The First Fingerprint

By Xavier-Marie Bonnot

Book Overview

En los alrededores de Marsella se suceden misteriosos asesinatos rituales inspirados en el hombre de las cavernas. El primer caso del comisario Michel de Palma. Desde hace tiempo, Marsella es el... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1847243525
• ISBN13: 9781847243522
• Release Date: January 2008
• Publisher: Maclehouse Press / Quercus
• Length: 397 Pages
• Weight: 2.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.6" x 5.5" x 7.9"

Customer Reviews

A wonderful new detective in the mystery ranks

THE FIRST FINGERPRINT (Pol. Proc-Michael De Palma-Marseille, France-Cont) - VG Bonnot, Xavier-Marie (Ian Monk, translator) - 1st in series Quercus, 2008, UK Hardcover - ISBN: 9781847243522 First sentence: For some time, there had been only a diffuse glow in the sky, a faint light whose source was presumably somewhere behind the jagged row of black rocks, high up there, far above the tiny form now hurrying along, guided by the narrow beam of a torch pointing at the ground. Commandant Michael De Palma, of the Marseilles Murder Squad, is the best; he always gets his man. That determination comes into play with the discovery of a brutal murder and a killer who leaves behind a negative impression of a three-fingered hand. The second body found near a recently discovered underwater cave with pre-historic images, is that of Christine Autran, a professor of the pre-historic era. De Palma feels there will be more killings, all somehow linked to this period. Because the book was written in French and translated by a Brit into English, there was some occasional awkwardness, particularly with the dialogue, but never to where I found the book difficult to read. The descriptions and sense of place were wonderfully done. Having the story set in Marseilles was a nice change, although I have read the Martin O'Brian books set there as well. I really enjoyed the characters. Bonnot provides their history, as the story progresses, and creates wonderful interaction between them. De Palma is detective reminiscent of Rankin's Rebus. He is nearing retirement, loves opera, but other music as well, is not an alcoholic, but his dedication to his job, which comes through in a very visceral way, may be costing him his marriage. There is some graphic violence, but it is infrequent and offset with excellent suspense, and a hint of romance. I so enjoyed this book and hope to see the other three books in the series available soon.