cosa è certa: devi avere davvero del sangue freddo per uccidere a sassate in fronte qualcuno!
Il ritmo è serrato, ho amato l’amico rospo, in arte Bufo di Louis, ex ministro degli interni, che farà partire le indagini sull’omicidio. Questi tre ricercatori spiantati e un ex poliziotto corrotto, sono personaggi alquanto particolari, ma vi rimarranno nel cuore, e saranno loro a condurre le indagini.
Si inizia a leggere e non ci si ferma più. Sono libri molto ben strutturati, sia come storia che come ambientazioni, seppur semplici e ricchi di dialoghi, che ti porteranno a far scorrere le pagine come non mai. Credo che leggerò altri romanzi di quest’autrice francese.
E oltretutto, essendo io amante di gialli, ho finalmente conosciuto una nuova scrittrice in gamba che ti porta per mano fino a farti scoprire la persona di cui non sospettavi minimamente!
June 26, 2018
3.5/5
Quite entertaining, lots of quirky characters and a meandering crime. The ending got a bit too stodgy for my liking and the crime itself was a bit sleepy, the characters making up more for the plot. Nevertheless, I'll always enjoy Fred Vargas' writing.
Quite entertaining, lots of quirky characters and a meandering crime. The ending got a bit too stodgy for my liking and the crime itself was a bit sleepy, the characters making up more for the plot. Nevertheless, I'll always enjoy Fred Vargas' writing.
December 11, 2024
Me ha dado pena porque el primero sí me gustó pero el segundo nada... La conexión con el primero ha tardado medio libro en aparecer, dos de los personajes principales casi ni se mencionan...
Hasta no llegar a las ultimas 30 páginas no ha habido nada interesante para mí.
Hasta no llegar a las ultimas 30 páginas no ha habido nada interesante para mí.
January 23, 2011
L'ho letto in un giorno e mezzo, mi è piaciuto come mi sono piaciuti praticamente quasi tutti i romanzi della Vargas che io abbia letto sinora! Adoro questa donna, creatrice di atmosfere, i suoi libri mi trasportano altrove, ogni volta che li leggo - in questo caso, da Vienna alla Bretagna.
Interessante il personaggio di Kehlweiler, è la prima volta che lo incontro e mi sta simpatico. I personaggi sono la grande forza di questa scrittrice. Amo molto come li caratterizza, con una descrizione fisica o emotiva, o col dettaglio di un animale domestico come Bufo. Per me le trame, comunque sempre ben congegnate, sono secondarie, nei suoi libri: quel che conta è la capacità della storia (come sintesi di trama e suggestione) di risucchiarmi completamente.
Attendo con ansia il prossimo libro! L'ho iniziata a leggere in italiano anni fa quando non sapevo neanche chi era - benedetto bookcrossing - e oramai me la continuo a leggere spettinata come lo è stata dall'Einaudi. Che mica ho capito perché poi ha spettinato i romanzi così. Mah.
Interessante il personaggio di Kehlweiler, è la prima volta che lo incontro e mi sta simpatico. I personaggi sono la grande forza di questa scrittrice. Amo molto come li caratterizza, con una descrizione fisica o emotiva, o col dettaglio di un animale domestico come Bufo. Per me le trame, comunque sempre ben congegnate, sono secondarie, nei suoi libri: quel che conta è la capacità della storia (come sintesi di trama e suggestione) di risucchiarmi completamente.
Attendo con ansia il prossimo libro! L'ho iniziata a leggere in italiano anni fa quando non sapevo neanche chi era - benedetto bookcrossing - e oramai me la continuo a leggere spettinata come lo è stata dall'Einaudi. Che mica ho capito perché poi ha spettinato i romanzi così. Mah.
November 2, 2016
Décidément ! je n'ai plus de mots pour décrire mon plaisir à lire du Vargas Non seulement, je suis absolument bluffé par le style mais cette fois-ci, je n'ai pas vu venir les rebondissements de cette enquête ... Le mystère Louis s'éclaircit un peu. Marc devient de plus en plus attachant Quant à Matthieu, il semble prendre peu de place et pourtant, sans lui... (Dommage pour Lucien qui est absent de cet épisode)
Je croise les doigts pour que l'auteure revienne avec de nouvelles enquêtes pour ses "saint"préférés
Le fait qu'ils soient tous des "coincés mordus illuminés déplacés temporels" de l'Histoire ne me les rend que plus attachants
Je croise les doigts pour que l'auteure revienne avec de nouvelles enquêtes pour ses "saint"préférés
Le fait qu'ils soient tous des "coincés mordus illuminés déplacés temporels" de l'Histoire ne me les rend que plus attachants
March 17, 2015
Sorry, librarians. I did choose this book by its cover. And it is a marvelous mystery. The crime in this book is far off in the distance, but Louis Keihlweiler finds the smallest of clues and the hunt is on. Full of genuine plot twists, "Dog" is a nail-biting who dunnit. I have welcomed into my world the Three Evangelists,odd men who make great protagonists. Thanks, French writer Fred Vargas.
