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Qui connaît vraiment Alex? Elle est belle. Excitante. Est-ce pour cela qu'on l'a enlevée, séquestrée, livrée à l'inimaginable? Mais quand la police découvre enfin sa prison, Alex a disparu. Alex, plus intelligente que son bourreau. Alex qui ne pardonne rien, qui n'oublie rien, ni personne.

Un thriller glaçant qui jongle avec les codes de la folie meurtrière, une mécanique diabolique et imprévisible où l'on retrouve l'extraordinaire talent de l'auteur de Robe de marié.

400 pages, Paperback

First published February 2, 2011

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About the author

Pierre Lemaitre

76 books1,770 followers
Pierre Lemaitre is a French novelist and screenwriter. He is internationally renowned for the crime novels featuring the fictional character Commandant Camille Verhœven.

His first novel that was translated into English, Alex, is a translation of the French book with the same title, it jointly won the CWA International Dagger for best translated crime novel of 2013.

In November 2013, he was awarded the Prix Goncourt, France's top literary prize, for Au revoir là-haut (published in English as The Great Swindle), an epic about World War I. His novels Camille and The Great Swindle won the CWA International Dagger in 2015 and 2016 respectively.

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5 stars
6,483 (36%)
4 stars
7,255 (41%)
3 stars
2,956 (16%)
2 stars
640 (3%)
1 star
243 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,386 reviews
Profile Image for Jim Fonseca.
1,119 reviews7,473 followers
July 4, 2022
[Edited for typos and spoilers 7/4/22]

This French author has a good police procedural series going: Police Commandant Camille Verhoeven. This book (#2 in the series) is rated 4.1 with thousands of reviews – that’s quite high by GR standards.

I’ll work from the book blurb so I don’t give away more than necessary. Alex of the title is a young woman who has been kidnapped, savagely beaten, and suspended from the ceiling of an abandoned warehouse in a tiny wooden cage. Her abductor appears to want only to watch her die. Will hunger, thirst, or the rats get her first?

description

The books start with chapters alternating between what the woman is undergoing and how the detective is trying to find her. At first I thought “these cage scenes will get tiring and repetitive.” I was reminded of another mystery I read where a woman was locked in some kind of decompression chamber and we had to read about her ordeal dozens of times through the whole book. But that’s not the case in this novel.

There are two things that make this book a bit unique among police procedurals. In Part 1 we have a victim who we learn in Part 2 is also a victimizer. By the start of Part 3 a lot of the main characters are dead and you wonder, how is the author going to keep this going? He does a good job of it.

So our detective has to have quirks. Verhoeven has a bundle of them. He’s 4-feet 11-inches tall and we hear frequently how people react to his short stature and how his legs dangle off chairs. He’s an artist and constantly sketches the victim, looking for something.

His wife died four years ago and he was so stricken he was institutionalized for a year. She died from a kidnapping. Can he handle this kidnapping case? His mother recently died and he’s having a hard time dealing with that. He has strained relations with all his co-workers and with his boss. They argue like ‘an old married couple.’

His two male assistants are quirky too. One sees his job as keeping Verhoeven calm. The other is a sponge who is constantly bumming cigarettes off people, stealing food and sticking friends with meal tabs.

A line I liked when a colleague asks Verhoeven to stand in at his (fourth) wedding: “It’s strange how you keep marrying the same woman.” Another: “He drinks like a Pole which makes him a good Frenchman.”

description

I have previously read two other novels by this author, one in the Commandant Camille Verhoeven series (Camille #4) which was pretty good, but I liked best one of his books that is very different and not a detective story: The Great Swindle about two down-and-out disabled WW I vets in Paris who come up with a scheme. That book is excellent and it won the Prix Goncourt in 2013.

Top photo: Paris street scene from goodfon.com
The author from strandmag.com
Profile Image for Dem.
1,216 reviews1,279 followers
November 9, 2021
4.5 Stars

Wow! Dark, disturbing, tense, but utterly compelling. Not for the faint hearted. A crime / thriller novel that is a gripping page turner full of shocks and surprises.


French Author, Pierre Lemaitre’s second novel Alex really grabbed me from the very first page and I just couldn't put this one down. It’s translation from French by Frank Wyhnne is brilliantly done.

Alex is running out of time.......Kidnapped, beaten, suspended from the ceiling of an abandoned warehouse in wooden cage. Alex Prevost is in no position to bargain, her abductor’s only desire is to watch her die. Apart from a shaky police report, Commandant Camille verhoeven has nothing to go on, no suspect, no leads. If he is to find Alex her is have to get inside her head.

I was on the edge of my seat, I actually exclaimed out loud and pulled a lot of faces reading this one and that is what a good thriller is for me. While it’s disturbing and quite shocking it isn’t too graphic or gory which suited me perfectly but if you are anyway squeamish then perhaps take a rain check on this one.

This is the second novel in the series, I hadn’t read the first Irène and was a little worried going into this one that I was missing out as it was part of a series but thankfully it works perfectly as a stand alone novel. I loved the characters in this novel, they were so well fleshed out and while I am generally not a fan of police procedural novels, this one really worked for me.


Unpredictable, Suspenseful and full of twists and turns , Just a rocking good read and a book that I will remember a year from now. So glad I have a hard copy for my real life bookshelf.
Profile Image for Orsodimondo.
2,265 reviews2,135 followers
July 22, 2023
DONNE CHE ODIANO GLI UOMINI, MA ANCHE LE STESSE DONNE



Pierre Lemaitre ha capitolato: dopo la prima storia del commissario dell’Anticrimine di Parigi Camille Verhœven sapientemente intitolata “Un lavoro ben fatto”, ha constatato che gli editori stranieri pressoché in massa hanno ribattezzato quel suo romanzo con il nome della donna che vi compare più a lungo, Irène. E così questa seconda vicenda del commissario – ah, pardon, comandante Verhœven – parte già in originale con il nome di una donna. Così gli editori stranieri sbizzarriscono meno la loro fantasia.



