The Public Prosecutor

“Silky prose in this harrowing account of crime and punishment.”— Kirkus Reviews “Using spare, effective prose, Chessex brilliantly renders both the inhospitable winter landscape of the mountains and the harshness of a society that makes monsters of its victims.’— London Review of Books “A superb novel, hard as a winter in these landscapes of dark forests, where an atmosphere of prejudice and violence envelops the reader.”— L’Express “It’s beautiful; it’s pure, like a blue sky over a black forest. Giono without garlic and olives.”— Le Point “Far from just telling us a simple story Chessex has had the intelligence to integrate a dose of poetry, of the aesthetics of sin, and of the metaphysics of the monster.”— Lire Jacques Chessex, winner of the prestigious Goncourt prize, takes a true story and weaves it into a lyrical tale of fear and cruelty. 1903, Ropraz, a small village near the Jura Mountains of Switzerland. On a howling December day, a lone walker discovers a recently opened tomb, the body of a young woman violated, her left hand cut off, genitals mutilated, and heart carved out. There is horror in the nearby villages: the return of atavistic superstitions and mutual suspicions. Then two more bodies are violated. A suspect must be found. Favez, a stableboy with bloodshot eyes, is arrested and placed in psychiatric care. He escapes, enlists in the Foreign Legion as the First World War begins, and is sent into battle in the trenches of the Somme. Jacques Chessex , born in 1934, won the Prix Goncourt, France’s most prestigious literary prize for his novel A Father’s Love . He is considered one of Switzerland’s greatest living authors. He lives in Ropraz. Annotation A splendid reminder of the virtues of the traditional novel, this work tackles the territory of Balzac and Zola, not just in the solidity of its construction and characters, but in its readiness to tackle corruption in church and state.- The Independent , UK "In contrast with Mankell, the warm-hearted psychologist of the individual, we find Geeraerts, a cold-blooded surgeon who lays bare the ills of a society. This thriller, so loyal to the genre that the irony and parody are barely perceptible, is relentless. Tagesspiegel Berlin One of Geeraerts literary achievements is that such an arrogant and baroque character as Savelkoul ends up attracting your sympathy. A revealing study of a very dark society. Facts Zurich Geeraerts exposes the mechanics of corruption, the abuse of power, political cynicism and the excesses triggered by religious delusion. ZDF Albert Savelkoul, the public prosecutor of Antwerp, has power, money, an aristocratic wife, and a high-maintenance mistress. A wonderful lifeuntil Opus Dei takes a less than benevolent interest in it. In the course of this subversive psychological thriller, the shameless, slippery Albert becomes an almost-lovable, desperate victim of a power structure controlled by effete aristocrats, a corrupt judiciary, and ultra-right fanatics of the Catholic church. Jef Geeraerts , born in 1930 in Antwerp, was much admired by Henry Miller and is Belgium's best-known author after Georges Simenon. He was educated in Jesuit schools and spent time as a colonial administrator and army officer in the Belgian Congo. He gained international acclaim with his Gangrene Cycle , four novels based on his experience in the Congo. Since then he has focused on crime and noir novels, of which The Public Prosecutor is the first to be published in English Silky prose in this harrowing account of crime and punishment. Kirkus Reviews Using spare, effective prose, Chessex brilliantly renders both the inhospitable winter landscape of the mountains and the harshness of a society that makes monsters of its victims. London Review of Books A superb novel, hard as a winter in these landscapes of dark forests, where an atmosphere of prejudice and violence envelops the reader. LExpress Its beautiful; its pure, like a blue sky over a black forest. Giono without garlic and olives. Le Point Far from just telling us a simple story Chessex has had the intelligence to integrate a dose of poetry, of the aesthetics of sin, and of the metaphysics of the monster. Lire Jacques Chessex, winner of the prestigious Goncourt prize, takes a true story and weaves it into a lyrical tale of fear and cruelty. 1903, Ropraz, a small village near the Jura Mountains of Switzerland. On a howling December day, a lone walker discovers a recently opened tomb, the body of a young woman violated, her left hand cut off, genitals mutilated, and heart carved out. There is horror in the nearby the return of atavistic superstitions and mutual suspicions. Then two more bodies are violated. A suspect must be found. Favez, a stableboy with bloodshot eyes, is arrested and placed in psychiatric care. He escapes, enlists in the Foreign Legion as the First World War begins, and is sent into battle in the trenches of the Somme. Jacques Chessex , born in 1934, won the Prix Goncourt, Frances most prestigious literary prize for his novel A Fathers Love . He is considered one of Switzerlands greatest living authors. He lives in Ropraz.

