Les Dernières Pages

Inspector Taleb #1

by Robert Goddard, Claude Demanuelli (Translator), Jean Demanuelli (Translator)

Une enquête passionnante à travers l'histoire de la France et de l'Algérie.



Paris, le 17 octobre 1961. Tout juste débarqué d'Angleterre, le jeune Nigel Dalby assiste à une scène d'horreur dans le quartier Saint-Michel. Une manifestation pacifique de musulmans algériens défilant pour une " Algérie algérienne " est sévèrement réprimée par la police du préfet Papon. Plus de deux cent manifestants sont tués, jetés dans la Seine ou abattus par balle. Le bilan officiel parlera de trois morts. Quelques années plus tard, toujours traumatisé par ce spectacle tragique, Nigel travaille avec sa fiancée Harriet à Tativille, immense studio de tournage imaginé par Jacques Tati pour le tournage de Playtime . Là, il fait la connaissance de deux jeunes Algériens, décidés à venger les martyrs du 17 octobre. Après une mystérieuse opération, Harriet disparaît et Nigel gagne l'Algérie nouvellement indépendante, où il s'installe comme libraire.


2020, dans un cottage du Hampshire. Suzette Dalby, la fille de Nigel, rend visite à Stephen, le frère d'Harriet. Plus de vingt ans après l'assassinat de son père durant la guerre civile algérienne, elle vient de recevoir un étrange manuscrit, censé être la confession de Nigel, explicitant, entre autres, la disparition d'Harriet. Mais un cabinet d'avocat suisse est prêt à lui verser une forte somme d'argent si elle prétend que c'est un faux.



Dans ce livre envoûtant à l'épaisseur romanesque exceptionnelle, Robert Goddard revient à son thème de prédilection : l'enchevêtrement intime entre l'Histoire et les secrets de familles. Avec une intrigue toujours aussi palpitante, aux multiples coups de théâtre, il prend cette fois pour cadre près de cinquante ans de rapports franco-algériens et nous offre sans conteste l'un de ses plus grands romans.

Genres: Fiction, Crime, Thriller, Historical Fiction, Mystery, Audiobook, Mystery Thriller

Kindle Edition

Published October 12, 2023

About the author

In a writing career spanning more than twenty years, Robert Goddard's novels have been described in many different ways - mystery, thriller, crime, even historical romance. He is the master of the plot twist, a compelling and engrossing storyteller and one of the best known advocates for the traditional virtues of pace, plot and narrative drive.

Reviews

[Paromjit · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a superb and well researched thriller from Robert Goddard, a blend of fact and fiction, that immerses the reader in the horrors and blood soaked history between France and Algeria. Nigel Dalby is a witness to the 17 October 1961 Paris torture and massacre of protesting Algerians by an out of control police force, throwing huge numbers into the River Seine, a bloodbath that later leads to him being caught up in a nightmare scenario that results in him having to move to Algeria and running the Chelifere bookshop. After his death, his daughter, Suzette is asked to verify that a 'confession' apparently left behind by him is false, for which she will receive a small financial reward. Wanting to know more about her father, she seeks to determine the truth of the matter, going to Hampshire to meet Stephen Gray, the brother of Harriet who went missing in Paris in the 1960s, he has devoted his life to trying to solve the mystery of her disappearance.

Superintendent Mouloud Taleb is facing retirement, when he finds himself tasked with locating the escaped elderly Wassim Zarbi, freed from a long prison sentence for his part in the embezzlement, the Sonatrach fraud, his partner in crime, Nadir Laloul, managing to take the money and get out of the country. However, Taleb must work with the feared security services in the shape of the young ambitious agent, Souad Hidouchi, a surprising friendship and trust builds between them. It is an investigation where ignorance is dangerous, but knowledge even more dangerous, into a past in which there are powerful vested interests in Algeria, where the rules of life are that the absolute truth is a suicide note, and France, that will do everything to ensure the truth remains buried, including what lay behind the carnage and terror of the internecine strife that plagued Algeria in the 1990s.

Goddard provides a harrowing and insightful look at the complex past and present with a France that could not accept that its colonial rule in Algeria came to an end with independence, intent on punitive and destabilisation strategies whilst continuing to profit from the oil and gas production in the Sahara. This is a powerful, spellbinding and riveting read, both informative and educational in documenting a history that few are aware of, illustrated, for example, by Souad's shock on discovering Algeria's traumatic history with France, the bone deep murderous corruption, where the only difference between convicted criminals and unconvicted ones are that the unconvicted run the country. A stellar thriller that I recommend highly. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.

