The thriller by André Marois holy peace won the prize for best detective novel published in Canada in French on Wednesday, awarded by the Crime Writers of Canada association.
Published by Héliotrope last year, this novel tinged with black humor tells the lengths to which a septuagenarian widow who lives on the banks of the Mastigouche River is prepared to go to preserve her “holy peace” – even if it means eliminating her neighbor from face.
The novel was also among the finalists for the Saint-Pacôme prize for best detective novel last fall, while the author was invited to the famous Quais du Polar festival in Lyon in April.
Among the five finalist titles also included The punishmentby Jean-Philippe Bernié (Glénat Québec), The month of the deadby Chrystine Brouillet (Druid), The last breath is the heaviestby Catherine Lafrance (Druid), and Nothingby Jean-Jacques Pelletier (Alire).
Last year, it was the novel by Richard Ste-Marie Mr Hämmerli (Alire) who had distinguished himself.
holy peace
Heliotrope
208 pages