Do not turn off the light, Bernard Minier --- or the art of total handling!

It is in a polar cold somewhere in Eastern Europe, on the border between Poland and Belarus, as Bernard Minier us into his novel. An opening, a small gap that we enjoy borrow to follow in Martin Servaz, this intuitive cop we have come to know by eating the first two novels of the author.

Our not crack in the frozen snow behind those of the cop and after a few meters we stop traveled net; Martin Servaz entered this lost cabin in the middle of the Bialowieza Forest and discovers the horror that awaited yet to discover. Welcome to the world of Bernard Minier!

This introduction is not really insignificant when one knows the course of this viciously harassed cop whose provocation becomes a permanent danger to him and his family. But if this icy and direct prelude will be somewhat parentheses, harassment, provocation, meanwhile, will take a stifling dimension in this work crashing! I'm speaking of the nerves; of us, but especially those of the characters.

Bernard Minier presents his third novel; having read the first two, I am able to say that his works will crescendo at the writing quality on the one hand, but especially in terms of plot structure, on the other.

The author shows the atmosphere in which we have evolved earlier, in the cold, ice, frost, and white as the predominant color. We are in the period of year-end holidays and the winter has clearly not want to leave us so quickly.

What fascinates me already after turning a few pages - again !, - it's being so quickly sucked into the background, in history, in the mood. Bernard Minier's novels are an atmosphere with a big "A"! A clever and detailed descriptive writing - yet simple - extremely involved, which always pushes us a little more in his first atmosphere and then in his den and pitfalls repeatedly.

The author plays with control elements with more than bluffing dexterity. And again, we find this powerful charismatic figure, intrusive and fascinating that we meet either in the mountains, in forests, in the pink city that is Toulouse, is everywhere, even here outside the borders of the earth; I am obviously talking about the decor!

But back to the cop.

Martin Servaz, burnt, lost the reason for some months, diagnosed unfit for duty by his superiors. Depression, survival, it is in a nursing home that will land in order to remain on the surface of the water. A cold water and ice that paralyzed to the point that his movements become difficult to perform to stay in the open and so breathe a life that escapes him gradually.

In this regard, the author places well before this difficulty that the cops to take them all the woes of the world, but can not evacuate them all. An overflow, drift, alcohol sometimes, depression, suicide for some. A subject that touches me, thank you Bernard.

For Martin Servaz, we must admit that Europe receive the parcel is and discover inside the heart of a woman who is dear to him, this may well make it completely amorphous, in constant pain and impotence total. The sender is nothing other than our well known psychopath cop, you also know if you've read the previous novels.

Subscribe to haul Servaz will also receive by mail a package containing disturbing elements that will revive his cop instincts. It will not take longer to start it like clockwork.

Meanwhile, we meet a woman, Christine Steinmeyer, radio host, who receives a strange letter in its box on Christmas Eve - really, the position is much in demand in this novel! -; a woman seems to want to end his days, this missive resembles a ras-le-bol or call for help. The letter is not signed, Christine is a loss, it must be a mistake or a joke. Start anguish.

This woman, Christine, is a disturbing character. We are dealing with a person meeting almost all possible phobias. A born victim, perhaps, but there was something disturbing that emanates from that person, obviously.

A heavy and powerful destructive machine will be set in motion to head right about Christine and will no longer be able to stop; From that time, a person will no longer let go.

An invisible but strong vise is moving along. A slow but constant movement - a good diesel! - Which closes gently on this Christine. For this character already fragile, these intense psychological pressure will destroy slowly. His entourage, even intimate, will prove to be a hostile and dangerous element.

Bernard Minier keeps us in a difficult and disturbing atmosphere. After one hundred pages, we guess where the author is coming, the link is made between informal survey of our cop adrift and psychological pressure perpetrated on Christine. The common denominator becomes clear and bring together disturbing aspects; pressures, manipulation, control of the other, influence, destruction, subjugation, degradation; a program!

Reading becomes annoying, we put ourselves in the place of character and we become crazy from trying to empathize and understand! The character takes us with him, against his will, in an infernal whirlwind that makes us uncomfortable and that keeps us on high alert. The author will release us more either.

As usual, Bernard Minier, generous, leave us some clues to advance in the plot; but that same Bernard Minier, this time vicious and far less generous, we then place a few other hands which will involve result of eliminating the first that expires; this state of affairs forces us to take a few steps back, as if we were on a giant board game of the ladder!

However, the pieces of this puzzle will be gathered relatively stressful nonetheless.

Toulouse, city in space, aeronautics city; Bernard Minier up this business in the center, or perhaps at the epicenter of its intrigue. It seems to know a lot about it and we actually enjoy; generous. Scandals, secretiveness, surentraînements, partitioning, physical and psychological tests difficult; Here are a few parameters that describe this world of weightlessness. And then? Will you perhaps tell me ... And then you will see!

This novel is served us in three acts; Bernard Minier brilliantly directs this opera that brings all the codes of an effective thriller. The pace is our conductor will not give the baton to the last page. The parenthesis closed earlier this symphony is not final and far from being an end! Gustav Mahler areas still revolve around you after closing the novel. Which personally makes me happy ...

Softened manners music? I do not think not.

Enjoy reading.