The Accordionist (The Three Evangelists Book 3)

When two women are murdered the police are sure that Clément Vauquer is their killer. He was after all seen by witnesses at both locations.When Clément realises he’s a wanted man he goes in search of Marthe a prostitute he knew as a child, the only person who had really cared for him and helped him to live in a world that he found difficult, where he was labelled and bullied because of his learning difficulties.Marthe takes him in and turns to her old friend Louis Kehlweiler who is an ex-special investigator. Louis is not at all sure that Clément is as innocent as Marthe says but he also feels that the situation Clément finds himself in is too much of a coincidence. Did Clément murder the women or has he been set up? Who would want to see Clément in such trouble? There is more to this Kehlweiler believes. Still, he is also worried about Marthe should Clément be a killer or if the police found she was harbouring a wanted man it could be very dangerous for her. So he calls on his friends Marc, Lucien and Mathias – ‘the evangelists’ – to take Clément in, watch him and help with his investigation.We follow Kehlweiler’s investigation, helped by the evangelists, were he discovers something of Clément’s past. In particular an incident that happened when he was working as a gardener at a school in Nevers. He helped a woman, Nicole Verdot, who was being raped by three men. Despite his intervention Nicole died in hospital. Kehlweiler pursues this line of enquiry and begins to track down what happened and who the men were.When one of the evangelists presents him with a theory Kehlweiler is very reticent to accept it. Then there is another murder and Clément is still in the frame for them all!With the help of a poem, some vital information and some dogged efforts by Kehlweiler and the evangelists they find out what happened and whodunnit.I very much enjoyed this book which I read for the February meeting of a Virtual Crime book club (see my blog). I liked the main characters, Marthe and Clément. The story was gentle even though it had both murder and rape within it there were no gratuitous scenes. The setting was a great part of the book. Nevers was a necessary plot line and interesting to read a little about separately from the book. The main setting of Paris, even though it is many years since I’ve been there, I loved. It was a character all of its own and wonderfully atmospheric.This is the third of the evangelist trilogy. Even though I have not read the previous two it was very easy to immerse myself in the book. The storyline is a standalone, it is Kehlweiler and the evangelists relationships that have obviously grown together over the three books and this was not at all difficult to understand or follow. Indeed, it felt like the author wrote the characters with fondness and that is the reason why they were so good.I recommend this book but, unlike me, perhaps start with the first of this trilogy.

This is the final book in the series of three. Really well-translated into English. Great story and characters; definitely recommend these books.

Vargas is an excellent writer .Her characters do have a theatrical quality about them . The image of three men living in a house with one man studying the life of Bismarck ,another studying the medieval church and finally one keeping a toad as a pet might work well on the limit of a stage might beyond that the plot is bizarre. Further the one accused of the murders seems far from being an idiot.even though his society seems to be convinced that he is one. Vargas seems to be throwing off the shackles of a theme created from her past novels of the three men called the three evangelists and as the novel develops the characters of these three men living together become remarkably sympathetic.Only a great writer such as Vargas could achieve that feat..Vargas is well served by her translator but without Vargas herself never losing sight of the aim of such a novel is to drive the plot forward and never allow the reader to become bored by the insertion of irrelevant description which mades the novel such a pleasure to read. It is both the Paris of the physical small streets but also the Paris of the mind.

Another fascinating book from Fred Vargas. Each character is a case study of totally bonkers eccentricity.The story grabs you and will not put you down.Guessing the baddie is not what this book is about it is the co-habitation co-operation of a group of idiosyncratic misfits.These 3 Evangelist books can be read in any order but numerical is beat.The later Adamsberg series must be read in the order written.Enjoy!

I absolutely loved this. I find it hard to write a comment to do this novel justice. I think the Three Evangelist books are my favourite out of the very many detective novels which I have read. They are a combination of erudition, pace, humour, lovely delineation of human foibles, with a dash of theatre thrown in - but all achieved in such an accomplished way that they blend together perfectly. If anyone reads this, I envy you: for being in a position to read the Evangelist novels for the very first time.

I'm a great fan and have read therm all.She has a truly fantastic imagination and her sympathy for the underdog is refreshing.This one was apparently written some twenty years ago and I'm afraid it didn't quite push the right buttons for me. The off beat humour which I usually like seemed contrived and a bit irritating. The identity of the killer was obvious but unlike her other books there was no real analysis of their motivation, that's usually one of her strengths. So, for me a disappointment though still an enjoyable enough read.

I love Fred Vargas, and the Three Evangeslists series. I forgive any ridiculeness in the plot because of I like how they transport me to Paris and France. But this one felt a little bit flat to me. I wasn't gripped as much as usual and actually felt a little bit uninterested. Her other books have me revisiting and re-reading. Maybe I will later.

Another accomplished performance from this exceptional French writer. She never fails to please.