Wash this blood clean from my hand

Fred Vargas (ENG)

Already sold in 40 countries

“ European fiction is the new black . . . Vargas is my favourite European crime writer ”, Peter Guttridge

Between 1943 and 2003 nine people have been stabbed to death with a most unusual weapon : a trident. In each case, arrests were made, suspects confessed their crimes and were sentenced to life in prison. One slightly worrying detail : each presumed murderer lost consciousness during the night of the crime and has no recollection of it.

Commissaire Adamsberg is convinced all the murders are the work of one person, the terrifying Judge Fulgence. Years before, Adamsberg’s own brother had been the principal suspect in a similar case and avoided prison only thanks to Adamsberg’s help.

History repeats itself when Adamsberg, who is temporarily based in Quebec for a training mission, is accused of having savagely murdered a young woman he had met. In order to prove his innocence, Adamsberg must go on the run from the Canadian police and find Judge Fulgence.

Source : Vintage books

Presse & Librairie

Le Monde des Livres

« C’est là le charme des romans de Fred Vargas, l’aspect inattendu, saugrenu même parfois, qui vient renouveler les postures classiques du roman policier. »

Étienne de Montéty, Le Figaro

« Il y a toujours dans les livres de Fred Vargas une ménagerie grâce à quoi cette archéologue à visage de romancière nous apprend à ne jamais désespérer de l’âme humaine. »