Anche questa volta Lemaitre costruisce il caso di uno psicopatico, di qualcuno che ha subito torti nell’infanzia o gioventù e impiega la sua età adulta a vendicarsi, a cercare rivincita, a pareggiare i conti. Ma come si sa i conti non tornano mai. Assassini seriali.
Per me la tematica è di scarso interesse: preferisco i delitti a scopo di avidità, lucro, potere, la criminalità più o meno organizzata, quando per bande clan cosche ‘ndrine, quando in solitudine e organizzazione singolare.
Ma questa volta Lemaitre rivolta la frittata: non si tratta più di uomini che odiano le donne – o meglio, non soltanto – qui si narra di donne che odiano gli uomini: anzi, sono donne che odiano uomini e donne. Ma questo aspetto non accresce la mia curiosità: viva la psicologia, ma preferisco la sociologia all’etologia.



curiosità non certo titillata dal classico procedere del racconto a montaggio parallelo – un capitolo dedicato all’assassino di turno, uno al poliziotto di turno. Man mano i due percorsi si avvicineranno, quello che è parallelo diventerà semplicemente alternato, per poi convergere e incrociarsi.
La mia preferenza va d’istinto alle pagine dedicate alla caccia, alla sviluppo dell’indagine, all’acquisizione ed elaborazione dei dati raccolti.



Allora cos’è che mi tiene inchiodato alle pagine di romanzi così, cos’è che mi spinge a leggere Lemaitre con tanta voracità?
Forse questo anomalo commissario alto solo un metro e quarantacinque centimetri, con tutto quello che comporta. Forse perché Lemaitre non abbandona ai l’ironia, ma non esagera mai in quella direzione. Forse perché Lemaitre sa dosare ritmo e colpi di scena. Forse perché Lemaitre mi pare sappia rendere credibili anche i passaggi meno verosimili. Forse perché Lemaitre ha cura del suo stile e della sua trama e del ritmo, non trovo cedimenti né da una parte né dall’altra. O forse perché Lemaitre regala veri capovolgimenti e colpi di scena, anche quando riesco ad anticiparli, come nel primo romanzo, oppure quando arrivano con assoluta sorpresa come questa volta.
E non bastano gli armadi a contenere gli scheletri. Occupano un guardaroba intero.


Il film ”Sleepers”: meno di sei gradi di separazione.
Profile Image for Janet Joy.
23 reviews9 followers
February 8, 2017
Shocking.
Gruesome.
Complex.
Compelling.
I did not like the beginning because I am squeamish. It was ugly. Raw and very Frightening.
I continued and was rewarded with the start of an ingenious puzzle. A layered plot is so delicious and this was extremely satisfying and addictive.
One starts with pitying the woman & fearing for her : twist: pitying the men and fearing for them : twist : understanding the woman through those who knew her : pitying her : twist : cheering for her.
It is brilliant in the effortless reveal of this complex and fascinating character. And that’s just Alex.
The detectives are each fully developed and wonderfully flawed. The rich nuances of their past and present relationships with each other and others provided so much texture.
This is not a genre I gravitate to probably because a good mystery/detective/crime/suspense novel takes over my life until I finish the story. That’s what ALEX did to me for 3 days.
Bravo to the writer & the translator for a tension-filled unforgettable story.
I was thinking about who would love this book:
Readers of Stieg Larsson with its tension, brutality, shocking events and turn of events.
Readers of Gone Girl. I loved the twist in Gone Girl. Hated the characters by the end. It was strange to me becuase I couldn’t recommend the book as it was too ugly and I didn't 'enjoy' it.
ALEX on the other hand has multiple twists, characters you go through many emotions with and then the ending is brilliant.
It is a rich experience with a full and extraordinary ending.
Profile Image for Barbara.
1,489 reviews1,011 followers
March 29, 2023
4.5 stars: This is one of the best crime novels I have read in a while. This novel, with it’s unpredictable storyline, possess a plot that has incredible twists, turns and surprises. The story is largely told from two aspects: Alex, the victim and Police Commandant Camille Verhoeven, the lead investigator. The reader learns of events that the other major character does not know about. This writing style creates intensifying intrigue. LaMaitre wrote a scene involving rats (one of my phobias) which was written so well that I had to quit reading. If you are a suspense or crime reading enthusiast, don’t miss out on this gem. LeMaitre is an outstanding crime novelist. Apparently this is a second in a trilogy, but the first to be translated in English(from French). The translation is wonderful, easy to read. I hope the other books will be translated soon.
Profile Image for Brenda.
725 reviews145 followers
October 9, 2015
This is the second book in a trilogy. The first, Irene, I gave 4 stars; this book gets 5 stars.

You can probably tell from the title that this book is about Alex. Alex was put into a horrific situation from which...oh, rats, I can't tell you that. Then the story turns 180° when it turns out Alex is...oops, I can't tell you that, either. And finally, Alex... Well, I give up. You have to read the book. There's nothing I can tell you, except this was an emotional roller coaster and I loved the ride! There's no doubt in my mind why this book was the CWA International Dagger Award winner for Best Crime Novel 2013, and it was well deserved.

Now to finish the trilogy with Camille.
Profile Image for Carl Ingebretsen.
379 reviews
November 7, 2013
I am ecstatic right now. Damn near in shock. I have just experienced the thrill of reading what I am going to hold as one of the best crime novels I have ever read. In other words;


BEST. CRIME NOVEL. EVER EVER EVER OMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOGMOMGOGMOGM

Ahem.

But seriously, I cannot get over how terrific, how amazing, this novel really is. Written in present tense (DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY IDEA HOW RARE THIS IS?!), in third person, the prose is sometimes bizarre and always slightly different to read. It is masterfully written, with excellent characters and dialogue that makes you understand, get to know and get a feel for the characters. This is very, very rare, especially in crime fiction. What's even more rare is doing it while the plot zips and zaps, moving along like a train at full speed (sorry, for that terrible metaphor, as I read this on a train...).

