8797999's review against another edition
4.0
I quite enjoyed this, short and sweet but packs a lot into the plot. So much can happen in a day over Christmas. Very clever too.
I would happily read more by the author.
I would happily read more by the author.
vsbedford's review against another edition
4.0
After a bit of a slow start, and that's really only 10 pages or so, this noir really gets going. There's a definite cinematic feel here, as in the best hard-boiled fiction of the post-WWII era, and all the boxes are ticked; hard luck antihero, femme fatale, clever twists and double blinds. The translation is a bit blank with, for me, a few real hard stops in the narrative flow (a "no-holds barred" reference in particular pulled me right out). Small quibbles for a great afternoon read.
jakewritesbooks's review against another edition
4.0
A clever Hitchcockian thriller by a man deemed as the master of French noir novels. The Christmas Eve background makes for a darkly pregnant atmosphere. Quick and worth your time.
opal360's review against another edition
3.0
I liked the precise, deliberate way in which the story is constructed, and the very specific atmosphere - Christmas time, the Paris suburbs, childhood nostalgia. I didn't think the last chapter matched the quality of the rest of it, though.
elizabethdavies's review against another edition
4.0
Dark, atmospheric and incredibly clever... it is a great novella.
readbyryan's review against another edition
5.0
This is one of the most random selections I’ve ever picked up and I’m so glad that I did. Described as the creator of the “French James Bond” and “The French Master of Noir” I was intrigued about this author I’ve never heard of before, and I thought I was somewhat familiar with French literature. I think of Dard as the equivalent of Agatha Christie in the English-speaking world, there’s probably one on any bookshelf if you look hard enough.
The novella takes place on Christmas Eve after the main character returns to his mother’s place after a long stint away. She has passed and he revisits his childhood home. What happens next is a roller coaster of fiction that compares to the masters of suspense and mystery. Why this isn’t a Hitchockian film yet is beyond me. I was blown away by these 120 pages. To say any more would spoil it all. If you’re looking for something dark to fill a winter night, check this book out. • Trade Paperback • Fiction - Noir, Mystery, Crime • ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ • Purchased at Books Inc. in Campbell, CA.▪️
Follow me on Instagram @my.books.my.shelf.
The novella takes place on Christmas Eve after the main character returns to his mother’s place after a long stint away. She has passed and he revisits his childhood home. What happens next is a roller coaster of fiction that compares to the masters of suspense and mystery. Why this isn’t a Hitchockian film yet is beyond me. I was blown away by these 120 pages. To say any more would spoil it all. If you’re looking for something dark to fill a winter night, check this book out. • Trade Paperback • Fiction - Noir, Mystery, Crime • ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ • Purchased at Books Inc. in Campbell, CA.▪️
Follow me on Instagram @my.books.my.shelf.
nemra's review against another edition
4.0
It's not a happy ending story, It's a different kind of crime fiction, a little gem.
f33lthesun's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0