To celebrate the publication of Euro Crime favourite Fred Vargas' This Night's Foul Work, the new Commissaire Adamsberg novel, this week all the new reviews are of Adamsberg titles. Five of the Euro Crime reviewing team have contributed - producing seven reviews of the four titles currently available in English.
Vargas and her translator Sian Reynolds have been the only winners so far of the Duncan Lawrie International Dagger, which they have won both years since its inception in 2006 first for the non-Adamsberg The Three Evangelists and then for Wash This Blood Clean From My Hand.
For English readers, the Adamsberg series was initially published out of order - with no. 3, followed by no. 2 - then missing out no. 4 it went on to nos 5 and 6 in the series so I'll list the books in the actual order they were published in French:
No. 2 is Seeking Whom He May Devour, where Adamsberg joins the book quite late on to track down a werewolf in the mountains near the Italian border. Reviewed by Maxine Clarke.
No. 3 is Have Mercy on Us All, where a plague seems to be hitting Paris. Reviewed by Fiona Walker.
No. 5 is the International Dagger winning Wash This Blood Clean From My Hand, which sees Adamsberg chasing a serial killing 'dead man' who follows him to Quebec. Reviews by Maxine Clarke and Geoff Jones.
and finally, the most recent book, no. 6, This Night's Foul Work, which takes place both in Paris and in Normandy. Reviewed by me, Norman Price and Fiona Walker.
Vargas' writing is unique and she wrestles with Jo Nesbo for the top spot on my list of favourite authors. I do hope these reviews inspire you to give her a try if you haven't already. My favourite is still The Three Evangelists but This Night's Foul Work came close.
Good news came recently from Detectives Beyond Borders' interview with Sian Reynolds...she's already finished the translation of the first Adamsberg. Read the excellent interview here.
8 comments:
As I've just posted on Crime Scraps, I envy all of you for living on the continent that gets to see new Vargas novels first.
Since you were kind enough to point readers to my interview with Sian Reynolds, I should point out that she has shared those two international Daggers with Fred Vargas, with a share of the money and all. Therefore Vargas is not quite the only winner of the award.
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Detectives Beyond Borders
"Because Murder Is More Fun Away From Home"
http://www.detectivesbeyondborders.blogspot.com/
Isn't that what the bookdepository.co.uk is for :-). This Night's Foul Work is a shade under £9 with no p&p.
I've amended my wording to recognise Sian Reynolds as joint winner of the International Dagger. The prizes are a bit stingy compared to the Duncan Lawrie Dagger, I think.
I'll look into the Book Depository. If it ships without P&P to the US, that would beat the price I paid for my copy, which should arrive soon. Thanks.
You're right; I hadn't realized the gap between prize money for the two awards was that large.
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Detectives Beyond Borders
"Because Murder Is More Fun Away From Home"
http://www.detectivesbeyondborders.blogspot.com/
Yes bookdepository offers free postage/shipping to everywhere (amazingly!).
Vargas is a recent discovery for me and, after reading two of her novels, a new favourite. I'm very much looking forward to reading the rest of those translated into English so far!
Thank you for providing the proper order for Ms. Vargas' books. I am currently reading "Wash This Blood..." and couldn't figure out why it kept talking about Adamsburg leaving Camille in Lisbon. Now I know the book in which that happened, book 4, has not as yet been translated into English. That's so annoying.
I love Fred Vargas' writing. As much as I enjoy the Adamsburg series, I do think "The Three Evangelists" will always be my favorite of her books so far.
awesome blog, do you have twitter or facebook? i will bookmark this page thanks. jasmin holzbauer
Thanks for your comment Jasmin. You can follow this blog on twitter under eurocrime.
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