The Cemetery of Swallows

A Paris police detective delves into an inexplicable murder in this "gripping and surprising" literary noir ( Shelf Awareness). One day, mild-mannered Manuel Gemoni travels to the other end of the world to kill an old man in the Dominican Republic. When questioned by police, Manuel can only explain his bizarre actions by saying, "I killed him because he had killed me." Unable to comprehend why an ordinary family man with no history of violent behavior would go to such lengths to kill someone he didn't even know, Police Commissioner Amédée Mallock decides to investigate. In order to save Manuel from death, the misanthropic Mallock must immerse himself in a case that spans from the harsh tropical jungles of the Dominican Republic to the snow-covered streets of Paris. "A provocative novel that explores such disparate topics as international criminal law, black magic, and personal loyalty . . . Readers will enjoy the rich colonial history and cross-cultural commentary as the motive for Manuel's execution of Darbier gradually emerges." — Publishers Weekly