Have Mercy on Us All (Paperback)

A French bestseller wonders whether modern Paris is in for another round of the plague. Commissaire Adamsburg, a quirky officer who thinks outside the box, gets a hint of looming trouble when he receives complaints about large reversed number fours painted on doors all over Paris. Joss Le Guern, a modern town crier, begins reading some very strange messages in his thrice daily reports-messages that pique the curiosity of ex-schoolteacher Decambrais, who tracks down the sources to ancient treatises on the plague. Shortly after these three get together, strangled, naked bodies covered with charcoal and flea bites begin to appear. Their disturbing suggestion of the Black Death, however misleading, is a hint that perhaps more than one person is involved, since the letters to Le Guern indicate an educated person with deep knowledge of the plague. Panic spreads throughout Paris and eventually other cities as people buy into the plague theory despite official denials. Meanwhile, Adamsburg haunts Le Guern's square, seeking suspects among the intriguing neighborhood eccentrics. A combination of scholarship and intuitive police work lead to a surprising solution. Captivating characters, historical oddities and clever plotting all add up to a scintillating tale. Mystery fans will be avidly seeking more from Vargas (Seeking Whom He May Devour, not reviewed, etc.). (Kirkus Reviews)

Each day, in honour of a Parisian tradition, a town crier calls out the local news to all who will listen. Over the course of a few days a number of disturbing messages are slipped in to his box, messages of portentous and malicious intent referring to the Black Death. Strange marks have also appeared on the doors of several buildings: symbols once used to ward off the plague. Detective Commissaire Adamsberg begins to sense a connection, even a grotesque menace. Then charred and flea-bitten corpses are found. The press seizes on their plague-like symptoms, and the panic sets in...

General

Imprint:	Vintage
Country of origin:	United Kingdom
Series:	Commissaire Adamsberg
Release date:	October 2004
Authors:	Fred Vargas
Translators:	David Bellos
Dimensions:	178 x 111 x 20mm (L x W x T)
Format:	Paperback - B-format
Pages:	320
ISBN-13:	978-0-09-945364-2
Languages:	English
Subtitles:	French
Categories:	Books > Fiction > Genre fiction > Crime & mystery > General Promotions
LSN:	0-09-945364-9
Barcode:	9780099453642

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