"Camille" by Pierre Lemaitre / Reviewed by Jonathan Thurston
Killer Nashville Book of the Day
Purchase "Camille" or read other reviews through Killer Nashville’s affiliate, Amazon.com*
Pierre Lemaitre
Camille by Pierre Lemaitre
Reviewed by Jonathan Thurston
Pierre Lemaitre chilled us with Irene. He terrified us with Alex. Now, he comes back with the final act in his thrilling trilogy.
Camillefocuses on our star detective, the Commandant Camille. The novel opens with a robbery of a jewelry store, a robbery that Anne Forestier accidentally walks in on. She is beaten, battered, and shot thrice. Somehow, she survives the gory ordeal, though the criminals even track her to the hospital, where Commandant Camille is now waiting. In a back-and-forth game of chess over Anne’s life, Camille is desperate to find the criminals, not just for justice, but for total vengeance.
Lemaitre’s style is superbly thrilling. The book is broken down minute-by-minute as a literary version of the TV series 24. On top of that, each gritty detail brings the narrative to life. As readers enter into the minds of the criminals, we see the psychological horror that Lemaitre weaves: horror lurks all around, and who can you trust in such a setting? Camille might have to abuse the badge more than a little…
If you like fast-paced crime fiction, this book is definitely for you. Each twist of the plot hits you like a jarring jolt to the heart, and each hit of the hammer pushes that nail in until the very end, when the nail finally goes out the other side. The ending will leave you craving more, but thankfully, Lemaitre gives us time to catch our breath! This tale of vengeance and romance and some of the sickest criminals around will have your heart pounding.
Jonathan W. Thurston is a literary studies graduate student. Aside from his studies, he owns a small publishing house called Thurston Howl Publications and serves as its editor-in-chief. He has written several books on his own and always enjoys reading a good horror novel. When he's not busy with grad school or his business, he is often found reading a good book with hot tea in one hand and his dog Temerita curled up at his feet (she often thinks she is a cat, you see).
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