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Crime by the Book

A girl investigates crime fiction from around the world, by the book.
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the cbtb blog

One girl's ongoing investigation of the crime fiction genre.

Three Days and a Life Lemaitre.jpg

Author Q&A: Pierre Lemaitre, THREE DAYS AND A LIFE

November 6, 2017

It’s my absolute pleasure to welcome to CBTB today Pierre Lemaitre, the author behind arguably my favorite psychological thriller, BLOOD WEDDING, and the brand-new THREE DAYS AND A LIFE, which releases from Quercus today, 11/7/17! Lemaitre is an award-winning author and screenwriter—in 2013, Lemaitre received the Prix Goncourt, France's top literary prize, and his novels Camille and The Great Swindle won the CWA International Dagger in 2015 and 2016, respectively. It’s an honor to welcome Lemaitre to the blog to discuss his newest novel THREE DAYS AND A LIFE, his brilliant thriller BLOOD WEDDING, the inspiration behind his work, his upcoming projects, and much more. 

This is truly one of the most thoughtful Q&A’s I’ve had the pleasure of hosting on Crime by the Book, and I hope you will enjoy reading it as much I have enjoyed putting it together! You can catch my reviews of THREE DAYS AND A LIFE and BLOOD WEDDING on CBTB—these are two very different kinds of novels, both written with the beautiful prose and distinct style that make Lemaitre a standout. Fans of dark and shocking psychological suspense will love BLOOD WEDDING; readers looking for a subtle and refined character study will find THREE DAYS AND A LIFE up their alley. Many thanks to Pierre for taking the time to answer my questions so thoughtfully, and to the publisher for facilitating this Q&A!


Plot Summary: THREE DAYS AND A LIFE

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In 1999, in the small provincial town of Beauval, France, twelve-year-old Antoine Courtin accidentally kills a young neighbor boy in the woods near his home. Panicked, he conceals the body and to his relief--and ongoing shame--he is never suspected of any connection to the child's disappearance.

But the boy's death continues to haunt him, shaping his life in unseen ways. More than a decade later, Antoine is living in Paris, now a young doctor with a fiancée and a promising future. On a rare trip home to the town he hates and fears, Antoine thoughtlessly sleeps with a beautiful young woman from his past. She shows up pregnant at his doorstep in Paris a few months later, insisting that they marry.

Meanwhile, the newly discovered body of Antoine's childhood victim means that the case has been reopened, and all of his old fears rush back. With the gravitational pull of his hometown strengthening its grip, Antoine may finally be forced to confront his past. Is he prepared to do what he must to keep his darkest secrets buried?


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Author Q&A: Pierre Lemaitre

Crime by the Book: Where did you come up with the idea for THREE DAYS AND A LIFE? 

Pierre Lemaitre: The idea of childhood and the idea of crime are antagonistic ideas: in childhood we associate readily images linked to naivete, to innocence. At first, a “criminal child” is in itself a challenge to our representations.

Secondly, what interested me is not to know HOW this could happen, that a child became a murderer, but WHAT would happen next…

That’s the reason why this novel is a Noir novel and not a crime novel.

CBTB: If you had to describe your book in three adjectives, which would you choose?

PL: Ambivalent – Black – Tragic

CBTB: THREE DAYS AND A LIFE is, in many ways, an intimate portrait of small-town life. Was this setting inspired by a place you have lived? Or is it entirely fictional? 

PL: All provincial towns in France resemble each other. But they’re not very different than provincial towns regardless of the European country. I’m certain that the story could have taken place in Ireland, in Germany, or in Finland.

I’m certain that all of these towns operate in the same way: through a permanent spreading of rumors, a mistrust of others vis-à-vis others but they are also capable of unexpected solidarities in circumstances beyond one’s control.

CBTB: The main character of THREE DAYS is a man who, in his childhood, committed a terrible crime - and now he must live with the knowledge of what he’s done. How did you get inside the head of this character? What inspired you to write about him? 

PL: The project of this character was to place the reader in permanent ambivalence. I wanted that from one page to another he (the reader) likes Antoine or disapproves of him, that he understands him or condemns him, that he wishes for his arrest or his impunity. As in life…

CBTB: THREE DAYS is a bit of a departure from your darker, more violent books like BLOOD WEDDING and the Camille Verhoeven trilogy. Why did you choose to explore a new style of writing in this new release? 

