“What begins as a search for a missing person soon becomes a beguiling series of investigations linked only by Alex, a Parisian version of Lisbeth Salander. Camille, volatile, brilliant and just under 5ft, is an equally riveting figure.”—John Dugdale, Sunday Times

“The winner of countless French crime-writing prizes, Lemaître is far too canny to join the ranks of thriller authors who merely revel in disturbing details and gory crimes. Where another novel would have finished, Alex is just beginning, and the book moves from read-as-fast-as-you-can horror to an intricately plotted race to a dark truth … There's humour here, and characters to return to, but really Alex is about thrills. And as the novel barrels triumphantly towards its unexpected but satisfying conclusion, it's in this respect that it deliver.”—Alison Flood, The Guardian

“Fascinating, horrifying, not to be missed.”—Rolling Stone (Italy)

“Both a psychological thriller and a police procedural, it enthralls at every stage of its unpredictability . . . Grippingly original.”— Marcel Berlins, The Times

“A weaver of dark and disturbing crime fiction . . . Lemaître brings his stinging, bitter story to a genuinely unexpected conclusion. We are not in the comfortable world of Inspector Maigret here—this is harsh, fierce crime writing with a Gauloise tinge. It would not be out of place filmed in black-and-white by the late, lamented Francois Truffaut, who loved crime tales like this. ”—Geoffrey Wansell, The Daily Mail

“Lemaître has achieved a milestone with his new novel: half mystery, half thriller, 100 percent successful.”—Jean-Christophe Buisson, Le Figaro

“Divided into three distinct acts [Alex] offers an intriguing structure … Lemaitre is not only providing a fascinating variation of the traditional crime narrative but also a commentary on the genre itself. Hailed as the most important crime novel in translation since Stieg Larsson’s The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Alex similarly features as an intriguingly flawed feminist heroine bent on vengeance, and will likely prove a sensation of the crime fiction year.”—Declan Burke, The Irish Times

“Exhilarating, literary, Hitchcockian . . . This new investigation of Commandant Camille Verhoeven resumes with the sense of suspense, the art of the unexpected twist, the play on emotions that so seduced us.”—Le Monde

“Hypnotic . . . [a] remarkably determined and dangerous young woman—a woman who admittedly makes Lisbeth Salander look like Mary Poppins.”—Raven Crime Reads

“A thriller that grapples with the codes of murderous insanity. The author offers us an infernal and unpredictable plot, taking the art of suspense and terror to the limit.”—Ici Paris

“Sex, murder. Strategy, insanity. [Lemaître] isn't cautious with his scenario, dissolving the victim-executioner relationship in sulfuric acid. ”—Alibi

“A tour de force.”—L'Humanité

“This is a gripping thriller and crime novel.”—Destination France

Bookseller Praise:

“What the reader thinks is the kidnapping of a beautiful young woman, Alex, is only the beginning of this flawless tale of revenge set in Paris. Retaliation can be a powerful motivator. Alex is an emotionally strong woman who is determined to exact payment. Commandant Camille Verhoeven, (Chief of Detectives), may be only 4’11” in stature but his brain power more than makes up for his physical height. He is shrewd, extremely observant, and he does not suffer fools easily. Wealthy, fashionable Louis and penny-pinching Armand are Camille’s assistants and the three of them compliment each other’s skills, all of which are needed to solve the crimes. The writing is razor sharp, masterful and I can easily say that it is the most well-written mystery/thriller I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading. Translated from the French and the first of a trilogy, Alex is mesmerizing. I am in awe of author Pierre Lemaitre!”—Susan Wasson, Bookworks, Albuquerque, NM

“Like so many other crime novels, Alex starts with the kidnapping; it is a startling and brutal beginning. Beaten, suspended in a cage, Alex is frantically trying to keep the rats away. Alternating chapters follow first Alex's story, and secondly, the detective and his team's (a comedic group of misfits) frantic attempt to save the victims life. French detective Camille Verhoeven has finally returned to work, and he is immediately thrown into this mysterious kidnapping case. A single witness, no other clues or information, sets Camille and his team on a frustrating and desperate path. This is not a story for the faint of heart; it is brutal, dark and disturbing, and even the seasoned mystery/thriller fan will be surprised by the plot twists. This is Lemaitre's first book published in the US; readers will be clamoring for the rest!”—Margaret Brennan Neville, The King’s English, Salt Lake City, UT