A family outing that quickly turns into a nightmare.

And a whole world that rocks, that of adolescence, that of illusions, of recklessness.

With this feeling that the danger is not necessarily where you expect it to be.

The distressing and poisonous universe of the

Smile of the scorpion

(Le Mot et le rest) allows Patrice Gain to win the Quais du Polar-

20 Minutes

prize this Friday

.

Mountain professional, environmental engineer, the Haut-Savoyard author succeeds Thomas Cantaloube, crowned last summer.

From the first lines, the reader is invited to slip into the skin of Tom, the narrator.

The 15-year-old teenager has boundless admiration for his twin Luna, much more daring and reckless than him.

Much less erased too.

Both were raised by bohemian parents, who love to travel the world in their truck, according to the seasons and their desires.

A story inspired by real events

Back to summer 2006 in Montenegro.

The setting is idyllic.

Spectacular nature.

The enchanting Tara gorges.

Accompanied by their guide Goran, the family is about to go rafting down the river.

Despite an apparent lightness, the atmosphere is heavy.

The crushing heat foreshadows a dull, invisible threat.

A bad feeling announcing an imminent drama.

Patrice Gain builds his novel in two parts.

The second projects the reader a few years later.

The canyon, which we escaped with relief, is now a bad memory.

Return to calm ?

No, the atmosphere is made over the pages, even darker, more devious.

The characters will reveal themselves, presenting a face to say the least unexpected.

The story takes a more political, more dramatic turn.

We will not say more to maintain the suspense except that the author was inspired by a very real story, which occurred in the Lyon region.

The end, a masterpiece of darkness, once again reminds us that the biggest predator is not necessarily the one we believe in ...

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Thomas Cantaloube wins the Quais du Polar prize - "20 minutes"

  • Lyon

  • Polar

  • Docks of the thriller

  • Literature

  • Culture

  • Literary prize