Fred Vargas Books In Order

Publication Order of Commissaire Adamsberg Books

Publication Order of Three Evangelists Books

Fred Vargas is an alternative name given to Frédérique Audoin-Rouzeau, who is a writer, archaeologist and the French historian. Her father was a surrealist writer and had the name Philippe Audoin. According to Vargas, her father was a brilliant man and apart from science, he used to know about everything. As a child she was not allowed to watch television, but had many books to read. The Crime Writers Association has given her three International Dagger Awards for the crime fiction policies written by her. It was given to her in the year 2006, 2008 and 2009 for her three successive novels. The awards are a big honor and she became the first author to achieve it. Siân Reynolds, who is also an international award winner translated all the three novels into English. Audoin-Rouzeau was born in Paris on June 7, 1957 and she uses Fred Vargas as a pen name to write her novels. As an archaeologist, she joined and worked at CNRS (French National Centre for Scientific Research) in the year 1988. She later worked as a eukaryotic archaeologist at the Institut Pasteur. She has done many projects in her life and some of them includes the epidemiology of bubonic plague and the Black Death.

In the year 2003 Fred’s scientific work in this field was published. She derived Fred from her first name and Vargas from The Barefoot Contessa film’s character of Ava Gardner. Police thrillers are favorite topics of her writings and she describes writing as something that makes her feel relaxed. Almost all of her novels are Paris based and of Adamsberg, a Chief Inspector of police. The British Crime Writer’s Association shortlisted Fred’s novel in the year 2005 titled ‘Seeking Whom He May Devour’ for the best crime novel of the year. She won the inaugural Duncan Lawrie International Dagger for her novel The Three Evangelists in the year 2006 and again for her next novel, becoming the first author to achieve it. Her novels on Adamsberg have been made into four TV films and one movie. She also has a brother named Stéphane Audoin-Rouzeau, who is an historian and the First World War’s noted specialist. She has a twin sister, who adopted the name Jo Vargas. Her real name is Joëlle and she is a painter by profession. Fred Vargas was in a controversy once. She took part in Cesare Battisti’s defense who murdered two people and helped in the other two murders. In all, he was found guilty of four assassination and is now serving life imprisonment. All the murders were committed during the “Years of lead”.

The French author Fred Vargas has written many series and one of them includes Commissaire Adamsberg series. One of the books of this series is titled ‘Have Mercy on Us All’ and was first published in the year 2001 and again by Simon & Schuster on 8th November of the year 2005. This book is by the international bestselling mystery writer and French people have said that Fred Vargas is going to be the next Henning Mankell. The story of the novel is based on a small Parisian square. There is a town crier and this ancient tradition is still being followed in the modern times. Snippets of gossip along with the daily news are read out by Joss Le Guern, who is a self-appointed crier. Lately from an anonymous source an ominous message has been received that was placed in a message box handmade of wood. This message warns that bubonic plague is about to spread in the town. Le Guern gets concerned and brings the notes to Jean-Baptiste Adamsberg, who is a brilliant Chief Inspector and to Adrien Danglard, who is his right-hand man. In ancient times, strange signs were used to ward off the black death and these signs start to appear on many buildings’ doors and this makes Adamsberg tensed. Soon a corpse is found in one of the marked buildings that is bitten by fleas and has symptoms of plague. Thus, the pressure on the chief inspector Jean-Batiste Adamsberg increases and he knows that he has to solve this mystery as soon as possible as the city of Paris has panicked. Is this a real bubonic plague or some trick done by a sinister to frighten the people of the city? Adamsberg must solve this as the number of corpse goes on increasing day-by-day. Have Mercy on Us All is really a fantastic book that contains surprising, complex and stylish story.

Another book written by the French author Fred Vargas in the Commissaire Adamsberg series is titled ‘Wash This Blood Clean from My Hand’ and was published by Harvill Secker on 4th January, 2007. The story is about murder of nine people with a trident, the most unusual weapon. The thing is that these murders have happened over the period of 60 years, between 1943 and 2003. In each of the murder suspects were arrested and charged, and they confessed to the crimes they did and were given a punishment of life sentence. The only detail causing worry is that on the night of each murder the murderer lost consciousness and can’t recollect what happened on that night. Commissaire Adamsberg knows that one person has done all these murders and he was once a Judge of their village called Judge Fulgence. Many years ago, when one of the nine murders happened, Adamsberg’s own brother was accused of it and Adamsberg proved his innocence in the courtroom. As there is a saying, ‘what goes around, comes around,’ now Adamsberg is accused of one of such murders. He has been charged for the murder of a young woman, whom he met when he was on a training mission in Quebec. Now Adamsberg must prove his innocence and for this to happen, he must escape from the Canadian police and go on a run to find the real murderer Judge Fulgence. Another chilling mystery, Wash This Blood Clean from My Hand is one of the best mystery novel in the market right now and among the best written by Fred Vargas. The narration of the plot is brilliant and so is the story. This novel is recommended to everyone who likes mystery novels very much.

2 Responses to “Fred Vargas”

1. Lea Cowin: 7 months ago

   I have just finished This Poison Will Remain
   I’m sure there’s another later one in the Adamsberg Novels? But maybe yet to be translated.
   I’m sad to have no more to read. They’re amazing

   Reply
2. Kathy Navarro: 2 years ago

   Have read every book she has written. What delicious pleasure comes from immersing myself in the culture , mystery and character development that is singularly hers. Waiting for more .

   Reply