An uncertain place by Fred Vargas

Translated by Sian Reynolds.
An Inspector Adamsberg novel #6

Adamsberg is in England at a European policing convention, discussing immigration and the control thereof. Well, that’s what everyone else is discussing, Adamsberg is using the fact that he can’t understand English to his own advantage. But while out on a tour of London he and a group of other policemen discover a collection of shoes. Complete with feet inside. And outside Highgate Cemetery with its ominous reputation. But that is a matter for the British police surely.

And when Adamsberg returns home a new murder case takes his attention; an old man living alone is battered to death. His body utterly destroyed, pummelled into mush. As Admasberg and his unit investigate they find that this is no simple murder.

I’m a big fan of Vargas’ Inspector Adamsberg series. Adamsberg himself is a fantastic creation. A seemingly distracted investigator, he is almost the opposite of the traditional Sherlock Holmes or Hercule Poirot And this book starts out really well. Creepy and macabre, and with a hint of vampires. It really is a perfect read for the RIP event. I love the interactions between the different characters that make up the squad. They all have their different strengths and weaknesses, and somehow, even when they don’t get on they still manage to work well together. Well, most of the time they manage to work together, what is a story without some amount of friction

For most of this book I really enjoyed it, but the ending felt a bit rushed to me, a bit wham bam thank you mam. I’d still recommend it as a very good read, but not my favourite of Vargas’ work.

This is my first read for this year’s RIP, you can also check out what everyone else is reading on the review site