And I haven't even gotten to the plotting. Or the twists. Aaaaagghhhh it is so great.

We meet Alex, and she gets kidnapped. Police Commandant Camille Verhæven is reluctantly put on the case, along with some of his old friends, and they start looking for this girl. The only problem is, they have nothing to go on except for an eyewitness report. Every second matters, time is of the essence and nothing is as it seems.

This, my friends, is a crime novel. It's like someone took Silence of the Lambs, Gone Girl and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and threw them in a blender, then sprinkled some Sherlock Holmes on top, along with a dash of kidnapping-horror. It has everything you could ever ask for in a crime novel; shocking twists, gruesome descriptions of violent and gory acts, harrowing truths and a feeling of complete disbelief as you realize that you have no idea where this is going next. I scratched my head so many times, going "why is this happening now? This doesn't make sense..." and then, fifty pages later, I went "Oh shit. How the hell didn't I see that coming?". That is, if I had managed to close my dropped jaw and stopped reading for a moment to think, instead of just reading on, desperate to find out what would happen next.

If Gone Girl was last years' phenomenon, then I'll be damned if Alex shouldn't be this years. Crime thrillers this great are few and far in between. Someone needs to get off their ass and translate Lemaitre's other novels or else I'm learning french, just to keep reading. And when Hollywood gets ahold of this...

It's going to be huge. Mark my words. And read it now; you won't be sorry you did.
Profile Image for Beatriz.
885 reviews805 followers
February 24, 2021
En Alex nos encontramos con un comandante Camille Verhœven permanentemente atormentado por los sucesos con los finalizó Irène. Han pasado casi cinco años y ese terrible desenlace aún le pasa la cuenta. Si bien regresó al servicio, sólo se ocupa de casos menores… hasta que por azares del destino y la intervención de su superior, se ve nuevamente a la cabeza de una investigación por un caso de secuestro.

El antiguo equipo se vuelve a armar, pero con un Camille abrumado por los recuerdos, que le impiden desplegar esa agudeza que tanto me deslumbró en el primer libro y lo transforman en un personaje irritante. Se nota un constante tira y afloja entre querer y no querer involucrarse en el caso, lo que se alarga casi hasta los últimos capítulos, en que se siente que todo el recorrido le permite, en cierta forma, hacer las paces con el pasado.

Por lo mismo, la gran estrella de esta historia y por quien es imposible parar de leer es Alex, una superviviente en todos los sentidos de la palabra. Pierre Lemaitre nos vuelve a sorprender con un giro tras otro, en una trama tan inteligente como su protagonista, pero que, al menos a mí, me causó una pena enorme a pesar del justo desenlace, tal como lo expresa el juez de la investigación en el último párrafo de la novela:

-De hecho, la verdad, la verdad… ¿Quién puede decir qué es verdad y qué no lo es, comandante? Para nosotros, lo esencial no es la verdad, sino la justicia, ¿no es así?
Camille sonríe y asiente.


Reto #37 PopSugar 2021: Un libro que crees que le gustaría a tu mejor amigo/a
Profile Image for Michael Kotsarinis.
498 reviews133 followers
September 23, 2016
Είχα καιρό να διαβάσω τόσο καλογραμμένο (και χορταστικό) αστυνομικό που συνδυάζει τη σύγχρονη γραφή με τις αρετές του κλασσικού. Ένα βιβλίο που ξεκινάει αργά και προβλέψιμα θα έλεγε κανείς για το είδος και στη συνέχεια επιταχύνει με τη μια ανατροπή να ακολουθεί την άλλη μέχρι το ευρηματικό και συνεπέστατο τέλος. Το βιβλίο μου άρεσε ιδιαίτερα καθώς ο Pierre Lemaitre αποδεικνύει ότι μπορεί να γράψει κανείς ένα σύγχρονο αστυνομικό και να ψυχογραφήσει τους ήρωές του με τα προβλήματά τους χωρίς να χαθεί στους λαβύρινθους των ψυχολογικών και υπαρξιακών τους αναζητήσεων. Δηλαδή απλά χωρίς να ξεχάσει τι γράφει και χωρίς να βαρεθεί ο αναγνώστης.
Profile Image for Robert.
Author 11 books433 followers
February 9, 2017
If I may be so bold, I’d like to begin at the end and say there’s definitely a “disturbance in the creative force.”—thanks Amanda Or at least that was my first thought after completing this novel.

If I didn’t want to embrace books with a warm hug and proceed to shove them out into the world by talking about them, promoting them, and engaging in lively discussions with informed readers across the space and time continuum for the rest of my life without fail, I could very easily just write ALEX off and move on with my life, rubbing my palms together, and then ducking under an overpass while the train rocks the tracks above my head. But that wouldn’t be okay, and it certainly isn’t a productive use of my time. Maybe I’m half-sensitive, half-crazy, prone to second-guessing, and have enough of an ego that I feel like I need to somehow be a productive member of society and make some sort of contribution before I dissipate off this Earth faster than a fart in the New Mexican wind, so here we are, wonderful reader and I, dancing the tango over yet another book review. Where I hope to impart a few thoughts, informed opinions, and constructive criticisms, and you can pretend that you actually give a flying fart.

