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Commandant Martin Servaz #2
The Circle
They find the boy by the swimming pool, dolls floating on its surface.
Inside the house, his teacher lies dead.
But he claims to remember nothing...
June 2010. In the middle of a World Cup match, Martin Servaz receives a call from a long-lost lover. A few miles away in the town of Marsac, Classics professor Claire Diemar has been brutally murdered.
As if that weren't disturbing enough, Servaz receives a cryptic e-mail indicating that Julian Hirtmann, the most twisted of all serial killers, is back…and hitting a little too close to home. With death and chaos surrounding the small university town in Southern France where he was once a student and where his daughter is now enrolled, Servaz must act quickly.
With the help of detectives Irene Ziegler and Esperandieu, Servaz will have to uncover a world of betrayal and depravity to connect the dots between these gruesome murders that keep re-opening wounds from his past. After the success of The Frozen Dead, Bernard Minier plunges readers once again into a perfectly constructed, dark and oppressive atmosphere, driven forward by a gripping plot, pushing the limits of the genre.
Inside the house, his teacher lies dead.
But he claims to remember nothing...
June 2010. In the middle of a World Cup match, Martin Servaz receives a call from a long-lost lover. A few miles away in the town of Marsac, Classics professor Claire Diemar has been brutally murdered.
As if that weren't disturbing enough, Servaz receives a cryptic e-mail indicating that Julian Hirtmann, the most twisted of all serial killers, is back…and hitting a little too close to home. With death and chaos surrounding the small university town in Southern France where he was once a student and where his daughter is now enrolled, Servaz must act quickly.
With the help of detectives Irene Ziegler and Esperandieu, Servaz will have to uncover a world of betrayal and depravity to connect the dots between these gruesome murders that keep re-opening wounds from his past. After the success of The Frozen Dead, Bernard Minier plunges readers once again into a perfectly constructed, dark and oppressive atmosphere, driven forward by a gripping plot, pushing the limits of the genre.
471 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2012
138 people are currently reading
2447 people want to read
About the author
Bernard Minier
46 books618 followersBernard Minier grew up in the foothills of the French Pyrenees. He had a career as a customs official before publishing his first novel, The Frozen Dead, in 2011. The novel has been translated into a dozen languages and has garnered critical acclaim as well as several literary prizes in France. Minier lives in the Essonne, south of Paris.
(source www.bookbrowse.com)
(source www.bookbrowse.com)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 356 reviews
September 21, 2024
Bernard Minier’s books must surely be France's answer to Nordic Noir, and his latest offering has confirmed this. His setting - the imaginary small town of Marsac in the French Pyrenees, is so well described that you feel you have lived there, and walked its streets. His protagonist, Commandant Servaz, is a divorced loner with a melacholy cast of mind. He also has a passion for the music of Gustav Mahler.
Marsac is a university town, nicknamed 'the Cambridge of the Southwest'. Servaz's daughter, Margot, is a student at the university. One of the lecturers has been found dead in her bath. The local police have already arrested someone, and Servaz has received a frantic telephone call from Marianne, who was his lover sixteen years ago. The young man arrested is her son, Hugo. She wants him to become involved in the case and obviously to prove Hugo's innocence. He is deeply reluctant to become involved, not wishing to open old wounds.
Nevertheless he sets off to the crime scene with his assistant, Esperandieu and arrives in the middle of a violent thunderstorm and a power cut. Minier has a great gift for describing extreme weather conditions! As they enter the house through the garden they pass the swimming pool, in which a collection of dolls is floating. Servaz is warned by the local policeman that the murder is horrific. The victim, Claire Diemar, had been tightly bound with a long length of rope, and placed in the bottom of the bath. The perpetrator had then turned the cold tap on and left her to drown. A small torch had been placed in her mouth.
This is just the start of a labyrinthine plot in which old wounds are indeed opened and memories revived of a tragic accident some years ago in which a bus carrying a school party on an excursion had fallen into a lake, drowning almost all its passengers. The water theme flows right through the story, and quite honestly, crime fiction doesn't come more powerful than this.
Marsac is a university town, nicknamed 'the Cambridge of the Southwest'. Servaz's daughter, Margot, is a student at the university. One of the lecturers has been found dead in her bath. The local police have already arrested someone, and Servaz has received a frantic telephone call from Marianne, who was his lover sixteen years ago. The young man arrested is her son, Hugo. She wants him to become involved in the case and obviously to prove Hugo's innocence. He is deeply reluctant to become involved, not wishing to open old wounds.
Nevertheless he sets off to the crime scene with his assistant, Esperandieu and arrives in the middle of a violent thunderstorm and a power cut. Minier has a great gift for describing extreme weather conditions! As they enter the house through the garden they pass the swimming pool, in which a collection of dolls is floating. Servaz is warned by the local policeman that the murder is horrific. The victim, Claire Diemar, had been tightly bound with a long length of rope, and placed in the bottom of the bath. The perpetrator had then turned the cold tap on and left her to drown. A small torch had been placed in her mouth.
This is just the start of a labyrinthine plot in which old wounds are indeed opened and memories revived of a tragic accident some years ago in which a bus carrying a school party on an excursion had fallen into a lake, drowning almost all its passengers. The water theme flows right through the story, and quite honestly, crime fiction doesn't come more powerful than this.
November 26, 2023
4/5 Estrellas
Que buenos los libros que son capaces de generar una atmósfera ambiental tan buena, que introduce al lector en una ciudad y en un espacio temporal que antes de empezar la lectura le son totalmente ajenos y en los que acaba respirando y sufriendo con los protagonistas. Más difícil cuando la ambientación es mayormente en un lugar ficticio.
Que pena cuando la tensión narrativa no alcanza el nivel de la ambientación y el texto se extiende por momentos, de forma un poco lenta, sin que alcances a vislumbrar el final.
Que bueno tener personajes complejos, bien construidos, con matices pocas veces vistos en nóvelas del género, como el amor por los libros y la cultura clásica. Todo ello combinado con personajes de pelajes totalmente antagónicos, con aficiones más urbanas en la vestimenta o en los gustos musicales.
Que pena cuando aparecen algunos de los clichés más repetidos del género: protagonista traumado por historias del pasado, solitario, depresivo.
Que bueno cuando se despliega ante tus ojos una trama compleja con variedad de personajes, historias con hilos principales y muchas historias paralelas, que parecen que confluyen de forma consistente hacia un final interesante y que no eres capaz de prever.
Que pena cuando llegas al desenlace y te das cuenta que igual has sido un poco engañado por el autor, que te deja todo tipo de cebos por el camino para introducir, un poco con calzador, la trama heredada del primer libro de la serie, "Bajo el hielo" y además dejar el camino abierto para las siguientes entregas.
Que bueno cuando te sorprenden los giros y disfrutas con las distintas posibilidades que se abren en tu mente.
Que pena cuando hay que llevar continuamente al límite al protagonista, para dar por momentos emoción a la trama. Creo que en dos libros, el bueno del inspector Servaz, ha estado a punto de morir 5 veces.
Que bueno, que lo bueno supere con creces a las penas y este libro sea totalmente recomendable para amantes y no amantes del género.
Disfrutadlo. Yo vuelvo a estos territorios pirenaicos sin dudarlo.
Que buenos los libros que son capaces de generar una atmósfera ambiental tan buena, que introduce al lector en una ciudad y en un espacio temporal que antes de empezar la lectura le son totalmente ajenos y en los que acaba respirando y sufriendo con los protagonistas. Más difícil cuando la ambientación es mayormente en un lugar ficticio.
Que pena cuando la tensión narrativa no alcanza el nivel de la ambientación y el texto se extiende por momentos, de forma un poco lenta, sin que alcances a vislumbrar el final.
Que bueno tener personajes complejos, bien construidos, con matices pocas veces vistos en nóvelas del género, como el amor por los libros y la cultura clásica. Todo ello combinado con personajes de pelajes totalmente antagónicos, con aficiones más urbanas en la vestimenta o en los gustos musicales.
Que pena cuando aparecen algunos de los clichés más repetidos del género: protagonista traumado por historias del pasado, solitario, depresivo.
Que bueno cuando se despliega ante tus ojos una trama compleja con variedad de personajes, historias con hilos principales y muchas historias paralelas, que parecen que confluyen de forma consistente hacia un final interesante y que no eres capaz de prever.
Que pena cuando llegas al desenlace y te das cuenta que igual has sido un poco engañado por el autor, que te deja todo tipo de cebos por el camino para introducir, un poco con calzador, la trama heredada del primer libro de la serie, "Bajo el hielo" y además dejar el camino abierto para las siguientes entregas.
Que bueno cuando te sorprenden los giros y disfrutas con las distintas posibilidades que se abren en tu mente.
Que pena cuando hay que llevar continuamente al límite al protagonista, para dar por momentos emoción a la trama. Creo que en dos libros, el bueno del inspector Servaz, ha estado a punto de morir 5 veces.
