What do you think?
Rate this book
Non lasciare la mia mano
Un omicidio non è un omicidio se non c’è un cadavere, e il cadavere di Liane Bellion non si trova. Eppure ci sono schizzi di sangue nella sua camera d’albergo. Ed è sparito un coltello. E qualcuno giura di aver visto il marito, Martial, spingere un carrello fino al parcheggio con fare sospetto: il cadavere della moglie? È la settimana di Pasqua e l’isola della Réunion, paradiso tropicale francese in mezzo all’Oceano Indiano, pullula di turisti, il che non impedisce alla giovane e ambiziosa comandante della brigata di gendarmeria, Aja Purvi, di affrontare il caso senza riguardi per nessuno. Nelle indagini è coadiuvata dal fido sottotenente Christos Konstantinov, uno strampalato cinquantenne che sull’isola è soprannominato il “profeta”, gran bevitore e fumatore di marijuana nonché fine investigatore. È caccia all’uomo sull’isola intensa, come i francesi chiamano La Réunion: un vulcano di più di duemila metri circondato da deserti di cenere, foreste tropicali e barriere coralline. Come fa un uomo solo, con una bambina di sei anni al seguito, a sgusciare continuamente tra le maglie dello spiegamento di forze più imponente che sia mai stato messo in atto sull’isola? Ma forse c’è lo zampino di una misteriosa dama azzurra con l’ombrello... Ancora una volta Michel Bussi stupisce tutti con un finale che è un colpo di scena del tutto inaspettato.
368 pages, Paperback
First published March 7, 2013
About the author
Michel Bussi
87 books1,332 followersMichel Bussi est un auteur et politologue français, professeur de géographie à l'université de Rouen. Il est spécialiste de géographie électorale.
Michel Bussi is one of France's most celebrated crime authors. The winner of more than 15 major literary awards, he is a professor of geography at the University of Rouen and a political commentator. After the Crash, his first book to appear in English, will be translated into over twenty languages.
Michel Bussi is one of France's most celebrated crime authors. The winner of more than 15 major literary awards, he is a professor of geography at the University of Rouen and a political commentator. After the Crash, his first book to appear in English, will be translated into over twenty languages.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 402 reviews
January 28, 2018
Having loved Black Water Lilies by Bussi, I was thrilled to be reading this latest offering. This tense psychological thriller is set on the beautiful Indian Ocean island of Reunion with its strong connections with France. It is viewed by the French as a place that epitomised harmony amidst all the races, although if you are non white, your opinion is likely to differ on this assessment, given the racism. Bussi gives us an indepth feel of Reunion, past slavery, the culture, language, food, historical background, policing and tourism. Despite efforts to integrate the community, the only place the rich and poor actually mingle is on the beaches. In this tropical paradise, Martial and Liane Bellion are holidaying at The Athena Hotel, with their 6 year old daughter, Sopha. The police are called in at the instigation of Martial, after Liane disappears, with their room ransacked, and blood stains on the floor, walls and bed.
Detective Captain Aja Purvi, a bright and intelligent woman, who feels she has to prove that she is able, interviews hotel employees and other tourists, with Christos, the only police officer with forensic skills. They suspect Martial of killing both his wife and a local man found stabbed with a knife with Martial's fingerprints. The police race to arrest him, but Martial gives them the slip, taking Sopha with him. As a massive police hunt gets underway, Martial's background and connections to Reunion are slowly revealed along with rumours of his involvement in the death of a child many years ago on the island. Liane had visited a police station prior to her disappearance, asking about protection, a woman clearly in fear of her life. With more deaths that follow, Martial is a multiple killer, his guilt seems to be beyond question, even his daughter suspects him of killing her mother. However, with twist after twist, the police begin to get an inkling that maybe, just maybe, all is not as it seems.
The island of Reunion and its people play a dominating role in this well plotted and highly gripping novel, translated from the French. I really adored the strong sense of location, Bussi obviously knows the place well and has done his research on it. The assumptions that we make as a reader as we read the novel are slowly dismantled with skill and expertise by the author. I found this an intense and compelling read as I raced through it. I particularly liked the characters of Sopha, Christos and his partner, a woman with a strong interest in crime fiction and real crime. All in all, this is a brilliant read! Many thanks to Orion for an ARC.
Detective Captain Aja Purvi, a bright and intelligent woman, who feels she has to prove that she is able, interviews hotel employees and other tourists, with Christos, the only police officer with forensic skills. They suspect Martial of killing both his wife and a local man found stabbed with a knife with Martial's fingerprints. The police race to arrest him, but Martial gives them the slip, taking Sopha with him. As a massive police hunt gets underway, Martial's background and connections to Reunion are slowly revealed along with rumours of his involvement in the death of a child many years ago on the island. Liane had visited a police station prior to her disappearance, asking about protection, a woman clearly in fear of her life. With more deaths that follow, Martial is a multiple killer, his guilt seems to be beyond question, even his daughter suspects him of killing her mother. However, with twist after twist, the police begin to get an inkling that maybe, just maybe, all is not as it seems.
The island of Reunion and its people play a dominating role in this well plotted and highly gripping novel, translated from the French. I really adored the strong sense of location, Bussi obviously knows the place well and has done his research on it. The assumptions that we make as a reader as we read the novel are slowly dismantled with skill and expertise by the author. I found this an intense and compelling read as I raced through it. I particularly liked the characters of Sopha, Christos and his partner, a woman with a strong interest in crime fiction and real crime. All in all, this is a brilliant read! Many thanks to Orion for an ARC.
July 7, 2017
“We should forgive our enemies, but not before they are hanged.”
----Heinrich Heine
Michel Bussi, a French award-winning author, pens his latest crime thriller, Ne lâche pas ma main translated into English with the title, Don't Let Go. The story revolves around a happy married couple and their young daughter, while holidaying at a French island, the wife goes missing without a trace but leaving behind a trail of clues and eye-witnesses that make the husband a sure shot suspect, and when the local female detective reaches the crime scene, she is sure that the husband is hiding something from them and not too long her hunch comes true, as the husband runs away from the police and the ongoing investigation, and so the body count which skyrockets like anything.
Synopsis:
In an idyllic resort on the island of La Réunion, Liane Bellion and her husband Martial are enjoying the perfect moment with their 6-year-old daughter. Turquoise skies, blue sea, palm trees, a warm breeze.
Then Liane disappears. She went up to her hotel room between 3 and 4pm and never came back. Her husband, worried, had gone to the room along with the concierge - the room was empty but there was blood everywhere. Despite his protestations of innocence, the police view Martial as their prime suspect. He was the only other person who went to the hotel room between 3 and 4pm according to the staff of the hotel.
Then he disappears along with his daughter. With Martial as prime suspect, helicopters scan the island, racial tensions surface, and more corpses are found. Is he really his wife's killer? And if he isn't, why does he appear to be so guilty?
Liane and Martial Bellion along with their 6 year old daughter takes up a vacation on a picturesque French island called, La Réunion. But soon their blissful family holiday turns into a living nightmare, when Liane disappears without a slight trace yet leaving behind more than one eye witness whose story about Liane's whereabouts before disappearance points to Martial as the suspect. Although initially, when Aja, the local female detective, and her team arrives on the crime scene, Martial seems quite cooperating, but soon things take a tragic turn, when a dead body of a young man washes up ashore, very near the hotel where the Bellions were staying and that is when Martial flips and runs away from the hotel with his daughter. And as the body count keeps increasing, Aja is sure that Martial is the killer. Although Aja's team mate Christos sees a different agenda and an angle behind the killings on this quaint and quiet island. Where will this mystery of the missing wife lead Aja and Christos to?
Have always been a die hard fan of the author, his writing style and his books, which are always so incredibly mind boggling and forever keeps me guessing till the turn of the very last page. Although sadly, this time, I can't rate his new book, Don't Let Go with 5 glowing stars, mainly because of the plot which unnecessarily dragged for a while, and some of the characters lacked a bit of depth. The best thing about his book is the twisting plot line and the psychologically flawed characters, although this time, I can't say the same. Nevertheless, this book managed to awe me in the right places.
When it comes to Bussi's books, there is a certain trait in his story lines, a heart breaking love story or an emotional drama that plays out in the most subtle manner in the backdrop of the grueling mystery. And this time too, the love story between Martial and his wife, Liane is played out ingeniously all the while maintaining the level of suspense and tension through out the story line. Although, this time, the tension and that grip on the suspense faltered a bit, especially during the cat-and-mouse-chase scenes, I mean, it became pretty obvious with Christos' hunches about Martial's past life coming true, yet somehow, the author wanted his readers to stay glued into those chasing scenes.
The writing style is great, and even though the book is translated, I felt that the story line has not lost its flair. Yes, the narrative is laced heavily with native Creole words and texts whose meanings are explained at the bottom of almost every other page in the book, but that again felt a bit tedious to constantly look down and find out what those words mean. The pacing is smooth as butter, and the underlying tension kept me hooked pretty much the entire length of the novel.
The characterization is done strongly, like each and every character is trying to outrun one another with their intriguing and constantly challenging demeanor towards this mystery. The protagonist, Aja, is a very calm, calculative and thoughtful police detective as well as determined to catch the killer on the island. The next big character, would be Martial, whose back story, is penned with so much details that the readers will be compelled to feel like they know Martial by the back of their hand. There are some other important key characters, like Imelda, Christos, etc which could have been explored a bit more, as their incomplete portrait will only leave the readers begging for more.
The backdrop of the thriller is set in a French island, La Réunion and the author has vividly brought out the French island's charm and flair through his prose, thus giving the readers a first hand taste of this scenic French island environment. The readers are bound to feel native while reading this book, as the author has strongly depicted the cultural and historical aspects of this small island where everything smells of the palm tress and of the salty blue sea. So the readers are in for a treat, as the exotic landscape will sweep them off their feet. The setting could not have been perfect for this riveting thriller.
In a nutshell, this is a must have book in your handbag when you are going on your next vacation. And with a tight plot and interesting characters, you are bound to feel the thrill of this story.
Verdict: Engrossing, enthralling and enticing to the very core. A nail biting read!
Courtesy: Thanks to the publishers from Hachette India for giving me an opportunity to read and review this book.
----Heinrich Heine
Michel Bussi, a French award-winning author, pens his latest crime thriller, Ne lâche pas ma main translated into English with the title, Don't Let Go. The story revolves around a happy married couple and their young daughter, while holidaying at a French island, the wife goes missing without a trace but leaving behind a trail of clues and eye-witnesses that make the husband a sure shot suspect, and when the local female detective reaches the crime scene, she is sure that the husband is hiding something from them and not too long her hunch comes true, as the husband runs away from the police and the ongoing investigation, and so the body count which skyrockets like anything.
Synopsis:
In an idyllic resort on the island of La Réunion, Liane Bellion and her husband Martial are enjoying the perfect moment with their 6-year-old daughter. Turquoise skies, blue sea, palm trees, a warm breeze.
Then Liane disappears. She went up to her hotel room between 3 and 4pm and never came back. Her husband, worried, had gone to the room along with the concierge - the room was empty but there was blood everywhere. Despite his protestations of innocence, the police view Martial as their prime suspect. He was the only other person who went to the hotel room between 3 and 4pm according to the staff of the hotel.
Then he disappears along with his daughter. With Martial as prime suspect, helicopters scan the island, racial tensions surface, and more corpses are found. Is he really his wife's killer? And if he isn't, why does he appear to be so guilty?
Liane and Martial Bellion along with their 6 year old daughter takes up a vacation on a picturesque French island called, La Réunion. But soon their blissful family holiday turns into a living nightmare, when Liane disappears without a slight trace yet leaving behind more than one eye witness whose story about Liane's whereabouts before disappearance points to Martial as the suspect. Although initially, when Aja, the local female detective, and her team arrives on the crime scene, Martial seems quite cooperating, but soon things take a tragic turn, when a dead body of a young man washes up ashore, very near the hotel where the Bellions were staying and that is when Martial flips and runs away from the hotel with his daughter. And as the body count keeps increasing, Aja is sure that Martial is the killer. Although Aja's team mate Christos sees a different agenda and an angle behind the killings on this quaint and quiet island. Where will this mystery of the missing wife lead Aja and Christos to?