[Ceecee · Rating 4 out of 5]

4+ stars

At Police HQ Algiers Supt Mouloud Taleb is summoned by Director Baras as he has a special task for him which takes a deep dive into the past. I’m 1999 Laboul fled the country after embezzling the national oil company and left his friend Wassim Zarbi to face the music. He served a lengthy prison sentence and following his release he’s gone missing. Taleb will work with DSS (Intelligence Service) agent Souad Hidouchi to find Zarbi who is presumed to have gone after Laloul. Meanwhile in Hampshire Stephen Gray is visited by Suzette Fontaine nee Dalby whose family he knew in Algiers. Stephen’s sister Harriet disappeared in Paris in the 1960’s, she had links to Suzette’s father and to Zarbi. What the visit is about is central to the tangled web of deception that unfurls in England, France and Algiers.

There’s a very good reason why I’ve read so many Robert Goddard books over the years- he writes darned good thrillers and they’re all very different. This one is a terrific read in the best thriller tradition. The historical context of the background of Algeria and its colonial past with France is obviously integral to the plot with much linking back to events in Paris in 1961 under de Gaulle against the Algerian community. This makes for fascinating if very uncomfortable reading. I knew the bare bones of Algeria’s recent history but feel I now have more understanding. I love the inclusion of film maker Jacques Tati and Tativille via the character of Harriet.

The plot is a complex one but it’s very clever, it’s written in such a way that it engages from the start and part of this is to do with the characters of Hidouchi and especially of Taleb who I like very much. There’s great banter between them some of which is very amusing. This has all the ingredients of a compelling thriller from retribution to conspiracy theory and fact, there’s murder, mayhem, set ups and double crossing the double crossers with added warnings, threats and beaucoup de mensonges (lies) by the bucket load with the security services in Algiers and France adding their own brand of deception. It goes without saying there are plenty of plot twists in this fast paced novel as ghosts from the past continue to haunt the present. There are a lot of characters to keep track of so you have to concentrate but it’s worth it for the thrill of the ride.

Overall, if you like clever complex thrillers that are well researched and which lends an air of authenticity then this is for you.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Random House U.K./Transworld/Bantam Press for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

[Val Wheeler · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really exciting political thriller based in Paris and the Algiers and follows Superintendent Taleb, Agent Hidouchi, where they have to investigate a historical event. I wont rehash the story, but it was a highly entertaining, plot grabbing book. I really didn't know any Algerian history before this book, but feel I've learnt more about their history and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Thank you to Random House UK, Transworld Publishers, Bantam Press and Netgalley for the invitation to review this book. having read one Robert Goddard before "The fine art of invisible detection, I hoped this book would meet my high expectations and it really did. A super thriller from the master of crime. I hope to read many more in the future, particularly if they are as good as these two.

[[ J o ] · Rating 4 out of 5]

My very first Robert Goddard novel and it certainly will not be the last, This Is the Night They Come For You is a fictionalised political thriller based on real-life events in Algiers and Paris, with an almost retired Superintendent and a hot-shot Agent tasked with hunting down a former agent.

Full of twists and turns-in fact it has a shed load-with double-crossing, double-dealing, backstabbing, pacts and all sorts of things you’d expect in a huge blockbuster thriller. I enjoyed every moment and never felt lost even when the plot thickened so much it was like being lost in a bowl of treacle.

Having no knowledge of the historical background of the novel, I can’t say whether it is an accurate depiction, but it certainly feels very real and nothing in the story undermines the importance of telling such history. It never felt biased toward any nation or people, but was an interesting look in to everything that happens surrounding such events.

All of the characters felt likeable (or unlikeable if you were meant to) and they all felt incredibly real. I enjoyed the blossoming relationship between the hardened Taleb and the newcomer Hidouchi: occasionally I didn’t enjoy their banter, but it was only ever occasional. Some of the secondary characters could even steal the show at times and their timely interventions were always welcome and never jarred the narrative.

All of the different (seemingly unconnected) threads are woven very nicely in to each other until finally they all meet at a very satisfying point. Not being much of a thriller reader, I do prefer my Crime Books (umberella-ring thrillers, mysteries and the like under the catch-all term) to be a little more cosy and slightly quicker to read, so I wouldn’t say I’d read these whenever I need a quick crime, but it was in incredible ride that has left me wanting a little bit more of Goddard.

[Geevee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Using the tense mid to late 20th century relationship between Algeria and France, Robert Goddard cleverly weaves a story of love and family, betrayal and revenge using a key moment in the Algerian war of independence that took place on French soil: The Paris massacre that took place on 17 October 1961; where French police killed some (officially) 40 Algerians [unofficially the number may be as high as 300].