“A scathing satire of Spanish society, hilarious dialogue, all beautifully dressed up as a crime novel.”—Krimi-Couch

“A first novel that’s spread like wildfire by word of mouth.”—El Avui

“Teresa Solana is great proof of the vitality of the roman noir in Catalan. . . . A wonderfully ironic hymn to the city of Barcelona.”—Diari de Balears

Another day in Barcelona, another slimy politician’s wife is suspected of infidelity. Lluis Font discovers a portrait of his wife in an exhibition that leads him to conclude he is being cuckolded by the artist. Concerned only about the potential political fallout, he hires twins Eduard and Pep, private detectives with a supposed knack for helping the wealthy with their “dirty laundry.” Their office is adorned with false doors leading to nonexistent private rooms, a mysterious secretary who is always away, and a broken laptop computer picked up on the street. The case turns ugly when Font’s wife is found poisoned by a marron glacé from a box of sweets delivered anonymously.

This is a deftly plotted, bitingly funny mystery novel. A satire of Catalan politics and a fascinating insight into the life and habits of Barcelona’s inhabitants, diurnal and nocturnal.

Teresa Solana lives in Barcelona. Born in 1962, she studied philosophy and worked as a literary translator and essayist. She has written several novels kept quietly in her drawer. A Not So Perfect Crime, her first published title, won the 2007 Brigada 21 Prize for the best Catalan mystery novel.