Here are a few of the issues:
Constant telling to the point that I wanted to rip my hair out? Check.
Inside Alex’s head way too much, to the point that I could set up camp, read a newspaper, and smoke a cigarette while balancing a tumbler on my left knee? Check.
Shaggy dialogue? Check.
Exclamation point minefields? Check.
Not getting to the point? Check.
Am I making myself clear? No.
Piss-poor similes and metaphors? Check.
Overstated, redundant, bloated prose? Check.
Stilted, stiff, wooden, overformal, mannered, and pretentious dialogue? Check.
Overemphasis on ellipses? Check.
Repetitious to the point that I thought I had developed CRS disease? Check.
Drama and heightened tension sucked out of the prose faster than a Hoover by mediocre writing? Check.
Excessive stammering to the point that I wanted to offer speech lessons? Check.
Mystery? Possibly but it was a side car on this happy train.
A supposed thriller minus most of the thrills? Check.
Plenty of clichés? Check.
Immediate and unexplained epiphanies? Check.
Brings words like pussyfooting to the foray? Check.
Penchant for passive voice? Check.
Almost seemed to switch POV in the middle of a few scenes? Check.
Editing comments that were both annoying and frustrating and over explained the difference between French and English? Check. (This should be fixed upon the official release, otherwise readers are in for a real treat.)

For the first two-thirds or so of this tale, Alex Prevost just might have been my least favorite character of all time. I’m not sure I could have looked at her, or even been in the same room with her, and being in her head for so long proved rather torturous, corrupting me on more than one level.

If I didn’t already have some sort of complex where I tend to question myself, ponder the meaning of life, and seek out both the good in people and books, I might be perfectly fine with writing two one-star reviews in a row. But I can’t help but feel as though I have somehow failed the universe.

Upon finishing ALEX, I don’t really feel anger or frustration or fury or annoyance, I feel a lingering, profound sadness that hangs over me like the sun, a sense of defeat and loss and despair that clings to me like a wet t-shirt, and then I don’t really feel much of anything at all.

I received this book for free through NetGalley.

Cross-posted at Robert's Reads
Profile Image for Todos Mis Libros.
249 reviews167 followers
May 20, 2021
Hoy os traigo una novela que me ha resultado apasionante. Había leído y escuchado un montón de buenas recomendaciones sobre las novelas de Pierre Lemaitre, y puedo corroborar que son acertadas.

Alex no es un libro, considero, apto para lectores sensibles pero desde luego, si os gustan las emociones fuertes, las novelas policíacas y, sobre todo, los thrillers psicológicos os puedo decir que este libro es apuesta segura.

Alex tiene un comienzo inquietante, agónico y claustrofóbico.
En primer lugar, no se nos descubre ni revela casi nada de la vida de la protagonista, esto se mantiene así durante buena parte de la trama. Tanto es así, que pensé que esperaba que Lemaitre no me tomase el pelo y terminara la novela dejándome cabos sueltos y sin explicar; del tipo: "así me hago el interesante". Tenía confianza en que no fuese así por las buenas críticas recibidas, como he comentado, pero sabe mantener tanto, y tan bien, el suspense que me hizo desconfiar un poco en plan de: "como al final no me aclares todo esto, te mato".

No quiero desvelar mucho sobre la trama y os aconsejo que no leáis muchas sinopsis porque no todas son tan escuetas como la que os he dejado y os pueden dar a suponer alguna cosa que os fastidie un poco el factor sorpresa.

Como os decía, tras un comienzo fuerte y escalofriante, nos vamos adentrando en la trama de la mano de Alex y, como no, del comandante Camille, encargado de investigar el caso. Un personaje con mucho gancho y bastante peculiar, tanto en su forma de ser como en lo que a su físico se refiere, y hasta aquí leo...

Poco a poco, se nos van desgranando detalles de lo sucedido a lo largo de la vida de Alex. Camille, no lo tendrá fácil para poder ir haciendo descubrimientos, ni el lector tampoco, pero con gran pericia va tirando de algunos hilos y todo ello nos conduce hasta un final también bastante fuerte, que nos hará quedarnos helados, con algunas atrocidades que descubrimos, y que unirá y rematará toda la historia. Ofreciéndonos, al fin, todas las repuestas que estábamos esperando de una forma totalmente satisfactoria. De este modo, todo cobra sentido y sentimos una gran empatía, hacia algunos personajes, en especial hacia Alex, del mismo modo que odiaremos con todas nuestras fuerzas a otros, al descubrir las acciones tan aborrecibles y deleznables que cometieron en el pasado. Unos por acción y otros por omisión.

¡Ah, una cosa importante que se me olvidaba! Si tenéis pensado leer Irene, del mismo autor, tendréis que hacerlo antes de leer Alex, porque nada más comenzar esta, ya se nos destripa totalmente el final de Irene. Cosa que no entiendo ni le veo razón de ser, porque al ser libros independientes, porque son casos diferentes, Lemaitre solito se cierra las puertas a que leas o compres Irene si has leído Alex porque ya te has destripado el final...

En conclusión, una novela del género prácticamente perfecta, que da un paso más allá, en cuanto a valentía se refiere, ofreciéndonos una trama y unas escenas bastante fuertes, en ocasiones, que no nos dejará indiferentes.

Mi puntuación es: 8.5/10
Profile Image for Antonio TL.
268 reviews33 followers
January 15, 2024
Una novela extraordinariamente escalofriante e inquietante ambientada en París. Los personajes principales, Alex, la víctima inicial de un secuestro, y el comandante Camille Verhoeven, el inspector de policía, se presentan como individuos muy fuertes, decididos que están decididos a lograr sus objetivos. Al principio, la investigación sobre el secuestro de Alex parece bastante rutinaria, pero de repente parece haber alguna razón oculta detrás del crimen y la historia toma un rumbo diferente que le da diferencia y frescura con respecto a muchas otras del mismo tipo. Eso si, algunas escenas no son aptas para personas con estómagos débiles. Fue muy gratificante cómo el autor jugó con los tropos de la ficción policial y los puso patas arriba mientras insertaba algunos giros tortuosos. El libro es difícil de precisar e impredecible, lo cual fue asombroso. Muy bien escrito y traducido con personajes interesantes. Un thriller bien hecho, retorcido y lleno de curvas. No para los débiles de corazón
Profile Image for Dystopian.
293 reviews81 followers
February 23, 2024
মাঝে মাঝে মনে হয় এনাফ থ্রিলার পড়া হইছে। তারপর এলেক্স এর মত দুই একটা বই হাতে আসে আর দৃষ্টিভঙ্গি মুডসুইং এর মত চেঞ্জ করে দেয়। এখনো দারুন দারুন বই থ্রিলার পড়া বাকি!

