Actual rating: 4.5 ⭐

When Anne Forestier, a woman whom Camille cares about a lot, got beaten up and shot three times by some armed robber, he decided to take all the matters to his hands, no matter what damage could be done. But through his very own illegal investigation, turns out everything is way more complicated than just protecting the woman he loves--is it solely based on love, or is it caused by his trauma and those haunting agonies since his Irène's death?

After what happened in book number one (the one which I'm still so bitter and pained about the ending), Camille's life has spiraled downward. Losing someone you love and cherish in such terrible way lead everyone to a painful life, so while I feel a bit dejected of whatever Camille's doing in this book (one of the impact was making Louis' screentime decreased enormously), I totally understand him. If I were in his shoes and had the power he has, I wouldn't even doubt doing the same things.

As usual, Lemaitre's writing started off rather slowly and even more agonizing because this time, he included the savage, brutal first point of view of the villain. The mystery was neat as its two predecessors and also well written, that even there's no total plot twist (fun fact: I got spoiled on who's our real antagonist here as I couldn't resist opening the last chapters), the conclusion is still shocking.

Which makes me hate that one particular ungrateful motherfucker even more, after whatever shits he had thrown to Camille and Louis and nearly everyone in this series.

And the ending was kind of perfect for a man who has nothing more to lose.

Man, I will miss this series terribly. I have no idea if I could bring myself to start all over again from book one because it was too painful.

La puntuación general de este libro valorando tan solo el libro sería de un 3, pero voy a valorarlo en conjunto y como final de la tetralogía que es, lo que le sube un punto. El libro está dividido en tres partes (día 1, día 2 y día 3), y la primera parte me ha parecido fabulosa, especialmente las primeras veinte páginas que me han hecho sentir casi en mi piel la situación. Magistral la manera de narrar los acontecimientos y el atraco, nunca había leído uno así; descripción vívida donde las haya. He sentido la agonía en mi propia piel. Como siempre, las descripciones detalladas e incluso escabrosas de las situaciones son lo suyo. La segunda parte se me ha hecho algo más densa, y creo que podría haberse resumido algo más, pero como siempre, Lemaitre nos sorprende con un giro que al menos yo, no esperaba. Me dejó boquiabierta, por lo que aunque empieza algo floja, la segunda parte termina muy bien. Y aunque en la tercera hay un par de cosas que no me han quedado del todo claras o en las que creía que se podría haber indagado más, creo que ha sido una buena resolución. Además, este libro conecta con Irène, el primer libro de la tetralogía, y creo que es una bonita manera de culminar la saga, desenredando lazos que habían quedado pendientes y que tenían que resolverse ya sí o sí.

Desde luego, aunque este sea el libro que menos me ha gustado de los tres, sin contar Rosy & John, que al ser tan corto y haberse publicado en un principio en otro formato merece otra valoración aparte, la saga en general me ha parecido maravillosa, y desde luego Lemaitre se ha convertido en uno de mis escritores de cabecera sobre la novela negra, porque Vestido de novia también me gustó mucho. Esperaré lo nuevo de él del género, y mientras leeré Nos vemos allá arriba y su nueva novela. Recomendado, sin duda alguna.

Well that twist happened out of nowhere. This series has been such a mindfuck and im always baffled. Plus lets not look away from the fact that he writes very graphic and bloody. This book felt a bit rushed somehow. I was just missing something. I guess I missed Camille's interactions with his coworkers cause he was SO ALONE in this one.
But yeah, a very thrilling thriller with surprising elements and twists. Perfect for those who like gory crime.

When crime hits the personal life of a detective. Or in this case, commandant. Usually not something I'm very fond of. It often feels like cheap, unrealistic and lazy writing to me. But not when it comes from Pierre Lemaitre's pen. Love his reflective, slightly sarcastic style. As if he hovers above his story, commenting on the things that go or went down, hovers above his protagonist, shining his light on Camille Verhoeven's world. Makes you feel part of it. Outer and inner.

Same, though to a lesser degree, could be said about the segments from the point of view of the antagonist. A stone-cold, highly determined and well-organized human sledgehammer. Combined they give the idea of a modern-day duel. But who is hunting who? I can see how people might find the story a bit too much (unrealistic, right?), but for me the omnipresent sense of urgency and tension more than made up for that. Cheap and lazy this is not. Au contraire!

Muy bien, pero no es el mejor de la saga.

Yo creo que por una parte sabía que la historia iba a terminar así. Un círculo que empezaba con Irene y que acaba con Camille.
Ha sido apoteósico ver cómo la historia te engañaba una y otra vez, aunque supieses desde el principio que pasaba. Nos la jugaste Pierre y te doy mi enhorabuena.

Muy bien, pero no es el mejor de la saga.