Que bueno, que lo bueno supere con creces a las penas y este libro sea totalmente recomendable para amantes y no amantes del género.
Disfrutadlo. Yo vuelvo a estos territorios pirenaicos sin dudarlo.
November 1, 2021
Týchto 640 strán umelo vytváraného napätia som prečítala len preto, aby som s kľudným svedomím mohla vyhlásiť, že je to jedna z najhorších kníh, aké som kedy čítala.
Keď sa človek pohrá so slovosledom a bude čo najčastejšie dávať bodky, urobí drámu aj z návštevy samošky. Asi takto:
Vošla do obchodu a mrazivý vzduch ventilácie jej ovial tvár. Niečo zavibrovalo. Mobil. Siahla do vrecka a pozrela na displej. Mama. Zodvihla.
Ozval sa matkin hlas - Nika. Pamätáš...dnes ráno…-hlas v telefone sa chvel vzrušením.
V mysli jej vytanula spomienka. Stála na schodisku. Zaväzovala si šnúrky. Museli to byť šnúrky na topánkach. Zreteľne si spomína, ako jej niekto niečo hovorí. Bola to mama. Áno, niečo jej hovorila. Ale čo? Niečo o rožkoch. Aby ich kúpila. Tri.
-Nika. Je to dôležité. Si tam?-naliehala matka.
Horúčkovito premýšľala. Stála na schodoch a zaväzovala si šnúrky, keď sa to stalo a mama jej teraz volá. Inštinktívne vedela, že čosi sa muselo stať. Ale čo. Čo sa mohlo zmeniť za tých 5 minút odkedy odišla z domu, odkedy si zaväzovala šnúrky a stála na tom prekliatom schodisku, kde jej matka povedala, aby kúpila rožky. Tri. Naozaj boli tri? Nedokázala si to vybaviť.
-Nika! -Matkin hlas ju vyrušil zo spomienok na to, ako stála na tom schodisku. Na schodisku, kde sa to všetko začalo. Áno, boli tri. Tie rožky museli byť tri. Teraz si je tým už stopercentne istá.
- Rožky, Nika.-hlas v telefóne sa zadrhol-
Tušila, to. Od začiatku to vedela. Pôjde o rožky. Už nikdy nebudú tri, ako boli vtedy tam na tom schodisku. Teraz si to uvedomila. Tri. To je biblické číslo. Videla to jasne. Spomenula si, čo hovoril Pythagoras o trojke. Že iba ak so ženami. Dvoma.
-Štyri, Nika. Potrebujeme ich štyri. Štyri rožky. Grahamové. Nika, počuješ ma?
Štyri. Prevaľovala to slovo na jazyku. Bude musieť kúpiť štyri rožky. Pred 27 rokmi mala 4 roky. A teraz má kúpiť rožky.Štyri. Grahamové.
-Nika...- zašeptala matka
Zatajila dych. Preboha, čo? Čo ešte? Už nedokázala myslieť, nohy sa jej podlomili. Schodisko. Šnúrky. Rožky. Nie tri ale štyri. Štyri rožky. Áno. Boli štyri, teraz už to dávalo zmysel.
-...ponáhľaj sa- povedala matka a v jej hlase bolo čosi, čo tam nikdy predtým nepočula
-Mami? Mami- volala do telefónu, Ale matka už zložila.
5 minutes later:
Vyberala veci z igelitky. Matka na ňu nemo hľadela. Mrkva. Študentská pečať. Mixér. Maskara. Niečo nebolo v poriadku. Vedela to. Videla to v matkiných očiach, keď odstrihávala cenovku z nových nohavíc. Inštinktívne tušila, že tu niečo nesedí. Otec na ňu vyjavene hľadel. Líca mal prepadnuté, pokožku sinavú, akoby od raňajok nejedol. Niečo bolo inak. Ale čo. Čo nesedelo. Pred otcom ležal kelímok. Bola v ňom treska. Podlomili sa jej nohy. Rožky. Zabudla kúpiť rožky.
(Based on true story)
Keď sa človek pohrá so slovosledom a bude čo najčastejšie dávať bodky, urobí drámu aj z návštevy samošky. Asi takto:
Vošla do obchodu a mrazivý vzduch ventilácie jej ovial tvár. Niečo zavibrovalo. Mobil. Siahla do vrecka a pozrela na displej. Mama. Zodvihla.
Ozval sa matkin hlas - Nika. Pamätáš...dnes ráno…-hlas v telefone sa chvel vzrušením.
V mysli jej vytanula spomienka. Stála na schodisku. Zaväzovala si šnúrky. Museli to byť šnúrky na topánkach. Zreteľne si spomína, ako jej niekto niečo hovorí. Bola to mama. Áno, niečo jej hovorila. Ale čo? Niečo o rožkoch. Aby ich kúpila. Tri.
-Nika. Je to dôležité. Si tam?-naliehala matka.
Horúčkovito premýšľala. Stála na schodoch a zaväzovala si šnúrky, keď sa to stalo a mama jej teraz volá. Inštinktívne vedela, že čosi sa muselo stať. Ale čo. Čo sa mohlo zmeniť za tých 5 minút odkedy odišla z domu, odkedy si zaväzovala šnúrky a stála na tom prekliatom schodisku, kde jej matka povedala, aby kúpila rožky. Tri. Naozaj boli tri? Nedokázala si to vybaviť.
-Nika! -Matkin hlas ju vyrušil zo spomienok na to, ako stála na tom schodisku. Na schodisku, kde sa to všetko začalo. Áno, boli tri. Tie rožky museli byť tri. Teraz si je tým už stopercentne istá.
- Rožky, Nika.-hlas v telefóne sa zadrhol-
Tušila, to. Od začiatku to vedela. Pôjde o rožky. Už nikdy nebudú tri, ako boli vtedy tam na tom schodisku. Teraz si to uvedomila. Tri. To je biblické číslo. Videla to jasne. Spomenula si, čo hovoril Pythagoras o trojke. Že iba ak so ženami. Dvoma.
-Štyri, Nika. Potrebujeme ich štyri. Štyri rožky. Grahamové. Nika, počuješ ma?
Štyri. Prevaľovala to slovo na jazyku. Bude musieť kúpiť štyri rožky. Pred 27 rokmi mala 4 roky. A teraz má kúpiť rožky.Štyri. Grahamové.
-Nika...- zašeptala matka
Zatajila dych. Preboha, čo? Čo ešte? Už nedokázala myslieť, nohy sa jej podlomili. Schodisko. Šnúrky. Rožky. Nie tri ale štyri. Štyri rožky. Áno. Boli štyri, teraz už to dávalo zmysel.
-...ponáhľaj sa- povedala matka a v jej hlase bolo čosi, čo tam nikdy predtým nepočula
-Mami? Mami- volala do telefónu, Ale matka už zložila.
5 minutes later:
Vyberala veci z igelitky. Matka na ňu nemo hľadela. Mrkva. Študentská pečať. Mixér. Maskara. Niečo nebolo v poriadku. Vedela to. Videla to v matkiných očiach, keď odstrihávala cenovku z nových nohavíc. Inštinktívne tušila, že tu niečo nesedí. Otec na ňu vyjavene hľadel. Líca mal prepadnuté, pokožku sinavú, akoby od raňajok nejedol. Niečo bolo inak. Ale čo. Čo nesedelo. Pred otcom ležal kelímok. Bola v ňom treska. Podlomili sa jej nohy. Rožky. Zabudla kúpiť rožky.
(Based on true story)
August 19, 2018
After reading Bernard Minier’s debut crime novel in this series, I was certain that I would return for more. Translated from the French, these novels must not only find a way to capture the attention of the English reader (in my case), but also show that language is no impediment to a great story. Commandant Martin Servaz receives a frantic call from someone in his distant past, hoping that he will come to her aid. It would seem that a young man has found himself in the home of his professor, who has been tied up and murdered. All the evidence points to Hugo Bokhanowsky being the killer, though he is sure that he did nothing wrong, even if he was in a drugged stupor. While Servaz asserts control of the scene, he cannot help but remember his time in this town, attending the Marsac, a premier university. It is also where his teenage daughter, Margot, is currently enrolled. As Servaz seeks to put together some of the clues at the scene, he receives a haunting message from a serial killer he put away, someone who has been on the lam for over a year. Taunting him, Servaz must try to keep his focus in order to keep Julian Hirtmann at bay. With little concrete or digital evidence at their disposal, Servaz and the team dig a little deeper to find motives or even connections to the victim, though he cannot help but notice that the crime fits perfectly into Hirtmann’s past kills. One man seems to have a growing connection to the victim, though his political position has kept it discrete. Margot Servaz has come across her own trail of evidence, having known some of Hugo’s friends on campus. When she uncovers a secret group calling themselves The Circle, she is keen to learn more, though it may cost her a great deal. With a case mounting against Hugo and his mother pleading for Servaz’s assistance, the Commandant is forced to make a final push and ensure a killer does not stay off the radar and strike again. Minier keeps the story dark and yet full of intrigue, as the reader learns more about the case, the Commandant’s past, and a number of secrets held by those in town. Perfect for those who enjoyed the debut novel and readers who are not afraid of entering dark, slowly developing crime thrillers.