From the events in 1961, we meet various characters whose lives were changed or shaped by that night. This includes Superintendent Taleb, who is asked to investigate a now elderly former Algerian agent who is on the run. This case will take Taleb and others back into Franco-Algerian history and to people who were present in 1961 or have been seeking answers since.

Enjoyable and well-researched this is a good book by Mr Goddard that kept me interested to the final pages. Overall, three stars, which under the GR star rating system, means I liked it.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the Night They Come for You by Robert Goddard

Synopsis /

On a stifling afternoon at Police HQ in Algiers, Superintendent Taleb, coasting towards retirement, with not even an air-conditioned office to show for his long years of service, is handed a ticking time bomb of a case which will take him deep into Algeria's troubled past and its fraught relationship with France.

To his dismay, he is assigned to work with Agent Hidouchi, an intimidating representative of the country's feared secret service, who makes it clear she intends to call the shots. They are instructed to pursue a former agent, now on the run after twenty years in prison for his part in a high-level corruption scandal. But their search will lead them inexorably towards a greater mystery, surrounding a murder that took place in Paris more than fifty years ago.

Uncovering the truth may be his responsibility, but Taleb is well aware that no-one in Algeria wants to be reminded of the dark deeds carried out in the struggle for independence - or in the violence that has racked the nation since. Before long, he will face a choice he has long sought to avoid, between self-preservation and doing the right thing.

And, ultimately, the choice may not even be his to make.

My Thoughts /

If you look up Robert Goddard's profile page on GR it says:- In a writing career spanning more than twenty years, Robert Goddard's novels have been described in many different ways - mystery, thriller, crime, even historical romance. He is the master of the plot twist, a compelling and engrossing storyteller and one of the best known advocates for the traditional virtues of pace, plot and narrative drive.

Not having read anything by this author before, I can tell you now, on finishing This is the Night They Come for You, that the above description is scarily on point.

Fasten your thinking cap on good and tight before you start this one, as Goddard has filled it with suspense, murder, espionage, a blend of fact and fiction and, (what I'm going to refer to as) obscure historical detail - but which is more a reflection of my own poor personal history knowledge rather than anything obscure. The story is set around the time of the 1990s in both England and Algeria, during the Algerian War of Independence. If, like me, you've not heard of, or, have heard very little about historical facts during this time, let me quickly fill in some blanks.

The Algerian War, also known as the Algerian War of Independence and the Algerian Revolution, was fought from 1954 to 1962. The main combatants were France and the Algerian National Liberation Front (Front de libération nationale, FLN). The war began on the night of October 31, 1954. The movement, led by the newly formed FLN, issued a leaflet stating that its aim was to restore a sovereign Algerian state. This was no small skirmish. It is reported that France drafted some two million conscripts over the course of the war. The brutality of the methods employed by the French forces failed to win any hearts in Algeria, alienated support in metropolitan France, and discredited French prestige abroad. As the war dragged on, the French public slowly turned against it as did many of France's key allies. Peace negotiations began in earnest in May of 1961 and it was not until the following year that an agreement was reached and Algeria became independent.

Back to the story. Opening in Algiers, Superintendent Taleb is hoping for a quiet run through to retirement. He is known, among other things, as being an 'honest' policeman and has been called in to the search for a missing corrupt (now ex) official. Also taking part in the search is Agent Hidouchi. Hidouchi comes across from the secret police, or if you'd prefer, the secret service. They are instructed to pursue and bring in a former agent, now on the run after twenty years in prison for his part in a high-level corruption scandal. Needless to say, so close to retirement, Taleb is not keen on becoming caught up in dangerous conspiracies or, wanting to work with the Algiers feared secret police. But he's curious, what is the Government's reason for wanting this man so badly and, as for Hidouchi, what is her involvement? Is she there to help solve the case or bury it and maybe Taleb and his career with it?

Meanwhile, in Hampshire, England, Stephen Gray is working on his father's cottage when he receives an unexpected visit from Suzette Fontaine. Stephen met Suzette over thirty years ago when they were both in Algiers. This visit will set Gray on a path that sees him search for the truth about his sister's disappearance in Paris nearly sixty years ago. We find out that Suzette's father, Nigel Dalby, was a witness to what history is calling, the Paris massacre of 1961. Where protesting Algerians were tortured and massacred by an out of control French police force.

'My father wrote a memoir he called "J'avoue" during his last months alone in Algiers. In it he confessed to involvement in the murder in Paris of a presidential aide, Guy Tournier, while he and Harriet were working at Tativille in the spring of 1965.'

The 'Harriet' referred to by Nigel Dalby is Stephen Gray's sister. Harriet disappeared in Paris during that time and Stephen has spent his life trying to find out what happened to her.

