Arriving so soon after the recent Barcelona-Dusseldorf sad plane disaster, this novel about the aftermath and consequences of an Airbus crash in mountains can prove unsettling, although it appeared in France a few years back and is in no way exploitative and already had been a worldwide bestseller prior to this year's tragedy. A baby miraculously survives the terrible accident but there were two babies of the same age onboard and it proves initially impossible to establish whose family she belongs to, one wealthy and the other working-class. Eighteen years later, the idiosyncatic private detective engaged to solve the mystery, after the court's ambiguous verdict, finally ventures across a vital clue, only to be mysteriously shot. Now a young girl, the surviving Lylie, and her brother (or is he?) are caught in a splendidly engineered race against time to establish once and for all her identity. A compulsive page-turner. ~ Maxim Jakubowski
'Riveting! Bussi spins psychological suspense at its finest with this consuming tale of one child, two families, and the dark secrets that define us all. Clear your schedule; this book is worth it!' -Lisa Gardner, #1 New York Times-bestselling author of Crash & Burn and Find Her
On the night of 22 December 1980, a plane crashes on the Franco-Swiss border and is engulfed in flames. 168 out of 169 passengers are killed instantly. The miraculous sole survivor is a three-month-old baby girl. Two families, one rich, the other poor, step forward to claim her, sparking an investigation that will last for almost two decades. Is she Lyse-Rose or Emilie?
Eighteen years later, having failed to discover the truth, private detective Crédule Grand-Duc plans to take his own life, but not before placing an account of his investigation in the girl's hands. But, as he sits at his desk about to pull the trigger, he uncovers a secret that changes everything - then is killed before he can breathe a word of it to anyone . . .
'A novel so extraordinary that it reminded me of reading Steig Larsson for the very first time. Bussi's novel brings with it the same thrill of discovering a truly original voice. It is one of the most remarkable books I've read in a long time; Bussi breaks every rule in the book, but I doubt I'll read a more brilliant crime novel this year.' -- Joan Smith Sunday Times
'There's a great premise to this thriller, which is already a huge bestseller in the author's native France... You find yourself quite frantic to know the truth, before this cleverly constructed, smart mystery concludes by delivering a delicious sting in the tail.' Sunday Express
'A richly satisfying story...a hugely enjoyable ride.' Irish Independent
'Thriller of the Month' Good Housekeeping
Author
About Michel Bussi
Michel Bussi is the author of the bestseller After the Crash. In France he has published eight bestselling thrillers and in 2013 alone, his books sold half a million copies in his native country. He has won fifteen literary awards, making him one of France's most prestigious crime authors. When not writing fiction, he is a Professor of Geography at the University of Rouen and a political commentator.
