Book two in the Marseilles trilogy

"Haunting."
—The New Yorker

"In Marseilles, you weren’t just from one neighborhood, one project. You were chourmo. In the same galley, rowing! Trying to get out. Together.”

Fabio Montale has left a police force marred by corruption, racism and greed to follow the placid rhythms of his native town: the sea, fishing, and the local bar. But getting out is not going to be so easy. When his cousin’s son goes missing, Montale is dragged back into the mean streets of a violent, crime-infested Marseilles. To discover the truth about the boy’s disappearance, he infiltrates a dangerous underworld of mobsters, religious fanatics, crooked cops and ordinary people driven to extremes by desperation.

This second novel in Izzo’s acclaimed Marseilles trilogy is a touching tribute to the author’s beloved city, in all its color and complexity. Fabio Montale is an unwitting hero in this city of melancholy beauty.

“When the urge for escapist reading simply cannot be denied, there are always foreign authors like Jean-Claude Izzo.”
—The New York Times

“Rich, ambitious, and passionate.”
—Washington Post

“A sensationally readable mystery . . . Full of fascinating characters.”
—The Chicago Tribune

“Distinctive and fascinating.”
—Kirkus (starred review)

Jean-Claude Izzo
Jean-Claude Izzo (Marseilles 1945 – 2000) achieved astounding success with publication of the Marseilles Trilogy: Total Chaos, Chourmo and Solea. His two novels, The Lost Sailors and A Sun for the Dying, and the posthumous collection of essays and shorter pieces Garlic, Mint, & Sweet Basil also enjoy great success with critics and the public.

• Nov 13 2015
  Mediterranean Noir-Nouveau
  — Deadly Pleasures Mystery Magazine