The frozen dead

Format:

Book

Title:

The frozen dead

Uniform Title:

Glacé. English

Author:

Minier, Bernard author

ISBN:

9781250045539

Edition:

First U.S. edition.

Publication:

New York : Minotaur Books, 2014.

Physical Description:

482 pages ; 25 cm.

Number in series:

Summary:

"In a snowbound valley, deep in the French Pyrenees, a dark story of madness and revenge is unfolding. The first victim is a horse: its headless, flayed body hangs suspended from the edge of a frozen cliff. On the same day as the gruesome discovery takes place, Diane Berg, a young psychiatrist starts her first job at a high security asylum for the criminally insane, just a few miles away. She is baffled by the slightly unorthodox methods the asylums's director uses, and then greatly alarmed when she realizes that drugs are disappearing from within the fortified institution while someone seems to be slipping out at night. Commandant Martin Servaz, a charismatric, Toulouse city cop fond of quoting Latin, can't believe he has been called out over the death of an animal. But there is something disturbing about this crime that he cannot ignore. Then DNA from one of the most notorious inmates of the asylum, a highly intelligent former prosecutor who is accused of killing and raping several women, is found on the corpse ... and a few days later the first human murder takes place. Servaz and his colleague, the mysterious Irene Ziegler, must use all their skill to solve the terrifying mystery"-- Provided by publisher.

Subject(s):

Psychiatric hospitals -- France -- Fiction.

Murder -- Investigation -- Fiction.

Dangerously mentally ill -- Fiction.

Geographic Term:

Genre:

Detective and mystery stories.

Thrillers (Fiction)

Detective and mystery fiction.

Fiction.

Suspense fiction.

Mystery fiction.

Holds:

Available:*

Library	Call Number	Status
Searching... McMinnville Public Library	Minier, B.	Searching... Unknown
Searching... Salem Main Library	MYSTERY Minier, B.	Searching... Unknown
Searching... Silver Falls Library	MYS MINIER	Searching... Unknown

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Summary

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Saint-Martin-de-Comminges is a small town nestled in the French Pyrenees. The kind of place where winters are harsh and unforgiving and where nothing ever happens.
Until the winter morning when a group of workers discover the headless, flayed body of a horse, hanging suspended from the edge of a frozen cliff.
On the same day the gruesome discovery takes place, Diane Berg, a young psychiatrist starts her first job at a high-security asylum for the criminally insane, just a few miles away. She is baffled by the slightly unorthodox methods the asylum's director uses, and then greatly alarmed when she realizes that drugs are disappearing from within the fortified institution while someone seems to be slipping out at night.
Commandant Martin Servaz, a charismatic city cop from nearby Toulouse fond of quoting Latin, can't believe he has been called out over the death of an animal. But there's something disturbing about this crime that he can't ignore. Then DNA from one of the most notorious inmates of the asylum, a highly intelligent former prosecutor, accused of killing and raping several women, is found on the horse carcass . . . and a few days later the first human murder takes place. A dark story of madness and revenge seems to be unfolding.
Servaz and his colleague, the mysterious Irene Ziegler, must use all their skill to solve the terrifying mystery and best one of the most fiendish and clever opponents they could ever imagine.

Author Notes

BERNARD MINIER grew up in the foothills of the French Pyrenees. He had a career as a customs official before publishing his first novel, The Frozen Dead , in 2011. The novel has been translated into a dozen languages and has garnered critical acclaim as well as several literary prizes in France. Minier lives in the Essonne, south of Paris.

Reviews (4)

Publisher's Weekly Review

French author Minier's assured debut adroitly combines a genuinely creepy series of crimes, a literally chilling atmosphere, and a dogged detective. Commandant Martin Servaz, of the regional crime unit in Toulouse, is annoyed to be pulled off the sadistic murder of a homeless man for a case that doesn't even involve homicide. The mutilated and beheaded corpse of a horse was left suspended at a cable car terminus, terrifying the workers at a water power plant that the tram services. The horse belonged to ultrawealthy Eric Lombard, who owns the plant and has companies all around the world, as well as friends in high places. A nearby psychiatric institution specializes in the treatment of extremely dangerous murderers, including a Hannibal Lecter-like sociopath, but the asylum's security measures make it impossible for any of the patients to escape. Minier's execution equals his considerable cleverness. (Aug.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Kirkus Review

When the corpse of a decapitated horse is found strung from the support tower of a hydroelectric plant high up in the French Pyrenees, suspicion naturally turns to a nearby high-security institution that houses the worst of the worst serial killers.Called from Toulouse to investigate, Commandant Martin Servaz does indeed match DNA found on the horse to one of the inmates of the Wargnier Institute, where, to discourage misbehavior, shock treatment is used as punishment. ric Lombard, the superwealthy owner of the plantand former owner of the prized horsehas no idea who might have it in for him. And potential witnesses to the atrocity are denying they heard or saw anything unusual. When a human body is found hanging from the bridge, the game is on for the placid Servaz and attractive police captain Irne Ziegler. Meanwhile, a fledgling psychiatrist, Diane Berg, is beginning an ill-advised stay at the institute to study the criminally insane. Soon enough, she has her hands full with the brilliant, Hannibal Lector-like Julian Hirtmann, the cagiest and most dangerous of subjects. The story also features a rash of teenage suicides and the killing of a homeless man back in Toulouse. Minier, who grew up in the foothills of the Pyrenees, exploits the unusual setting exceptionally well. While his first novel is derivative of sources ranging from classic horror films to Thomas Harris' Silence of the Lambs, it's such an absorbing effort that you forgive its debts. A high-altitude thriller, this novel is a great summer read for more than the usual reasons. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Booklist Review

*Starred Review* Commandant Servaz, a top-notch investigator for the city of Toulouse, France, at the foot of the Pyrenees, relies more on his gut than on science. Servaz is annoyed when he is called away from an investigation to a new crime scene at the hydroelectric plant of Arruns, so high above sea level that the only way to reach it is by cable car. A beheaded body is hung on the upper deck; it is not a human body, however, but rather that of a Thoroughbred horse. This disturbing scene only gets more disturbing when the DNA of an inmate at Institute Wargnier, the nearby psychiatric prison, is found on the horse. This case gets priority as the horse belonged to Eric Lombard, CEO of a multinational company and member of a very influential family with strong political ties to the area. In a parallel story, Diane Berg, a new psychologist, has arrived at the institute and is not entirely welcome, especially after she uncovers flagrant mistreatment of the prisoners. The pervasiveness of evil in this tense and disturbing novel makes for very compelling reading, with the suspense bordering on horror. It should appeal to those who enjoyed Pierre Lemaitre's Alex (2013) as well as the edgier Scandinavian thrillers.--Alesi, Stacy Copyright 2014 Booklist

Library Journal Review

Set in the French Pyrenees, Minier's debut thriller introduces Commandant Martin Servaz of the Toulouse police, who has been called to the scene of an unusual and brutal crime. The prized yearling of a local wealthy businessman has been decapitated, and its headless corpse is found hanging from cables suspended near the cable car terminus on a mountain peak. Servaz reluctantly begins his investigation and finds, shortly thereafter, the DNA of a notorious murderer on the horse's body. This lead is baffling as this killer is currently incarcerated in a nearby asylum for the criminally insane. A few days later, a chemist in a neighboring town is found horribly murdered with the same improbable DNA found on the scene. Servaz and his team rush to piece together the dark and twisted story of wealth, sex, and revenge in order to head off a ruthless murderer. VERDICT Complex, fast-paced, and completely absorbing, Minier's wickedly plotted mystery has already been published in numerous languages and found a place on international best sellers lists. Thriller and crime fiction fans will have a hard time putting this mix of police procedural and psychological thriller down.--Madeline Solien, Deerfield P.L., IL (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.