April 16, 2019
Vargas sans Adamsberg, j'étais un sceptique au départ mais avec Kelhweiler et sa bande c'est pas mal du tout finalement. Je vais me pencher sur les autres "Evangélistes".
December 8, 2021
Du Vargas classique : un meurtre, hum, étrange, mais surtout des situations, des personnages tous originaux et surtout attachants. Juste envie d’y retourner en fait.
April 20, 2022
Vargas a vraiment du talent pour les personnages, c'est impressionnant.
April 15, 2018
This is not your average, write-by-numbers mystery novel, but very sophisticated literary suspense which has a very unconventional structure and as usual with Vargas, a truly original idea as a premise. The characters are fantastic, so unique and human you would never forget them, especially that of Louis Kehlweiler. Kehlweiler is one-of-a-kind, a beacon of integrity, intelligence and morality. He keeps quiet in face of constant insults from all around, which only later we learn how deeply he doesn't deserve. He is kind in the widest sense of the word, an authentic man where everyone else is playing games and putting on facades. The suspense builds up very slowly, but keep on and you'll enjoy yourself immensely by the end of it.
April 12, 2017
Sinceramente, non so cosa sia successo.
Il primo capitolo di questa trilogia l'ho valutato 5 stelline.
Questo siamo quasi a pagina 100 e non ingrana.
Possiamo dire tutto quello che vogliamo su una lettura di narrativa. Può piacere, non piacere; è soggettivo.
Ma concorderemo tutti che, se c'è una cosa che deve fare un giallo, è ingranare, tenere il lettore attaccato al libro.
Pieno di digressioni. La parte gialla del romanzo sembra quasi marginale...togliamo pure il quasi. Eppure, una cosa che avevo constatato nel primo capitolo della trilogia, era proprio il venire al punto della Vargas.
Francamente, questo mi sembra tutto tranne che un giallo. E anche se fosse un altro genere, non solo non saprei di che genere potremmo parlare, ma sarebbe comunque insufficiente.
Un po' più in là sulla destra è dispersivo, inconsistente e ripetitivo.
Due stelline, ma alla fine ne potrebbe meritare benissimo anche una.
Il primo capitolo di questa trilogia l'ho valutato 5 stelline.
Questo siamo quasi a pagina 100 e non ingrana.
Possiamo dire tutto quello che vogliamo su una lettura di narrativa. Può piacere, non piacere; è soggettivo.
Ma concorderemo tutti che, se c'è una cosa che deve fare un giallo, è ingranare, tenere il lettore attaccato al libro.
Pieno di digressioni. La parte gialla del romanzo sembra quasi marginale...togliamo pure il quasi. Eppure, una cosa che avevo constatato nel primo capitolo della trilogia, era proprio il venire al punto della Vargas.
Francamente, questo mi sembra tutto tranne che un giallo. E anche se fosse un altro genere, non solo non saprei di che genere potremmo parlare, ma sarebbe comunque insufficiente.
Un po' più in là sulla destra è dispersivo, inconsistente e ripetitivo.
Due stelline, ma alla fine ne potrebbe meritare benissimo anche una.
October 3, 2017
Encore un roman de vargas que j'adore ! c'est définitivement la seule auteur de policier que j'arrive à apprécier !
J'ai un peu moins aimé que "debout les morts" mais tout de même ça reste excellent, tout simplement ! La recette fonctionne toujours : une intrigue qui commence de façon loufoque, des personnages riches en couleur et bien développés, des répliques uniques, une belle ambiance :-)
On se retrouve à son prochain ouvrage !
J'ai un peu moins aimé que "debout les morts" mais tout de même ça reste excellent, tout simplement ! La recette fonctionne toujours : une intrigue qui commence de façon loufoque, des personnages riches en couleur et bien développés, des répliques uniques, une belle ambiance :-)
On se retrouve à son prochain ouvrage !
December 6, 2017
If you love crime fiction and haven't read Fred Vargas yet, get on it!!!
Absolutely loved this book, didn't want to put it down!