বই এর সব কিছুই দারুন। তাই আর কথা বাড়ালাম না৷
Profile Image for Thanos.
93 reviews18 followers
July 11, 2017
Εδώ και λίγο καιρό ήθελα να βρω ένα βιβλίο που θα διαβάζεται γρήγορα χωρίς να γίνεται κουραστικό, με καλή και έξυπνη υπόθεση, με συμπαθητικούς χαρακτήρες και ανατροπές. Ε λοιπόν, όλα αυτά υπάρχουν σε αυτό το βιβλίο!

Όσο περνάνε οι σελίδες, οι ανατροπές διαδέχονται η μία την άλλη. Ποιος είναι ποιος? Από τη μία συμπάσχεις με κάποιους χαρακτήρες και από την άλλη τους καταριέσαι. Αλλά σε κάθε σελίδα τα πάντα αλλάζουν. Μέχρι και το τέλος υπάρχουν ανατροπές.

Γενικά είναι ένα πολύ έξυπνο βιβλίο που ξεφεύγει λίγο από τα κλασικά αστυνομικά και δίνει αυτό το κάτι παραπάνω που χρειάζεται για να ξεχωρίσει. Τα καταφέρνει επάξια και ειλικρινά θα ήθελα μεταφρασμένο και το πρώτο βιβλίο της σειράς για να έχουμε μία καλύτερη εικόνα των χαρακτήρων.

Highly recommended!
Profile Image for Raven.
744 reviews221 followers
February 14, 2013
Every so often a crime thriller comes along that leaves you breathless and takes you on a disturbing journey into the darkest recesses of human experience- ‘Alex’ is one such book and you are guaranteed a tale of the unexpected from start to finish. Don’t expect any spoilers or dwelling on the plot from me, as I want you all to be as surprised by this twisty tale as I was, but all I will say is, you are in for more than one shock or two along the way. Intriguing huh?

The book opens innocuously enough with the kidnapping of a young woman, the eponymous Alex, but as the grim details of her incarceration unfold, and quite frankly, will probably haunt your dreams, she finds herself having to draw on every ounce of her own resource-fulness to survive and seek her escape. With the police seemingly at a loss to identify her and, to more importantly track her and her kidnapper down, what is it about this woman that eludes their detection and has forced a man to take such serious measures as to patiently stalk her, and then seek to watch her die in a pretty damn barbarous way? Well, I’m not telling, but suffice to say when the true nature of Alex’s character and her ruthless sense of retribution are slowly revealed, you will be completely caught up in, and engaged with the expose of this remarkably determined and dangerous young woman- a woman who admittedly makes Lisbeth Salander look like Mary Poppins. But, and here’s the clever bit, you will be wrongfooted at every turn in your emotional responses to her and this is where the genius of this dark tale lies.

Outside of the sterling characterisation of the truly hypnotic Alex herself, Lemaitre proves he is no slouch at creating other compelling characters, as an integral part of the whole. Police Commandant Camille Verhoeven, who reluctantly discovers himself in charge of this initially mystifying case is a wonderful creation. Struggling with his own mental torment following the relatively recent kidnapping and murder of his wife, Verhoeven, a diminutive man in stature, but with the investigatory tenacity of a small terrier, takes a firm hold on the case, challenging those who seek to interupt his path of detection with a steely determination and a nice line in putdowns. As small as he is physically, his character looms large within the piece and his interplay with his colleagues Louis, intelligent and rich who drapes himself in designer clothing, and Armand, a scruffy individual who has taken cadging to a whole other level, is so plausible and engaging, that as the action pivots between Alex herself and the police investigation, there was to me a perfect mix of drama, poignancy and humour ingrained in Verhoeven and his close cohorts throughout. There are also by turns, some truly hapless and repellent characters who all play a strong part in the novel, both in conjunction with Alex’s actions, and in those who seek to undermine Verhoeven’s grip on the case, despite the sense of urgency and professionalism he brings to the investigation. Quite simply, Lemaitre provides a masterclass in characterisation throughout, and you will be appalled and delighted by his protagonists at every turn.

Last, but by no means least, I would like to offer a special mention, to the translator Frank Wynne, who has not only peppered the book with some lovely- as we say in English- turns of phrase (sorry, this is a nod to a character- you’ll understand it when you read the book) including ‘narked’, references to ‘muppets’ and even a ‘noggin’, that injects the book with another level of humour, but has also produced a distinctly fluid translation that, to me, retains the nuances of Lemaitre’s accomplished plot and characterisation, and elevates the enjoyment of this novel even more.

An absolute gem of a crime novel that is wonderfully dark, scary, mad, bad and dangerous to know, but just far too good to miss…
Profile Image for Takoneando entre libros.
727 reviews107 followers
October 2, 2023
La verdad es que aunque hay alguna parte pesadita, reconozco que me ha tenido muuuuuy enganchada y a veces desorientada.
Esta segunda parte de la trilogía me ha gustado bastante más que la primera, que encontré demasiado gore, caótica y llena de spoilers de otros libros.
En este caso me ha gustado mucho como describe una cierta situación (que no puedo leer). Me daba asco y a la vez me fascinaba.
Muy bien esos giros desconcertando al lector en algún momento.
Por poner un pero, me gustaría que no fuera todo tan evidente.
Profile Image for Angel.
35 reviews8 followers
February 28, 2022
Qué pasada. Me encanta la forma que tiene el autor de marear al lector con giros locos; ha hecho que cambie mi opinión sobre la protagonista principal constantemente, según nos iba revelando datos sobre lo que estaba haciendo y, más adelante, sobre su pasado. Es un thriller tenso, adictivo y muy bien escrito. Y el final es, simplemente, perfecto.
Profile Image for Paul Ataua.
1,636 reviews186 followers
January 5, 2023
It’s the second in the Camille Verhœven series and here the detective finds himself assigned a case involving the kidnapping of a young woman. It’s certainly not the kind of case he wants after what happened in the first book. It’s a fairly solid crime thriller with lots of twist and turns, but it wasn’t particularly gripping unless you are terrified even of the mention of rats, and the significant twists really only took place in the second half of the book. It got better as the it neared the end, but I had lost some of my interest by then.
Profile Image for MaryG2E.
389 reviews1 follower
February 10, 2017
This is an absolutely first class crime novel. It is a real page-turner, and I had great trouble putting it down before reaching the clever ending. I rate it 4.5 ★s

