Commissioner Adamsberg: Unorthodox and Unforgettable
As a Francophile, I read a lot of mysteries set in France. They are enjoyable, but they often emphasize the tourist aspects of France – the mistral, the food, the markets. I realized that I needed to turn to French mystery authors, such as Jean-Claude Izzo and Fred Vargas, if I wanted to get a more in-depth look at French culture.
In This Poison Will Remain by Fred Vargas, Commissioner Adamsberg is called back from his holiday in Iceland to deal with a murder. Still absorbed by his holiday, he doesn’t bother to read the file prepared, oh so carefully, by his team. But within hours, he has identified the killer. His team are baffled. They can’t imagine how he solved the case. What could it possibly matter that the suspect took showers not baths or that there was gravel on the road? It had been a mistake not to spot the dirt under the suspect’s fingernails, but would that have been enough for them to solve the case?
This case is simply a prologue to the true mystery that preoccupies Adamsberg in This Poison Will Remain. One of his team has assembled a file about recluse spiders. Adamsberg latches on to it and delves deeper. But why, and how, could a spider poisoning be considered murder?
Adamsberg’s methods are unorthodox and intriguing, but that is only one reason why I find Vargas’ books so fascinating. These books radiate respect for human frailties and eccentricities and are based on solid moral values as will become obvious when you reach the conclusion to this book. All the characters are well developed and complex. There’s Danglard, a single parent to 5 children with a quote for every situation and a glass of wine always at the ready; Renancourt, a strong, statuesque woman; and Menard who suffers from narcolepsy and must have a nap every few hours. Plus, there are so many charming vignettes – the photocopier that is left turned on to generate some heat but never used because it’s the favorite resting spot of the office cat or the daily rota that is established to feed the family of blackbirds a diet of cake, raspberries, and worms.
Fred Vargas is the pseudonym of Frédérique Audoin-Rouzeau. She is a historian and archaeologist who is known for her work on the Black Death.
See Also
Marseille Noir: Jean-Claude Izzo
Book Reviews, Wanderlust and Words