The characters are lovably quirky and real yet romantic. Plot was engrossing and original. Loved Louis Kehlweiler and of couse the Evangelists--Marc was hilarious--and enjoyed the old prostitute Marthe.
Can't wait to read the next Evangelists and the Adamsbergs I have waiting for me!
Absolutely loved this book, didn't want to put it down!
The characters are lovably quirky and real yet romantic. Plot was engrossing and original. Loved Louis Kehlweiler and of couse the Evangelists--Marc was hilarious--and enjoyed the old prostitute Marthe.
Can't wait to read the next Evangelists and the Adamsbergs I have waiting for me!
June 10, 2019
Kolme evankelistaa -sarjan kakkososa on vihdoin saatu suomeksi. Ja hyvin vargasmaisen hasuihin tapahtumiin Muistoksi käynnistäsi vie: bitbull kakkaa Pariisin puistossa ihmisen luun ja jäljet johtavat monen sadan kilometrin päähän Bretagneen. Apunaan ’saksalaisella’ Kehlweilerilla ovat etenkin evankelista Markus, hiukan myös Matteus. Viihdyttävä, taattua Vargasta!
March 24, 2020
Kekseliäs rikosjuttu on punottu kakkakikkareen ympärille, mutta silti kirja olisi ajoittain kaivannut enemmän vauhtia tai jotain. Saksalaisen hahmo oli kuitenkin tervetullut lisä evenkelistojen kumppaniksi.
May 31, 2020
Me ha gustado mucho el “investigador” de este crimen, su forma de ser tan estrambótica y particular y su empecinamiento. La historia está muy bien, aunque Vargas no es autora para todos los gustos a mi me entretiene bastante y me hace dudar del asesino. Lo recomiendo
April 10, 2020
Cómo me gusta Vargas! Y si incluye a los evangelistas mucho mejor.
Y el personaje más protagonista en esta historia, el alemán, me encanta!!!
Y el personaje más protagonista en esta historia, el alemán, me encanta!!!
February 11, 2021
Realmente una historia muy bien trenzada
May 20, 2021
Une bonne enquête policière menée par un nouveau personnage qui éclipse, hélas, les Évangélistes.
October 12, 2014
My View:
For those who are looking for something different in crime fiction – quirky characters and black humour abound here.
This is my first read of a Fred Vargas book – she has several series published – The Inspector Adamsberg Series and The Three Evangelists Series – Dog Will Have His Day in the second book in the second series. I had no difficulty picking up this book without reading the first – The Three Evangelists, however maybe it is the unique style of writing or maybe the translation (which on the whole was very well done Sian Reynolds) or maybe because I hadn’t read the first book but I needed to time to process the first few chapters before I dived into the rest of the book.
And what a book! Full of quirky characters that most of society would have cast aside – so refreshing, unique and enjoyable. Louis (also known by some as Ludwig) is an ex special investigator (forced retirement) who has a myriad of informers - drunks, newspaper sellers, bar owners… homeless people… who supply him with vital information. He may be retired but he is not off the job. He is an eccentric character (I base this judgement on the fact that he carries a toad around in his pocket, Bufo the Toad) aside from that small eccentricity he is perfectly normal and smart, and kind and like a terrier who won’t let go of a bone (no pun intended). This character – and the rest of the cast are so refreshing to read. There is not a drop of angst between them, no self-pity and lot of great detective work. A great read.
For those who are looking for something different in crime fiction – quirky characters and black humour abound here.
This is my first read of a Fred Vargas book – she has several series published – The Inspector Adamsberg Series and The Three Evangelists Series – Dog Will Have His Day in the second book in the second series. I had no difficulty picking up this book without reading the first – The Three Evangelists, however maybe it is the unique style of writing or maybe the translation (which on the whole was very well done Sian Reynolds) or maybe because I hadn’t read the first book but I needed to time to process the first few chapters before I dived into the rest of the book.
And what a book! Full of quirky characters that most of society would have cast aside – so refreshing, unique and enjoyable. Louis (also known by some as Ludwig) is an ex special investigator (forced retirement) who has a myriad of informers - drunks, newspaper sellers, bar owners… homeless people… who supply him with vital information. He may be retired but he is not off the job. He is an eccentric character (I base this judgement on the fact that he carries a toad around in his pocket, Bufo the Toad) aside from that small eccentricity he is perfectly normal and smart, and kind and like a terrier who won’t let go of a bone (no pun intended). This character – and the rest of the cast are so refreshing to read. There is not a drop of angst between them, no self-pity and lot of great detective work. A great read.
