Extraordinary People: The First of the Enzo Files [Paperback]

Peter May (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 15, 2007

What has happened to Jacques Gaillard? The brilliant teacher who trained some of France’s best and brightest at the École Nationale d’Administration vanished ten years ago. The mystery inspires a bet, one that Scottish biologist Enzo Macleod can ill afford to lose. The wager is that Enzo can find out what happened to Jacques Gaillard by applying new science to an old case.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In the first breezy installment of a projected new series from Scottish author May (The Firemaker), Enzo Macleod, a Scottish forensic biologist who lives in France, bets that he can solve an old case with new science. Lonely and bored with his teaching career, the widowed biologist takes on the unsolved case of Jacques Gaillard, a public intellectual with a controversial political career who disappeared without a trace 10 years earlier. With the help of his adored daughter, Sophie, and new flame, Charlotte, a beautiful psychologist trained in criminal profiling, Enzo traverses France and Germany to follow a series of clues that lead to scattered body parts and Gaillard's dangerous killers. Despite some unlikely coincidences, this travelogue–cum–murder mystery makes for a fun puzzle. (Nov.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Review

"In the first breezy installment of a projected new series from Scottish author May (The Firemaker ), Enzo Macleod, a Scottish forensic biologist who lives in France, bets that he can solve an old case with new science. Lonely and bored with his teaching career, the widowed biologist takes on the unsolved case of Jacques Gaillard, a public intellectual with a controversial political career who disappeared without a trace 10 years earlier. With the help of his adored daughter, Sophie, and new flame, Charlotte, a beautiful psychologist trained in criminal profiling, Enzo traverses France and Germany to follow a series of clues that lead to scattered body parts and Gaillard's dangerous killers. Despite some unlikely coincidences, this travelogue-cum-murder mystery makes for a fun puzzle.(Nov.)" --Publishers Weekly

"Forensic scientist Enzo Macleod, who 20 years ago left his wife, daughter, and career in Scotland for a young Frenchwoman, now lives in Cahors with his French daughter and teaches biology. On a bet, he decides to solve the ten-year-old disappearance of a high-ranking French diplomat. He follows the trail of clues, which have been buried with various pieces of the diplomat who is indeed dead. Along the way, Enzo assembles an unusual team of researchers including his daughter, her boyfriend, and a student from Enzo's biology class. May, known for his award-winning thriller series set in China, has written a thoroughly engaging puzzle mystery that may appeal to patrons who enjoy group crime solving à la Christopher Fowler's Peculiar Crimes Unit (Ten Second Staircase) or Caleb Carr's The Alienist. May lives in France. [See Prepub Mystery, LJ 7/06.]" --Library Journal --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press (November 15, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1590584600
• ISBN-13: 978-1590584606
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,628,873 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Intelligent, perceptive and thought-provoking, January 29, 2007

By 

Susie (California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Extraordinary People (Enzo Files) (Hardcover)

This book succeeds on many different levels.

In common with May's other books, the research if first rate: the story takes the reader on an enthralling journey deep behind the scenes with France's ruling elite.

It's a fascinating mystery and scavenger hunt with ingenious puzzles to solve.

It's a fast-paced thriller with suspense building inexorably through the second half to an absolutely breathtaking denoument in the catacombs under Paris.

It has romance, humour, and a cast of thoroughly engaging characters to keep you entertained. And as it's the first in a series, the complexities of the hero Enzo Macleod's personal life are nicely set up for continuing developments in future episodes.

But as well as being entertaining, this is a beautifully written book, intelligent, perceptive and thought-provoking.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars delightful western European mystery, December 3, 2006

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Extraordinary People (Enzo Files) (Hardcover)

In 1996 Paris, Ecole Nationale d'Administration teacher and politician Jacques Gaillard vanishes without a trace. His disappearance has become a legendary cold case never resolved.

University Professor Enzo Macleod left his wife Linda and daughter Kirsty behind in Scotland two decades ago to start a new family in Cahors. He has a second daughter Sophie, but remains estranged from Kirsty who accuses him of deserting her. He makes a bet with a friend that he can solve the mystery of Gaillard. He follows clues that seem to go nowhere and everywhere as he and his team travel to Germany and all over France finding body parts. Enzo's efforts bring him to the attention of cold blooded killers who want Gaillard to remain a legendary cold case.

Though some implausible events occur, readers will appreciate this delightful western European mystery due in part to the solid cast especially Enzo and to the clues that tell much about the life of Gaillard just before he vanished. The story line is fast-paced as Enzo and his team follows the leads to Germany and much of France. The climax is a fabulous finale that will leave readers clamoring for more inquires by the Professor and his team.

Harriet Klausner

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I couldn't put this book down, February 1, 2007

By 

Eleanor Arlene "Ellie H" (Long Island, New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Extraordinary People (Enzo Files) (Hardcover)

This is the first book I've read by Peter May and I loved it. Beside being familiar with all the streets he was traversing in Paris as well as cafe's, the plot and the characters kept me enthralled. I can't wait for his next Enzo MacLeod book.