The Red Notebook

LoveReading Says

Another superb standalone thriller from one of my favourite authors, as always his writing packs an emotional punch, it also encourages you to search thoughts and feelings. Leyli Maal is attempting to build a better life for her three children in Marseille when one of them becomes suspect in a murder case with links to an immigration racket. Michel Bussi is known for his twists, and even if alert from the outset, they’ve always hit me hard. So if you’ve not read any of his books before, I have no fear in advising you of the fact. Here we delve deeply into the impact of organised immigration crime, yet the focus is all about the storytelling, I was simply carried away. The translation by Vineet Lal beautifully allows access to another country and language without conscious thought. There most definitely is a social commentary to be found, but it’s left to you to discover, and take it away with you. I found myself unsettled as I read, I felt as though I was a little step outside of time, racing to catch up. The characters are vibrantly alive, I fell into their lives and felt as though I was a part of them. The ending plays out in a beautifully unexpected way and left me with a lump in my throat. The Red Notebook is a novel that will stay with me and so deserves its spot as a LoveReading Star Book and Liz Pick of the Month.

Liz Robinson

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