July 2022 - The Executioner Weeps

[Melki, Femme fatale]

Frederic Dard, (1921-2000), was an amazingly prolific writer who produced over 300 novels, plays and screenplays. His works included more than 150 detective novels in the ''San Antonio'' series, featuring the skirt-chasing Paris police superintendent San Antonio, and his partner, the bibulous Inspector Berurier. He wrote under his own name and under pseudonyms, including -- oddly -- San Antonio, and also Kaput, and L'Ange Noir (the Black Angel).

Mr. Dard was inspired by Georges Simenon, the Belgian author of detective fiction.

This month's read - The Executioner Weeps, won the 1957 Grand prix de littérature policière.

[Tom]

Are we skipping July? 😉

[Algernon (Darth Anyan), Hard-Boiled]

I'm actually curious about Dard. I've read a couple of his San Antonio books decades ago and was underwhelmed, but I hope his serious material is closer to Simenon

[Melki, Femme fatale]

Tom wrote: "Are we skipping July? 😉"

Oy vey! Good catch. That's what I get for doing this stuff first thing in the morning.

[Melki, Femme fatale]

I'm about halfway through. So far I'm very intrigued by the plot, but less than thrilled by the overly dramatic writing. Some of it could be blamed on the translation (there is a sudden change in pronouns in one scene), but surely not all of it.

[Sara]

I read this relatively recently (2019 I think) and enjoyed it. But I realize thinking about it that it might be time for a re-read...

[Franky]

I'm going to try to get this book but probably won't start for about another week or so.

[Brian]

Very good, Melki - I enjoyed it.
Just posted my review :)

[Kemuel]

I’m looking forward for this one!

[Lawrence]

I'm a little backed up, but will jump on this soon.

[Franky]

I jumped into this one today and up to chapter 4 right now. I'm intrigued with the plot and I think the point of view is effective in how the story is presented. Interested to see where things go. This seems like it is going to be a very quick read.

[Algernon (Darth Anyan), Hard-Boiled]

I finished, and wrote my review, so I can now check what the other members thought about the book.
I agree with Melki that it is a good story but brought down by the author's taste for lurid, purple prose and awkward dialogue.
I don't think this is due to the translation, since I read a couple of his San Antonio novels and those were even worse, but at least you could read them as tongue-in-cheek parodies of James Bond.
Here, Dard wants to be taken seriously, and the plot holds on well under scrutiny. The closest similarity for me is in the novels of James M Cain.

[Franky]

I just finished yesterday and enjoyed it overall. It was a very quick read. I agree that the narrator makes some naive and silly decisions at times during the novel, and the dialogue is a little clunky at points. But, I was very much interested in how things would end and pan out for both the narrator and the woman.