Praise for Iain Levison:'The real deal... bracing, hilarious and dead on.'-- The New York Times Book Review'Witty, deft, well-conceived writing that combines sharp satire with real suspense.'-- Kirkus Reviews'Levison writes tight, punchy prose, with deadpan humor and savvy.'-- The Wall Street Journal Philip Dixon is down on his luck. An escape from a lucrative but botched bank robbery lands him bleeding and on the verge of collapse in a college town in New Hampshire. How can he find a place to hide out in this innocent setting? Peering into the window of the nearest house, he sees a glimmer of hope: a man in his mid-thirties, obviously some kind of academic, is rolling around on the living room floor with an attractive high-school student. Professor Elias White is then blackmailed into harboring a dangerous fugitive, as Dixon--with a cool quarter-million in his bag and dreams of Canada in his head--gets ready for the last phase of his escape. But the last phase is always the hardest. Attractive and persistent FBI agent Denise Lupo is on his trail. As for Elias White, his surprising transition from respected academic to willing accomplice poses a ruthless threat that Dixon would be foolish to underestimate.'...Funny and acerbic, and crackles with raw energy.'-- The Sunday Times (UK) Iain Levison was born in Aberdeen, Scotland, in 1963. Since moving to the United States, he has worked as a fisherman, carpenter, and cook, and he has detailed his woes of wage slavery in A Working Stiff's Manifesto. He lives in Raleigh, North Carolina. 'A scathing satire of Spanish society, hilarious dialogue, all beautifully dressed up as a crime novel.'--Krimi-Couch'A first novel that's spread like wildfire by word of mouth.'--El Avui'Teresa Solana is great proof of the vitality of the roman noir in Catalan.... A wonderfully ironic hymn to the city of Barcelona.'--Diari de Balears Another day in Barcelona, another slimy politician's wife is suspected of infidelity. Lluis Font discovers a portrait of his wife in an exhibition that leads him to conclude he is being cuckolded by the artist. Concerned only about the potential political fallout, he hires twins Eduard and Pep, private detectives with a supposed knack for helping the wealthy with their'dirty laundry.'Their office is adorned with false doors leading to nonexistent private rooms, a mysterious secretary who is always away, and a broken laptop computer picked up on the street. The case turns ugly when Font's wife is found poisoned by a marron glace from a box of sweets delivered anonymously. This is a deftly plotted, bitingly funny mystery novel. A satire of Catalan politics and a fascinating insight into the life and habits of Barcelona's inhabitants, diurnal and nocturnal. Teresa Solana lives in Barcelona. Born in 1962, she studied philosophy and worked as a literary translator and essayist. She has written several novels kept quietly in her drawer. A Not So Perfect Crime, her first published title, won the 2007 Brigada 21 Prize for the best Catalan mystery novel. Philip Dixon Is Down On His Luck. An Escape From A Lucrative But Botched Bank Robbery Lands Him Bleeding And On The Verge Of Collapse In A College Town In New Hampshire. How Can He Find A Place To Hide Out In This Innocent Setting? Peering Into The Window Of The Nearest House, He Sees A Glimmer Of Hope: A Man In His Mid-thirties, Obviously Some Kind Of Academic, Is Rolling Around On The Living Room Floor With An Attractive High-school Student. Professor Elias White Is Then Blackmailed Into Harboring A Dangerous Fugitive, As Dixon - With A Cool Quarter-million In His Bag And Dreams Of Canada In His Head - Gets Ready For The Last Phase Of His Escape. But The Last Phase Is Always The Hardest. Attractive And Persistent Fbi Agent Denise Lupo Is On His Trail. As For Elias White, His Surprising Transition From Respected Academic To Willing Accomplice Poses A Ruthless Threat That Dixon Would Be Foolish To Underestimate. Iain Levison. First Published In French As Une Canaille Et Demie By Éditions Liana Levi, Paris, 2006--t.p. Verso. Maria has money problems, two children from a failed marriage, and a depressive boyfriend. When she becomes pregnant, she decides not to keep the baby and then the letters start to arrive. Threatening letters, from pro-life activists she thinks at first, but then she begins to suspect others -- even her own boyfriend. She flees to her sister's house, redolent with memories of a childhood she does not want to revisit. As the death threats follow her to her hiding place, Maria begins to fear not only for her life but for her own sanity. This is relentless suspense writing; it is a description of Maria's hellish descent into a world of induced paranoia that ends with a narrow escape from a carefully planned murder Another day in Barcelona, another slimy politician's wife is suspected of infidelity. Lluis Font sees a portrait of his wife in an exhibition that leads him to conclude he is being cuckolded. Concerned about the potential political fallout, he hires twins Eduard and Pep, private detectives with a supposed knack for helping the wealthy with their 'dirty laundry'. Their office is adorned with false doors leading to non-existent rooms, a mysterious secretary who is always away and a broken laptop Maria has money problems, two children from a failed marriage and a depressive boy friend. When she gets pregnant she decides not to keep the baby and then the letters start to arrive. Threatening letters, from pro-life activists she thinks at first, but then she begins to suspect others, eventually her own boyfriend. 1903, Ropraz, a small village in the Jura Mountains. The virginal daughter of a local judge dies of meningitis. On a howling December day a lone walker discovers her tomb recently opened, her body violated, left hand cut off, sex mutilated and heart torn out. This novel is based on this story. Albert Savelkoul, Public Prosecutor of Antwerp has power, money, an aristocratic wife and a high-maintenance mistress. A wonderful life-until Opus Dei takes a less than benevolent interest in it. So starts a harrowing yet humorous tale of blackmail and murder. Philip Dixon is down on his luck. A hair-raising escape from a lucrative but botched bank robbery lands him gushing blood and on the verge of collapse in a quaint college town in New Hampshire. How can he find a place to hide out in this innocent setting? A violently funny thriller and vitriolic exposé of Opus Dei's influence in judicially corrupt Belgium