FICTION

The Square of Revenge

Pegasus Crime. Jun. 2013. 304p. tr. from Dutch by Brian Doyle. ISBN 9781605984469. $25. F
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OrangeReviewStarThe small medieval Belgian city of Bruges is not the most exciting place in which to be a detective. There are plenty of tourists and the pickpockets who target them, but not a lot of criminal intrigue. Then one early Sunday morning in the most quaint and exclusive part of the city, beat cops stumble upon the Degroof jewelry store with its windows smashed. Upon closer inspection, most of the jewelry is missing from its shelves and the only tangible clue is a piece of paper with Latin words drawn into a square. The weary, middle-aged DI Pieter Van In is assigned the case along with the new and bright new DA Hannelore Martin. Together they will uncover the personal scandals of three generations of the Degroof family and learn more about religious sects and monastic orders than either of them would have guessed was possible. And with each discovered secret comes another outrageous act of violence, with another small square of Latin writing found somewhere at the crime scene.
VERDICT The best-selling European series that follows the criminal trials and personal tribulations of Flemish Detective Van In makes its U.S. debut with this fun read. Containing its fair share of mayhem and intrigue but with little blood spilled, the novel maintains a fast pace, a light touch, and a joy in the telling. Highly recommended for mystery lovers of all types and ages.
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