All these seemingly unconnected events are woven together into a well packaged plot, with a ready supply of surprising twists and turns. After a slow start, the book quickly picks up pace in the second half to arrive at the end with a satisfying conclusion. The characters are well crafted and engaging. I loved the world-weary Superintendent Taleb with his dry sense of humour and self-deprecating manner. His interactions with the Algerian Secret Service Agent Hidouchi are incredibly entertaining. With plenty of attention to detail regarding historical places and atmospheres of the time period, it's not difficult to get immersed in the story.

[Louise Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

On a stifling afternoon at Police HQ in Algiers, Superintendent Taleb, coasting towards retirement, with not even an air conditioned office to show for his long years of service, is handed a ticking bomb of a case which will take him deep into Algiers past and it's fraught relationship with France. To his dismay, he is assigned to work with agent Hidouchi, an intimidating representative of the country's feared secret service, who make it clear she intends to do call the shots.

Superintendent Taleb is summoned by his superior. He gives him a case that he will need to work with the feared secret service, hunting down a former agent. Set in Algiers, France and the UK and covers Algiers independence from France. I really liked Taleb, he had a dry sense of humour. This is a fast paced read from the beginning. I also liked reading the historical aspects included in this story. A thrilling read that combines seamlessly true events and fiction.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #RandomHouseUK #TransworldPubishers and the author #RobertGoddard for my ARC of #ThisIsTheNightTheyComeForYou in exchange for an honest review.

[SueLucie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven’t read a recent Robert Goddard novel but in some respects this one is exactly as I’d expect from my reading of his early work - convoluted yet fast-moving plot, intertwining characters and back stories coming to a neat conclusion. On the other hand, though, I hadn’t anticipated the deeply political content. My knowledge of Algerians’ experiences leading up to and after independence, right up to the present day, was sketchy at best and I found this book’s exposition fascinating, albeit more gruesome than I could have imagined. A real eye-opener and a very welcome one.

With thanks to Random House, Bantam Press via NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC.

[Marianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Is The Night They Come For You is the first book in the Inspector Taleb series by award-winning, bestselling British author, Robert Goddard. Back in 1999, Wassim Zarbi, a thirty-year veteran of Algeria’s dreaded Securité Militaire (later the DRS, then DSS) was jailed for his role in the lucrative national oil company fraud. His accomplice, Nadir Laloul, took the money and ran. Twenty years on, Zarbi has been paroled under strict house-arrest, and by mid-2020, has managed to leave the country, despite DSS surveillance.

Now near retirement, Superintendent Mouloud Taleb is very familiar with the original case, so when his boss assigns him to track down Zarbi (who might well lead them to Laloul, which would be a nice bonus), he welcomes the chance to bring them to justice. The only catch is that he has to work with DSS agent, Souad Hidouchi: young, female and with apparently little respect for his forty-seven years of experience in the police force.

Meanwhile, in Hampshire, Stephen Gray gets a visit from a French woman he first met in Algiers some forty-five years earlier. He was there to see Suzette Fontaine’s father, Nigel Dalby, hoping for any clue to the fate of his older sister Harriet, who had gone missing in Paris in 1965.

Suzette has come with an extract of a document, apparently discovered in the Algiers house where Nigel lived: a confession that offers some answers about what happened to Harriet, in which Zarbi gets several mentions. Is it genuine? She wants Stephen’s opinion. A Franco-Swiss law firm has a client offering money if she will say it isn’t.

While Taleb and Hidouchi are uncovering the how, who and where of Zarbi’s escape from the country, which has some surprising aspects, hypothesising on his intent, and gauging what danger might be involved in their pursuit, Suzette is getting a more complete, and perhaps disturbing, version of her father’s memoir from the man who ran his Algiers bookshop before it was gutted by fire.

There are plenty more twists and turns in the tale (maybe prebook a chiropractic appointment?): more arson, a trip to Paris, murder, frame-ups and betrayals, several double-crosses, unexpected alliances, car thefts, a gun battle and a not-inconsiderable body count, before a very satisfying resolution that seems to promise the reader will see more of Taleb and Hidouchi.

Goddard populates his novel with characters who often are not what they initially seem, and gives some of them insightful observations particularly applicable in Algiers, like “Ignorance is dangerous. But knowledge may be still more dangerous”, while also providing an easily assimilated lesson in Algerian history.