PL: This is the kind of question that I never ask myself. When I have a good idea, I mean to say, an idea which suits me, I make it in to a novel. If the idea is that of a crime novel, then this novel is a “thriller,” that’s all. For “Three Days and A Life” I had the choice to make a thriller or a Noir novel: what I desired to show consisted more of a Noir novel, that’s all.

CBTB: When looking back on the books you have written, do you find that there are common themes that you tend to explore in your writing? Or is each book entirely its own? 

PL: A novelist is someone who has two or three things to say and who tries, book after book, to say them in the best way possible. The entire work of Proust or Modiano illustrates this idea. As far as knowing what the dominant themes of my own work are, I have a certain idea of them but I leave it up to the readers or to the analysts to discern them.

CBTB: Your book BLOOD WEDDING is a longstanding favorite of mine - I think it must be one of the best psychological thrillers I have ever read. It’s such a visceral and unnerving read, with so many surprises in store for the reader. Where did the idea for that story come from? 

PL: To be honest, I have a great regret that this book, Blood Wedding, was not crowned with The Dagger: it’s a perfectly Hitchcock-ian novel (besides, it was composed with the goal to pay homage to this master of the crime story) while The Dagger was awarded to The Great Swindle [another Lemaitre title]…which was not a crime novel.  Frankly, these decisions are quite strange.

To reply to your question, I imagined this book, saying to myself, “I’m going to create a novel that Hitchcock would say, ‘This book is for me!’”  Obviously it’s quite flattering for me to imagine this but at least, that was the goal of the book.

This is a period where I liked to start with an idea (though today I like to begin with characters.)  For this one, the idea started with a title of an essay of clinical psychology by Howard Searles which, in French, is titled, “How to make the other crazy.”  This title was a perfect project for a crime novel.  Sometimes, ideas don’t make bad books.

CBTB: When you are not writing crime and suspense novels, do you read crime fiction as well? If so, what are some of your favorite crime books? (And if not, what kind of books do you enjoy reading?) 

PL: I read little. I’ve read a lot my whole life but since I’ve been writing novels I don’t read as much because I live fully in the story that I’m in the process of writing, and I don’t have the necessary free time for the sincere reading of a novel.  I am a poor reader in this regard, I’m always thinking of something else…

But for some months I’ve been reading or re-reading many crime novels because I’m writing a “Dictionary for Thriller Lovers.”  I like this project which was proposed to me by the publisher, PLON.  It involves writing short notes like those for an encyclopedia but selecting only what I like.  I’m under no obligation that it be exhaustive.  My only obligation is to speak about what I like.  It’s a delight.


Book Details: 

Read CBTB’s Review of THREE DAYS AND A LIFE
Read CBTB’s Review of BLOOD WEDDING

Hardcover: 208 pages
Publisher: MacLehose Press (November 7, 2017)
ISBN-13: 978-1681441788

Crime by the Book is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. This in no way affects my opinion of the above book.

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Sep 6, 2023
Book Review: THE SEPTEMBER HOUSE by Carissa Orlando
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Home ownership feel like a distant dream? Zillow listings have you convinced you’ll be renting for the rest of your life? The woman at the heart of Carissa Orlando’s debut The September House feels your pain—and she’s prepared to put up with a lot if it means she and her husband can finally have a place to call their own. In this case, that might just mean living in a house that’s haunted. Playful and irreverent, spine-tingling and spooky, The September House puts a fresh spin on the classic haunted house story, delivering an immersive tale about the secrets lurking within one building’s walls, and within the lives of its inhabitants.

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I am so thrilled to announce a new partnership between Crime by the Book and the amazing Murder by the Book, a crime fiction-focused independent bookstore here in Houston, TX. Starting this October, I am going to be teaming up with the bookstore to curate a book subscription service! Crime by the Box will deliver a hand-selected, newly-released hardcover mystery, thriller, or suspense novel right to your door on a monthly basis. Read on for all the details!

