Quai du Polar 2022: So here we are, with the event on time this year, I’ve had time to read all six of the short listed thrillers, 
Here then is my “official” Winner. Let’s see if the event jury get it right on the 4th of April……………
Olivier Bordaçarre Appartement 816 (L’Atalante) 160 pages. France is entering its 30th straight month of isolation for its inhabitants. A book with a certain humour, A more interesting read than I had at first imagined .
Max Izambard Marchands de mort subite (Rouergue) 352 pages. A political thriller set in central Africa, if you want your thriller to inform you, within the bounds of fiction then this is it. I enjoyed the read and would love to see the film
Hervé Le Corre Traverser la nuit (Rivage) 320 pages. Jourdan, police commander tries to hold it all together working nights in Bordeaux, some of the criminals are pretty messed up. An easy read
Elsa Marpeau L’âme du fusil (Gallimard) 192 pages. The straightforward life of the country, with its unwritten rules known to all, a subtle story in this no frills community.
Gabrielle Massat Trente grammes (Le Masque) 450 pages. Yannick’s body is rejecting his second liver, if you ask me his second liver should be rejecting Yannick! I like my crime with a dash of credibility,
Michèle Pedinielli La patience de l’immortelle (L’Aube) 224 pages. Nothing is over telegraphed, but as the story goes on, lead after lead head nowhere as Diou looks for the killer of a journalist in corsica. Really not sure that this book is better than last year’s selection by the same author.
And finally, I’ve gone with:
Max Izambard Marchands de mort subite (Rouergue).
The official event site Quai du Polar
South of Paris books 