The dialogue between Taleb and Hidouchi can be entertaining: “’I think you’ve just broken several laws in the Algerian criminal code, Agent Hidouchi,”’ says Taleb.
‘The DSS are exempt, Taleb. Obviously, I wouldn’t have let you use this device. Also, we are not in Algeria.’” The sequel, This Is The Day They Dream Of, is eagerly awaited. Superb crime fiction.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Historical Mystery like no other! This latest book by Goddard is stunningly well researched, with bits and chunks of actual events and made up characters; it is a panacea for history aficionados like me.

The plot was slower than other books by this author and at times repetitive. My only pet peeve about the book was the passive quality that Taleb exhibited throughout the book. The book at the end hinted of a second book, I’m glad and surely I will buy it but the author need to write a third installment of the Umiko Wada series first….pretty please.

Mr. Goddard, you did it again, you gave us a history lesson while disentangling mysteries buried in the past of Algeria and France’s history.

[John Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started reading this one to fulfill a promise to myself to read more of this master storyteller.

The author chose a subject for this one that most of us have now forgotten, if in fact, we were ever really aware of it. His "afterword" explains much. To my own shame, I first visited Paris in 1964 only 3 short years after the massacre of Algerians on its streets, yet I knew nothing about it.

Once again with the author I am so impressed with the research into the subject that so many want to forget. He produces very believable characters in a plot from the 60s and its repercussions for Governments today.
The story has Goddard's characteristic style of telling the story from two time periods with the forces that were involved in revenge and shameful cover-up all meeting in one final fatal finale.

With all the double dealing and betrayal rife at the time, perhaps a little understandably, I had difficulty in following some parts as much as I would have liked.
However, what a storyteller. I felt myself involved in the troubles from the start and totally lost myself in the story.
My return to this author has started.

[Tina Tamman · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have learnt, reading this thriller, not to take on board my GR friends' recommendations. I had enormous difficulties with this ambitious novel. I had taken a short holiday and this was the only book I had with me. However, I struggled on although I did not like it one bit.
The novel is mostly about Algeria's past and that drew me in the first place. I have never visited and hoped perhaps to get some local colour (hardly any) plus recent history (plenty). But unfortunately the author has chosen two Englishmen as his key characters, there was not enough to tell them apart, I got lost where we were (Algiers, Paris, England). Why do authors make it so hard for the reader to piece the story together? It is not only this particular book but I notice the same trait in many modern novels. And in this novel, alas, the story itself is weak, seems to me contrived, and parts of it were repeated in the variants of the "confession". I also question the death of Harriet that is mentioned quite early on: why should I care about her if she remains a shadow, rather than a person?
Goddard has chosen to tell his story in the present tense which I do not find attractive - yet another fashionable modern idea. That said, there are quite a few good moments, all but too brief.

[Joe Stamber · Rating 4 out of 5]

A French woman seeking the truth about her father visits an Englishman who has let his desperate need to uncover the mystery of his missing sister take over his life. Meanwhile, in Algeria, an ageing policeman is forced to team up with a secret service agent to investigate the disappearance of a recently released infamous criminal. Being a Robert Goddard novel, everything harks back to many years ago, in this case during Algeria's fight for independence from France. The tale is told by the multicultural quartet, as well as occasional contributions from lesser characters, plus - in typical Goddard fashion - sections of an old journal/memoir. Any Goddard regulars will feel on familiar ground here, with smoke and mirrors and twists and turns used to good effect. Things move along at a good rate, never lulling, and the writing is up to the usual standard. Enjoyable stuff.

[Jane Watson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Somewhat different this one. I wasn’t sure about it at the beginning but it definitely warmed up and as always with Robert Goddard it picked up pace and moved on rapidly. I really didn’t know anything about Algeria so it was fascinating to find out more about it, especially as, when I worked in Paris way back in 1977, there were loads of young Algerian men around who used to proposition you on the street or follow you with their eyes, mentally undressing you, or so we felt as young girls. However, the characters were well done and I found myself rooting for them and hoping they would make it.

[Hayley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great read from Goddard!

Very well done multiple timeline and perspectives: the battle for Algerian independence, a murder in Paris in the 1960s, corruption, family drama and spies. It has everything. Very clever, twists and turns, humour, history, characters you like.

The second instalment for, hoping to be retired, Superintendent Taleb is already out!

[Kate Page · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyably complicated thriller, delving into French colonialism and Algerian independence.
This sets a political, tense and well researched background on which murders, secrets, lies, revenge and double-crossings play out.
Souad and Taleb are a fine odd couple pairing, who I’d be happy to hear more from.

[Jennifer (JC-S) · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘He’s a forgotten man. But not by all, apparently, since at that moment his telephone starts to ring.’

