The Chalk Circle Man

by Fred Vargas

Book Overview

"Wildly imaginative."--The New York Times

"Adamsberg is a terrific creation and his team of misfits a joy to watch in action."--Peter Robinson, New York Times bestselling author of the Inspector Banks series

When blue chalk circles begin to appear on the pavement in neighborhoods around Paris, Commissaire Adamsberg is alone in thinking that they are far from...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0143115952
• ISBN13: 9780143115953
• Release Date: June 2009
• Publisher: Penguin Books
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 0.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.4" x 8.0"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

Brilliant, quirky characters

Jean-Baptiste Adamsberg grew up in the foothills of the Pyrenees, became a policeman at the age of twenty-five, and after a series of promotions and the passage of twenty years, he finds himself as Commissaire in Paris. Back home Adamsberg was something of a legend: "You sit around daydreaming, staring at the wall, or doodling on a bit of paper as if you had all the time and knowledge in the world, and then one day you swan in, cool as a cucumber, and say 'Arrest the priest. He strangled the child to stop him talking.'" Great things are expected of him in Paris, but when he focuses on a case that makes everyone else laugh, some begin to wonder if Adamsberg's reputation is all hype. Almost everyone in Paris is laughing over The Chalk Circle Man, and they scan the newspapers each day to see what bizarre object has been enclosed in a blue chalk circle. Will it be another beer can? Or how about another trombone? Only Adamsberg doesn't think it's funny, and when the next blue chalk circle is around the body of a woman whose throat has been slashed, people begin to realize that the quirky policeman may not be a hayseed after all. I loved this book. The translation by Sian Reynolds was excellent, and I felt as though I were walking the streets of Paris with Adamsberg. The plot had enough twists and turns in it that, although I'd deduced some things as I read, I was still surprised at the end and laughed with pleasure. Excellent translation, strong sense of place, nice twisty plot... all those things are important, but it's the characters who stick with me the most. Adamsberg who lets no one keep him from conducting investigations his way. Mathilde, a woman who follows random people through the streets of Paris, observes them, and often takes them under her wing. And Clémence, a septuagenarian who hasn't given up on love and is an avid follower of the "lonely hearts" ads in the newspapers. These characters are what make The Chalk Circle Man sparkle, and they are what make this book memorable. Comin' through, folks! Comin' through! I've got to get my hands on the second book in this series!

Spellbinding

I'm blown away by this book. The voice is fresh and lively, the slant is unique, the characters are vivid and fascinating, and the mystery is complex. To those who find the crime improbable/implausible I say: So What? When you come right down to it, how many mystery novels are actually probable? What I like in a mystery is a look at another culture, a group of mesmerizing characters, and a darn good puzzle. If you like the mysteries of Colin Cotterill, Andrea Camillieri, Julia Spencer-Fleming, Reginald Hill, Stuart Kaminsky (especially his Rostnikov series), Robert Barnard and/or Mark Schweizer (start with The Soprano Wore Falsettos), Fred Vargas will make a fitting addition to your list. And if you are unfamiliar with those I've mentioned, I highly recommend that you try them all. Great Stuff!

Great book

If you like mysteries and police procedurals, give Fred Vargas a try. This book was great, with interesting characters and plot. If you like reading about Maj Sjowall and Per Wahloo's Martin Beck, or Peter Robinson's Inspector Banks, or Ian Rankin's Inspector Rebus, you will enjoy reading about Fred Vargas' Commissaire Adamsberg.

A Stand-Out from an Outstanding French author

Another customer reviewer summed it up best: this series and especially this book is "a gem". I've heard of Fred Vargas for a long while but kept resisting trying her novels (perhaps it was the dreary black and white cover art?). My only complaint is that I waited so long. I started with The Three Evangelists, a stand-alone novel, then picked up the Chalk Circle Man, the first in her series. The main character, Paris Commissaire Adamsberg, is an endearing oddball of sorts. In both his personal and professional lives, people have a difficult time figuing him out which naturally sets him apart from the crowd and often makes life lonely. I was impressed with the characters, plotting, writing style (including the excellent translation) and the realistic depiction of French people and culture. For fans of international crime fiction, or Simenon/Maigret, do yourself a favor and read The Chalk Circle Man.

The first of a great series

The first novel in a great series by Fred Vargas, who has created a most unique "hero" in the person of Inspector Adamsberg. I love the way his mind works( or doesn't:-). I love the secondary characters who act as foils for the intuitive Adamsberg. They reason logically and most know a great many more details about the world than does Adamsberg. Yet, it is the seemingly bumbling Adamberg who reaches the correct conclusion through his superb ability to associate many disparate details and use pattern thinking to find the truth. I cannot wait for more of these wonderful novels to be translated into English. I have all that are currently available and I highly recommend each and every one of them.