And anyway, who cares? All that matters is that the guy is dead, right?

A dark and thrilling ride about the most unlikely of killers, perfect for Tarantino fans, by the award-winning and bestselling author, PIERRE LEMAITRE

'A really excellent suspense novelist' Stephen King
'A total success' Le Canard Enchaine
'Dark, very funny and completely unexpected' Madame Figaro
'Deft, funny, sharp . . . an absolute delight' Guardian
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With Mathilde, there is never a stray bullet, her work is clean and neat. Tonight was an exception. A little whim. Obviously, she could have taken the shot from a distance, done less damage; obviously she could have made the hit with a single bullet. What can I say? I don't know what came over me. This is what she will say if anyone asks. And anyway, who cares? All that matters is that the guy is dead, right?

1985. Paris. Sixty-three-year-old Mathilde Perrin is on another mission. A widow, mother and decorated hero of the Resistance, she is also a ruthless and skilled contract killer, and the most unlikely suspect. But tonight, something has changed. Mathilde is agitated, forgetful and impulsive - so much so that even Ludo, her loyal and long-suffering Dalmatian, has noticed a dangerous shift in her mood.

For Mathilde, retirement is not an option. And no superior, nor police detective nor meddling neighbour will stand in her way. But as Mathilde's mind unravels and the bodies pile up, how long will it take before the killer herself becomes the target?

A massive bestseller in France, The Great Serpent is joyfully dark and subversive, with razor-sharp dialogue and fascinating characters who are expertly crafted by Lemaitre.

About the Author
Pierre Lemaitre was born in Paris in 1951. He worked for many years as a teacher of literature before becoming a novelist. He has won the Crime Writers' Association International Dagger three times, once alongside Fred Vargas, for Alex, and twice as sole winner for Camille and The Great Swindle. In 2013 The Great Swindle (published in French as Au revoir la-haut won the Prix Goncourt, France's leading literary award. In addition to his Brigade Criminelle novels starring Commandant Camille Verhoeven, Lemaitre writes standalone thrillers including Blood Wedding. Frank Wynne is an award-winning writer and translator. His previous translations include works by Virginie Despentes, Javier Cercas, Mathias Enard, Michel Houllebecq and Pierre Lemaitre. He chaired the jury of the 2022 Booker International. Most recently his translation of The Art of Losing won the 2022 Dublin Literary Award.

Reviews
A total success; wonderful language and a perfect plot * Canard Enchaine *
Delightful, hilarious and utterly wicked * Biblioteca *
A jubilant, dynamic and wacky thriller * Le Regional *
A really excellent suspense novelist -- Stephen King
Deft, funny, sharp . . . an absolute delight * Guardian *
Dark, very funny and completely unexpected * Madame Figaro *
A treat from start to finish * La Croix *



Book Information
ISBN 9781914495250
Author Pierre Lemaitre
Format Hardback
Page Count 256
Imprint Mountain Leopard Press
Publisher Headline Publishing Group
Weight(grams) 440g
Dimensions(mm) 236mm * 158mm * 28mm