Have always been a die hard fan of the author, his writing style and his books, which are always so incredibly mind boggling and forever keeps me guessing till the turn of the very last page. Although sadly, this time, I can't rate his new book, Don't Let Go with 5 glowing stars, mainly because of the plot which unnecessarily dragged for a while, and some of the characters lacked a bit of depth. The best thing about his book is the twisting plot line and the psychologically flawed characters, although this time, I can't say the same. Nevertheless, this book managed to awe me in the right places.
When it comes to Bussi's books, there is a certain trait in his story lines, a heart breaking love story or an emotional drama that plays out in the most subtle manner in the backdrop of the grueling mystery. And this time too, the love story between Martial and his wife, Liane is played out ingeniously all the while maintaining the level of suspense and tension through out the story line. Although, this time, the tension and that grip on the suspense faltered a bit, especially during the cat-and-mouse-chase scenes, I mean, it became pretty obvious with Christos' hunches about Martial's past life coming true, yet somehow, the author wanted his readers to stay glued into those chasing scenes.
The writing style is great, and even though the book is translated, I felt that the story line has not lost its flair. Yes, the narrative is laced heavily with native Creole words and texts whose meanings are explained at the bottom of almost every other page in the book, but that again felt a bit tedious to constantly look down and find out what those words mean. The pacing is smooth as butter, and the underlying tension kept me hooked pretty much the entire length of the novel.
The characterization is done strongly, like each and every character is trying to outrun one another with their intriguing and constantly challenging demeanor towards this mystery. The protagonist, Aja, is a very calm, calculative and thoughtful police detective as well as determined to catch the killer on the island. The next big character, would be Martial, whose back story, is penned with so much details that the readers will be compelled to feel like they know Martial by the back of their hand. There are some other important key characters, like Imelda, Christos, etc which could have been explored a bit more, as their incomplete portrait will only leave the readers begging for more.
The backdrop of the thriller is set in a French island, La Réunion and the author has vividly brought out the French island's charm and flair through his prose, thus giving the readers a first hand taste of this scenic French island environment. The readers are bound to feel native while reading this book, as the author has strongly depicted the cultural and historical aspects of this small island where everything smells of the palm tress and of the salty blue sea. So the readers are in for a treat, as the exotic landscape will sweep them off their feet. The setting could not have been perfect for this riveting thriller.
In a nutshell, this is a must have book in your handbag when you are going on your next vacation. And with a tight plot and interesting characters, you are bound to feel the thrill of this story.
Verdict: Engrossing, enthralling and enticing to the very core. A nail biting read!
Courtesy: Thanks to the publishers from Hachette India for giving me an opportunity to read and review this book.
January 2, 2018
It's probably not going to come as any surprise to find that DON'T LET GO jumped up the reading queue as quickly as possible, because every novel from Michel Bussi I've read now has been clever, different and intriguing. DON'T LET GO didn't disappoint, it's all of those things and more.
In it we have a family on holidays on the island of La Réunion. Liane leaves her husband Martial and their daughter poolside to head back to their hotel room for a short break and vanishes. There's blood everywhere in the hotel room, but no body. Right from the outset the statements of her husband don't match witness accounts, but there's no sign of Liane Bellion alive or dead. There's plenty of conjecture about murder, how her body could have been disposed of, and lots of suspicion over her husband's possible involvement, not helped when he takes his young daughter and effectively goes on the run.
All of which might sound a little odd, given it's a small island, but this is holiday home territory and Martial Bellion turns out to be a very resourceful man. As is the local cop who leads the chase for him. Despite the higher ups interfering, and the constant pressure to find Bellion, she's calm, methodical and more than a bit annoyed that she can't find the main suspect, the victim or why they are all in this situation in the first place.
DON'T LET GO is the sort of book that grabs the reader from the outset and confuses, confounds and pulls you in. As well as imagination running wild over what could have happened to Liane Bellion, there's never quite knowing what's the story with Martial. Has he killed his wife, in which case what's going to happen to their daughter? Is he a threat to her, or is he trying to save her from something that only he knows about? You're never really sure. But there are aspects of all the characters that confound, confuse and sometimes even annoy a bit.
All of this action, suspense and doubt is interwoven into a great sense of place, infused with the history and culture of Réunion Island, and the intricate social connections that become a big part of the overall story.
All of Michel Bussi's books that I've been fortunate enough to read so far are standalones, so you can dive in at any point. But once you're here, along with what I can't help but think will be an ever increasing fan base, you'll end up like the rest of us. Searching out earlier books and nudging the next to arrive straight to the top of the priority pile as soon as you can.
https://www.austcrimefiction.org/revi...
In it we have a family on holidays on the island of La Réunion. Liane leaves her husband Martial and their daughter poolside to head back to their hotel room for a short break and vanishes. There's blood everywhere in the hotel room, but no body. Right from the outset the statements of her husband don't match witness accounts, but there's no sign of Liane Bellion alive or dead. There's plenty of conjecture about murder, how her body could have been disposed of, and lots of suspicion over her husband's possible involvement, not helped when he takes his young daughter and effectively goes on the run.
All of which might sound a little odd, given it's a small island, but this is holiday home territory and Martial Bellion turns out to be a very resourceful man. As is the local cop who leads the chase for him. Despite the higher ups interfering, and the constant pressure to find Bellion, she's calm, methodical and more than a bit annoyed that she can't find the main suspect, the victim or why they are all in this situation in the first place.
DON'T LET GO is the sort of book that grabs the reader from the outset and confuses, confounds and pulls you in. As well as imagination running wild over what could have happened to Liane Bellion, there's never quite knowing what's the story with Martial. Has he killed his wife, in which case what's going to happen to their daughter? Is he a threat to her, or is he trying to save her from something that only he knows about? You're never really sure. But there are aspects of all the characters that confound, confuse and sometimes even annoy a bit.
All of this action, suspense and doubt is interwoven into a great sense of place, infused with the history and culture of Réunion Island, and the intricate social connections that become a big part of the overall story.
All of Michel Bussi's books that I've been fortunate enough to read so far are standalones, so you can dive in at any point. But once you're here, along with what I can't help but think will be an ever increasing fan base, you'll end up like the rest of us. Searching out earlier books and nudging the next to arrive straight to the top of the priority pile as soon as you can.
https://www.austcrimefiction.org/revi...
April 27, 2017
*** ACTUAL RATING: 4.5 /5 ***
It’s such a pleasure to kick back and settle down with a book from an author who is reliably brilliant; other than knowing you’re in for a treat you have no idea what to expect, as every story has been utterly unique in their presentation, plot, and finale.
