Description

Between 1943 and 2003 nine people have been stabbed to death with a most unusual weapon: a trident. In each case, arrests were made, suspects confessed their crimes and were sentenced to life in prison. One slightly worrying detail: each presumed murderer lost consciousness during the night of the crime and has no recollection of it.

Commissaire Adamsberg is convinced all the murders are the work of one person, the terrifying Judge Fulgence. Years before, Adamsberg’s own brother had been the principal suspect in a similar case and avoided prison only thanks to Adamsberg’s help.

History repeats itself when Adamsberg, who is temporarily based in Quebec for a training mission, is accused of having savagely murdered a young woman he had met. In order to prove his innocence, Adamsberg must go on the run from the Canadian police and find Judge Fulgence.

Winner of the 2007 Duncan Lawrie International Dagger for The Three Evangelists.

Publisher Review

“No one writes crime novels quite like the French author Fred Vargas… another compelling read by this most original of novelists” — Susanna Yager * Sunday Telegraph * “Vargas has a wonderfully offbeat imagination that makes each of her novels a refreshing delight” — Peter Guttridge * Observer * “Establishes Vargas beyond doubt as a cool, clever, original and deeply humane crime writer” — Heather O’Donoghue * Times Literary Supplement * “It is enthralling and great fun from start to finish… all done with great verve, wit and invention” — Allan Massie * Scotsman * “There is a haunting quality to Vargas’s writing” — Kath Murphy * Scotland on Sunday *