Crimes of Winter

Crime, suspense, and marital woes combine in this atmospheric procedural set in the seemingly quiet Mediterranean town of Perpignan.

This winter is going to be a rough one for Inspector Gilles Sebag, for he has discovered a terrible truth: Claire has been cheating on him. Bouncing between depression, whisky, and insomnia, he buries himself in work in an attempt to forget.

But his investigations lead him inexorably to bigger tragedies—a woman murdered in a hotel, a depressed man who throws himself from the roof of his building, another who threatens to blow up the neighborhood—all of them involving betrayals of some sort. Perpignan seems to be suffering from a veritable epidemic of crimes of passion. Adultery is everywhere! And each betrayal leads to another dramatic crime.

Sebag has an uncanny ability to slip into the skin of his suspects and solve apparently unsolvable crimes. Though professionally charmed, he is unlucky in love. He is a perfect protagonist for the town of Perpignan, sleepy and leisurely on the surface, seething with vice and violence underneath.

Crimes of Winter (Police Procedural)

By Philippe Georget

Europa Editions www.eropaeditions.com

ISBN #978-1609453893

Price $18.00

448 Pages

Rating 5-Stars

“Topnotch writing, Interesting Plot, And Real Characters.”

It’s the Christmas holiday, and Inspector Gilles Sebag has just found proof that his wife has had a four-month affair, and he’s trying to deal with the crises at home. However, it appears that there is an epidemic of adultery in Perpignan. And there  is something curious about several of the cases that have resulted in deaths. Someone is sending photographs to husbands showing their wives’ infidelity. Is this person responsible for the deaths, and why?

We follow Inspector Sebag as he struggles with his own marital problems, and facing family-crises that could ruin his marriage. He begins to drink more, and his mind isn’t on the official case as close as it should be, so clues elude him until he comes to grips with his personal situation. Only then can he run the person down behind the deadly string of violence.

This was another interesting case involving the French police inspector on the Mediterranean shore between France and Spain. A splendid follow-up to his premier novel, Summertime, And All The Cats Are Bored. It shows the teamwork of his team, as they investigate this strange case while dealing with their own lives and problems. There were times I couldn’t keep up with the characters, but I blame this on the foreign (to me) names, not to any fault with the author or writing. The writing was certainly topnotch, and the plot interesting, while the characters were real. Highly recommended.

Tom Johnson

Author of THE MAN IN THE BLACK FEDORA