Superintendent Moloud Taleb is an Algerian policeman heading towards retirement. He may not be important enough to have his own air-conditioned office, but his life is about to become very interesting (in every sense). He is seconded to work with Souad Hidouchi, a female agent with the feared Algerian secret service. A former agent is on the run, after serving twenty years in prison for his involvement in a high-level corruption scandal. Hidouchi and Taleb are instructed to find him. Taleb is reluctant: he’d like to live long enough to make it to retirement and becoming caught up in this case does not bode well. But he becomes caught up in Hidouchi’s search.

‘The difference between convicted criminals and unconvicted ones is that the unconvicted ones run
the country.’

Meanwhile, in rural Hampshire, Stephen Gray is approached by someone from the past who appears to have information about the disappearance of Stephen’s sister in Paris over fifty years ago. Stephen becomes caught up in an investigation of his own: he wants to know the truth.
Two apparently unconnected events bring past and present together as this complex story unfolds in locations across France, Algiers, and Hampshire.

While Taleb is well aware that no-one in Algiers wants to be reminded of the violence associated with the Algerian struggle for independence, his need for truth outweighs his desire for self-preservation. He and Hidouchi make a formidable team as they search for the former agent. And their search for this agent takes them into a mystery surrounding a murder in Paris around the time Stephen Gray’s sister went missing.

‘The irony of Algeria’s past breaking out physically into the present appealed to Taleb.’

Mr Goddard combines fact and fiction in this thriller which left me wanting to know more about the history of Algiers both before and after independence from France. A terrific read.

Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK, Transworld Publishers for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

[Kate Vane · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoy Robert Goddard's novels but this one didn't gel for me. He doesn't normally write detectives and the police side of the story lacks the pace and realism you find in police procedurals. Taleb is more like an old-fashioned TV detective, with the older male/younger female trope, and their focus on wandering around town interviewing people. The fact that the story was split between two narrative strands, both pursuing the same objective, also made for a lot of repetition. And there didn't seem to be that many plot twists and turns, which is very unusual for a Goddard novel!

On the plus side, the novel offers interesting insights into the Algerian war of independence, and Algeria's recent history. And it won't stop me reading more by Robert Goddard.
*
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley.

[Anne Fenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fantastic book by this author. The setting moves between modern and 1968 Paris, and Algeria, mostly then, some now. The historical background is Algeria’s war of independence from France. Many people in France today trace their heritage to Algeria, a former colony of France. It’s a brutal event, stretching for years and affecting people inter-generationally. We follow two threads, the story of Superintendent Taleb, from modern Algeria, while an English connection takes us to rural Hampshire . Eventually paths cross. It’s a complex tale, very aware of corruption as well as conflicting urges for least worst outcomes. Compelling narrative, writing that controls the pace, great reading.

[Aravind · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review originally appeared, and is available, on Mystery and Suspense Magazine at this link...
https://www.mysteryandsuspense.com/th...

On a hot and clammy afternoon in Algiers, veteran Police Superintendent Mouloud Taleb—staring at an unwelcome retirement after close to five decades of service—is handed what is probably the biggest, and most perilous, case of his career. He is to join Souad Hidouchi, a young female agent of the Algerian Secret Service on the hunt for Wassim Zarbi, who himself was a mighty intelligence operative for a long time until being thrown in prison for corruption twenty years ago. Zarbi is absconding from his house—where he was kept in consideration of his advanced age—and is presumably in pursuit of his former partner Nadir Laloul who had abandoned him all those years ago, skipping the country with the entire ill-gotten wealth.

Meanwhile, Stephen Gray in Hampshire, England receives an unexpected visitor from the remote past, with a strange request. Suzette, the daughter of an Englishman named Nigel Dalby—resident of Algiers since the 1960s until his death in the 1990s—wants Gray to read the copy of a document supposedly typed by her father and verify its authenticity, based on certain events described in it involving Gray.

Both the Algerian duo’s manhunt and Gray’s assignment take them, through their own separate paths, towards some explosive secrets about Algeria’s recent history—about six decades of it—that have the potential to unsettle the power structure of Algeria and its former colonial master—France. Naturally, some powerful people, including certain government agencies, do not want these secrets to come to light and are quite prepared to eliminate those in the process of uncovering them. Thus unfolds an elaborate game of diabolical conspiracies, large-scale deception, blackmails and double-crossing in which the victors are the ones who escape with their lives intact, and This is the Night They Come for You is the gripping account of this lethal game.

