The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair...
Book Review
This is one of the most interesting books I've read recently. One of the blurbs on the cover says "Twin Peaks meets Atonement meets In Cold Blood". It is accurate, but I would liken it more to the mind-twisters in Jeffery Deaver's books.
The book covers the story of Marcus Goldman, a recently famous writer who is following up on the case of Harry Quebert, his mentor and friend, who has taught him all he knows about writing. .Quebert has just been arrested when the remains of a girl - Nola Kellergan - who had disappeared 33 years ago when she was only 15, are found in his garden. Goldman starts interviewing people in the small town of Somerset and starts building a meticulous case to clear his friend's name. In the meantime he converts his search into a book, which he desperately needs in order to follow up form the success of his first book. Every fact he finds about the case gives him a new avenue, the suspects change continuously and he is constantly puzzled by the complexities of the case.
It is ironic that the book is written by a 27-year old French-speaking Swiss writer, Joel Dicker, whose background seems to be very similar to his fictional writer Marcus Goldman.
The book really grips you and it is almost impossible to predict the unfolding of the events. With a lot of flashbacks to the 70's, 80'es and present time, it requires a lot of attention from the reader. The whole "book within a book" aspect is also making it more interesting than it could have been. The style is also suitable for a movie adaptation, so this might happen some day. He's already won two important French-language awards and has been nominated for the Prix Goncourt.
Heartily recommended....