Don’t Let Go exceeded my expectations as it’s a cracker of a cunning mystery, nurtured to perfection.
A missing wife, an anxious husband, and their blood-splattered hotel room all point to a grave outcome, but statements from witnesses conflict with the facts. Despite the carnage no body is found, yet no one saw her leave their room after she went inside. The details that emerge suggest premeditated murder but without the evidence of a physical corpse the fate of Liane Bellion cannot be determined, only that she has vanished into thin air.
Ooh, I do love a book like this! The sharp hook of suspense caught me right away! I was trying to work out scenarios as to why Liane’s husband would casually leave his daughter swimming in the hotel pool after excusing himself to check on his wife, then call the police to report her missing and successfully draw attention to himself as a pattern of erratic behaviour is revealed.
The chronological time stamps included within each chapter were similar to following a live bulletin, while maintaining a flowing story format. This additional level of reality it impresses just how dangerous lost time can be to an investigation of this nature as every what, why, where, and how take a step closer to the husband’s guilt. The police authorities grow restless and overworked, and the prime suspect makes so many illogical moves I was wondering what he could possibly be trying to achieve. Of course it all becomes quite clear. Until then, the island’s residents are speculating, backed up by sources of gossip and details not exchanged with police during interviews.
Don’t Let Go is a title you can’t fully appreciate until you near the end of a holiday in this vivid Indian Ocean setting, where some of the characters are wishing they most definitely weren’t there. While the frantic race is on to solve a vengeful riddle before the ultimate sacrifice must be made, the diverse heritage of Réunion Island allows its cultural history to blend into the story at just the right intervals.
Simply superb.
(I requested a copy of this title from the publisher, via Netgalley. Huge thanks to them for obliging as it is my absolute pleasure to provide an unbiased review for this cracking book.)
It’s such a pleasure to kick back and settle down with a book from an author who is reliably brilliant; other than knowing you’re in for a treat you have no idea what to expect, as every story has been utterly unique in their presentation, plot, and finale.
Don’t Let Go exceeded my expectations as it’s a cracker of a cunning mystery, nurtured to perfection.
A missing wife, an anxious husband, and their blood-splattered hotel room all point to a grave outcome, but statements from witnesses conflict with the facts. Despite the carnage no body is found, yet no one saw her leave their room after she went inside. The details that emerge suggest premeditated murder but without the evidence of a physical corpse the fate of Liane Bellion cannot be determined, only that she has vanished into thin air.
Ooh, I do love a book like this! The sharp hook of suspense caught me right away! I was trying to work out scenarios as to why Liane’s husband would casually leave his daughter swimming in the hotel pool after excusing himself to check on his wife, then call the police to report her missing and successfully draw attention to himself as a pattern of erratic behaviour is revealed.
The chronological time stamps included within each chapter were similar to following a live bulletin, while maintaining a flowing story format. This additional level of reality it impresses just how dangerous lost time can be to an investigation of this nature as every what, why, where, and how take a step closer to the husband’s guilt. The police authorities grow restless and overworked, and the prime suspect makes so many illogical moves I was wondering what he could possibly be trying to achieve. Of course it all becomes quite clear. Until then, the island’s residents are speculating, backed up by sources of gossip and details not exchanged with police during interviews.
Don’t Let Go is a title you can’t fully appreciate until you near the end of a holiday in this vivid Indian Ocean setting, where some of the characters are wishing they most definitely weren’t there. While the frantic race is on to solve a vengeful riddle before the ultimate sacrifice must be made, the diverse heritage of Réunion Island allows its cultural history to blend into the story at just the right intervals.
Simply superb.
(I requested a copy of this title from the publisher, via Netgalley. Huge thanks to them for obliging as it is my absolute pleasure to provide an unbiased review for this cracking book.)
September 19, 2018
Not as strong as his "After the Crash" or "Black Water Lillies".
The plot is fine with a wife's disappearance and a husband seen to be involved and with a soon to be uncovered dark secret. However, parts of the story and characters added little whilst other's actions felt inexplicable or contrived.
I didn't really connect with the central characters or the wider story, so a 2.5 rounded up to 3. A shame as Mr Bussi's other books have been ones I really enjoyed.
The plot is fine with a wife's disappearance and a husband seen to be involved and with a soon to be uncovered dark secret. However, parts of the story and characters added little whilst other's actions felt inexplicable or contrived.
I didn't really connect with the central characters or the wider story, so a 2.5 rounded up to 3. A shame as Mr Bussi's other books have been ones I really enjoyed.
March 21, 2020
- La Vierge au Parasol, Piton Sainte-Rose à La Réunion
L'histoire ? Martial, Liane Bellion et leur petite fille passent leurs vacances à la Réunion.
Un jour, Liane disparaît. Toutes les preuves sont accablantes contre son conjoint. Il s'enfuit alors avec la filette. S'engage une traque de tous les instants pour mettre la main sur Martial et l'empêcher de faire du mal à la petite.
Côté enquête policière, je trouve l'intrigue plutôt bien menée. Les pistes abondent, les suspects ne évidemment pas là où on les cherche, la lecture en est rapide et sans que la tension ne retombe dans cette histoire au rythme enlevé.
Maintenant, question personnages et paysage, pour moi, on se trouve en dessous des Nymphéas noirs du même Michel Bussi. Des dialogues qui sonnent un peu creux, un humour sans grand à propos, le point de vue très bas de plafond de nombreux personnages (même s'il s'éclaire par la suite, ça ne rend pas la chose plus agréable ou plus naturelle chez tant de personnages différents), enfin un certain manque de nuances dans leurs réactions me font penser au livre de Rebecca Lighieri Les garçons de l'été. Ça ne les rend pas immédiatement sympathiques.
L'écriture, qui cherche à vous introduire dans ce vrai creuset multiethnique, à commencer par son créole reconnaissable, peut quelquefois en faire un peu trop dans la veine "couleur locale", et le Martial foncièrement intolérable dans une bonne première moitié de l'histoire, avec ses actions inexpliquées et incohérentes, son comportement apparent de lavette effarouchée.
Mais ça, c'est le postulat de départ du bouquin.