Robert Goddard has a stellar reputation for delivering well-researched, intricately plotted thrillers set in a variety of locations and his latest offering bolsters this repute. In This is the Night They Come for You, Goddard masterfully blends historical fact with ingenious fiction to present a narrative that is both authentic and absorbing. The primary strength of this novel lies in the brilliantly etched characters; they are utterly realistic and command the reader’s attention and sympathy. Particularly fascinating is the starkly contrasted characterisation of Taleb and Hidouchi—mismatched on almost every count and acting under conflicting instructions from their superiors—and the subtle growth of their relationship from the bumpy beginning. The plot builds up slowly and steadily in intensity, with several compelling twists along the way, towards the exhilarating, highly satisfying finish. For readers with no knowledge about Algeria—myself included—This is the Night They Come for You offers considerable insight into the country’s troubled recent history including its subjugation by the French, and the continuing exploitation even after decades of independence.

In short, This is the Night They Come for You is an outstanding thriller with a memorable cast of characters, a riveting plot and some top-notch writing by the acclaimed master of the genre. I greatly enjoyed reading it and would recommend it to everyone who is looking for a solid thriller with a lot of substance.

My sincere gratitude to Random House UK, Transworld Publishers for sharing with me a digital Advance Reader Copy of This is the Night They Come for You through NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased review.

[Shane’s Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

“‘The difference between convicted criminals and unconvicted ones is that the unconvicted ones run the country.'”

🌃🌃🌃🌃🌃

This Is the Night They Come For You by Robert Goddard is released 24 March from @penguinrandomhouse @penguinukbooks.

Thanks so much to Aoifè at PRH for arranging an early copy for me!

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Inspired by real life events, with alternating timelines between past & present, This Is The Night They Come for You is filled with murder, espionage and political corruption.
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Taking inspiration from the Algerian War of Independence, this book imagines the horrors of a turbulent time between Algeria & France. In the end we get a complex and thrilling read!

Superintendent Taleb is tasked with working alongside Agent Hidouchi from the Algerian Secret Service to track down a former agent who has gone on the run, who was involved in an embezzling scandal at the state owned energy firm; but the case is going to lead Taleb to dangerous territories.

With alternating timelines between past & present, we’re taken on a thrilling ride of how a film assistant goes missing in France, the lifelong search her brother will go on to find answers to her disappearance, to how it ties in with the murder of a powerful presidential aide.

Set between Algeria, France and the U.K., Goddard tells a well paced tale of power & corruption, secret organisations pulling the strings of those in power, murder, scandal, fraud and mystery after mystery!

I’ll admit I’m in no way familiar with the Algerian War of Independence, and parts of the story get a little complicated at times due to the alternating timelines but it does click and come together.

The character’s were all so well written, Goddard made every character distinctive and what really helped with this book was the glossary of terms - I had to rely on it for a lot of the political parties to keep up with who was who.

Overall I really enjoyed this book, it was a fantastic & rewarding read and I’d recommend it if you love crime & thrillers with heavy historical & political influences.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Blurb:

On a stifling afternoon at Police HQ in Algiers, Superintendent Taleb, coasting towards retirement, with not even an air-conditioned office to show for his long years of service, is handed a ticking time bomb of a case which will take him deep into Algeria's troubled past and its fraught relationship with France. 

To his dismay, he is assigned to work with Agent Hidouchi, an intimidating representative of the country's feared secret service, who makes it clear she intends to call the shots. They are instructed to pursue a former agent, now on the run after twenty years in prison for his part in a high-level corruption scandal. But their search will lead them inexorably towards a greater mystery, surrounding a murder that took place in Paris more than fifty years ago.

Uncovering the truth may be his responsibility, but Taleb is well aware that no-one in Algeria wants to be reminded of the dark deeds carried out in the struggle for independence - or in the violence that has racked the nation since. Before long, he will face a choice he has long sought to avoid, between self-preservation and doing the right thing.


Read: 8-11 March 22

[Pirate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Robert Goddard is a highly entertaining writer but also informative and hats off to him for tackling the appalling massacre of Paris-based Algerians by the French police on October 17 1961, the former protesting over the Algerian War. It is a subject that the French to this day are reluctant to address, made worse that the prefect of police was a ghastly official from Vichy days Maurice Papon, who had consigned many Jews in Bordeaux to their deaths in the camps and yet had risen inexorably post World War II. His day of reckoning was a long way away -- he was to be incredibly D'Estaing's Budget Minister -- and it is not him who Goddard focuses on but a murder several years after the massacre of one of the organisers of it by two Algerians. The ramifications last decades for an unwitting English accomplice, his family, and the family of his then girlfriend. As ever with Goddard all the characters are credible, especially the two Algerians chainsmoking Superintendent Mouloud Taleb and Agent Souad Hidouchi from the feared Intelligence Service ordered to investigate the duet of avengers 50 years later. Fascinating read on the machinations of Algerian history and politics and the ever complex relationship between the former colonial power France and Algeria, this is a fast moving absorbing read going from Algeria and Paris back in the day to modern times and reaches a powerful climax. Chapeau Robert Goddard again!

