A HEADLESS MAN. A MISSING GIRL. A LIFE RULED BY SECRETS…

When a decapitated body washes up on the banks of the River Loire in the ancient city of Tours, the reluctant juge d’instruction Mattiew Lombard is brought in to lead the investigation.

But when Lombard’s young niece appears, the inquiry changes course. Suddenly immersed in another world – one of eco-terrorism, bio-medical research, French aristocracy and the violent forgotten underbelly of society – Lombard begins to make unexpected connections.

Can the brutal murder of a lonely man really be justified by a noble cause? Or are good intentions hiding darker motives, more cynical and more deadly?

About the Author

Ian Moore is a leading comedian and TV/radio performer. He is the author of the bestselling Follet Valley series, which includes Death and Croissants and Death and Fromage; as well as two memoirs on life in France, A la Mod and C’est Modnifique. Ian lives in rural France and commutes back to the UK when occasion demands.

Reviews

‘Like a French inspector Morse, a gallic delight reminiscent of Fred Vargas and Donna Leon’ C. K. McDonnell, author of The Stranger Times

‘An engrossing, slickly plotted policier that will leave you wanting more’ Tom Benjamin, author of the Daniel Leicester mysteries

‘A cracking good read’ Mark Billingham, author of the Tom Thorne thrillers

‘Charming, clever and expertly crafted… wickedly fabulous’ Rachel Lynch, author of the Detective Kelly Porter thrillers

‘Full of twists and turns, I couldn’t put this down. Great stuff’ Simon McCleave, author of the D.I. Ruth Hunter thrillers

‘This is great fun… crime fiction at a European pace, with a fabulous Loire Valley setting… reminiscent of Michael Dibdin’ Sarah Hilary, author of the D.I. Marnie Rome thrillers

‘An accomplished and compelling tale’ Martin Walker, author of the Bruno, Chief of Police, Dordogne Mysteries

‘Wine, chateaux and murder, what’s not to love? I highly recommend’ Cara Black, author of the Aimee Leduc Investigations

‘A bracing antidote to the many stories of beautiful, sun-soaked French towns… Juge d’instruction Matthieu Lombard is a great character, curmudgeonly but clever, dogged but sensitive, and with a brain packed with the kind of general knowledge that wins quizzes’ Literary Review

‘A surprising and truly entertaining mystery… Moore has finely drawn, colourful characters… incredibly enjoyable’ Paul Burke, Crime Time FM

‘A hotbed of grudges and feuds. Thrilling’ Marie Warren, Crime Monthly

‘A cunning murder mystery, a dive into history, a warm and intimate portrait of provincial France and, in Juge Lombard, a compelling continental detective – a terrific read’ Jon Henley

Book InformationISBN 9780715655535Author Ian MooreFormat HardbackPage Count 336Imprint DuckworthPublisher Duckworth Books