A Case of Matricide

ABBEY'S BOOKSELLER PICK ----- This third book brings the tale of the deeply introspective Chief Inspector Georges Gorski to an end, although each in the trilogy can easily be read as a standalone. Graeme Macrae Burnet has had fun painting the township and its inhabitants in heavy coats of 'drab' and 'dreary', with the investigation of crime being almost secondary. So this is not one for readers wanting a 'follow the clues' police procedural. This is for readers wanting an exploration of the human condition with more than a dash of bleak - and I realise that may not be everyone's glass of pastis! Craig

‘A deeply imagined and perfectly realised novel, and reading it is a dizzyingly immersive experience. Macrae Burnet’s Gorski novels were already a significant achievement, but the concluding part is breathtaking—tragic, cinematic, propulsive—and marks a new standard in contemporary crime fiction. For anyone looking for genuinely ambitious crime fiction, this book is a gift.’ * Martin MacInnes, Booker-longlisted author of In Ascension * ‘5 stars. Burnet plays a metafictional game, but the book pulls off the rare double of being emotionally involving as well as teasingly tricksy.’ * Telegraph * ‘The gifted writer, Burnet, makes a mockery of the genres publishers impose on credulous readers…A Case of Matricide demonstrates literary talent of the highest order…Details of place are especially rich, and the subtle mores of the small town are reflected in Gorse’s misguided incorruptibility…Few writers can rival Burnet.’ * Spectator * ‘Macrae Burnet brings a slyly playful quality to his reimagining of the classic police procedural…And here delivers a wickedly funny novel that owes as much of a debt to Albert Camus as it does to Georges Simenon.’ * Irish Times * ‘A very literary novel. Not only for the crisp prose it is written in, but also for the many literary allusions within its pages…Burnet shows real mastery of his material, and it’s no wonder his second novel, His Bloody Project, was shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 2016. This new offering is dark, but playful…A pleasing, if disturbing doll’s house.’ * Irish Independent * ‘A Case of Matricide ends the trilogy on a high, bringing to a satisfying close the saga of Georges Gorski…Burnet’s post-modern sensibilities bring an ironic archness and darkly comic undertones to what is essentially the tragic story of a man’s journey down a lonely road to confront the person he really is. But the despair, confusion and sense of entrapment felt by this well-realised and oddly sympathetic character are no less affecting for all that.’ * Herald * ‘This quirky blend of psychological thriller and small-town life is both thought-provoking and entirely convincing.’ * Guardian * ‘A perfect conclusion to the trilogy.’ * The Times * ‘A probing metaphysical novel that asks whether an act that is both selfish and merciful is wrong or right and whether, therefore, its consequences are a punishment or a reward.’ * Forward Reviews (starred review) * ‘Serves up a tantalising blend of psychological thrills and small-town life in Saint-Louis, France…The novel delivers a convincing depiction of bureaucratic and provincial rot. Fans of the series will be pleased.’ * Publishers Weekly * ‘As always with Burnet, the devil really is in the detail. There are few better at painting a picture of an individual through the objects that surround them…It’s a shame that A Case of Matricide is the last hurrah for Georges Gorski, but it confirms Graeme Macrae Burnet as a writer of style and substance. Don’t make the mistake of overlooking the Georges Gorski trilogy. These are novels to treasure.’ * Alastair Braidwood, SNACK * ‘5 stars. The scene-setting is reminiscent of Dylan Thomas’ opening to Under Milk Wood; the same sense of mischief lurking behind curtains and closed doors. However, one marked difference is the humour in this novel. Even when it feels a bit near-the-knuckle you can’t help but savour it. A dark wit that reflects the absurdity of life through the little, meaningless and embarrassing things we do that cause us shame and regret. And yet we give these trivial things such weight that they are skewed out of all proportion. This novel is the denouement of a profound character study of the detective and his creator, Raymond Brunet. We might ask just how much Gorski is in control of his own life. That said, it is a mystery too; Graeme Macrae Burnet doesn’t neglect that and this is a solid detective story told with panache. Enjoyable and enduring, Macrae Burnet is a skilful and thoughtful writer.’ * Crime Fiction Lover * ‘A Case of Matricide, and the series as a whole, plays like a hall of mirrors. The way in which Burnet has been able to channel the French formal style, while playing with crime fiction tropes and delivering an implicit but deep character study over these three novels has been nothing short of incredible.’ * Robert Goodman, Pile by the Bed *