June 23, 2014
While I didn't find this quite as compelling a read as The Three Evangelists, it still bore the hallmarks of Vargas' eccentric crime fiction in terms of characters and plot.
I did wonder how on earth the finding of a human toe bone in a pile of dog poop on a Paris pavement could possibly lead to a murder investigation but the dedication to detail of the lead character (not one of the three historians but a friend of the older uncle) did come through. Of course, by the time Kehlweiler realises there is a bone, rain had washed away the excrement though in the early pages the origin of the bone allows for some humour. However, he has no idea which dog but has his watchers document the habits of dogs being walked and doing their business in that spot. It's a very unusual way of investigating a possible murder. Kehlweiler also quite charmingly has a pet toad named Buffo that he carries in his pocket.
Certainly this novel had a complex plot that by its end proved an intriguing and satisfactory mystery. I did also like the mention of Inspector Adamsberg though placing this 1996 novel in the chronology of her other works this appeared after her 1991 The Chalk Circle Man, which introduced Adamsberg, and before the Adamsberg series took off 1999-2011.
I did wonder how on earth the finding of a human toe bone in a pile of dog poop on a Paris pavement could possibly lead to a murder investigation but the dedication to detail of the lead character (not one of the three historians but a friend of the older uncle) did come through. Of course, by the time Kehlweiler realises there is a bone, rain had washed away the excrement though in the early pages the origin of the bone allows for some humour. However, he has no idea which dog but has his watchers document the habits of dogs being walked and doing their business in that spot. It's a very unusual way of investigating a possible murder. Kehlweiler also quite charmingly has a pet toad named Buffo that he carries in his pocket.
Certainly this novel had a complex plot that by its end proved an intriguing and satisfactory mystery. I did also like the mention of Inspector Adamsberg though placing this 1996 novel in the chronology of her other works this appeared after her 1991 The Chalk Circle Man, which introduced Adamsberg, and before the Adamsberg series took off 1999-2011.
September 26, 2017
Secondo libro sugli Evangelisti.
Entra a far parte del gruppo un nuovo elemento: Louis Kehlweiler (ex poliziotto, soprannominato "Il Tedesco") vecchia conoscenza del padrino di Marc.
Quest'ultimo lavora con Kehlweiler aiutandolo a catalogare diversi avvenimenti di cronaca ritagliati dai più disparati giornali.
E' da anni che Kehlweiler svolge questa attività di ritaglio e ha davvero bisogno di mettervi un po' di ordine.
Nel frattempo, intanto che Marc lavora all'archivio, lui ama passeggiare (e soprattutto) osservare tutto ciò che di anomalo accade nei dintorni.
A dargli una mano ci sono diversi osservatori suoi collaboratori volontari perché, come viene chiarito nel libro, è difficile non farsi affascinare da Kehlweiler.
In una di queste osservazioni, individua un frammento di osso umano che lo porterà lontano da Parigi, in un piccolo paesino con le proprie storie sui rapporti fra i vari abitanti.
Relazioni di amore odio, opportunismo e altruismo, scoperte imprevedibili da ricollegare proprio a quei ritagli. Una storia nella storia che serve senz'altro a movimentare la trama.
Scrittura scorrevole e descrizioni non troppo minuziose contribuiscono a rendere il libro una facile lettura. Rilassante nonostante gli argomenti trattati.
Entra a far parte del gruppo un nuovo elemento: Louis Kehlweiler (ex poliziotto, soprannominato "Il Tedesco") vecchia conoscenza del padrino di Marc.
Quest'ultimo lavora con Kehlweiler aiutandolo a catalogare diversi avvenimenti di cronaca ritagliati dai più disparati giornali.
E' da anni che Kehlweiler svolge questa attività di ritaglio e ha davvero bisogno di mettervi un po' di ordine.
Nel frattempo, intanto che Marc lavora all'archivio, lui ama passeggiare (e soprattutto) osservare tutto ciò che di anomalo accade nei dintorni.
A dargli una mano ci sono diversi osservatori suoi collaboratori volontari perché, come viene chiarito nel libro, è difficile non farsi affascinare da Kehlweiler.
In una di queste osservazioni, individua un frammento di osso umano che lo porterà lontano da Parigi, in un piccolo paesino con le proprie storie sui rapporti fra i vari abitanti.
Relazioni di amore odio, opportunismo e altruismo, scoperte imprevedibili da ricollegare proprio a quei ritagli. Una storia nella storia che serve senz'altro a movimentare la trama.
Scrittura scorrevole e descrizioni non troppo minuziose contribuiscono a rendere il libro una facile lettura. Rilassante nonostante gli argomenti trattati.
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