I tend to find foreign language thrillers to differ greatly from those I read in English. Darker, more angst-driven, and whose characters seem to be less relatable to those I find in my normal reading fare. It could be the introspection or even the philosophy that comes up within the narrative, but whatever it might be, it is refreshing and always has me keeping an eye for these authors when they publisher additional novels. Bernard Minier is one such author, whose novels take the reader into the struggles of Commandant Martin Servaz. The crimes are usually less common and the layers related to motive keeps the reader guessing until the final page turn. Servaz is back for this second novel, though he does not reflect too much on the case that introduced readers to his character. Rather, there is the ongoing memory of a serial killer he put away, who has since slipped through the cracks and may be targeting him anew. Servaz must return to Marsac, his former school, which brings up many memories from his past, offering the reader a great deal of backstory and angst. Servaz surely had some strong and deeply personal moments here, which bleeds into the narrative and is discussed at length. He seems able to divorce his past struggles with the case at hand, allowing him to grow and forge onwards. Making things a little more difficult would be the presence of his daughter, Margot, whose own academic studies are flourishing. Margot is a young woman whose life has always been influenced by other Marsac students, though Minier is keen to paint her out to be a sexually confident woman who does not suffer fools. The handful of other influential characters help provide the reader with a solid narrative that moves along at a slower pace, though does not ever lose its momentum. Sub-plots and minor storylines come to life under Minier’s direction, keeping the reader entertained as they seek to solve the murder of an instructor. The story is strong and takes things in many directions before righting itself in the closing chapters. Small nuggets of information come to light and the pieces fit together seamlessly. Perhaps not the type of case that some readers would enjoy, but surely one that keeps the story from being spoiled too early. I found that the piece ran fairly smoothly, indicative not only that the translation was strong, but that the story and language hold true when leaving its original French. That said, it is peppered with French-nuanced legal terms and formalities, so much so that the translator opens the novel with an explanation of the legal and policing system, which would surely be foreign to many who are reading this outside of France. Well written and surely a series I will continue to follow, as long as English translations are available.
Kudos, Monsieur Minier, for another great piece. I am eager to get my hands on the next in the series and have noticed a fourth has just come out in French!
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
I tend to find foreign language thrillers to differ greatly from those I read in English. Darker, more angst-driven, and whose characters seem to be less relatable to those I find in my normal reading fare. It could be the introspection or even the philosophy that comes up within the narrative, but whatever it might be, it is refreshing and always has me keeping an eye for these authors when they publisher additional novels. Bernard Minier is one such author, whose novels take the reader into the struggles of Commandant Martin Servaz. The crimes are usually less common and the layers related to motive keeps the reader guessing until the final page turn. Servaz is back for this second novel, though he does not reflect too much on the case that introduced readers to his character. Rather, there is the ongoing memory of a serial killer he put away, who has since slipped through the cracks and may be targeting him anew. Servaz must return to Marsac, his former school, which brings up many memories from his past, offering the reader a great deal of backstory and angst. Servaz surely had some strong and deeply personal moments here, which bleeds into the narrative and is discussed at length. He seems able to divorce his past struggles with the case at hand, allowing him to grow and forge onwards. Making things a little more difficult would be the presence of his daughter, Margot, whose own academic studies are flourishing. Margot is a young woman whose life has always been influenced by other Marsac students, though Minier is keen to paint her out to be a sexually confident woman who does not suffer fools. The handful of other influential characters help provide the reader with a solid narrative that moves along at a slower pace, though does not ever lose its momentum. Sub-plots and minor storylines come to life under Minier’s direction, keeping the reader entertained as they seek to solve the murder of an instructor. The story is strong and takes things in many directions before righting itself in the closing chapters. Small nuggets of information come to light and the pieces fit together seamlessly. Perhaps not the type of case that some readers would enjoy, but surely one that keeps the story from being spoiled too early. I found that the piece ran fairly smoothly, indicative not only that the translation was strong, but that the story and language hold true when leaving its original French. That said, it is peppered with French-nuanced legal terms and formalities, so much so that the translator opens the novel with an explanation of the legal and policing system, which would surely be foreign to many who are reading this outside of France. Well written and surely a series I will continue to follow, as long as English translations are available.
Kudos, Monsieur Minier, for another great piece. I am eager to get my hands on the next in the series and have noticed a fourth has just come out in French!
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
December 27, 2023
Me ha gustado mucho pero tiene muchas descripciones y páginas que sobran. A veces cuesta cogerle el ritmo.
La historia es compleja con muchas subtramas. Hay que estar atenta para no perder el hilo.
Tiene varios giros para acabar con un final poco esperado.
Muchas cosas en el aire para que se puedan seguir contando en los siguientes libros.
La historia es compleja con muchas subtramas. Hay que estar atenta para no perder el hilo.
Tiene varios giros para acabar con un final poco esperado.
Muchas cosas en el aire para que se puedan seguir contando en los siguientes libros.
March 10, 2017
Décidément je m'entends très bien avec cet auteur. Deuxième très bonne lecture, les dernières pages ont été insoutenables.
March 18, 2022
Largo y complicado.
November 3, 2022
Encore un thriller de qualité de Bernard Minier. Noir et sordide, mélangeant les personnages les plus vulgaires, les plus abjects, et l'élite littéraire et politique manipulatrice et sans scrupules. Sur fond sonore de Mahler.
July 5, 2022
Segunda entrega de la serie del comandante Martín Servaz, el protagonista de "Bajo el hielo", una novela que me gustó mucho. Esta, si cabe, me ha gustado más.
Un vecino llama a la policía para advertir de que hay un joven sentado junto a la piscina de su vecina, llena de muñecas flotantes. Dentro de la casa, la dueña aperece asesinada. Dicho joven parece el único sospechoso del crimen, pero una vez que Servaz se pone a investigar, descubre algo mucho peor: Julian Hirtmann, el perverso asesino en serie de Bajo el hielo, podría estar detrás. Hasta aquí parte de lo que nos cuenta la sinopsis.
¿Qué destaco del libro?
Minier no es un autor de negra al uso. Escribe muy bien, con una prosa preciosista y un estilo muy cuidados. Se recrea en las palabras y las frases. Leerlo es toda una experiencia.
La trama del libro es muy interesante y está bien planteada. Ha utilizado el mismo recurso que en su primera novela. Tras un comienzo fuerte, emplea algún tiempo (un 20% aproximadamente) en presentarnos a los personajes y el contexto. Esa parte transcurre a un ritmo más lento. A partir de ahí, la investigación pasa a primer plano. Minier no es un escritor de ritmos frenéticos, pero a medida que avanzamos en el trama, nos engancha más y más, hasta que llega un punto en el que ya no soltamos el libro.
La investigación es impecable. El autor distribuye las piezas del puzzle y va dosificando la información. El interés se mantiene. Cada descubrimiento nos acerca un poco más a la resolución del caso, hasta que todas las piezas encajan. La idea que plantea no es nueva, pero hay que reconocerle el mérito de haberla desarrollado con acierto.
Retomamos a los personajes de la novela anterior. El protagonista es el comandante Martín Servaz, un hombre complejo, amante de las letras (hay mucha metaliteratura en los libros de Minier), la música y el arte, aunque también arrastra el trauma de su vida personal. Junto a él, su fiel equipo, con Esperandieu y Samira a la cabeza. Volveremos a encontrarnos con Irene Ziegler, una policía eficaz, que utiliza métodos muy poco convencionales y bastante discutibles. Qué será de ella en próximas entregas, es una de las cosas que esta novela me ha dejado con ganas de saber.
Además del elenco policial, vamos a conocer a algunos personajes que formaron parte del pasado de Servaz, cuando este era estudiante de prépa en el instituto de Marsac, como son Van Acker y Marianne. Reconozco que no pude empatizar con ninguno de los dos. También vuelven a aparecer Margot, la hija de Servaz, en este caso con un papel más destacado en la trama policial y por supuesto el omnipresente asesino en serie, Julian Hirtmann, que ha desarrollado un vínculo malsano con Servaz.
Como buena novela negra contiene su dosis de crítica político social. La hipocresía del estamento político está bien retratada en la novela. Llama la atención la crítica abierta que realiza del sistema penitenciario francés, "pasar al otro lado del espejo", por utilizar sus palabras. Ya lo hizo en la primera entrega y lo ha vuelto a matizar en esta.
La ambientación es buena. Sigue describiendo lugares y paisajes de maravilla y sigue siendo una delicia leerlo. En esta ocasión se ha moderado en la cantidad y extensión de las descripciones, que, si bien bellas y bien escritas, ralentizaban en exceso el ritmo y fueron una de las críticas más comunes a su entrega anterior.
