Name: Alex
ISBN: 9781782060796

Pierre Lemaître

Winner of the CWA International Dagger Award 2013. In kidnapping cases, the first few hours are crucial. After that, the chances of being found alive go from slim to nearly none. Alex Prévost - beautiful, resourceful, tough - may be no ordinary victim, but her time is running out. Commandant Camille Verhoeven and his detectives have nothing to go on: no suspect, no lead, rapidly diminishing hope. All they know is that a girl was snatched off the streets of Paris and bundled into a white van. The enigma that is the fate of Alex will keep Verhoeven guessing until the bitter, bitter end. And before long, saving her life will be the least of his worries.

Alex

Pierre Lemaitre

Alex, une jeune femme de 35 ans, belle et attirante, essaie des perruques dans un magasin du boulevard de Strasbourg. Quelques heures plus tard, elle est enlevée par un inconnu qui la suivait, jetée dans une camionnette et séquestrée dans un hangar désaffecté. Le ravisseur a organisé sur place un théâtre de tortures qu'elle va subir jusqu'à l'horreur. Alex parvient à se libérer avant que la police ne la retrouve, et n'identifie son tortionnaire, suicidé sur le périphérique. Dès lors, l'énigme d'Alex et de son passé ne peut plus lâcher le lecteur, qui la découvre du point de vue de la victime et de ses bourreaux, jusqu'au terme d'une tragédie imprévisible et fatale. Il est impossible d'en dévoiler davantage sans déflorer une intrigue d'une intelligence et d'une construction diaboliques qui touchent à la perfection. L'écrivain se révèle dans le ton et le style du récit (d'une feinte impassibilité) à l'image du commandant Verhoeven, le flic qui élucide la tragédie d'Alex, d'une attachante complexité. Pierre Lemaître, qui déclare "je ne cherche à écrire que des livres qu'Hitchcock aurait voulu filmer", porte à son comble, sans le moindre artifice ni trucage, l'art du suspense et de la peur.

roman

Shreya Punj

What. A. Book. OMFG. I'm reeling from the many, many shocks it so elegantly delivered.

Elena Garcia Navarro

That was something. (4.5* stars)

When you think you know what´s going on, there´s a switch in the story and you are left wondering how did that happen. Amazing novel full of twists and turns with flesh-out characters and a good thought-out mystery. However, this book is dark and disturbing, I would make sure to check the trigger warnings before venturing into it.

It was almost a 5 stars but the last "interrogation" bit felt like it was dragging for far too long. Sometimes the writing felt a bit confusing as well.

I will definitely pick up the next books in this series.

Aline Wirth

Wow, this was disturbing and dark the kind that keeps you on the edge of your seat the whole time. Every plot twist was so unexpected and just when you think you know what's going on the plot does a 180 on you

SHE'S RUNNING OUT OF TIME Alex Prévost - kidnapped, beaten, suspended from the ceiling of an abandoned warehouse in a wooden cage - is in no position to bargain. Her abductor's only desire is to watch her die. HE WANTS ONLY ONE THING Apart from a shaky police report, Commandant Camille Verhoeven has nothing to go on: no suspect, no leads. If he is to find Alex, he will have to get inside her head. ESCAPE IS JUST THE BEGINNING Resourceful, tough, beautiful, always two steps ahead - Alex will keep Verhoeven guessing till the bitter end. And before long, saving her life will be the least of his worries.

Alex

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