Within the crime fiction genre, I prefer the police procedural and/or forensic science formats. That��s because I love guessing ’Whodunnit?’ So I enjoy best those novels that drop little clues into the narrative - doesn’t matter if they are false clues or red herrings, because it is all about solving the mystery. With its principal crime solvers being detectives in the French brigade criminelle, there are enough hints sprinkled through the story of Alex to keep me riveted to the page.

Leading the crime squad is the somewhat melancholic detective Commandant Camille Verhoeven, a widower whose professional and personal life have been marred by a past tragedy. Verhoeven is reluctant to take on the case of a kidnapped woman, Alex, but is gradually drawn into the race to find and save her. From there, a death ensues, and the scene is set by the author for a great murder mystery story.

Verhoeven’s investigations into the kidnapping disclose a connection to some unsolved cases and thus lead him to believe there is a serial killer at large, someone whose ‘signature’ involves the mutilation of their victims with acid. We, the readers, learn quite early in the book the identity of the killer, and we are given insights into their character, in particular their resourcefulness, determination and attention to detail in trapping and murdering several people. We are not spared the bloody, gruesome details of the crimes. So this novel is essentially a ’Whydunnit?’ as we search for answers to the perpetrator’s motivations for such violent and cruel actions.

As the story progresses, the suspense deepens, with the detectives mystified and frustrated in their search for this vicious killer. Lemaitre reveals his writing genius as he twists the tale a number of times, keeping us readers off-balance. The ending is very clever, and it left me both shocked and satisfied with the final outcome. However, I sound a warning note: this book is not for the squeamish or faint-hearted. The crimes are cruel, the details are gory, and the backstory is horrendous. So why did I enjoy the book so much? Because it is so well-written - the pace is electric, the characterisations feel authentic, and the plot lines touch on key social issues in our communities.

I was fortunate to have read Irène first, the author’s earlier book, which introduced the character of Commandant Verhoeven. Although Alex works well as a stand-alone novel, it is helpful to have read Verhoeven’s backstory, as his personal history does have an impact on his attitude and behaviour.
Profile Image for Πάνος Τουρλής.
2,250 reviews132 followers
February 4, 2017
Άντρας απάγει γυναίκα και την κλείνει σε ένα κλουβί, αφήνοντάς τη βορά στους αρουραίους. Ποιος είναι και γιατί τη διάλεξε; Γιατί δεν την κακοποιεί; Γιατί δε ζητάει λύτρα; Κι αν όλα αλλάξουν από τη μια στιγμή στην άλλη και το θύμα γίνει θύτης; Ποια είναι αυτή η Αλέξ; Και γιατί δεν μπορεί να την εντοπίσει ο αστυνόμος Βεροβέν;

Ήταν ένα από τα δυνατότερα σε ένταση και περιγραφές αστυνομικά μυθιστορήματα, με έναν διαφορετικό, βραχύσωμο αστυνόμο, τον Καμίγ Βεροβέν, που όσο μπόι του λείπει, τόσο μυαλό έχει. Η εμφάνισή του ξεγελάει όποιον έχει απέναντί του. Τετραπέρατος, απότομος, καθόλου ευγενικός, με το δικό του τραυματικό παρελθόν. Ένα παρελθόν που είναι άσχημο (δυστυχώς διαδραματίζεται στο πρώτο, αμετάφραστο προς το παρόν στην Ελλάδα, βιβλίο της σειράς, με τίτλο Irene), τον έχει επηρεάσει αρνητικά, καταφέρνει όμως να λύσει την υπόθεση που του αναθέτουν με τη βοήθεια αξιόλογων συνεργατών: του πάμπλουτου Λουί που αγνοεί την περιουσία του κι εργάζεται ως βοηθός αστυνομικού, ο τρακατζής και κλεπτομανής Αρμάν (η σκηνή με την ανάκριση στο ψιλικατζίδικο ενώ αδειάζει το μαγαζί ήταν αξεπέραστη)

Μου άρεσε πολύ η διαφορετική οπτική της ιστορίας και ο τρόπος που το βάρος της υπόθεσης ξεκινάει από αλλού για να καταλήξει αλλού. Ενώ νομίζεις στην αρχή ότι έχεις να κάνεις με μια όμορφη κοπέλα που κάποιος τρελός την απήγαγε, όσο η υπόθεση προχωράει διαπιστώνεις ότι ο απαγωγέας και η απαχθείσα έχουν κάτι κοινό. Και όχι μόνο αυτό αλλά ξαφνικά τα θύματα που βρίσκει η αστυνομία με καμένο λάρυγγα από το θειικό οξύ που αναγκάζονται να καταπιούν αυξάνονται! Ποιος κρύβεται πίσω από αυτές τις δολοφονίες και τι σχέση έχει με την απαγωγή;

Οι περιγραφές είναι σκληρές και εμετικές. Πολλές φορές βρέθηκα να κλείνω απότομα το βιβλίο για να μη διαβάσω παρακάτω. Ο συγγραφέας δεν είναι φειδωλός στις περιγραφές του, όχι για να γεμίσει σελίδες ή για να εκβιάσει την αηδία αλλά για να δείξει τον επικίνδυνο ψυχικό κόσμο του δράστη. Επιπλέον η ένταση κορυφώνεται, γιατί αποκαλύπτεται κι άλλο λιθαράκι γύρω από τη ζωή της απαχθείσας και του περιβάλλοντος στο οποίο κινείται.

