CLASSIC CRIME

BARRY TURNER

THE E XECUTIONER WEEPS by F rédéric D ard

(Pushkin Vertigo £7.99) It Is a defining feature of classic crime that, however scary the plot, in the end all will be well.

But then, occasionally, along comes an author who breaks the mould. Frédéric Dard is one such.

At the height of his powers in the Fifties, this prolific French writer — with more than 300 mystery thrillers to his credit — took to novels that put added darkness into ‘noir’.

the executioner Weeps opens with a young artist on a working visit to the spanish coast.

On a lonely road, a woman throws herself in front of his car. recovery leaves her with no memory.

When the artist follows up clues to her identity, he finds himself an accessory to unspeakable horrors. A tragedy is inevitable, but the form it takes is hidden until the last gasp-inducing pages.

With an excellent translation by David Coward, this is a book that calls for tight nerves and a stiff drink.

IN T HIS GRAVE H OUR by J acqueline Winspear

(Allison & Busby £19.99) We FIrst encountered Maisie Dobbs as a young widow from the Great War determined to make her way in a man’s world. now, a string of successes credited to her detective agency has brought her into contact with the intelligence services.

With the start of another war bringing an influx of political refugees, Maisie is set the task of tracking down a killer who is targeting Belgian resistance veterans. little in the case makes sense, until she digs deep into the background of the victims to discover a tragedy that long predates 1939.

the appeal of the novel is in Winspear’s skill in creating a setting that draws on a close knowledge of the period.

the build-up of war fervour is frighteningly real. When we leave Maisie, she is preparing to play her part in the unfolding conflict. the forces of oppression are in for a bumpy ride.