Mario Bolduc

Edgy crime series!

A strong, racey, crime noir that takes you from Tanzania to the United States and on to the north west area of Canada.
From the scourge of abhorrent superstitious practices with albinism and body parts, centered in Tanzania to a black market trade in the world beyond (thanks to the dark side of the web), to the small exclusive world of American executioners in those States where the death penalty is still part of the legal system.
There are two storytellers. We approach the story from the perspective of the first, Max O'Brien, a con man without pretensions. We first meet him carrying out a sting in Zanzibar. The second story teller is Roselyn Kerensky, wife of a retired executioner.
How these two stories might intersect puzzled me. I kept wondering about the relevance. That was decisively put to rest as the action evolved.
When Max is notified of the deaths of his ex mistress Valéria and her daughter Sophie he is thrown. Valéria was an Albino rights worker, killed in her home in Tanzania. Max's hunt for their killers begins.
There is some resolution for me but not in all areas. This leaves questions, although the immediate reasons for Valéria's death are closed.
This is the first Max O'Bien novel I've read. I loved it and I will be keeping my eyes open for more works by Mario Bolduc. The Tanzania Conspiracy confirms my opinions about edgy works Québécois produce in the arts. Even the cover is exciting. This novel by Bolduc won't be my last!

A Dundurn ARC via NetGalley… (meer)

Ce sont seize nouvelles policières d'autant d'auteurs québécois. Ce sont seize courtes situations ayant un seul point commun, crimes à la librairie. Ce lieu particulier à l'abri des tempêtes et du temps qu'est la librairie constitue en effet le centre de ces brefs polars et devient une scène de crime. C'est cet argument en forme de contrainte qui a permis à un amateur chevronné de lecture policière québécoise de réunir dans ce recueil seize auteurs à découvrir, seize auteurs à mieux connaître, seize auteurs à lire. On peut affirmer qu'il a réussi et que cette incursion dans le domaine du polar québécois appelle de nouvelles lectures.

[http://rivesderives.blogspot.ca/2015/07/crimes-la-librairie-collectif-sous-la.html]… (meer)