Και το τέλος....αχ, το τέλος! Τοποθετεί τα κομμάτια του παζλ στη σωστή σειρά και με τη σωστή γωνία αναπαράστασης! Στο τρίτο και τελευταίο μέρος του βιβλίου, η ένταση χτυπάει κόκκινο, η Αλέξ συνεχίζει να επηρεάζει τους γύρω της με έναν απίστευτα ευρηματικό τρόπο και διαπιστώνω πού το πάει η υπόθεση σχεδόν ταυτόχρονα με τους αστυνομικούς! Ειλικρινά, αυτό ήταν το καλύτερο φινάλε αστυνομικού βιβλίου, με την πρόταση: «Για μας αυτό που έχει σημασία δεν είναι η αλήθεια αλλά η δικαιοσύνη» να είναι το πιο μεσοβέζικο, διπλής σημασίας απόφθεγμα βιβλίου που έχω διαβάσει ως τώ��α.

Πραγματικά, ένα κείμενο που με άφησε άφωνο για τον χειρισμό, την ιδέα και την εξέλιξη της πλοκής. Τελικά, πρέπει να παίρνει κανείς τον νόμο στα χέρια του κι αν ναι ως πού έχει το ηθικό και νόμιμο δικαίωμα να φτάσει; Εκπληκτικό κείμενο, γρήγορο, στακάτο, ανατρεπτικό ως την τελευταία σελίδα.
Profile Image for Tea Jovanović.
Author 346 books719 followers
September 27, 2020
Ovo je drugi naslov iz serijala... Laguna je preskočila prvi i objavila drugi i treći, a četvrti izignorisala... Sjajan autor, nagrađivan, mislim da zaslužuje veću pažnju naše publike nego što ju je dosad dobio... ni Laguna ni Čarobnjaci nisu se proslavili prodajom njegovih knjiga, a čovek zaista odlično piše i prevodi na srpski su odlični...
Profile Image for miss.bookblogger.
382 reviews48 followers
April 20, 2022
Alex es el segundo libro de la tetralogía Verhoeven, y si dicen que las segundas partes nunca son buenas, este libro desmonta esa teoría.

Brutal, maquiavélico, una trama dura, con escenas no aptas para todos (os aviso), directo un final que merece muchísimo la pena, una novela negra exquisita para los amantes del género. Ya Irène me gustó mucho, pero este aún más.

Después de cuatro años, Camille vuelve a la policía y se mete de lleno en un caso que remueve su existencia. Sin duda alguna es el protagonista absoluto de la novela, todo el peso sigue recayendo sobre él. La novela tiene una trama distinta y nueva, pero sí que guarda mucha relación con el anterior, así que recomendaría leerlos en orden, sino quizá pierde un poco su potencial.

No es un ritmo frenético el que tiene el libro, pero si genera el suficiente suspense para ir leyendo más, querer saber. Giros en los momentos justos, esos en los que crees que ya tienes la teoría y ploffff, el autor te la desmonta en un periquete.

Seguiré leyendo los dos siguientes y si os gusta este tipo de libros os lo recomiendo bastante.
Profile Image for Rabasco.
22 reviews9 followers
September 21, 2023
La historia sigue a Alex Prévost, una joven que es secuestrada en las calles de París.
A medida que la búsqueda de la policía se intensifica, se descubren oscuros secretos y giros impactantes, que hacen que no puedas dejar el libro y... bueno, no voy a contar nada, que el mínimo detalle puede destripar la historia.
La narrativa es hábil y lúgubre, creando una atmósfera de terror psicológico que te mantendrá en vilo hasta el último momento.
Lemaitre te sumerge en un abismo de crueldad y sadismo mientras el detective Verhœven persigue al sádico captor. Cada página parece sumergirte más en la depravación de la mente humana, y no hay un rayo de luz en esta oscura travesía.
Los personajes están marcados por sus demonios internos y los diálogos reflejan una desesperación palpable. La novela es un recordatorio inquietante de que el mal puede acechar en los lugares más insospechados y que la crueldad humana no conoce límites.

En resumen, "Alex", como la anterior, "Irène", es una inmersión implacable en la crueldad y el lado más oscuro de la naturaleza humana. Esta novela te dejará con una sensación persistente de inquietud.
Aunque la novela es autoconclusiva y se puede leer sin haber leído la anterior no lo recomiendo en absoluto ya que te tragarás spoilers del tamaño de un camión.
Y por cierto, el final me ha encantado.

5/5
November 9, 2019
“It’s possible to kill in many ways, for many reasons, but all abductions are alike. And one thing is certain: kidnapping someone requires planning. Obviously it’s possible to do it on impulse, in a sudden fit of anger, but it’s pretty rare and doomed to failure. In most cases, the perpetrator organises, plans, meticulously prepares. The stats are not good: the first few hours are critical; the chances of the victim being found alive soon plummet. A hostage is a liability – you want to get rid of them quickly.”
- Camille Verhœven

* * *
“As a society we are no longer focused on criminals; we focus on the victims.”
- Vidard (Magistrate)

* * *
“How many days before I die? What will the pain of death be like? How does a corpse rot suspended between earth and heaven?
For now, he’s waiting for me to die; those were his words: “watch you die”.”
- Alex Prévost

* * *
“A serial killer who commits suicide – it’s not as good as an arrest – but it’s worth it from the point of view of security, public safety, civil peace and all that shit. The murderer is dead. It’s like a medieval town crier announcing the wolf is dead; everyone knows it’s not going to change the face of the world, but it affords relief, reinforces the impression that some higher power is watching over us. And the higher power in this case is revelling in it.”
- Camille Verhœven

* * *
“Oh, the truth, the truth … Who’s to say what’s true and what isn’t? As far as we’re concerned what’s important is not truth, it’s justice.”
- Vidard
Profile Image for Carolyn.
2,367 reviews663 followers
December 20, 2015
This was an exceptionally good suspense novel. It starts off as a horrendous kidnapping, with the victim suffering unimaginable torture for reasons that are not clear to us. Then it becomes a murder mystery where the police are hunting a serial killer who kills her seemingly unrelated victims in a horrendous manner. Not for the faint hearted but masterfully written and gripping right to the end.

