Seeking Whom He May Devour by Fred Vargas
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Fred Vargas is one of the top mystery writers of France. Unlike many of France’s mystery writers, she doesn’t write crime noir. Her stories take place all over France, including this one which focuses on the Maritime-Alps region of France on the border of Italy. Like in Yellowstone National Park, wolves have been reintroduced into the Mercantour National Park. Sheepherders and other farmers have serious concerns about this plan, especially since in the old days there were stories about the notorious Monster of the Mercantour–a werewolf–who destroyed everything in its path, sheep and humans.
Someone is playing off the fears of the locals and making it seem like the werewolf has returned. First only sheep are killed. But then the killing of humans starts. Is it a wolf? Is it a human? Who or what is doing this? Sme villagers decide to take matters into their own hands and capture the monster. This is when Vargas brings in her ace “Commissaire” Jean-Baptiste Adamsberg.
Adamsberg, a lone wolf himself, has to escape his usual post in Paris because someone is trying to murder him. He has some thoughts about the Monster of the Mercantour and joins up with three of the villagers who are tracking him down. For almost all of the book you think you know whom and what you are tracking, only wondering if our heroes will get there in time to save the next victim. But Vargas does throw in a twist at the end to keep readers guessing.
Vargas captures the sense of small villages and quirky characters in this mystery. There is little gore although the people are killed brutally. This might be a good book for those who don’t think they like mysteries.
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