The Widow [Paperback]

Nicolas Freeling (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 12, 1980

A Van der Valk Thriller - Arlette Van der Valk finds herself widowed from a man who left an indelible mark on the world of crime investigation. After her initial grief, Arlette is at a loose end - Piet was her life, but Van der Valk soon finds that making decisions help ease the pain. After remarrying, she sets up an advisory agency but things don't always run smoothly as this ingenious story shows. Not only dealing with her clients' problems, Arlette must also deal with threats to her life.

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Born in London in 1927, Nicolas Freeling is the author of over thirty titles, many of which are part of the crime genre. His education was broad and he attended a series of schools in England, Ireland and France. He served in the Royal Air Force, and from 1950 worked at various jobs in kitchens, hotels and restaurants throughout Europe. It was this intimate knowledge of the continent that influenced the style and settings of his subsequent books. The first of these was published in 1961. He is best known for the creation of Inspector Piet Van der Valk, an irascible detective engaged in ordinary crime, political intrigue and international affairs. Freeling is married, has four sons and one daughter and currently resides in France. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 293 pages
• Publisher: Vintage; 1st Vintage Books ed edition (September 12, 1980)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0394744675
• ISBN-13: 978-0394744674
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 4.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,387,745 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars Life after Van Der Valk, November 23, 2001

By 

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

This review is from: The Widow (Paperback)

I'm probably being a little bit harsh in giving this book only three stars-- I think from a writer who was not Nicolas Freeling it would have easily cleared four-- but it isn't up to the par of his usual standard, even while it is a decent read.

_The Widow_ is set after the death of Van Der Valk in _Aupres de Ma Blonde_ and features his widow Arlette setting up a counseling service/detective agency in Strasbourg with her new sociologist husband. She starts off with what she thinks is a girl being treated badly by her family and ends up in an entirely different and more dangerous kettle of fish.

Given that Arlette was one of my least favorite elements of the more standard Van Der Valk novels, I'm honestly suprised that I liked it as much as I did. It's hurt by the initial pages, which are unnecessarily confusing in setting the stage. It's definitely not where to begin with Freeling, but is something for the real fan.