About to Find Out begins after the death of Frederic Vimont, a self-made billionaire whose fortune seems to be far less straightforward once his estate enters probate.

Jean-Pierre Couran, a researcher for a Paris law firm, is assigned to locate Vimont’s assets and determine what the dead man actually owned. What initially sounds like a complicated financial investigation soon becomes something dangerous. Vimont left behind hidden property, former lovers, and true enemies.

Couran’s search takes him across France, from Paris through Normandy, Brittany, and the Côte d’Azur. Each new location reveals another part of Vimont’s carefully constructed empire, but it also raises questions about how he accumulated his wealth. Vimont may be dead, yet he continues to control the investigation through the information he concealed and the fear he inspired.

Couran is also dealing with issues in his private life, which makes him vulnerable. He gradually realizes that he is not the only person searching for Vimont’s assets. Other interested parties are monitoring his movements and attempting to manipulate what he discovers. The deeper he goes, the harder it becomes to distinguish between someone offering help and someone directing him toward a trap.

About to Find Out moves through many regions, characters, and revelations as Couran pieces together Vimont’s past. The novel’s most intriguing idea is the suggestion that Vimont possessed a special power that allowed him to control friends and intimidate enemies. For much of the story, it is unclear whether this power is literal, psychological, financial, or some combination of the three.

About to Find Out combines a probate mystery with financial intrigue, international travel, and a race to the finish. Its central figure remains compelling even in death because every discovery changes the reader’s understanding of who Vimont was and what he was capable of doing. Couran may have been hired to locate a billionaire’s missing assets, but he ultimately finds himself tracing the influence of a man who prepared for others to come looking.

Publication date: July 28, 2026

#AbouttoFindOut #AntonyArdan #Troubador #NetGalley

About to Find Out is a sharp, globe‑treading thriller that pulls you straight into the tangled legacy of Frederic Vimont — a billionaire whose brilliance, charm, and duplicity only become fully visible after his death. The novel opens with a wonderfully intriguing premise: probate researcher Jean‑Pierre Couran is dispatched to track down Vimont’s assets, expecting a routine assignment, only to discover a labyrinth of secrets that stretches across France and beyond. What begins as a professional obligation quickly becomes a dangerous personal reckoning.

Jean‑Pierre is an engaging lead, not because he’s flawless but because he’s quietly chaotic — juggling a messy private life while trying to navigate the increasingly treacherous world Vimont left behind. The author captures his vulnerability and determination with a light, human touch. As he moves from Paris to Normandy, Brittany, the Vendée, Bordeaux, and the Côte d’Azur, the story takes on a cinematic quality: sweeping landscapes, tense encounters, and a growing sense that every new discovery is pulling him deeper into a game he didn’t realise he was playing.

The cast surrounding Vimont is deliciously complex. Lovers, rivals, disgruntled associates, and enemies who have waited years for their moment — each one adds another layer to the mystery. The hints of Vimont’s “special power” are handled with subtlety, creating an undercurrent of unease without tipping the story into the supernatural. It’s more about influence, charisma, and the unsettling ways one man managed to keep people tethered to him long after they should have broken free.

As Jean‑Pierre realises he isn’t the only one hunting for answers, the tension tightens beautifully. The spirals of deceit, the shifting alliances, and the sense that he’s being manipulated even as he uncovers the truth give the novel a clever, propulsive energy. Trust becomes a fragile currency, and every victory feels precarious — a momentary step ahead in a chase where the rules keep changing.

Fast‑paced, atmospheric, and full of sharp twists, About to Find Out is a gripping thriller that blends action with psychological intrigue. It’s a story about genius, greed, and the dangerous shadows left behind by a man who mastered the art of control. A compelling, continent‑spanning mystery that keeps you turning pages long into the night.

With thanks to Antony Ardan, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC