Lake Isle [Paperback]

Nicolas Freeling (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2001

A Henri Castang Mystery

A brutal robbery, a drugged teenager and the sad delusions of a nervous old lady mean nothing to Henri Castang who finds a parallel between the small town world of gossip and spite, and a fetid corner of a Paris room where a man shot at him. What’s another piece of wanton violence got to do with anything? That’s the question Castang finds himself asking as Nicolas Freeling uncovers the Lake Isle of everyone’s dreams in this enchanting, mysterious fiction.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"He is the educated man’s Ian Fleming" -- Times Literary Supplement

The best of all police detectives’ -- The Sunday Times

The most eccentric, the most idiosyncratic and the most European of crime writers’ -- Anita Brookner

About the Author

A true master of popular crime fiction and creator of the ever-popular Inspector van der Valk and Henri Castang, Nicolas Freeling has written more than thirty books and has an innate empathy with France and its culture. Born at the Grays Inn Rd., St. Pancras London 1927, Freeling has lived much of his life in Europe, notably the Vosges hills and Strasbourg. He spent his first fifteen years as a cook in expensive restaurants before turning to writing. An astute, gritty writer of European flavour, his tone, manner, interests and observations are always stamped with his distinctive personality, reflecting all that is great about crime fiction.

Product Details

• Paperback: 244 pages
• Publisher: House of Stratus (January 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1842328530
• ISBN-13: 978-1842328538
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 5.6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,816,183 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Top rate Freeling, March 28, 2002

By 

frumiousb "frumiousb" (Amsterdam, the Netherlands) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Lake Isle (Hardcover)

Castang meets Sabine Arthur when she comes to share her concern that something is wrong in her household. Sabine is an elderly widow who means well, but manages to be abrasive to everyone she meets. This talent has put her at odd with her son, and Sabine is afraid. Castang believes that she has something to be afraid of, but there isn't anything the police can do for her, since nothing had yet happened.

Her death finally allows Castang to take action, as her case becomes his first fully-fledged homicide inquiry.

One of the things that Freeling does best is explore the uncertainties and games that underlie middle-class European life. His look at the tiny French town of Soulay is a masterful example of this talent. One of the best Castang books (although I still prefer the Van Der Valk series).