A lot happens in Angelique, the relatively short–229 page–thriller by best-selling French author Guillaume Musso.
And thrill it does.
A lot happens in Angelique, the relatively short–229 page–thriller by best-selling French author Guillaume Musso.
And thrill it does. BUY AT AMAZON
An intriguing start, Angelique begins with the crusty, demanding former police captain Mathias Taillefer awakening in a Paris hospital following a heart attack. Unbeknownst to him, a woman named Louise Collange has been playing cello for him as part of a volunteer program.
Louise has a motive beyond simply being entertaining. She wants Taillefer to investigate the death of her mother, former prima ballerina, Stella Petrenko.
The police consider the Petrenko case open and shut, but Louise simply won’t believe that her agile and fit mother simply slipped off her 5th floor balcony, or purposely designed to meet her maker.
Taillefer and Collange strike a bargain and the die is cast.
At the crime scene, nothing appears unusual. What catches Taillefer’s eye is a disturbing painting by emerging artist Marco Sabatini, who coincedentally lived in the same building as Petrenko. He became ill and died the previous summer.
Figuring prominantly in the storyline is the mysterious chameleon the conniving Angelique Charvet.
The lies begin, but secrets have a way of finding daylight.
Musso definitely captures the reader’s attention and holds it firmly in place by making Angelique a well-written engaging book with more than its share of sharp twists and shockers that are impossible to anticipate.
The ending was a bit confusing for me only because I had to revisit some early characters and events to remember their connection. All became clear once that merged with the new revelations.
In general, I recomment Angelique as a fast-paced, exciting and entertaining read.
I would love to see it as a movie, but in the meantime, I will be looking for more thrill rides from Guillaume Musso.
J Curran
Angelique
Guillaume Musso
Little, Brown & Company 2025
240 pages
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