El final es correcto, quizá no sea lo mejor de la novela, pero cumple. La trama principal queda cerrada y nos deja una incógnita a resolver en la tercera de la serie.
¿Cuáles son los puntos débiles?
Aunque se ha moderado en el tema de las descripciones, sigue siendo demasiado prolijo en detalles, no siempre necesarios, que ralentizan la acción.
En conclusión. Una novela negra bien escrita y resuelta, que me ha gustado mucho. La recomiendo sin dudar. Por mi parte, no tardaré en empezar con la siguiente.
Un vecino llama a la policía para advertir de que hay un joven sentado junto a la piscina de su vecina, llena de muñecas flotantes. Dentro de la casa, la dueña aperece asesinada. Dicho joven parece el único sospechoso del crimen, pero una vez que Servaz se pone a investigar, descubre algo mucho peor: Julian Hirtmann, el perverso asesino en serie de Bajo el hielo, podría estar detrás. Hasta aquí parte de lo que nos cuenta la sinopsis.
¿Qué destaco del libro?
Minier no es un autor de negra al uso. Escribe muy bien, con una prosa preciosista y un estilo muy cuidados. Se recrea en las palabras y las frases. Leerlo es toda una experiencia.
La trama del libro es muy interesante y está bien planteada. Ha utilizado el mismo recurso que en su primera novela. Tras un comienzo fuerte, emplea algún tiempo (un 20% aproximadamente) en presentarnos a los personajes y el contexto. Esa parte transcurre a un ritmo más lento. A partir de ahí, la investigación pasa a primer plano. Minier no es un escritor de ritmos frenéticos, pero a medida que avanzamos en el trama, nos engancha más y más, hasta que llega un punto en el que ya no soltamos el libro.
La investigación es impecable. El autor distribuye las piezas del puzzle y va dosificando la información. El interés se mantiene. Cada descubrimiento nos acerca un poco más a la resolución del caso, hasta que todas las piezas encajan. La idea que plantea no es nueva, pero hay que reconocerle el mérito de haberla desarrollado con acierto.
Retomamos a los personajes de la novela anterior. El protagonista es el comandante Martín Servaz, un hombre complejo, amante de las letras (hay mucha metaliteratura en los libros de Minier), la música y el arte, aunque también arrastra el trauma de su vida personal. Junto a él, su fiel equipo, con Esperandieu y Samira a la cabeza. Volveremos a encontrarnos con Irene Ziegler, una policía eficaz, que utiliza métodos muy poco convencionales y bastante discutibles. Qué será de ella en próximas entregas, es una de las cosas que esta novela me ha dejado con ganas de saber.
Además del elenco policial, vamos a conocer a algunos personajes que formaron parte del pasado de Servaz, cuando este era estudiante de prépa en el instituto de Marsac, como son Van Acker y Marianne. Reconozco que no pude empatizar con ninguno de los dos. También vuelven a aparecer Margot, la hija de Servaz, en este caso con un papel más destacado en la trama policial y por supuesto el omnipresente asesino en serie, Julian Hirtmann, que ha desarrollado un vínculo malsano con Servaz.
Como buena novela negra contiene su dosis de crítica político social. La hipocresía del estamento político está bien retratada en la novela. Llama la atención la crítica abierta que realiza del sistema penitenciario francés, "pasar al otro lado del espejo", por utilizar sus palabras. Ya lo hizo en la primera entrega y lo ha vuelto a matizar en esta.
La ambientación es buena. Sigue describiendo lugares y paisajes de maravilla y sigue siendo una delicia leerlo. En esta ocasión se ha moderado en la cantidad y extensión de las descripciones, que, si bien bellas y bien escritas, ralentizaban en exceso el ritmo y fueron una de las críticas más comunes a su entrega anterior.
El final es correcto, quizá no sea lo mejor de la novela, pero cumple. La trama principal queda cerrada y nos deja una incógnita a resolver en la tercera de la serie.
¿Cuáles son los puntos débiles?
Aunque se ha moderado en el tema de las descripciones, sigue siendo demasiado prolijo en detalles, no siempre necesarios, que ralentizan la acción.
En conclusión. Una novela negra bien escrita y resuelta, que me ha gustado mucho. La recomiendo sin dudar. Por mi parte, no tardaré en empezar con la siguiente.
December 31, 2019
At 470 pages long this isn't a quick read but it's a story that keeps you interested and guessing all the through. The title grabbed my attention and made want to read the book. It is the follow on from The Frozen Dead but it does read well as a stand alone.
There are many characters and a number of off-shoots from the main plot but I never felt as though as I lost track of what was happening at any point. As this is a translation from French the characters names and locations took some getting used to but it made a nice change to read a book set outside of the UK.
The Frozen Dead is a 6 part series on Netflix, and I think that this story would also make a great TV series. If you like playing detective as you read then this is the book for you. There's plenty to get your teeth into! An excellent piece of crime fiction.
There are many characters and a number of off-shoots from the main plot but I never felt as though as I lost track of what was happening at any point. As this is a translation from French the characters names and locations took some getting used to but it made a nice change to read a book set outside of the UK.
The Frozen Dead is a 6 part series on Netflix, and I think that this story would also make a great TV series. If you like playing detective as you read then this is the book for you. There's plenty to get your teeth into! An excellent piece of crime fiction.
November 24, 2022
Una genial historia que se cierra como un círculo con múltiples personajes.
Servaz y su perspicacia no defraudan.
Buena continuación........
Servaz y su perspicacia no defraudan.
Buena continuación........
May 7, 2018
5 dikke sterren. Deze serie is een mustread voor iedere thrillerliefhebber.
November 4, 2015
From what I can tell, Bernard Minier appears to be one of the premier French writers of mysteries in the last couple of years. His first novel, The Frozen Dead was a best-seller in France and crossed over into the English language market last year revealing an very intelligent author who doesn't sacrifice thrills and surprises for his complex plotting and distinctly literary style. This year we get the second of his novels featuring French police inspector, Commandant Martin Servaz. As much as I enjoyed the first book, The Circle far surpassed it in pretty much every way possible.
Martin Servaz is thrown into another murder case. This one is at the request of a long ago friend whose son, Hugo, was found drugged and disoriented at his teacher's house. The body of his teacher is found drowned in a tub. Everything points to the boy committing the murder but Servaz is persuaded to investigate by Hugo's mother who Servaz knew when he went to school and shared a troubling relationship. There is also the fact that some of the evidence appears to be linked the incident to a serial killer he has been tracking.
While the murder mystery of the novel is stand-alone from the first novel, much of the story is not. Many of the main characters including the serial killer Julian Hirtmann and the Commandant's troubled but loyal staff are included in this novel and they all come with back stories started in The Frozen Dead. You can read The Circle as a stand-alone but it is best to read The Frozen Dead first. But The Circle is still a stunning work encompassing a large cast of characters, plenty of sub-plots and red herrings, and a ton of psychological angst, especially in the character of Martin Servaz. It doesn't help that he still feels for the mother of the suspected murderer or that his daughter is going to the school where the murder took place or that the killer Hirtmann seems to be leaving messages threatening recontact with either Servaz or someone he cares about. The Circle is as much as a psychological thriller as a detective novel. It is the intricate plotting that makes this work. Once you think you have one character figured out, something else arrives and throw you off your game. In The Frozen Dead I criticized it for having too many sub-plots and false leads but here, that is actually a strength. Minier is weaving each one together as soon as they appear and we can see and admire the artistry of this literary weaving of plot on plot and character flaw on character flaw. Minier's talent for distinct and beautiful descriptions of environment and atmosphere is still evidenced too. As for the character's development from the first to the second novel, I found all the character's fascinating even though Servaz remains the most involving. We also get to see more of a glimpse into the elusive killer, Julian Hirtmann who, in this and presumably subsequent novels, appears to be giving Hannibal Lector a run for his money.
Minier has now written two eloquent detective novels and has developed a strong personality in Martin Servaz. This is a novel that I not only recommend to the mystery lover but to anyone who likes their mysteries on the intelligent side with lots of psychological tension. I will be keeping my eye out for the next one.
Martin Servaz is thrown into another murder case. This one is at the request of a long ago friend whose son, Hugo, was found drugged and disoriented at his teacher's house. The body of his teacher is found drowned in a tub. Everything points to the boy committing the murder but Servaz is persuaded to investigate by Hugo's mother who Servaz knew when he went to school and shared a troubling relationship. There is also the fact that some of the evidence appears to be linked the incident to a serial killer he has been tracking.
While the murder mystery of the novel is stand-alone from the first novel, much of the story is not. Many of the main characters including the serial killer Julian Hirtmann and the Commandant's troubled but loyal staff are included in this novel and they all come with back stories started in The Frozen Dead. You can read The Circle as a stand-alone but it is best to read The Frozen Dead first. But The Circle is still a stunning work encompassing a large cast of characters, plenty of sub-plots and red herrings, and a ton of psychological angst, especially in the character of Martin Servaz. It doesn't help that he still feels for the mother of the suspected murderer or that his daughter is going to the school where the murder took place or that the killer Hirtmann seems to be leaving messages threatening recontact with either Servaz or someone he cares about. The Circle is as much as a psychological thriller as a detective novel. It is the intricate plotting that makes this work. Once you think you have one character figured out, something else arrives and throw you off your game. In The Frozen Dead I criticized it for having too many sub-plots and false leads but here, that is actually a strength. Minier is weaving each one together as soon as they appear and we can see and admire the artistry of this literary weaving of plot on plot and character flaw on character flaw. Minier's talent for distinct and beautiful descriptions of environment and atmosphere is still evidenced too. As for the character's development from the first to the second novel, I found all the character's fascinating even though Servaz remains the most involving. We also get to see more of a glimpse into the elusive killer, Julian Hirtmann who, in this and presumably subsequent novels, appears to be giving Hannibal Lector a run for his money.
Minier has now written two eloquent detective novels and has developed a strong personality in Martin Servaz. This is a novel that I not only recommend to the mystery lover but to anyone who likes their mysteries on the intelligent side with lots of psychological tension. I will be keeping my eye out for the next one.
July 25, 2022
„Ne schimbăm. Toți. Iremediabil. O parte din noi rămâne același nucleul, sufletul pur rămas din copilărie, dar în jurul lui se adună atâtea sedimente. Până la urmă îl desfigurează pe copilul care am fost, îl fac un adult atât de diferit și de monstruos încât, dacă ne-am putea dedubla, copilul nu l-ar recunoaște pe adultul care am devenit – și fără îndoială îngrozit la ideea că ar putea deveni acea persoană.”
Cercul de Bernard Minier este cel de-al doilea volum al seriei Martin Sevraz, serie ce împrumută numele peronajului masculin principal, un comandant trecut de prima tinerețe, cel care vă va ține companie în timpul celor mai bizare anchete polițienești de pe întreg cuprinsul Franței.
M-am atașat cu rapiditate de Martin și de celelalte personaje reprezentative seriei, iar entuziasmul meu pentru romanele crime a fost crescut vertiginos odată cu descoperirea romanului Inghețat, cel care deschide această călătorie palpitantă în lumea lecturilor detectivistice.
Minier s-a bucurat rapid de aprecierea publicului literar, cărțile sale fiind traduse în peste 21 de limbi, odată cu publicarea primului său roman, în anul 2011, iar eu mă bucur să-l pot numi atât de repede unul dintre autorii mei preferați de thrillere noir, alături de Stefan Ahnhem, M.J.Arlidge și J.K.Rowling.
Acțiunea romanului Cercul se petrece la doi ani după evenimentele din Înghețat, așadar, deși mulți spun că romanele care fac parte din serii thriller pot fi citite și separat, eu vă recomand insistent să le luați în ordine, pentru a vă bucura de o călătorie literară completă, un fel de sejur palpitant în lumea thrillerelor, în care personajele vă vor deveni, pentru câteva ore, parteneri de călătorie.
Psihologia personajelor create de autor este una reușită, acesta evidențiind diferitele prototipuri umane, cu toată paleta de traume și evenimente nefaste care schimbă oamenii de-a lungul anilor. Avem povești din trecut care se ridică la suprafață din cele mai întunecate și adânci ape, povești rupte din cele mai groaznice coșmaruri devenite realitate, secvențe de maximă intensitate, răzbunări menite să readucă o oarecare aparentă stare de pace sufletească pentru cei care au suferit odinioară, pe nedrept, dar care provoacă și mai multă tragedie.
Iubiri și prietenii din trecut, desfăcute, reînnodate, apoi din nou destrămate, promisiuni pentru un nou început, dar care sfârșesc mai tragic decât se poate aștepta cineva, minți bolnave care oscilează între realitate și o ficțiune ruptă din cele mai negre scenarii, un pact încheiat într-un moment de mare vulnerabilitate, care a pus amprenta asupra sufletului și minților unor tineri inocenți, o cursă contra cronometru și un deznodământ șocant, cam acestea sunt ingredientele cu care Minier se joacă în acest roman de mare intensitate.
Cercul este o carte întunecată, complexă și inteligent scrisă, care răstoarnă toate credințele și pune serios la îndoială termenul de umanitate.
Recenzia completa: https://twistinmysobriety-alexa.blogs...
Cercul de Bernard Minier este cel de-al doilea volum al seriei Martin Sevraz, serie ce împrumută numele peronajului masculin principal, un comandant trecut de prima tinerețe, cel care vă va ține companie în timpul celor mai bizare anchete polițienești de pe întreg cuprinsul Franței.
M-am atașat cu rapiditate de Martin și de celelalte personaje reprezentative seriei, iar entuziasmul meu pentru romanele crime a fost crescut vertiginos odată cu descoperirea romanului Inghețat, cel care deschide această călătorie palpitantă în lumea lecturilor detectivistice.
Minier s-a bucurat rapid de aprecierea publicului literar, cărțile sale fiind traduse în peste 21 de limbi, odată cu publicarea primului său roman, în anul 2011, iar eu mă bucur să-l pot numi atât de repede unul dintre autorii mei preferați de thrillere noir, alături de Stefan Ahnhem, M.J.Arlidge și J.K.Rowling.
Acțiunea romanului Cercul se petrece la doi ani după evenimentele din Înghețat, așadar, deși mulți spun că romanele care fac parte din serii thriller pot fi citite și separat, eu vă recomand insistent să le luați în ordine, pentru a vă bucura de o călătorie literară completă, un fel de sejur palpitant în lumea thrillerelor, în care personajele vă vor deveni, pentru câteva ore, parteneri de călătorie.
Psihologia personajelor create de autor este una reușită, acesta evidențiind diferitele prototipuri umane, cu toată paleta de traume și evenimente nefaste care schimbă oamenii de-a lungul anilor. Avem povești din trecut care se ridică la suprafață din cele mai întunecate și adânci ape, povești rupte din cele mai groaznice coșmaruri devenite realitate, secvențe de maximă intensitate, răzbunări menite să readucă o oarecare aparentă stare de pace sufletească pentru cei care au suferit odinioară, pe nedrept, dar care provoacă și mai multă tragedie.
Iubiri și prietenii din trecut, desfăcute, reînnodate, apoi din nou destrămate, promisiuni pentru un nou început, dar care sfârșesc mai tragic decât se poate aștepta cineva, minți bolnave care oscilează între realitate și o ficțiune ruptă din cele mai negre scenarii, un pact încheiat într-un moment de mare vulnerabilitate, care a pus amprenta asupra sufletului și minților unor tineri inocenți, o cursă contra cronometru și un deznodământ șocant, cam acestea sunt ingredientele cu care Minier se joacă în acest roman de mare intensitate.
Cercul este o carte întunecată, complexă și inteligent scrisă, care răstoarnă toate credințele și pune serios la îndoială termenul de umanitate.
Recenzia completa: https://twistinmysobriety-alexa.blogs...
October 5, 2019
Mentirei se dicessi che mi ha presa quanto il primo romanzo di Minier, “Il demone bianco”. L’ho letto, senza divorarlo. La prima parte l’ho trovata accattivante, poi, forse complice il periodo un po’ più impegnato in cui l’ho letto, rispetto al primo appunto, mi sono un po’ persa.
La cifra stilistica di Minier resta notevole, ma qualcosa, rispetto al primo colpo di genio, mi è mancato. Forse quell’atmosfera glaciale e sinistra delle Alpi francesi. E poi il ritorno-non ritorno di Hirtmann, personaggio chiave del primo volume, che non ho capito fino in fondo, a mio avviso era evitabile. Il delitto che apre la storia, tuttavia quello di una professoressa trovata morta annegata nella sua vasca da bagno, il lettore lo acchiappa eccome. Ma forse i troppi personaggi mi hanno fatto perdere la strada. Insomma, il romanzo si è fatto leggere ma mi ha spaventata meno rispetto al su predecessore. D’altronde, purtroppo, un confronto era inevitabile. A questo punto mi chiedo come siano i successivi romanzi di Minier.
La cifra stilistica di Minier resta notevole, ma qualcosa, rispetto al primo colpo di genio, mi è mancato. Forse quell’atmosfera glaciale e sinistra delle Alpi francesi. E poi il ritorno-non ritorno di Hirtmann, personaggio chiave del primo volume, che non ho capito fino in fondo, a mio avviso era evitabile. Il delitto che apre la storia, tuttavia quello di una professoressa trovata morta annegata nella sua vasca da bagno, il lettore lo acchiappa eccome. Ma forse i troppi personaggi mi hanno fatto perdere la strada. Insomma, il romanzo si è fatto leggere ma mi ha spaventata meno rispetto al su predecessore. D’altronde, purtroppo, un confronto era inevitabile. A questo punto mi chiedo come siano i successivi romanzi di Minier.