This is the second novel in the Verhoeven trilogy and it stands alone very well. However it does reveal information from the first novel Irène so you may prefer to read them in order. Commandant Camille Verhoeven lost his wife Irene in a kidnapping in the previous novel so is reluctant to take on this kidnapping case but he gradually becomes driven to find the unknown victim and find out the motive of the perpetrator.

Although the author lets us know who has been doing the killings before Verhoeven works it out, we don't guess why until close to the end. The murderer's final act is chillingly clever and unexpected. A brilliant ending in fact!
Profile Image for Justo Martiañez.
438 reviews158 followers
January 4, 2020
4.5/5. Segundo libro de la serie del comandante Verhoeven. No le doy un 5 porque lo reservo para las obras maestras, pero a medida que voy leyendo más a Lemaitre, más me gusta .
Absolutamente adictivo y original, cuando piensas que tienes claro por donde va la trama, te sorprende y te deja noqueado e irremediablemente enganchado. Absolutamente recomendable, eso si, creo que es importante empezar la serie por el primer libro, Irene, ya que se hacen continuas referencias al mismo y, la propia idiosincrasia del comandante, está íntimamente ligada a los sucesos del primer libro.
Antes de este libro, tenía a Fred Vargas en el primer puesto del Podium de la Novela Negra, ahora está en dura competencia con Lemaitre. Las próximas lecturas me ayudarán a decidir. En cualquier caso, el género en Francia se encuentra a un nivel insuperable.
Profile Image for Labijose.
1,026 reviews531 followers
September 30, 2017
It’s the perfect crime novel. Thrilling pages from start to finish! A bit of warning, though. Some of the descriptions are not for the faint hearted. That said, it kept me glued to my kindle. Lemaitre knows his way around plots. An enjoyable roller coaster ride, full of magnificent twists. Great characters, and not only Camille. Louis and Armand are described in an astonishing beautiful way. And the ending …, the human touch in the investigation of how Alex turned out to be the way she was is quite sensitive. For me, “Alex” is a master piece. I take my hat off to Mr Lemaitre again!
Profile Image for Lu❤an.
105 reviews43 followers
December 15, 2019
IMPRESIONANTE!! mejor que el primero y ya es decir.Miedo me da continuar con la saga porque este lo ha dejado en todo lo alto. Pierre Lemaitre ..altamente recomendable como me gusta este escritor,lo tiene todo para mantenerte ahí y no poder dejar de pasar páginas
Profile Image for Evi.
79 reviews35 followers
November 1, 2018
"Αλέξ" τιτλοφορείται το δεύτερο κατά σειρά βιβλίο του Pierre Lemaitre που έχει ως ήρωα τον αστυνόμο Καμίγ Βεροβέν.

Ο Pierre Lemaitre, που έχει τιμηθεί με Goncourt, ως εξαιρετικός μαέστρος κλιμακώνει την ένταση σε κάθε σελίδα του μυθιστορήματος και ξετυλίγει εντέχνως το αδράχτι της ατμοσφαιρικής αγωνίας που καλύπτει αυτό το νουάρ. Οι βεβαιότητες ανατρέπονται με επιδεξιότητα, ενώ η καταιγιστική πλοκή εδραιώνει το απρόβλεπτο φινάλε.

Η Αλέξ είναι μία όμορφη και προκλητική γυναίκα, που όμως κανείς δε γνωρίζει σε βάθος. Η γυναίκα αυτή απαγάγεται και κρατείται φυλακισμένη. Ποιος και για ποιο λόγο μετατρέπει τη ζωή της σε κόλαση;

Έπειτα από πολύπλευρες έρευνες ο αστυνόμος Βεροβέν βρίσκει την τοποθεσία εγκλεισμού της. Όταν συμβαίνει αυτό, η Αλέξ έχει καταφέρει ήδη να δραπετεύσει μόνη της, γιατί είναι πιο έξυπνη από το πρόσωπο που την απήγαγε. Η Αλέξ είναι μια γυναίκα που δεν ξεχνά και δε συγχωρεί τίποτα και σε κανέναν.

Βιβλίο που θα μπορούσε να γίνει μια εξαιρετική ταινία χιτσκοκικού είδους. Συναρπαστικό και πρωτότυπο που ξαφνιάζει με την εξέλιξη του. Η τολμηρότητα σε περιγραφή και πλοκή αναδεικνύει τον συγγραφέα και ανεβάζει τον πήχη για τα επόμενα έργα του.

Ο Lemaitre δημιουργεί μια πρωταγωνίστρια που μου προκάλεσε πληθώρα συσυναισθημάτων. Αρχικά τη λυπήθηκα, έπειτα με θορύβησε και στη συνέχεια με ξάφνιασε. Αναπότρεπτα, την παραδέχτηκα.. Η γυναίκα αυτή τελικά είναι θύμα ή θύτης; Το βέβαιο είναι πως βιώνει μια μεγάλη μοναξιά μέσα σε έναν απύθμενο πόνο. Ποιό είναι το γεγονός που λυτρώνει τη ζοφερή ζωή της όταν κάθε ελπίδα δείχνει πως έχει χαθεί;

"Η εκδίκηση είναι ένα πιάτο που τρώγεται κρύο". ΔΙΑΒΑΣΤΕ ΤΟ!
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