Weep for the Dead: An engaging and thrilling murder mystery set in France

by Tom Becket

CORRUPTION, BETRAYAL, MURDER and REDEMPTION as Capitaine Celestine Courbet fights for justice against those closest to her, the Bordeaux Police Force and the ruthless and deadly Vietnamese mob.
The story races from the backstreets and ancient cemetery of old Bordeaux to the treacherous waters of the Gironde Estuary, as the investigation into two brutal murders brings Celestine into conflict with powerful forces who want her silenced.
Ostracised by her colleagues and aided only by the colourful and enigmatic Jacques Lecoubarry, Celestine demonstrates all her fiery determination in tracking down the murderers and exposing the rottenness at the core of a police department, putting in extreme jeopardy her career, her marriage and ultimately her life.
Fast-paced and rich in memorable characters, this novel will keep you engrossed from the first shocking pages to the thrilling and unpredictable climax. This is the prequel to the first Celestine Courbet book, The Devil's Point.

375 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 12, 2023

Reviews

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Won in a StoryGraph Giveaway this was a lovely surprise of a book. I love the slow burn of the European mystery series' available to stream, with a preference for more nord-noir origination. But I do still watch and enjoy a few from France. This book absolutely read like something I'd see on a streaming service. A slow build to draw you in, juggling a few different important characters with good depth, piecing together the connections carefully, precisely laid out but allowing the reader to put it together as though playing detective. I absolutely will be seeking out the next in this series.

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this book in a giveaway.

I liked the plot - it was pretty standard as far as crime thrillers go, but entertaining. LOVED that it was set in France - I could tell that the author had walked the streets he talked about. It felt authentic. But, I found the storytelling to lack emotion. It was good, but I wasn’t invested if that makes sense.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Only seven notes on a scale, yet there is an infinite variety of melodies. Tom Becket is a musician of words. He uses familiar words to describe familiar objects in new and unexpected ways. Becket’s beautifully crafted sentences allow the reader to hear and see water trickling across a sandy riverbank, to feel old wood beneath their fingers, to be stunned by the crash of waves against the hull of a boat racing across a choppy bay, to be steeped in the atmosphere of a place. If you read to enjoy the pleasure of a line well-wrought, you will savour Tom Becket’s 'Weep for the Dead'. If you also enjoy a well-crafted and fast-paced thriller, this book is for you. A new voice to follow.

[Ricki · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book and I wa pleasantly surprised to learn it is a prequel. I am looking forward to reading more of the adventures of Celestine!