The Thursday Murder Club

Résumé : Quand la notion d'état providence dérape, jusqu'où ira l'absurdité bureaucratique dans la recherche du bonheur pour tous ? Une série de tableaux pour des destins qui s'entrecroisent jusqu'à la terrible conclusion qui les rassemblera. Quand la société pousse à son paroxysme les idéaux d'égalité sociale, le résultat peut facilement tomber dans l'absurde. Par exemple, pour éviter les déficits chroniques de la sécurité sociale, quel meilleur moyen que d'interdire aux gens de prendre des risques avec leur santé ? Quitte à instaurer une police médicale et à mettre les contrevenants à l'amende... Trois histoires kafkaïennes à faire peur qui brossent un portrait terrifiant d'un monde trop règlementé.

In this Holocaust novel, Bruno leaves his wonderful Berlin home with his parents because of "the fury." Boyne's depiction of time and place becomes real with Michael Maloney's characterization of this displaced 9-year-old, who rapidly goes from excited confusion to indignant anger. Maloney's narrative bits are a calm counterpoint to the bewilderment of the protagonist, who finds himself at "Off With," where he is surrounded by people dressed in striped pajamas. Maloney continues to dramatize Bruno's moods as he makes friends with a young prisoner and observes the cruelty of a controlling soldier. Making Bruno real is crucial to our acceptance of his innocent horror, essential to filling in all the author doesn't say, and necessary to establishing the emotional balance we need to hear this disturbing story. S.W. © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine-- Copyright - AudioFile, Portland, Maine

Murder on the Orient Express is a tour-de-force variation on the theme of the English house-party, gathering a remarkable set of characters, each a secretive soul, for a journey on the fabled Orient Express train as it travels from Istanbul to Paris. On hand to resolve the murder of an American passenger is Hercule Poirot, the dapper Belgian detective, dependent only on his wit, who tucks away obscure, seemingly unrelated minutiae in his facile mind. When he determines that the corpse was a renowned child kidnapper/killer, he begins to wonder about connections between the passengers and the victim. A misplaced button, overheard conversations, a monogrammed handkerchief, and an elusive figure clad in a scarlet kimono all become clues as Hercule Poirot interrogates the snow-trapped travelers and comes to his own conclusions. Murder on the Orient Express, with its skill plot construction, adroit writing, and thought-provoking revelations, reminds us that what is "just" is not always what is legal..

The other side of Gone with the Wind - and just as unputdownable (The Sunday Times )A big, warm girlfriend of a book (The Times )Harper Lee's classic novel To Kill a Mockingbird has changed lives. It's direct descendent The Help has the same potential...an astonishing feat of accomplishment (Daily Express )Outstanding, immensely funny, very compelling, brilliant (Daily Telegraph )Immensely readable (Observer )Daring, vitally important and very courageous, I loved and admired The Help. Fantastic (Marian Keyes )A laugh-out-loud, vociferously angry must-read (Marie Claire )Touching, disgraceful, funny. Highly recommended (Daily Mail )Utterly brilliant (She )Remarkable, shocking, brave, brilliant (Easy Living )Wonderfully engaging dialogue (Good Housekeeping )A compelling, great first novel, with soaring highs, poignant side stories and laugh-out-loud anecdotes. You'll be sorry to finish it (Psychologies )A winning story of courage and truth (Woman & Home )A brisk, involving read (Metro )An exciting and atmospheric story (Rachel Cooke Observer Books of the Year )A wise, poignant novel. You'll catch yourself cheering out loud (People )