December 31, 2016
Una lectura con muchas sorpresas y muchos giros interesantes que ni siquiera sentí cuando iba avanzando hasta que llegué al final, pero la verdad es que desde el principio no podía dejar de pensar en lo que iba a pasar, tiene un comienzo que hace que quieras seguir leyendo y después va avanzando con un ritmo tal vez un poco lento pero no por eso menos emocionante, tiene personajes realmente complejos e interesantes y el estilo del autor hace que la lectura valga mucho la pena.
Al principio pensé que el hecho de que fuesen poco más de 500 páginas solo significaría que en un momento la historia se iba a caer, pero por fortuna es al revés, va hacía arriba hasta que llegado el final todo lo que pasa es WOW y ese tipo de lecturas las agradezco bastante últimamente, dado que por el momento estoy tratando de evitar las historias muy románticas y/o predecibles.
Sin duda lo recomiendo si quieren leer algo de misterio, thriller e intriga, porque encontrarán en este libro todo eso y más, los personajes no son molestos, no tanto como para que los odies o alucines, todos tienen características que favorecen el desarrollo de la historia.
Al principio pensé que el hecho de que fuesen poco más de 500 páginas solo significaría que en un momento la historia se iba a caer, pero por fortuna es al revés, va hacía arriba hasta que llegado el final todo lo que pasa es WOW y ese tipo de lecturas las agradezco bastante últimamente, dado que por el momento estoy tratando de evitar las historias muy románticas y/o predecibles.
Sin duda lo recomiendo si quieren leer algo de misterio, thriller e intriga, porque encontrarán en este libro todo eso y más, los personajes no son molestos, no tanto como para que los odies o alucines, todos tienen características que favorecen el desarrollo de la historia.
November 26, 2023
3,5*
Πολύ ωραία ιστορία αλλά σε σημεία φλύαρο υπέρ το δέον. Θα μπορούσε να είναι 3-4 ώρες πιο συντομο. Επίσης κατέληξα ότι ο αφηγητής, κος Γουρζουλίδης κι εγώ δεν τα βρίσκουμε, δυστυχώς. Ανεξάρτητα από αυτά τα δύο μειονεκτήματα (που δικαιολογούν την απώλεια του 1,5 αστεριού ), θαύμασα για μια ακόμα φορά το ταλέντο του συγγραφέα στο στήσιμο δυνατών σκηνών, έντονων συναισθημάτων και άρτιων χαρακτήρων. Όσο προχωρούσε προς το τέλος δε με άφηνε να το αφήσω. Φυσικά και εδώ το τέλος μας αφήνει με cliffhanger που οδηγεί στο τρίτο βιβλίο της σειράς.
Πολύ ωραία ιστορία αλλά σε σημεία φλύαρο υπέρ το δέον. Θα μπορούσε να είναι 3-4 ώρες πιο συντομο. Επίσης κατέληξα ότι ο αφηγητής, κος Γουρζουλίδης κι εγώ δεν τα βρίσκουμε, δυστυχώς. Ανεξάρτητα από αυτά τα δύο μειονεκτήματα (που δικαιολογούν την απώλεια του 1,5 αστεριού ), θαύμασα για μια ακόμα φορά το ταλέντο του συγγραφέα στο στήσιμο δυνατών σκηνών, έντονων συναισθημάτων και άρτιων χαρακτήρων. Όσο προχωρούσε προς το τέλος δε με άφηνε να το αφήσω. Φυσικά και εδώ το τέλος μας αφήνει με cliffhanger που οδηγεί στο τρίτο βιβλίο της σειράς.
April 23, 2017
Ouff je l'ai enfin fini, c'est un très bon thriller, l'écriture est magnifique, l'intrigue bien réfléchi, je n'ai rien à dire à part que c'était un pavé de presque 800 pages, c'est trop vraiment trop pour un thriller policier, pour n'importe quelle histoire d'ailleurs, il m'a pris beaucoup de temps mais je suis ravie de l'avoir lu, peut-être que je lirais bientôt la suite, peut-être que non ...
November 17, 2023
Έτσι γράφονται οι σύγχρονες αστυνομικές ιστορίες
Read
September 4, 2024Turns out I have already read this. How could I forget? Can’t have been memorable.
September 28, 2022
Dolls ugh, why do they have to be so creepy? 😳. A Song for Drowned Souls is the second in the Commandant Servaz series and just as good as the first book. Once again huge Nordic Noir vibes (must read for anyone who loves NN). Great writing, clever plot and a perfect crime thriller to keep you on your toes.
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Read this book? Yes!
Recommended? Yes!
Short review? Yes! I’m so behind and I’m really not that interesting to listen to 🤣
Read as standalone? Yes but there is a subplot that continues on through out the books.
That’s all I have? Yes!
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Read this book? Yes!
Recommended? Yes!
Short review? Yes! I’m so behind and I’m really not that interesting to listen to 🤣
Read as standalone? Yes but there is a subplot that continues on through out the books.
That’s all I have? Yes!
May 3, 2025
Sākumā bija grūti ielasīties (un atšķirt / iegaumēt varoņu franču vārdus un uzvārdus, un kas no tiem ir vārds, kas uzvārds 🤣), vēlāk nespēju saprast, kāpēc tik daudz paralēlu sižeta līniju un vai tiešām tām visām būs kāda nozīme, bet beigās - beigās man kopumā patika! Bija izklaidējoši, ļoti “noskaņīgi” un nemaz netraucēja, ka šī ir pirmā Miņjē grāmata, ko lasīju. Tātad jālasa arī iepriekšējā un nākamā :)
October 24, 2015
4.5 stars
Wow! That was some journey!! There were so many things going on in this book that I thought I was going to have to start taking notes and don't even get me started on the foreign names. That being said, once I got it all figured out and the story got going, it was rolling. But then, it would go off on a tangent and talk about this girl in a dungeon? That I didn't get at all, of course, until the very end. The author put a lot of little things in there that didn't seem like anything at the time, but later on in the book, you were like "Aha, that's what that meant". For the most part, the pages just kept turning for me.
However, there were a couple of times, that just wasn't the case. There were a few times the author went off on a tangent that I think could have been left out of the book and it would not have hurt it a bit. I won't say which times, because I don't want to add any spoilers. I just know that I would be in a frenzy of reading and then I would all of a sudden be slowed down on something totally stupid and I would be like "Ugh, get to the good stuff!!". I mean the book was long enough as it was. It did not need any fluff. Or like right in the middle of a scene or close to a good scene, the author would try and show the human side of a certain character. By then no one really cares whether this person is human or not. They know they are not a robot and they want to know who did it!
(Clearing of throat) Other than that, it was definitely a great read with lots of cliff hangers. The author would be about to tell you something going on with one scene and cut to the next. I mean it's a wonder I have any fingernails left. And because there were so many stories going on, he did this a lot, which I liked. I'm serious. Put away your No-Doz, your energy drinks, your caffeine or whatever. Those could be considered suicidal while reading this book.
A HUGE thanks to St. Martin's Press and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest review. I had never heard of this author and would probably still not have if it hadn't been for you guys. I HIGHLY recommend this book!!
Wow! That was some journey!! There were so many things going on in this book that I thought I was going to have to start taking notes and don't even get me started on the foreign names. That being said, once I got it all figured out and the story got going, it was rolling. But then, it would go off on a tangent and talk about this girl in a dungeon? That I didn't get at all, of course, until the very end. The author put a lot of little things in there that didn't seem like anything at the time, but later on in the book, you were like "Aha, that's what that meant". For the most part, the pages just kept turning for me.
However, there were a couple of times, that just wasn't the case. There were a few times the author went off on a tangent that I think could have been left out of the book and it would not have hurt it a bit. I won't say which times, because I don't want to add any spoilers. I just know that I would be in a frenzy of reading and then I would all of a sudden be slowed down on something totally stupid and I would be like "Ugh, get to the good stuff!!". I mean the book was long enough as it was. It did not need any fluff. Or like right in the middle of a scene or close to a good scene, the author would try and show the human side of a certain character. By then no one really cares whether this person is human or not. They know they are not a robot and they want to know who did it!
(Clearing of throat) Other than that, it was definitely a great read with lots of cliff hangers. The author would be about to tell you something going on with one scene and cut to the next. I mean it's a wonder I have any fingernails left. And because there were so many stories going on, he did this a lot, which I liked. I'm serious. Put away your No-Doz, your energy drinks, your caffeine or whatever. Those could be considered suicidal while reading this book.
A HUGE thanks to St. Martin's Press and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest review. I had never heard of this author and would probably still not have if it hadn't been for you guys. I HIGHLY recommend this book!!