Un petit morceau de Réunion :
Rest' la maloya - Alain Peters
June 3, 2017
A disappointment.Man hunt crime caper set in the paradise ,which is Reunion Island.Not worthy of the genius that Bussi proved to be with Black Water Lilies.One psychopath on a revenge mission doesn't make a great thriller.None of the characters were too likeable and the females served only one purpose, if they weren't psychos.Wouldn't recommend.
September 18, 2016
Lâu lâu đổi gió đọc trinh thám, cuốn này về mặt tình tiết, suy luận, phá án thì cũng bình thường nhưng thú vị ở chỗ tác giá khéo léo lồng ghép văn hoá, địa lý vào sách. Đọc xong cũng muốn đi Réunion phết :3
Read
October 19, 2018Deliver us from evil...
On holiday, Martial and Liane Bellion and their six-year-old daughter, Sopha, are enjoying the tropical paradise that is Reunion Island. This particular day will not end well. When Martial goes up to their hotel room to check on Liane, she's missing, there's blood everywhere and all of her personal effects are gone. The police are on the scene immediately. They know that the husband is the immediate suspect. Witness testimony places him at the scene and a there's a knife with his fingerprints all over it. In a seeming panic, Martial flees with his daughter. There's more to this than meets the eye...NO SPOILERS.
This fast-paced novel kept me glued to my map of Reunion Island and had me sucking up every detail of its history and geography. I can't even tell you readers how much I enjoyed this mystery and crime thriller. There are so many unanswered questions, twists and turns, suspects and characters. I loved them all and have to admit to a tear or two when tragic events occur. The writing is top-notch, my only complaint is that my French is rusty and the footnotes weren't always helpful in explaining the terms in translation. The description and detail about the island enthralled me and I could not get enough. Do you know that I never even knew that this place existed? I totally love a book that takes me to a new setting, draws me in, and brings out the researcher in me!
I can't tell you how much I enjoyed this, but totally recommend. Thank you to Edelweiss and Europa Editions for this e-book ARC to read and review.
On holiday, Martial and Liane Bellion and their six-year-old daughter, Sopha, are enjoying the tropical paradise that is Reunion Island. This particular day will not end well. When Martial goes up to their hotel room to check on Liane, she's missing, there's blood everywhere and all of her personal effects are gone. The police are on the scene immediately. They know that the husband is the immediate suspect. Witness testimony places him at the scene and a there's a knife with his fingerprints all over it. In a seeming panic, Martial flees with his daughter. There's more to this than meets the eye...NO SPOILERS.
This fast-paced novel kept me glued to my map of Reunion Island and had me sucking up every detail of its history and geography. I can't even tell you readers how much I enjoyed this mystery and crime thriller. There are so many unanswered questions, twists and turns, suspects and characters. I loved them all and have to admit to a tear or two when tragic events occur. The writing is top-notch, my only complaint is that my French is rusty and the footnotes weren't always helpful in explaining the terms in translation. The description and detail about the island enthralled me and I could not get enough. Do you know that I never even knew that this place existed? I totally love a book that takes me to a new setting, draws me in, and brings out the researcher in me!
I can't tell you how much I enjoyed this, but totally recommend. Thank you to Edelweiss and Europa Editions for this e-book ARC to read and review.
July 15, 2018
Lần đầu tiên đọc một cuốn trinh thám Pháp. Một khởi đầu cực kì tuyệt vời với một cuốn sách được viết rất tài tình. Không chỉ được chăm chút trong từng diễn biến vụ án mà còn được tỉ mỉ lồng ghép với từng cảnh vật ở đảo nhiệt đới Réunion - nơi diễn ra tấn bi kịch.
Liệu quá khứ của một người có phải là lời giải thích cho con người anh ta hiện tại?
Liệu quá khứ của một người có phải là lời giải thích cho con người anh ta hiện tại?
July 13, 2017
Visit the locations in the novel Don't Let Go
This was horrifyingly good - what would you go if your partner disappeared on an island where you were holidaying,far from anywhere and in the most remote yet beautiful part of the Indian ocean. The language and cultural barriers, the fact your young daughter is there with you, the trouble of all that plus being suspected yourself.
There’s something very grim yet fascinating about novels which put tragedy in an idyllic setting and this is one of them.More so as it reminded me of a horrible true life story which was in the news a few years ago.
The book grips from the off and what makes it more gripping is how its written in the news bulletin format - quick snippets of info, the developing investigation, the red herrings, the whys and where fors and the race to the crushing climax.
An awfully inward looking and protective island community at odds with its tourist appearance in this novel. Read it on a beach and imagine yourself there...
February 18, 2019
Hấp dẫn và có vài đoạn rất hồi hộp.
Mạch truyện nhanh nhẹn, twist xen kẽ.
Giọng kể vẫn cuốn hút, tác giả lồng ghép các chi tiết nhịp nhàng và vẫn xỏ mũi người đọc rất khéo.
Dễ đọc hơn nhưng với mình thì cái kết lại không thoả mãn bằng ‘Hoa súng đen’.
Mạch truyện nhanh nhẹn, twist xen kẽ.
Giọng kể vẫn cuốn hút, tác giả lồng ghép các chi tiết nhịp nhàng và vẫn xỏ mũi người đọc rất khéo.
Dễ đọc hơn nhưng với mình thì cái kết lại không thoả mãn bằng ‘Hoa súng đen’.
January 30, 2020
Cuốn thứ hai của Bussi sau cuốn Hoa súng đen, có vẻ không ấn tượng và plot twist đùng đùng bằng HSD nhưng vẫn khá ổn, càng về cuối sách thì càng gay cấn đi nhanh hơn. Không thể nào qua nổi HSD quá xức xắc huhu
Làm t lại mê thêm 1 địa điểm mới, đảo Réunion Pháp nó đẹp kinh!
Làm t lại mê thêm 1 địa điểm mới, đảo Réunion Pháp nó đẹp kinh!
April 29, 2022
Bussi...una garanzia! Bellissimo!
March 18, 2020
Oh how this one bored me. After reading Black Waterlilies I expected much more from this novel. I am really disappointed. I didn't feel any suspense reading this book, I was just trudging and trudging through it and hoping I will reach the end quickly. The characters are unimpressive and bland, the story itself not developed enough to engage the reader. I wasn't even interested in finding out who's the actual killer, because the victims were just random people. Additionally, the parts narrated by little Josapha are extremely unconvincing, children aged six definitely do not have such refined vocabulary and such clear understanding of the world, especially death and danger. The only positive thing is Bussi's creation of the world. The descriptive parts about the island are brilliant, it is really easy to immerse yourself in the heat and beauty of La Réunion.
