LoveReading Says
LoveReading Says
One of Our Books of the Year 2017 | April 2017 Book of the Month.
Simply superb, ’Black Water Lilies’ has leapt straight into my heart and soul. Thirteen days in the heart of Claude Monet’s homeland, where murder, death, lies, and deceit stalk the village of Giverny. Three women and two investigators dance through a weaving, magical, almost dreamlike story. The prologue sent a thrilling chill coursing through me, I was immediately captivated and remained that way for the entire tale. This is most definitely a crime novel, yet it is also a mystery, and a story about love, I almost feel as though it shouldn't be categorised, but enjoyed instead for what it is, a stunning piece of literature. Michel Bussi is an award-winning French novelist, this is the second of his novels to be translated into English. Descriptions are so immediate and evocative I felt as though I was about to step into a Monet painting. The plot kept me on the edge of the frame, just on the edge of understanding as I viewed the scenes in front of me. The unexpected ending made me weep, not through sadness, but because, as my brain raced to catch up with the shock of awareness, my feelings were affected at a basic level, and I’m still affected by it now. As soon as I had finished, I just wanted to start reading again from the beginning. ‘Black Water Lilies’ has been a bestseller in France, and it deserves to be a bestseller here, it is, without doubt, a must read. ~ Liz Robinson
A 'Piece of Passion' from the Publisher...
'I have to ’fess up, I did a French degree and am predisposed to love all things French. But that’s not why I love this book. Why I love it is that it is such a clever and compelling read – mystery after mystery is revealed as the story unfolds, and at every turn you meet a new and fascinating character. For me, one of the best ‘characters’ is the village of Giverny itself – by day, a mecca for tourists from all around the world; by night a place where decades-old rivalries and secrets play out behind closed doors. And then there’s the twist . . . I immediately wanted to go back and read the whole thing again!' ~ Kirsty Dunseath, Weidenfeld & Nicolson
Liz Robinson
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Black Water Lilies Synopsis
'Ends with one of the most reverberating shocks in modern crime fiction' Sunday Times This is the story of thirteen days that begin with one murder and end with another. Jerome Morval, a man whose passion for art was matched only by his passion for women, has been found dead in the stream that runs through the gardens at Giverny, where Monet did his famous paintings. In Jerome's pocket is a postcard of Monet's Water Lilies with the words: Eleven years old. Happy Birthday. Entangled in the mystery are three women: a young painting prodigy, the seductive village schoolteacher and an old widow who watches over the village from a mill by the stream. All three of them share a secret. But what do they know about the discovery of Jerome Morval's corpse? And what is the connection to the mysterious Black Water Lilies, a rumoured masterpiece by Monet that has never been found...'This elegant crime mystery shimmers as delicately as the paintings of Claude Monet that lie at its heart ...A bestseller in France, it is a dazzling, unexpected and haunting masterpiece' Daily Mail An enchanting tale that kept me absolutely hooked as Bussi cleverly breaks all the perceived rules of plotting in a story containing riddles within riddles . ..stunning' Daily Express
About This Edition
| ISBN: |
9781474601764 |
| Publication date: |
9th March 2017 |
| Author: |
Michel Bussi |
| Publisher: |
Weidenfeld & Nicolson an imprint of Orion Publishing Co |
| Format: |
Paperback |
| Pagination: |
350 pages |
| Primary Genre |
Crime and Mystery
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| Other Genres: |
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| Recommendations: |
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Press Reviews
Michel Bussi Press Reviews
'A work of genius befitting the masterpiece by Monet at its heart ... Simply stunning' DAILY EXPRESS
'A bestseller in France, it is a dazzling, unexpected and haunting masterpiece' DAILY MAIL
'Bussi's portrait of the difficulties of investigating a closed community is fascinating, and the novel ends with one of the most reverberating shocks in modern crime fiction.' SUNDAY TIMES
'Murder always seems especially appalling against a beautiful backdrop, which is why Michel Bussi's novel begins to strikingly' SUNDAY EXPRESS
'enjoyment of this intelligent and absorbing book need not be confined to Monetists' THE TIMES
'A work of genius befitting the masterpiece by Monet at its heart. The award-winning author weaves an enchanting tale that kept me absolutely hooked as Bussi cleverly breaks all the perceived rules of plotting in a story containing riddles within riddles. It works on multiple levels and left me completely baffled, yearning to work out how the different strands connect. But every loose thread is meshed neatly together in the final pages until the jaw-dropping big reveal at the end. The result is simply stunning' DAILY EXPRESS
'A novel so extraordinary that it reminded me of reading Steig Larsson for the very first time ... Bussi breaks every rule in the book, but I doubt I'll read a more brilliant crime novel this year' Sunday Times on AFTER THE CRASH
'Thriller of the month Good Housekeeping on' AFTER THE CRASH
'A richly satisfying story...a hugely enjoyable ride.' Irish Independent on AFTER THE CRASH
Author
About Michel Bussi
Michel Bussi is the author of the bestseller After the Crash. In France he has published eight bestselling thrillers and in 2013 alone, his books sold half a million copies in his native country. He has won fifteen literary awards, making him one of France's most prestigious crime authors. When not writing fiction, he is a Professor of Geography at the University of Rouen and a political commentator.
Author photo © Philippe Matsas
More About Michel Bussi