July 30, 2017
Martin Servaz is troubled after the events in the last book, that ended with the dangerous serial murderer Julian Hirtmann escaping. He thinks Julian is out to get him, or more likely, his daughter Margot. She's gone off to a fancy prep school. All is well, until a teacher is found murdered - drowned in her own bathtub. There are dolls floating in the swimming pool. Mahler is being played on the stereo. Martin's old flame Marianne calls him in desperation after her son Hugo has been arrested for the murder. He was found by the pool.
This is a well crafted mystery with fully-fledged characters. The motive here is a good one. The plotting is excellent. Martin went to the same prep school and he has some old ghosts he has to face. Including his former best friend, someone who took off with Marianne. All is not well at the school, that much is clear. Julian Hirtmann also seems close, tantalizingly so.
This is a well crafted mystery with fully-fledged characters. The motive here is a good one. The plotting is excellent. Martin went to the same prep school and he has some old ghosts he has to face. Including his former best friend, someone who took off with Marianne. All is not well at the school, that much is clear. Julian Hirtmann also seems close, tantalizingly so.
July 14, 2024
Μια καθηγήτρια βρίσκεται νεκρή στο σπίτι της και το σκηνικό δολοφονίας προβληματίζει τον επιθεωρητή Σερβάζ. Στο γεγονός αυτό προστίθεται μια ακόμη δολοφονία, ενός εκτροφέα σκύλων.
Συνδέονται οι δύο φόνοι μεταξύ τους; Τι ρόλο παίζει στην υπόθεση ο Κύκλος σπουδαστών ενός τοπικού λυκείου;
Αν και δεν έχω διαβάσει ακόμη το πρώτο βιβλίο της σειράς και δυσκολεύτηκα με τις πληροφορίες που αναφέρονταν στο παρελθόν, η πλοκή μου άρεσε πάρα πολύ. Αγωνία, μυστήριο και φυσικά αναμονή για το επόμενο βιβλίο, που με έξυπνο τρόπο παρουσίασε στις τελευταίες σελίδες ο συγγραφέας.
5/5
Συνδέονται οι δύο φόνοι μεταξύ τους; Τι ρόλο παίζει στην υπόθεση ο Κύκλος σπουδαστών ενός τοπικού λυκείου;
Αν και δεν έχω διαβάσει ακόμη το πρώτο βιβλίο της σειράς και δυσκολεύτηκα με τις πληροφορίες που αναφέρονταν στο παρελθόν, η πλοκή μου άρεσε πάρα πολύ. Αγωνία, μυστήριο και φυσικά αναμονή για το επόμενο βιβλίο, που με έξυπνο τρόπο παρουσίασε στις τελευταίες σελίδες ο συγγραφέας.
5/5
July 1, 2016
Autant "Glacé" faisait froid dans le dos, autant "le Cercle" tourne en rond !
100 pages de résumé de l'épisode précédent, et 600 autres pages qui lui ressemblent beaucoup: un héros fatigué, un méchant serial killer pas là mais pas loin, une famille en danger, un ex qui ne l'est plus vraiment, tout ça pour finir en symphonie du malhe(u)r.
Quelle déception !
100 pages de résumé de l'épisode précédent, et 600 autres pages qui lui ressemblent beaucoup: un héros fatigué, un méchant serial killer pas là mais pas loin, une famille en danger, un ex qui ne l'est plus vraiment, tout ça pour finir en symphonie du malhe(u)r.
Quelle déception !
January 30, 2022
un peu moins bon que le tome précédent (Glacé) selon moi mais c'était bien quand-même!
July 3, 2020
A 75% du livre (sur liseuse, on parle en pourcent et pas en pages), j’ai soudain été happée par l’histoire, au point que – enfin, je n’ai plus eu le loisir de prêter attention à autre chose qu’à l’action. Est-ce que Servaz allait s’en sortir ? Est-ce qu’on allait connaître le fin mot de l’histoire ? Est-ce qu’on allait savoir qui avait tué ? Non, ça, ça fait un moment que j’avais ma petite idée sur le qui et le pourquoi. Le suspense a bien duré jusqu’à… 95%. Ensuite, retour à la réalité, j’étais de nouveau assise dans mon salon, dans l’hémisphère sud, en plein hiver.
Ce qui est problématique, dans un sens, parce que Le Cercle se déroule dans le Sud Ouest de la France, en plein été.
Suivant la suggestion de mes amis Céline et Guillaume, j’ai entamé la lecture de la série dans l’ordre. J’avais passé un plutôt bon moment avec M, Le bord de l’abîme (un one-shot qui n’a rien à voir avec Servaz) et un moins bon avec Glacé. Comme j’avais le livre sous la main, je me suis entêtée avec Le cercle. Pour te la faire courte : je vais arrêter la série pendant quelques temps, histoire de lire des polars ou des thrillers qui me conviennent. Manifestement, Servaz et moi, nous ne sommes pas partis pour devenir grands copains.
Commençons par le positif :
Encore une fois, l’histoire est plutôt bonne et bien orchestrée – même si le prologue, très excitant, n’a à mon avis pas grand chose à voir avec l’intrigue principale et sert à exciter l’appétit des lecteurs.
Il y a une ambiance, c’est clairement le point fort de cet auteur. Que ce soit le village universitaire fictif ou l’ambiance de coupe du monde, on s’y voit.
Pour autant, Le cercle m’est complètement passé à côté, je n’ai pas réussi à y rentrer sauf entre 75 et 90% – ce qui, tu me l’accorderas, est un peu juste.
Pourquoi ?
J’ai été gênée par l’enchaînement des événements qui m’ont semblé manquer de logique. Des étapes cruciales sont expédiées alors qu’on nous noie sous les descriptions.
J’ai trouvé les trois premiers quarts extrêmement pédants. L’idée d’une cité universitaire fictive à l’image d’Oxford est intéressante – même je la trouve trop éloignée de la culture française pour y croire -. Par contre, elle n’est pas cohérente : on a d’une part l’action concentrée sur deux classes de khâgne et hypokhâgne qui se situent dans un lycée. Mais il n’y a pas de lycéens. C’est une cité universitaire mais il n’y a pas vraiment d’étudiant. En fait, j’ai eu l’impression que cette Oxford française tournait autour de deux classes de prépa, classes qui ont certainement leur prestige mais qui ne sont pas non plus des classes d’élites sur le plan universitaire dès lors qu’on a dépassé la licence.
“La culture, c’est comme la confiture, moins on en a, plus on l’étale”, disait-on quand j’étais au collège. Cette petite phrase m’a poursuivie pendant la quasi totalité de la lecture du livre. J’ai ressenti un grand mépris (déjà affirmé dans Glacé) pour tout ce qui est entreprise, encadrement, politiques. Bon point pour l’auteur, j’ai parfaitement retrouvé l’idée “nous sommes de purs esprits, l’élite de la nation” qui infuse les premières années d’études universitaires et qui corrompt inévitablement une partie des niveaux ultérieurs. Mais il arrive un moment dans les études et le développement de la connaissance où on arrête de se croire plus intelligent que tout le monde. On dirait qu’aucun des protagonistes du Cercle n’a dépassé le master, ce qui est un peu limité pour une élite. Quelle est cette idée de citer en permanence en latin ? Est-ce que ça existe réellement ? Je croyais qu’on arrêtait ça en seconde ou en première…
Je n’ai pas réussi à adhérer à l’idée de ce village uniquement peuplé d’étudiant et de villas secondaires de grands bourgeois. L’un ou l’autre, ok, mais les deux ensemble, non.
Aucun de ces détails n’est vraiment important pris individuellement. Aucun livre n’est parfaitement cohérent, aucun personnage n’adhère à 100% à sa propre psychologie, il y a toujours des trucs bizarres ou qui ne collent pas trop ou qui font froncer les yeux. La magie de l’écrivain, c’est d’entraîner le lecteur dans un tel tourbillon qu’il ne fait pas trop attention à tout ça, qu’il ne se pose pas toutes ces questions.
Avec Le Cercle, l’auteur n’a pas réussi à créer pour moi ce tourbillon ; je m’entendais lire dans ma tête (j’ai d’ailleurs trouvé le style assez laborieux), je relevais en permanence les yeux pour me demander si j’avais bien lu, j’étais agacée par la puérilité de Servaz dans son histoire sentimentale, agacée par sa pédanterie avec ces phrases en latin complètement indigestes qu’aucun latiniste ne se permettrait d’employer à un autre moment que devant un auditoire qui les comprenne, par cette hiérarchie établie entre les esprits supérieurs qui étudieraient en khâgne et les ratés qui finiraient flics, les pourris qui deviendraient politiques, les arnaqueurs qui deviendraient chefs d’entreprise ou encore par des coïncidences juste invraisemblables … La gaule de Servaz le matin, je n’en peux plus ; les goûts musicaux de son adjoint, c’est pareil ; les événements climatiques providentiels, ça commence à être lassant (mais si j’en juge avec M, le bord de l’abîme, ce n’est pas prêt d’être terminé).
