Unauthorised Departure a [Paperback]

O Brien Maureen (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 6, 2004

Nothing would persuade DI John Bright to go abroad. Not even the death threats he keeps getting. But they start to threaten Jude's life too, and when her ex-husband Dan reappears on the scene, Bright changes his mind and, to Jude's surprise and joy, they're off, driving down to the South of France on their first holiday together. The violent rape and death of a voluptuous young woman from the Jura hotel where they stop en route finds Bright not just a cop but also for the first time in his life a suspect. Though confined, and wildly frustrated by his lack of French, Bright fights his way to the truth. But will he ever be able to bring the perpetrator to justice?

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

John Bright is a hardworking London detective who believes vacations are a waste of time. But when he and his girlfriend, Jude, begin getting death threats, Bright decides that perhaps a quick trip abroad might be manageable after all. He is beginning to enjoy the food, wine, and sunshine in the south of France when a young woman's body turns up at their hotel. Not only that, but the French police are convinced Bright is the killer. His options appear limited: he speaks no French, and the legal system does not consider him innocent until proven guilty. O'Brien has constructed an intricate plot that will keep readers guessing. She deftly portrays the atmosphere of a small French village, which is picturesque but sinister. A nice mix of cozy and procedural. Barbara Bibel
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

'O'Brien is a real talent.' Donna Leon 'Captivatingly well-written, full of interesting characters, loaded with suspense, and with a real humdinger of a solution.' Gerald Kaufman

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Product Details

• Paperback: 358 pages
• Publisher: Time Warner Paperbacks (May 6, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0751532487
• ISBN-13: 978-0751532487
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,646,495 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars exciting police procedural, September 3, 2003

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Unauthorized Departure: A Mystery (Hardcover)

London detective John Bright is receiving threatening e-mails but they don't worry him because he believes they come from disgruntled police officers that are angry he took down some corrupt members of the department. When the e-mails start threatening his girlfriend Jude, he doesn't tell her but keeps a close watch on her. When she suggests they take a vacation together to France, he eventually succumbs to the pressure.

After a few fun-filled days they come to the Neufchatel village in the Jura region of France and book a room at the Hotel Sanglion. At dinner, the proprietor's girlfriend Mariela flirts with John but he ignores her. That night after Jude's asleep he takes a walk around the town and comes back to the room. The next day he is called in for questioning by the local authorities because Mariela is dead and someone saw him roaming the streets at night. The villagers, including the local police officers, would like nothing better than to pin this murder on a foreigner, but John teams up with an out of town official to find the real perpetrator and make him pay for what he did to him and Jude.

This is a very different but exciting police procedural because the crime takes place in France where the laws are much different than in the United States and the United Kingdom. One can't help but like and empathize with the protagonist who acts tough but has some vulnerable spots that make him appear endearing to the audience. This is a very gritty urban noir novel even though it takes place in a small rural village.

Harriet Klausner