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3.61 AVERAGE
3.61 AVERAGE
this was okay. kind of clunky translations at times. the villain was nonsense and I was not fond of the ending. at the same time it was a really quick/engaging read, and it was dude's first book? I might read the sequel I guess.
This was good! A book I started a while back (May 2020) but got side tracked amongst many others. Not a reflection on the book at all. I seriously started it a few days ago and haven't been able to put it down.
A very interesting case following the kidnapping of a Dutch woman in Perpignan, amongst several other related crimes against Dutch women - are they coincidence or related? The book has several strands and a few red herrings to muddy the waters. An interesting antagonist - I sussed it partially through the story. I like the characters although the main characters love life and relationship with his wife did irritate me, but I suppose it shows a human side when antagonists are usually super human in these sorts of books.
I like the setting of Perpignan too, a very beautiful place and vividly described. There is a lot going on in this book and I will look forward to getting around to reading the follow ups to this. This has been a book on my reading list for a few years. Well worth the wait.
A very interesting case following the kidnapping of a Dutch woman in Perpignan, amongst several other related crimes against Dutch women - are they coincidence or related? The book has several strands and a few red herrings to muddy the waters. An interesting antagonist - I sussed it partially through the story. I like the characters although the main characters love life and relationship with his wife did irritate me, but I suppose it shows a human side when antagonists are usually super human in these sorts of books.
I like the setting of Perpignan too, a very beautiful place and vividly described. There is a lot going on in this book and I will look forward to getting around to reading the follow ups to this. This has been a book on my reading list for a few years. Well worth the wait.
Inspector Gilles Sebag, the narrator of ‘Summertime, All the Cats are Bored’ is a family man first, detective second. He is also houseproud and adores his wife Claire. His two children are growing up, to his regret, not wanting the hugs and kisses he wishes he could give them as he did when they were younger. He works in Perpignan, a French Mediterranean town full of tourists during the hot summers.
I have copied the book blurb:
”It’s the middle of a long hot summer on the French Mediterranean shore and the town is teeming with tourists. Sebag and Molina, two tired cops who are being slowly devoured by dull routine and family worries, deal with the day’s misdemeanors and petty complaints at the Perpignan police headquarters. But then a young Dutch woman is found murdered on a beach at Argelès, and another disappears without a trace in the alleys of the city. Is it a serial killer obsessed with Dutch women? Maybe. The media senses fresh meat and moves in for the feeding frenzy.
Out of the blue, Inspector Gilles Sebag finds himself thrust into the middle of a diabolical game. In order to focus on the matter at hand, he will have to put aside his cares, forget his suspicions about his wife’s unfaithfulness, ignore his heart murmur, and get over his existential angst. But there is more to this case than anyone suspects.”
I did not think Sebag was very angsty until he suspects his wife might be having an affair. But the case of the missing Dutch woman, Ingrid Raven, is a really big case as far as the media is concerned and they are demanding answers. His boss wants her found now! But Sebag was involved in tracking down a missing cab driver before the police were notified about Ingrid being missing. He can’t explain it, but he still wants to work on finding José Lopez. He is still following clues on the cab driver when he is supposed to looking for Ingrid. As time goes on, he realizes the two cases may be linked. Did Lopez kidnap the Dutch girl?
The novel is a procedural, but one with a lot of unexpected cozy warmth! It is a story involving a detective who is as interested in family life as in solving crimes. The mysteries, although dark, and not graphically described. The chapters alternate between Ingrid, a retired gentleman who finds a neighbor’s body, the kidnapper, and Sebag’s point of view. So far, there are two other books in the Sebag series, all translated from French into English.
I have copied the book blurb:
”It’s the middle of a long hot summer on the French Mediterranean shore and the town is teeming with tourists. Sebag and Molina, two tired cops who are being slowly devoured by dull routine and family worries, deal with the day’s misdemeanors and petty complaints at the Perpignan police headquarters. But then a young Dutch woman is found murdered on a beach at Argelès, and another disappears without a trace in the alleys of the city. Is it a serial killer obsessed with Dutch women? Maybe. The media senses fresh meat and moves in for the feeding frenzy.
Out of the blue, Inspector Gilles Sebag finds himself thrust into the middle of a diabolical game. In order to focus on the matter at hand, he will have to put aside his cares, forget his suspicions about his wife’s unfaithfulness, ignore his heart murmur, and get over his existential angst. But there is more to this case than anyone suspects.”
I did not think Sebag was very angsty until he suspects his wife might be having an affair. But the case of the missing Dutch woman, Ingrid Raven, is a really big case as far as the media is concerned and they are demanding answers. His boss wants her found now! But Sebag was involved in tracking down a missing cab driver before the police were notified about Ingrid being missing. He can’t explain it, but he still wants to work on finding José Lopez. He is still following clues on the cab driver when he is supposed to looking for Ingrid. As time goes on, he realizes the two cases may be linked. Did Lopez kidnap the Dutch girl?
The novel is a procedural, but one with a lot of unexpected cozy warmth! It is a story involving a detective who is as interested in family life as in solving crimes. The mysteries, although dark, and not graphically described. The chapters alternate between Ingrid, a retired gentleman who finds a neighbor’s body, the kidnapper, and Sebag’s point of view. So far, there are two other books in the Sebag series, all translated from French into English.
A very well-written and well-translated thriller. This book exuded the pace of a Mediterranean summer, along with the sizzling excitement of a mystery that keeps morphing throughout the story. I can't wait to read the sequel!
Bought this forever ago and finally decided to crack it open on my vacation. The main character, Sebag, was developed so wonderfully. I was incredibly attached not only to the suspenseful murder mystery he was pursuing, but also his tumultuous family drama. I'm so happy I read this and absolutely recommend it!
I'm not normally very into crime novels, but this was really engaging.
It falls into a couple of small pitfalls, but overall, it is a page turner that seems to accelerate at just the right times, but also takes just the right amount of time to unwind itself.
It wasn't too bad. There's faint praise for you. At times quite good and at times it felt a little clumsy. The main detective was an interesting, fully fleshed out character.
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
A weird title totally unrelated to the story. Yes, there's a cat but it's only mentioned in passing. It's another hot summer in France near the Spanish border on the Mediterranean coast and a police detective is anything but bored as he's facing not only some professional challenges but questions about his wife's fidelity. His kids are away with friends. His wife goes on a cruise alone and he's probably facing the case or cases of a lifetime involving a kidnapping, a murder, and an attempted kidnapping all of Dutch women. Are they related? Gilles, the detective, is pretty calm and seeks solace in swimming in his pool and good food. He reminds me a lot of Inspector Montalbano except he is happily married or is he? As he has time for introspection he has caught his wife in a white lie and agonizes over whether to become a detective in his relationship. The plot moves along slowly and steadily and some of the slights the detective engage in seem petty in their eagerness to get it right. It's a sedate page turner. They are a pretty competitive bunch of cops. The ending is tied up in a satisfactory manner but I was still surprised the cops didn't forsee one of the end results but there are plenty of surprising twists and turns. Hoping there are more to come from Philippe Georget with Inspector Gilles Sebag.