History at the sharp end

    Mr. C. writes:

    Over thirty years ago, I had what was one of the greatest experiences of my university life, when I attended a series of lectures* by Professor Richard Cobb on life in France under German occupation. During those years millions of men and women had to make horrible choices about how to live their lives, do their jobs, feed themselves and their families; Cobb's message was that those of us who had never had to confront those choices needed to be very wary before handing out either praise or blame.

    This deeply humane and civilised attitude is evident on every page of Allan Massie's excellent quartet of crime novels** set in Bordeaux during the occupation. His hero, Inspector Lannes, meets political and personal depravity from both collaborationists and their enemies in the Resistance; his family is split, with one son supporting Vichy and the other escaping to London to join the Free French, and both are young men of integrity; his daughter falls in love with a quixotic patriot who goes off to fight for Hitler on the Eastern Front; and his wife turns away from him both physically and emotionally. He always tries to do what he thinks is right, but so often the choice is between the bad and the worse. The ethical complexity of such a world is a gift to the crime novelist, and Massie takes full advantage of the setting. The novels are also a loving Francophile's evocation of the France of grumpy concierges and long lunches, of Charles Trenet songs and barges on the foggy Gironde, of scruffy bistros and grand hotels. I read them avidly, all four in less than a week, and warmly recommend them.

 

*Published as French and Germans, Germans and French: A Personal Interpretation of France Under Two Occupations, 1914-18/1940-44

 

**Death in Bordeaux

    Dark Summer in Bordeaux

    Cold Winter in Bordeaux

    End Games in Bordeaux

Comments

[Spade & Dagger]

Thank you Mr C for such an enticing review - I was vaguely aware of the series, but an enthusiastic personal recommendation is always a great motivator & I've ordered the first book as such a multi-dimensional crime novel is just my thing. (Incidentally, I learned a lot of practical gardening info from your previous book recommendation on Darwin & weeds.)

[LizF]

I read Death in Bordeaux a few years ago now and very much enjoyed it but at that stage the second book had only just been published and wasn't available at the library so I made a note of it for later and then promptly forgot.
I am going to have to start at the beginning again as I have only fairly hazy memories of how the story played out but I will definitely read through the quartet now.
Thank you for the reminder!

[Mary]

Sold! I'm off to check the library catalogue.

[Fran]

Having enjoyed Allan Massie writing about the Romans I shall check the library for these.

[Mary]

I'm very much enjoying the first one - so thank you for the recommendation. I shall definitely be seeking out book two - but it's taken me most of this week to read Death in Bordeaux so I'm impressed by how quickly you read. (Just had a cynical female thought that if Mrs C makes dinner, then you don't get interrupted!)
I've been wondering if Allan Massie is a Maigret fan - and I've just googled him and see that he is.