September 2, 2018
Zvláštně psaný román, který mě absolutně uhranul. Nečekala jsem to, dost dobré.
January 22, 2021
Igazi mesebeli, idilli nyaralás a Franciaországhoz tartozó, Madagaszkártól nem messze lévő Réunion szigetén, ahol kipihenheti a mindennapok fáradalmait Martial és Liane Bellion, a fiatal házaspár a hatéves kislányukkal, Sofával. Minden szép és jó, álomba illő, de aztán egy napon a nő eltűnik. Csak a hotelszobába indul, hogy lecserélje a fürdőruháját, de nem tér vissza. Martial a szobát teljesen feldúlva találja, és vérnyomok is tarkítják a helyiséget. Ráadásul a hotel egyik dolgozója látta a férjet a kérdéses időpontban a folyosón - amikor ő állítása szerint az épületben sem volt. Nem sokkal később pedig az egész családnak nyoma vész, ami még inkább Martialra tereli a gyanút, de vajon tényleg ő a tettes? Megölte a feleségét? És mi a helyzet a gyerekkel, és hová tűnt ő maga?
Szövevényes rejtély, amelynek a megoldásában a helyi "Miss Marple" is besegít, aki nagyjából az egyetlen értékelhető karakter volt a történetben. A nyomozók színtelenek, szagtalanok, a család is meglehetősen életszerűtlen és furcsa. Maga az eset érdekes, ahogyan múlt ismét bekopog az ajtón, és a nyomozás során fény derül a régi titkokra és beteg dolgokra is. Michel Bussi a Fekete vízililiomok c. művében ad egy érdekes színezetet az egész ügynek, és képzőművészeti betekintést is kapunk, itt sajnos minden ilyen vonal elmaradt, hacsak nem tekintjük Réunion szigetének és állandó lakosainak bemutatását annak, pedig az előző könyvének ez egy különös színezetet adott. Talán ez hiányzott nekem a legjobban innen is.
Bussi alapvetően jó író, de ez sajnos - szerintem legalábbis - egy kevésbé jól sikerült műve. A karakterek kibontása és ábrázolása ment már neki jobban is, maga a bűntény és a megoldása jó, a végén még csavar is van, nem egysíkú történet, de mégis furcsa, és nem jó értelemben. Mégis ahogy a múltra egyre inkább fény derül, a régi fájdalom és a gyász felszínre evickél, ezeknél a részeknél a francia szerző megmutatta, hogy tud is valamit. A gyász okozta őrület és a bosszúvágy leírása mélyreható és hiteles - kár, hogy a színtelen karakterek félig agyonütik a jó történetet és a szorongató hangulatot. Ki tudja, talán csak engem nem talált meg jókor, nem jókor nyúltam érte a polcon. Mindenesetre a kotnyeles Imolda, a "fekete Ms. Marple" karakteréért nagyon is megérte, őt nagyon megkedveltem, élettel teli és jó karakter volt, az egyetlen a sok közül.
Ha nem olvastál még Bussitól, ne ez legyen az első. Egyébként azt mondanám rá, átlagos krimi. Az pedig nem rossz. Csak tudom, hogy Bussi tud jobbat is, ennek fényében többet vártam tőle - de nem lehet mindig mindenki topon, legyen szó bármiről is.
Szövevényes rejtély, amelynek a megoldásában a helyi "Miss Marple" is besegít, aki nagyjából az egyetlen értékelhető karakter volt a történetben. A nyomozók színtelenek, szagtalanok, a család is meglehetősen életszerűtlen és furcsa. Maga az eset érdekes, ahogyan múlt ismét bekopog az ajtón, és a nyomozás során fény derül a régi titkokra és beteg dolgokra is. Michel Bussi a Fekete vízililiomok c. művében ad egy érdekes színezetet az egész ügynek, és képzőművészeti betekintést is kapunk, itt sajnos minden ilyen vonal elmaradt, hacsak nem tekintjük Réunion szigetének és állandó lakosainak bemutatását annak, pedig az előző könyvének ez egy különös színezetet adott. Talán ez hiányzott nekem a legjobban innen is.
Bussi alapvetően jó író, de ez sajnos - szerintem legalábbis - egy kevésbé jól sikerült műve. A karakterek kibontása és ábrázolása ment már neki jobban is, maga a bűntény és a megoldása jó, a végén még csavar is van, nem egysíkú történet, de mégis furcsa, és nem jó értelemben. Mégis ahogy a múltra egyre inkább fény derül, a régi fájdalom és a gyász felszínre evickél, ezeknél a részeknél a francia szerző megmutatta, hogy tud is valamit. A gyász okozta őrület és a bosszúvágy leírása mélyreható és hiteles - kár, hogy a színtelen karakterek félig agyonütik a jó történetet és a szorongató hangulatot. Ki tudja, talán csak engem nem talált meg jókor, nem jókor nyúltam érte a polcon. Mindenesetre a kotnyeles Imolda, a "fekete Ms. Marple" karakteréért nagyon is megérte, őt nagyon megkedveltem, élettel teli és jó karakter volt, az egyetlen a sok közül.
Ha nem olvastál még Bussitól, ne ez legyen az első. Egyébként azt mondanám rá, átlagos krimi. Az pedig nem rossz. Csak tudom, hogy Bussi tud jobbat is, ennek fényében többet vártam tőle - de nem lehet mindig mindenki topon, legyen szó bármiről is.
June 20, 2021
La Reunion, l’isola intensa dell’ arcipelago delle Mascarene nell’Oceano Indiano, un paradiso tropicale dominato da un vulcano che dissemina il territorio dei suoi residui di lava e cenere. Ambientazione superba e accuratissima per questo giallo di Bussi. Lo scandire del tempo non fa che imprimere pathos alla storia, narrata attraverso le varie azioni dei protagonisti e da diversi punti di vista. Il colpo di scena è dietro l’angolo, lo si aspetta ma sorprende sempre.
Epilogo forse un tantino tirato, alla arrivanoinostri, ma funzionale al lieto fine della storia.
