Cults, conspiracies, espionage, murders, symbols, treasures and riddles. Between the unquenchable thirst for power of the Emperor Napoleon in 1809 and that, today, of the three heirs of the Italian fashion magnate Gianfranco Varnese, who died in mysterious circumstances, there is an Ariadne’s thread. This is what Inspector Antoine Marcas will discover in his new investigation.
Fifteenth historical thriller featuring the investigator and 21e novel signed by the prolific duo of French writers Éric Giacometti and Jacques Ravenne, The key and the cross immerses the readership in two distinct eras. At the beginning of the 19th centurye, century, we follow Napoleon’s bodyguards attempting to thwart royalist plots and pillage the Vatican archives. More than 200 years later, Antoine Marcas follows in the footsteps of his mysterious ancestor, Tristan. This family investigation will make him cross paths with the heirs of the Varnese empire, Giulia, Lupo and Salvatore, whose arrogance and shenanigans are reminiscent of the setbacks of Siobhan, Roman and Kendall Roy in the hit series Succession.
Throughout the chapters, popular and historical references range from Taylor Swift to Robespierre, from ChatGPT to medieval parchments. Behind this rhythmic thriller with colorful writing lies a colossal research effort, since the entire narrative is anchored in little-known, but true, facts. “For each of our books, we start from an unexpected, but real, fact,” explains Jacques Ravenne, who writes each historical portion of the duo’s novels. Here was Napoleon’s attack on the Vatican archives. We had a very beautiful subject. »
In charge of writing the contemporary section of the thriller, Éric Giacometti agrees with the words of his accomplice of the last 40 years, from whom he has been inseparable since their high school years in Toulouse: “It is a real work of historical reconstruction. »
Freemasons and feminism
Underlying this tangle of intrigues with numerous and complex ramifications, the authors depict the great influence that Freemasonry had in French and European circles of power in the era of Napoleon – the vast majority of his entourage in was indeed part, including his wife -, as well as that of other secret organizations such as the Knights of the Faith, which then supported the royalist movement. All this is not unrelated to the fact that Jacques Ravenne is himself a Freemason.
The anecdote that led them to incorporate these mysterious siblings into their series of novels is funny. “Eric was a journalist in a Parisian daily and he did an investigation into Freemasonry and its problems at the time when I had just become a Freemason. We then had a little clash,” relates Jacques Ravenne, amused. “The problem was not Freemasonry, my articles implicated corrupt Freemasons who went to prison,” his colleague clarifies.
This incident made them think: “In the days that followed, we said to ourselves: hey, that’s still curious. Freemasonry has an impact on business and history, but it is very little represented in literature, Ravenna continues. However, it is a place of fantasy: it is power, worship, magic, crime… It does not leave one indifferent. »
Beyond the plots and treasure hunts that animate the characters in both eras, the duo punctuates their story with reflections and social critiques. Through its characters, reasoning is put forward about the Catholic religion, social inequalities and even feminism. “We don’t expect to read this kind of thing in this type of work,” says Éric Giacometti. There is none in the books of Dan Brown or Steve Berry because they focus on the mystery, the enigma at the heart of the story. What we like is to surprise the reader and take them out of their comfort zone. »
His colleague adds: “The reflections that are made in the past also help us to shed light on the present, there is a mirror game, hence the need for these questions to be developed.” On the subject of strong female characters put forward, the history-loving author cites Joséphine, Napoleon’s wife, as an example. “In traditional historiography, she is portrayed as a spendthrift and very light-minded woman, whereas in reality, she had her share of power and responsibilities. »
Write with four hands
It is often said that writing is a solitary act. However, it was by joining forces that Éric Giacometti and Jacques Ravenne managed to create a series of successful novels, translated in around fifteen countries and with more than three million readers. The beauty of it? Being able to count on each other’s views. “We have blind trust in what the other says. That’s the key, says Giacometti, unconsciously evoking the title of their novel. If what he writes turns me off because I find it too complicated, I’ll tell him. It’s the same for him, I’ll listen to him. »
To succeed in constructing such a dense and coherent story without losing themselves or their readers, the duo designs “extremely detailed” plans for their plots before launching into their respective writing portions. “It’s like a clock. Everything has to be in place,” illustrates Ravenna. It is in the deployment of the characters that they each find their spaces of freedom in creation. “There are characters who suddenly become more important as the saga progresses,” continues the author, citing as an example Lupo Varnese, the “slightly crazy” youngest of the Italian heirs.
With his eyes shining, Giacometti takes the plunge: “What is extraordinary when we create is that at a given moment, the characters exist for real in our heads. From the moment they live, they impose themselves and disrupt the established plan. » “It’s quite curious. These are things that are difficult to explain,” adds Ravenna. Curious and inexplicable, just like the enigmas contained The key and the cross.