Born
in Marseilles of Italian father and Spanish mother, Jean Claude Izzo
became a writer quite late in life. He was a journalist and wrote TV
as well as film scripts before his first detective novel Total
Khéops featuring Detective Fabio Montale became a major
literary hit in France and later also in Italy. The novel was followed
by another two in the series as well as other books such as Les Marins
Perdus and Les Soleil des Mourants, all bestsellers. His
novels are all very dark, desperate and with a Mediterranean feel which
is exactly what Marseilles portrays. They have been translated into
Italian while as regards an English translation of Total Khepos
Amazon had a date of publication for late 2000 titled One Helluva
Mess but it has no apeared again for quite some time. He died of
cancer on January 26 2000 in his home town at only 55.
FABIO MONTALE TRILOGY
Total
Khéops
Fabio,
Ugo and Manu have always been friends. They shared the poverty
of their childhood and the love for the same woman, Lole. Once
they became adults their lives took different paths. Fabio is
a cop, Ugo and Manu criminals. When Manu is found dead, Ugo comes
back to Marseilles seeking revenge. Even Fabio wants to find out
who killed his friend and investigate in his own way because Fabio
is not a typical policeman, and someone is thinking he is losing
control since he prefers the company of criminals than hanging
around his colleagues.
Chourmo
Police
Inspector Fabio Montale has left the police with whom he had never
agreed upon the repressionary policy concerning the young immigrants
yet alone the links some of his colleagues had with organized
crime and Le Pen's Front National. When the sixteen-year-old son
of his cousin is found dead after being kicked out of the house
by his stepfather following a flirt with an Arab girl, Montale
has to investigate alone among the criminal interests on the port
of Marseilles, the violent racism of the Front National and the
Islamic fundamentalists.
Solea
"This
is a novel. Nothing of what you will read has taken place. But
since it is impossible to be indifferent while reading the daily
newspaper, my story is strongly set in reality. And it is in reality
that everything happens".
Born
in Marseilles of Italian father and Spanish mother, Jean Claude Izzo
became a writer quite late in life. He was a journalist and wrote TV
as well as film scripts before his first detective novel 