Unica nota stonata (che però non toglie nulla alla narrazione): il linguaggio usato per le parti raccontate direttamente dalla piccola Sofa (5 anni!) mi è sembrato un po’ troppo adulto, anche se la bambina viene descritta sempre come ‘sveglia e intelligentissima’. Povero ‘pulcino’, ne ha passate così tante che su questo aspetto penso si possa sorvolare volentieri...
Non alla stregua di Ninfee nere, ma comunque un buonissimo testo.
📖 Parola del mese (giu/21): mano
# LdM - Mini sfida Europa-> 1
✍️ M.B.
Epilogo forse un tantino tirato, alla arrivanoinostri, ma funzionale al lieto fine della storia.
Unica nota stonata (che però non toglie nulla alla narrazione): il linguaggio usato per le parti raccontate direttamente dalla piccola Sofa (5 anni!) mi è sembrato un po’ troppo adulto, anche se la bambina viene descritta sempre come ‘sveglia e intelligentissima’. Povero ‘pulcino’, ne ha passate così tante che su questo aspetto penso si possa sorvolare volentieri...
Non alla stregua di Ninfee nere, ma comunque un buonissimo testo.
📖 Parola del mese (giu/21): mano
# LdM - Mini sfida Europa-> 1
✍️ M.B.
May 9, 2022
Truyện khá hấp dẫn với bối cảnh diễn ra ở ��ảo Réunion của Pháp, nơi có dân cư da chủng tộc đặc biệt. Hòn đảo nhỏ nên mối quan hệ dân cư trong các thế hệ đều chồng chéo nhau, mỗi người có những câu chuyện nguồn gốc và nhập cư của mình, từ nữ đại uý, ông thiếu uý mê cocktail, những nhân viên khu nghỉ mát cho đến những người dân bình thường nhất,… Những người từ nơi khác đến sẽ không thể hiểu ngay thói quen, tục lệ và tin tức nơi đây.
Câu chuyện bắt đầu từ 1 sự mất tích khó hiểu của 1 nữ du khách, Liane, đưa người chồng Martial vào diện tình nghi. Người chồng từ thái độ lo lắng nhờ cảnh sát tìm vợ nhanh, tự dưng thay đổi thái độ, tìm mọi cách dắt con gái 6 tuổi chạy trốn cảnh sát trên hòn đảo nhỏ bị chặn các ngả đường.
Thêm nhiều nạn nhân, cảnh sát truy tìm nghi phạm. Và hẳn nhiên, mọi việc không như mọi người hiểu. Hận thù đã bắt rễ từ những điều nhỏ nhưng vô tâm trong quá khứ, đợi dịp bùng nổ như ngọn núi lửa trên đảo.
Câu chuyện bắt đầu từ 1 sự mất tích khó hiểu của 1 nữ du khách, Liane, đưa người chồng Martial vào diện tình nghi. Người chồng từ thái độ lo lắng nhờ cảnh sát tìm vợ nhanh, tự dưng thay đổi thái độ, tìm mọi cách dắt con gái 6 tuổi chạy trốn cảnh sát trên hòn đảo nhỏ bị chặn các ngả đường.
Thêm nhiều nạn nhân, cảnh sát truy tìm nghi phạm. Và hẳn nhiên, mọi việc không như mọi người hiểu. Hận thù đã bắt rễ từ những điều nhỏ nhưng vô tâm trong quá khứ, đợi dịp bùng nổ như ngọn núi lửa trên đảo.
May 18, 2020
I picked up Don't Let Go because the premise sounded intriguing and because I'd never read anything set on Réunion Island which is east of Madagascar. I got a good feel for the location in terms of landscape, weather, and its rather complicated social history, and that's always a plus for this armchair traveler. Another plus is that the book satisfies more than that one reading necessity.
The point of view switches back and forth from the local police captain to her second-in-command to the prime suspect to his daughter and to perhaps my favorite character, Imelda, the mistress of Christos (the second-in-command) whom he calls the black Miss Marple. This changing point of view keeps up the fast pace, and it certainly keeps readers guessing. I was very pleased to discover that the characters were more fleshed out than in a typical thriller and that they didn't always behave the way I thought they would.
The plot is the sort that you really can't say much about without giving things away, but I will say that I did enjoy myself working out exactly what was going on as Bussi divvied out a morsel of information at a time. In fact, I enjoyed myself so much that I'm going to be on the lookout for more books by this author... even if he does wax a bit too poetic when writing death scenes.
The point of view switches back and forth from the local police captain to her second-in-command to the prime suspect to his daughter and to perhaps my favorite character, Imelda, the mistress of Christos (the second-in-command) whom he calls the black Miss Marple. This changing point of view keeps up the fast pace, and it certainly keeps readers guessing. I was very pleased to discover that the characters were more fleshed out than in a typical thriller and that they didn't always behave the way I thought they would.
The plot is the sort that you really can't say much about without giving things away, but I will say that I did enjoy myself working out exactly what was going on as Bussi divvied out a morsel of information at a time. In fact, I enjoyed myself so much that I'm going to be on the lookout for more books by this author... even if he does wax a bit too poetic when writing death scenes.
May 13, 2017
I did really enjoy this book and not too much got lost in translation as it sometimes does with books that are translated from one language to another. It did have it's moments when it seemed a bit stilted but it didn't take away too much from the story or the flow of the book. It was a pretty fast read or perhaps I had trouble putting it down at times?
Martial and Liane Bellion are holidaying on the island of Réunion. They are there with their six year old daughter, Sopha. Liane Bellion goes up to her room and does not come back out. When the room is searched it is empty, bloodstains are found and all of her clothes are missing. It is not long before Martial takes his daughter Sopha and they are on the run with an entire police force searching for them.
The unfolding story is told from the perspective of several characters. Each has a part to play in the story as appearances are not as they seem as the bodies continue to pile up and the mystery deepens. It is a story with twists and turns aplenty.
Martial and Liane Bellion are holidaying on the island of Réunion. They are there with their six year old daughter, Sopha. Liane Bellion goes up to her room and does not come back out. When the room is searched it is empty, bloodstains are found and all of her clothes are missing. It is not long before Martial takes his daughter Sopha and they are on the run with an entire police force searching for them.
