Corruption; Betrayal; Murder; Redemption; as Capitaine Celestine Courbet fights for justice against those closest to her, the Bordeaux Police Force and the ruthless and deadly Vietnamese mob.

The story races from the backstreets and ancient cemetery of old Bordeaux to the treacherous waters of the Gironde Estuary, as the investigation into two brutal murders brings Celestine into conflict with powerful forces who want her silenced.

Ostracised by her colleagues and aided only by the colourful and enigmatic Jacques Lecoubarry, Celestine demonstrates all her fiery determination in tracking down the murderers and exposing the rottenness at the core of a police department, putting in extreme jeopardy her career, her marriage and ultimately her life.

Fast-paced and rich in memorable characters, this novel will keep you engrossed from the first shocking pages to the thrilling and unpredictable climax.

Author's Note   -   This story is the prequel to the first book, The Devil's Point, and throws Celestine and Jacques reluctantly together for the first time, as they seek justice following the violent murder of Jacques' friend. However, as they are drawn deeper into a more dangerous and complex investigation, they begin to appreciate their individual skills and strengths. The title of the book, of course, refers to the inscription on the Great Bell in Bordeaux. I wanted to give the victims of the crimes a voice throughout the book and reflect on how their deaths affect the main protagonists.

Bordeaux is a wonderful city, full of history, culture, superb architecture, great wine and a fascinating cemetery. The Cemetery of Chartreuse does appear with great regularity in the book. We were talking to some Australian visitors and suggesting sites to visit in Bordeaux when I realised that we kept mentioning Chartreuse and had to explain that we were not, in fact, related to the Addams Family. The Gironde Estuary and the Medoc Peninsula are the backdrop for much of the other action in the book, and these are wonderful picturesque settings, but they also have a mysterious and sinister side. The strong tidal currents of the estuary can be perilous for the unwary, as some will find out.

The story explores the French/Vietnamese connection, organised crime, police corruption, betrayal and careless murder. This is a fast-paced crime thriller, where police captaine Celestine Courbet risks everything to solve the crimes and at the end of it, realises that her life has changed for ever.

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Places that inspired the story

Weep for the Dead

Cimetiere de la Chartreuse in Bordeaux was created in 1791 and was laid out in the former gardens of a Carthusian convent. It is literally called the suburb of the dead. Many of the stone carvings are quite exceptional, like the famous Angel of Death statue seen here.

The Grosse Cloche at Bordeaux. baptised as Armande-Louise by the local population, is installed in the gate of Saint-Eloi in the medieval city walls. It is a beautiful edifice consisting of two 40-metre-high circular towers and a central bell tower housing a bell that weighs in at 7,800 kilograms. The clock is from 1759. The gate and bell tower form part of the city coat of arms.

Inscribed on the 'belly' of the great bell are various coats of arms, and, in Latin, a list of the occasions when the bell should be rung. A plaque at the foot of the bell tower has the translation in French, but it appears to omit the last line. I have seen numerous translations, but the one I prefer in English, and included in the book is this: I call to arms; I announce the days; I give the hours; I chase the storms; I sound the festivals; I scream at fires; I weep for the dead.

The Gironde is the largest estuary in western Europe, and is formed at the confluence of the rivers Dordogne and Garonne, which drain large areas of central and south west France. It has very strong tidal currents and can be treacherous for all manner of boats. The picture shows one of the carrelets, the picturesque wooden fishing huts found along the estuary side.