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Cover Reveal + Sneak Peek: BLOOD SISTERS by Vanessa Lillie
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I’m so honored to be able to reveal the cover for Vanessa Lillie’s buzz-worthy new mystery here on CBTB today! BLOOD SISTERS is a gripping mystery about a Cherokee archeologist for the Bureau of Indian Affairs who is summoned to rural Oklahoma to investigate the disappearance of two women…one of them her sister. The book has already been praised as “riveting” (Megan Miranda) and “bingeworthy” (Caroline Kepnes), and it’s sure to be one of fall’s must-read crime novels. BLOOD SISTERS will be published in September, but thanks to Vanessa and her publisher, we’re able to get an exclusive early glimpse into the book right here in today’s blog post! Read on to check out the book’s gorgeous cover, read a behind-the-scenes mini Q&A with Vanessa, and dip into the book’s first few pages! And make sure to preorder your copy of BLOOD SISTERS at your favorite bookstore while you’re at it. Huge thanks to Vanessa and her publisher for giving us this early sneak peek—I can’t wait to read BLOOD SISTERS this fall!

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Jan 10, 2023
Book Review: ALL THE DANGEROUS THINGS by Stacy Willingham
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Stacy Willingham returns today with her sophomore thriller ALL THE DANGEROUS THINGS, a lyrical, immersive mystery that delves into one mother’s waking nightmare—and the dangerous secrets she will uncover as she seeks the truth about the two tragedies that have defined her life. I devoured ALL THE DANGEROUS THINGS over my holiday break this year, and found this to be one of those rare books that genuinely is impossible to put down. Moving between past and present, ALL THE DANGEROUS THINGS delves into the darkest corners of the life of one mother as she investigates the disappearance of her son one year prior—and, in the process, confronts long-buried secrets from her own childhood. Stacy Willingham’s masterful use of dual timelines adds intrigue and atmosphere to this compelling mystery, while her immersive writing draws readers into our protagonist’s increasingly unstable state of mind. Slow-burning yet simmering with tension and suspense, ALL THE DANGEROUS THINGS is hypnotic, immersive, and emotionally-impactful—the kind of mystery you’ll sink into, not coming up for air until you’ve turned the final page. Highly recommended for fans of Lisa Jewell’s THEN SHE WAS GONE and Jennifer Hillier’s LITTLE SECRETS, this is a 2023 mystery not to be missed.

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CBTB's Top 10 Crime Books of 2022
Dec 31, 2022
CBTB's Top 10 Crime Books of 2022
Dec 31, 2022

I can hardly believe we’ve come to the end of 2022—and what a year it’s been! I’m pretty sure I say this every year, but 2022 has truly been another outstanding year for crime fiction readers. As I reflected on my year in books while writing this blog post, it felt nearly impossible to narrow down my picks. I genuinely think we might be in the golden age of crime writing; the books crime writers had in store for us this year were nothing short of superb. From the return of fan-favorite authors to thrilling new voices being published for the first time, the crime fiction genre was in top form in 2022—making it all the more challenging to pick just 10 books from the year to highlight here! But tough choices had to be made, and made they were. Without further ado, I’m so excited to share with you my personal picks for the Top 10 Crime Books of 2022 in today’s blog post! More than any other criteria, the key thing these books have in common is simple: they are all books I’ve continued to think about since I finished reading them. These are stories that entertained me, challenged me, thrilled me, and kept me on the edge of my seat; in this list you’ll find Gothic horror, Nordic Noir, psychological suspense, and much more; a wide array of crime fiction subgenres, but all excellent books that stood out from the pack for me in 2022.

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5 Recommended Christmas Mysteries
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Christmas is around the corner, and if you’re a reader who likes to theme your reads to the season, today’s blog post is for you! I honestly never used to read crime novels specifically themed to particular holidays, but last year (for I think the first time in my reading life?!) I intentionally read a couple of Christmas mysteries during the Christmas season… and I absolutely loved it. Today I wanted to round up 5 mysteries I personally love that all involve Christmas—but this blog post has a little twist! Today’s recommendations are organized by how much Christmas actually factors into the book’s plot. Ranked from Christmas level 1 - 5 (with Level 1 being Christmas in the background of the story, and Level 5 being a full-on, 100% Christmas-y plot!), this list will help you find your perfect Christmas season mystery read!