Bref. Je n’ai pas été dedans sauf quelques brèves pages et j’ai été soulagée d’arriver au bout. L’ensemble m’a donné l’impression d’un assemblage de bric et de broc, comme une latiniste trop sérieuse qu’on essaierait de rendre sexy à grands renforts de rouge à lèvres (la fille séquestrée) et de jupe découpée (le retour d’un certain tueur en série).
Ce qui est problématique, dans un sens, parce que Le Cercle se déroule dans le Sud Ouest de la France, en plein été.
Suivant la suggestion de mes amis Céline et Guillaume, j’ai entamé la lecture de la série dans l’ordre. J’avais passé un plutôt bon moment avec M, Le bord de l’abîme (un one-shot qui n’a rien à voir avec Servaz) et un moins bon avec Glacé. Comme j’avais le livre sous la main, je me suis entêtée avec Le cercle. Pour te la faire courte : je vais arrêter la série pendant quelques temps, histoire de lire des polars ou des thrillers qui me conviennent. Manifestement, Servaz et moi, nous ne sommes pas partis pour devenir grands copains.
Commençons par le positif :
Encore une fois, l’histoire est plutôt bonne et bien orchestrée – même si le prologue, très excitant, n’a à mon avis pas grand chose à voir avec l’intrigue principale et sert à exciter l’appétit des lecteurs.
Il y a une ambiance, c’est clairement le point fort de cet auteur. Que ce soit le village universitaire fictif ou l’ambiance de coupe du monde, on s’y voit.
Pour autant, Le cercle m’est complètement passé à côté, je n’ai pas réussi à y rentrer sauf entre 75 et 90% – ce qui, tu me l’accorderas, est un peu juste.
Pourquoi ?
J’ai été gênée par l’enchaînement des événements qui m’ont semblé manquer de logique. Des étapes cruciales sont expédiées alors qu’on nous noie sous les descriptions.
J’ai trouvé les trois premiers quarts extrêmement pédants. L’idée d’une cité universitaire fictive à l’image d’Oxford est intéressante – même je la trouve trop éloignée de la culture française pour y croire -. Par contre, elle n’est pas cohérente : on a d’une part l’action concentrée sur deux classes de khâgne et hypokhâgne qui se situent dans un lycée. Mais il n’y a pas de lycéens. C’est une cité universitaire mais il n’y a pas vraiment d’étudiant. En fait, j’ai eu l’impression que cette Oxford française tournait autour de deux classes de prépa, classes qui ont certainement leur prestige mais qui ne sont pas non plus des classes d’élites sur le plan universitaire dès lors qu’on a dépassé la licence.
“La culture, c’est comme la confiture, moins on en a, plus on l’étale”, disait-on quand j’étais au collège. Cette petite phrase m’a poursuivie pendant la quasi totalité de la lecture du livre. J’ai ressenti un grand mépris (déjà affirmé dans Glacé) pour tout ce qui est entreprise, encadrement, politiques. Bon point pour l’auteur, j’ai parfaitement retrouvé l’idée “nous sommes de purs esprits, l’élite de la nation” qui infuse les premières années d’études universitaires et qui corrompt inévitablement une partie des niveaux ultérieurs. Mais il arrive un moment dans les études et le développement de la connaissance où on arrête de se croire plus intelligent que tout le monde. On dirait qu’aucun des protagonistes du Cercle n’a dépassé le master, ce qui est un peu limité pour une élite. Quelle est cette idée de citer en permanence en latin ? Est-ce que ça existe réellement ? Je croyais qu’on arrêtait ça en seconde ou en première…
Je n’ai pas réussi à adhérer à l’idée de ce village uniquement peuplé d’étudiant et de villas secondaires de grands bourgeois. L’un ou l’autre, ok, mais les deux ensemble, non.
Aucun de ces détails n’est vraiment important pris individuellement. Aucun livre n’est parfaitement cohérent, aucun personnage n’adhère à 100% à sa propre psychologie, il y a toujours des trucs bizarres ou qui ne collent pas trop ou qui font froncer les yeux. La magie de l’écrivain, c’est d’entraîner le lecteur dans un tel tourbillon qu’il ne fait pas trop attention à tout ça, qu’il ne se pose pas toutes ces questions.
Avec Le Cercle, l’auteur n’a pas réussi à créer pour moi ce tourbillon ; je m’entendais lire dans ma tête (j’ai d’ailleurs trouvé le style assez laborieux), je relevais en permanence les yeux pour me demander si j’avais bien lu, j’étais agacée par la puérilité de Servaz dans son histoire sentimentale, agacée par sa pédanterie avec ces phrases en latin complètement indigestes qu’aucun latiniste ne se permettrait d’employer à un autre moment que devant un auditoire qui les comprenne, par cette hiérarchie établie entre les esprits supérieurs qui étudieraient en khâgne et les ratés qui finiraient flics, les pourris qui deviendraient politiques, les arnaqueurs qui deviendraient chefs d’entreprise ou encore par des coïncidences juste invraisemblables … La gaule de Servaz le matin, je n’en peux plus ; les goûts musicaux de son adjoint, c’est pareil ; les événements climatiques providentiels, ça commence à être lassant (mais si j’en juge avec M, le bord de l’abîme, ce n’est pas prêt d’être terminé).
Bref. Je n’ai pas été dedans sauf quelques brèves pages et j’ai été soulagée d’arriver au bout. L’ensemble m’a donné l’impression d’un assemblage de bric et de broc, comme une latiniste trop sérieuse qu’on essaierait de rendre sexy à grands renforts de rouge à lèvres (la fille séquestrée) et de jupe découpée (le retour d’un certain tueur en série).
February 15, 2020
As I read this French book in a Dutch translation, my review is in Dutch. If you're interested, Google translate doesn't do too bad a translation.
Dit boek speelt zich af in het fictieve Franse universiteitsstadje Marsac. Martin Servaz wordt gebeld door Marianne, z'n grote liefde uit zijn studententijd. Haar zoon Hugo wordt gearresteerd voor moord op zijn lerares. Alles wijst dan ook zijn richting, maar er zijn toch ook een aantal mysterieuze elementen die op z'onschuld kunnen duiden.De zaak wordt aan Servaz toegewezen en een aantal aanwijzingen zouden kunnen betekenen dat Julian Hirtman, de seriemoordenaar die 2 jaar eerder ontsnapte uit een sterk beveiligde inrichting, bij de zaak is betrokken. Margot Servaz, Martins dochter, die op dezelfde school studeert als Hugo en zijn vrienden begint samen met haar vriend Evan ondertussen een eigen onderzoekje en brengt zo zichzelf in gevaar. Ook dit keer zijn er politieke kopstukken bij de zaak betrokken en wordt er druk uitgeoefend op het onderzoek.
Het boek is een fantastisch vervolg op 'Een kille rilling', het vorige boek met dezelfde hoofdrolspelers. Je wordt ook deze keer voortdurend op het verkeerde been gezet en vraag je jezelf af of Hirtman er nu wel of niet bij betrokken is. Hoe het uiteindelijk allemaal in elkaar zit is geniaal en had ik in geen 1000 jaar verwacht. Een echt topboek en ook het volgende boek in deze serie staat op mijn 'te lezen' lijstje.
Dit boek speelt zich af in het fictieve Franse universiteitsstadje Marsac. Martin Servaz wordt gebeld door Marianne, z'n grote liefde uit zijn studententijd. Haar zoon Hugo wordt gearresteerd voor moord op zijn lerares. Alles wijst dan ook zijn richting, maar er zijn toch ook een aantal mysterieuze elementen die op z'onschuld kunnen duiden.De zaak wordt aan Servaz toegewezen en een aantal aanwijzingen zouden kunnen betekenen dat Julian Hirtman, de seriemoordenaar die 2 jaar eerder ontsnapte uit een sterk beveiligde inrichting, bij de zaak is betrokken. Margot Servaz, Martins dochter, die op dezelfde school studeert als Hugo en zijn vrienden begint samen met haar vriend Evan ondertussen een eigen onderzoekje en brengt zo zichzelf in gevaar. Ook dit keer zijn er politieke kopstukken bij de zaak betrokken en wordt er druk uitgeoefend op het onderzoek.
Het boek is een fantastisch vervolg op 'Een kille rilling', het vorige boek met dezelfde hoofdrolspelers. Je wordt ook deze keer voortdurend op het verkeerde been gezet en vraag je jezelf af of Hirtman er nu wel of niet bij betrokken is. Hoe het uiteindelijk allemaal in elkaar zit is geniaal en had ik in geen 1000 jaar verwacht. Een echt topboek en ook het volgende boek in deze serie staat op mijn 'te lezen' lijstje.
September 30, 2023
Kaçırılma, tutsak edilme korkunuz varsa sakın okumayın. Çok ürkütücü, insanın bam teliyle oynayan, tetikleyici bir roman. Serinin ikinci romanıymış. İlk roman Netflix'de seyrettiğimiz GLACE diye bir diziye uyarlanmış. Esaslı bir seri katil romanı.
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