[Robin Price · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is never a dull moment in a novel by Robert Goddard. His plots grab one in a vice-like grip and hold tight through the many twists and turns of each new revelation. Yet despite the brilliance of his plotting it is his intensely drawn characters that drive the mysteries forward. Most usually they are chameleons with more than a skeleton or two in their closets.
Robert Goddard has long been adept at using history as a plot device and here the political violence of Algeria, before and after so-called independence, is a perfect backdrop for a thrilling premise. There are also evocative scenes at Tativille during the production of Playtime.
Superintendent Taleb and Agent Hidouchi are characters I will never forget and nor 'God forbid!' Barbarossa.
Robert Goddard remains unmatched and unrivaled with a great story told with poignant integrity and skill.

[Susan Aldridge · Rating 4 out of 5]

A welcome return to Robert Goddard's historical thrillers for me. It's about the conflict between Algeria and France during the war of independence. The plot is complex and very well constructed. It basically involves a deep dive into the past from the present day, involving political murder and corruption. There is a police investigation and also a family quest for justice for the murder of a family member. The story keeps you gripped, with its switch between past and present day action, and the characters are all very well developed. Amazing historical detail and a lovely bonus to hear Robert Goddard talking about his work at the end of the Audible version (which was beautifully read). I have only taken off a star because my attention did wander from time to time (and it took me a long time to listen to it), because I felt I wasn't very interested in this period of history – but full marks to the author for shining a light on it.

[John Watts · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting period of the intertwined history of France and Algeria so full marks for Mr Goddard for alighting on little-known events to provide the setting for this story. I found it enlightening!
As a long-term reader of Robert Goddard, I do think that his books have begun to trend towards the 'rather long'. Maybe an editor could suggest a tighter structure that would avoid the moments when little happens and the pace slackens to little effect. Looking back at his earlier work, they seemed shorter in length and left the reader enthused for more. Here the ending hints at more about the likeable Taleb so we are left wondering
Definitely a recommended read and Goddard remains an interesting writer. People who like this book and his style should be encouraged to dip into his earlier work.
Strictly speaking I would place this rating somewhere around 3.50 - 3.75.
(Could we have half stars please?)

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

I borrowed this book from the library to read for my December’s book club book. I’ve not come across this author before.

I enjoyed the book once I got past the first chapter or two.

Getting going to start with was difficult with a number of different characters and remembering who was who.

The historical background of Algeria and its colonial past with France I knew little about was both interesting and shocking. The book felt well researched

The book was a page turner and I was keen to find out about Harriet and how it all linked up.

I didn’t entirely understand all the ins and outs of Laloul and Zarbi which I would have preferred a slightly clearer explanation but maybe this was just me.

[Lynne Gosbee · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐

I took off half a star as I felt it took a bit of a long time to get going, but it was certainly worth sticking with. I really like Robert Goddard and am always impressed by the way he tackles so many different time periods and places in his many and varied books. I loved Taleb, the Algerian police officer, and I also really loved the beautiful descriptions of Algeria itself. Not always an easy book to follow - Algerian politics and the country's difficult relationship with France are unfamiliar to me and very complex - but the brilliant plot is well worth the effort.

[Mujda · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant novel, one of the best books I've read.

"She resents, on behalf of her whole generation, the way in which their lives are still governed by conflicts and power struggles that took place before they were even born. The War of Independence is a piece of dusty history to her. Yet those legendary freedom fighters who expelled the French sixty years ago have become the grandfathers of a fractured past. And their determination to deny the Algerian people the freedom they claimed they were fighting for has soured every decade since. Le pouvoir still keeps its foot clamped on the citizens' necks. And she, however she cares to pretend otherwise, is a servant of that system."

[William Stafford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lively and enjoyable thriller set against the backdrop of Algeria's turbulent history and its relationship with France. A confession from the past resurfaces and several parties are interested, but is it genuine? Superintendent Taleb, nearing retirement, teams up with icy agent Saoud to crack the case, facing dangers and plot twists along the way. Goddard infuses the story with dry wit and is not too heavy-handed with the historical detail.

[R.J. Rodda · Rating 4 out of 5]

The plot is very clever - this is a twisty crime thriller but also this is very rooted in the history of the relationship between Algeria and French as well as being about modern Algeria. I must confess I didn’t know anything at all about Algeria and I just don’t know how much is fiction and how much verifiable history. I really really hope this is mostly fiction because otherwise this is extremely disturbing.