Dec 11, 2022
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Iceland Noir 2022 Festival Journal
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I can’t believe that this year’s Iceland Noir has already come and gone. If you’ve been around Crime by the Book for a little bit, you already know how much I absolutely love Iceland Noir: a crime fiction festival that takes place in Reykjavik, Iceland in November. Iceland Noir brings together crime fiction readers and writers from Scandinavia and around the world for a long weekend of crime fiction programming, including everything from author panels to spotlight interviews to special events and more. It is an incredible festival, and truly the perfect environment for us crime fiction readers: basically imagine a bunch of likeminded bookworms gathering to celebrate crime fiction in one of the most special cities in the world. Sound amazing? It really is. If you’ve been looking for an excuse to visit Iceland, or if you’re curious about attending a crime fiction festival in the future, I highly recommend adding Iceland Noir to your bucket list. I can’t say enough good things about it! In today’s blog post, I’m recapping my experience at Iceland Noir 2022, including a day-by-day recap of the festival, lots of photos, a rundown of the books I took home from the festival, and more!

Nov 29, 2022
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Book Review: THE FAMILY GAME by Catherine Steadman
Nov 7, 2022

Sometimes you just need to read a really fun psychological thriller—and that’s the boat I found myself in last week. After devoting my entire October to-read list to supernatural thrillers for spooky season, I was ready to get back to my psychological suspense roots this month—and ideally, I wanted something that was a little bit more lighthearted and “popcorn-y” for a change of pace. Luckily for me, I had the perfect book for the job waiting on my to-read pile: Catherine Steadman’s brand-new release, THE FAMILY GAME. THE FAMILY GAME is a page-turning suspense story about a writer, her fiancé, and her fiancé's dark family secrets. It was my first time reading a Catherine Steadman novel, and (spoiler alert!) it won’ t be my last. If you loved the movie Ready or Not or Jessica Knoll’s psychological thriller Luckiest Girl Alive, you’ll love Catherine Steadman’s THE FAMILY GAME. Page-turning, fresh, and just the right amount of weird, THE FAMILY GAME is a perfect choice for your winter to-read list. (Bonus: if you celebrate Christmas, this book takes place in the lead-up to the holiday! Plan accordingly.)

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CBTB's Most-Anticipated November 2022 Crime Fiction
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I honestly can’t believe it’s already November—but I’m not complaining! I (obviously) believe that thrillers and mystery novels can (and should!) be read year-round, but there’s something undeniably perfect about cozying up with a great crime novel as the weather gets colder. This month has an amazing lineup of new crime novels in store for us, and today I’m rounding up my picks for most-anticipated new crime, mystery, and suspense novels publishing in November 2022! This month sees the return of a couple of my longtime favorite authors, plus new installments in Nordic crime series I’m loving, a chilling isolated location thriller, and more. Whether you’re hoping to keep the spooky season Halloween vibes going a little bit longer or are ready to dive into a wintry, chilling crime story, this month’s selection of new releases has you covered. A few of the books on this list I’ve already been lucky enough to read, and the rest of them are all on my personal to-read pile for the weeks ahead—but I’m excited about all of them. Read on for my picks for November most-anticipated crime fiction!

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Book Review: CURSE OF THE REAPER by Brian McAuley
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There’s no better time to watch a slasher movie—or read a slasher book—than October, and if your idea of perfect Halloween entertainment involves villains like Michael Myers or Freddy Krueger, the book I’m recommending today is the Halloween read for you. Brian McAuley’s CURSE OF THE REAPER is a thriller tailor-made for, as his dedication so aptly puts it, the “Halloween people.” Bloody, meta, occasionally self-deprecating, and always wickedly entertaining, CURSE OF THE REAPER draws inspiration from the world of slasher films to tell a delightfully devious tale of an actor, the silver screen villain to which he devoted his entire career, and the grip that villain might just have on him in the real world. This book is all kinds of bloody fun, a perfect Halloween reading choice for anyone who has ever contemplated which Ghostface killer(s) they would be most likely to survive, attended a genre convention, or, yes, set a timer to buy tickets for Halloween Ends the moment they went on sale (guilty on all counts).

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In Author Q&A Tags Author Q&A, Pierre Lemaitre, Three Days and a Life, Blood Wedding
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