The unfolding story is told from the perspective of several characters. Each has a part to play in the story as appearances are not as they seem as the bodies continue to pile up and the mystery deepens. It is a story with twists and turns aplenty.
May 16, 2017
On the island of Reunion, a young French couple are holidaying with their young daughter. One day the mother goes missing after heading to the hotel room for a siesta. Police investigate and are about to arrest the husband as all the evidence points to him when he absconds with his daughter. This was brilliant with lots of twists and turns and it had me gripped throughout. Bussi has cemented himself as one of my favourite crime writers.
February 19, 2019
Pas mal, mais pas mémorable non plus, pas autant que je m'y attendais à force d'entendre parler de l'auteur.
Au moins, l'histoire se passe sur l'île de la Réunion et c'est un bon dépaysement. Ca se laisse lire très agréablement, il y a des retournements de situation (beaucoup), la fin m'a attristée pour Christos et Imelda, mais ça ne sera pas le livre de l'année pour moi.
Au moins, l'histoire se passe sur l'île de la Réunion et c'est un bon dépaysement. Ca se laisse lire très agréablement, il y a des retournements de situation (beaucoup), la fin m'a attristée pour Christos et Imelda, mais ça ne sera pas le livre de l'année pour moi.
October 18, 2018
Za mě asi nejslabší od Bussiho. Kdyby byla o polovinu kratší, tak jsem nadšená, ale příběh tolik netáhl jako ty ostatní. Bussi ale stále umí překvapovat a dělá to moc rád, proto svému úsudku v průběhu knihy spíš nevěřte, tahá vás za nos :)
March 1, 2017
Review to follow.
May 28, 2017
Sau Hoa súng đen, Xin đừng buông tay như một ly nước mát, vừa uống vừa ngắm toàn cảnh đảo Réunion mà không sợ pháo nổ đùng đùng :))
March 31, 2018
wow what more can I say. Another fantastic psychological thriller by Michel Bussi.
December 8, 2020
Marvelous crime idea that revolves around matter of revenge-- twisty and thrilling, quite complicated too. The author did well in hiding the motive and the true villain until the last few chapters and still making it intriguing much. I was super curious, just like Sopha I am in between-- should I trust her Papa or is he lying, did the officer do the right thing in chasing them or was it just a bait?
I pretty much love the characters, all that suspicious employees at Athena, about Aja and Christos! I like Christos a lot (this book is a crime mystery but everytime Christos came into the narrative it became an adult scene + investigation genre and it slides off a bit but I really digress with Christos behavior, he's a great investigator anyway) and I really love Imelda too, she could really be that officer cadet, if only :/
This book let me travel to Réunion Island from Rivière des Remparts to Piton de la Fournaise and Anse des Cascades, of the sea and trees and to experience the local phenomenon of temperature inversion, a bank of fog that hide Martial and Sopha from the police. I love that both narrative and characters developed complemently, a back and forth of pov from the main characters but I did not mind it at all (I personally love Sopha's perspective).
Even with the case complexity and all those challenging chasing, the plot quite remarkable and surprising. It might be a bit draggy in the middle, but still an entertaining crime mystery to me.
Other random things I love:
・Eve-Marie's collection of proverbs (that amazed me), I learn a few of it
・Aja's story of her ancestors
・Nazir (without those zamal)
・all that CSI, Hawaii Five-0 and James Bond references
I love the ending so much, it was sad but I love it; I fé pa la bou avan la pli, and Lieutenant Christos I am glad you think twice about it!
I pretty much love the characters, all that suspicious employees at Athena, about Aja and Christos! I like Christos a lot (this book is a crime mystery but everytime Christos came into the narrative it became an adult scene + investigation genre and it slides off a bit but I really digress with Christos behavior, he's a great investigator anyway) and I really love Imelda too, she could really be that officer cadet, if only :/
This book let me travel to Réunion Island from Rivière des Remparts to Piton de la Fournaise and Anse des Cascades, of the sea and trees and to experience the local phenomenon of temperature inversion, a bank of fog that hide Martial and Sopha from the police. I love that both narrative and characters developed complemently, a back and forth of pov from the main characters but I did not mind it at all (I personally love Sopha's perspective).
Even with the case complexity and all those challenging chasing, the plot quite remarkable and surprising. It might be a bit draggy in the middle, but still an entertaining crime mystery to me.
Other random things I love:
・Eve-Marie's collection of proverbs (that amazed me), I learn a few of it
・Aja's story of her ancestors
・Nazir (without those zamal)
・all that CSI, Hawaii Five-0 and James Bond references
I love the ending so much, it was sad but I love it; I fé pa la bou avan la pli, and Lieutenant Christos I am glad you think twice about it!
June 10, 2019
My wife read the French version, but my French isn't that good, so I followed her recommendation and got the English version. The translation is excellent. Martial and Liane Bellion are lying about the pool at a resort on Réunion Island, a department of France. Liane goes up to the room and is not seen again. Martial has a friend watch his young daughter while he goes looking for her. He reports her missing to the police. When the police arrive, they find signs of a struggle and blood in the Bellions' room. Martial confesses to having borrowed a laundry cart from a maid and having wheeled it down to the car park. A knife is missing from his barbecue kit, a knife that shows up in another body nearby. Then he flees with his daughter. Open and shut case, right? Well, maybe.
Aja, a mixed race Creole captain and Christos, a lusty, pot-smoking forensic-trained second lieutenant are on the case. The setting is exotic, the characters interesting, the mystery deep. There is the suspense of the chase as the police try to find Martial and Sopha and a plot you won't figure out. The twists fooled me almost to the end. The people who die and those who live aren't who you expect. I spent more than a little time looking up Réunion, Mauritius, and the Seychelles, which were mere names I'd heard before this, as well as dodo birds and papangues. This is the most entertaining book I've read in quite some time.
Aja, a mixed race Creole captain and Christos, a lusty, pot-smoking forensic-trained second lieutenant are on the case. The setting is exotic, the characters interesting, the mystery deep. There is the suspense of the chase as the police try to find Martial and Sopha and a plot you won't figure out. The twists fooled me almost to the end. The people who die and those who live aren't who you expect. I spent more than a little time looking up Réunion, Mauritius, and the Seychelles, which were mere names I'd heard before this, as well as dodo birds and papangues. This is the most entertaining book I've read in quite some time.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 402 reviews