French Crime Fiction Novels Coming to the US Thanks to Le French Book

This recent headline caught our eye: "French Crime Fiction Novels Coming to the US Thanks to Le French Book, a New Digital-First Publisher".

Crime novels from Europe written in the author's native language — but translated into English — have been hitting our shores at a fast and furious pace … but we haven't seen many from France. So we contacted Le French Book to learn more, and we were thrilled when Anne Trager, the founder of Le French Book, offered to tell us — and our readers — about the publisher.

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"I live in France, I love French crime fiction novels, and I thought it was time the American public discover them as well!" This idea dawned on Anne Trager, founder of Le French Book, about a year ago, she founded the company in December of last year and voilà, the first books have come out. The Paris Lawyer by Sylvie Granotier, the first French novel translated into English by the company is published, as is Treachery in Bordeaux by Jean-Pierre Alaux and Noël Balen, both now available on Kindle, Nook and iBooks.

Of course, it's not only about translation. Far from it. "The idea is to give people a feel for the great variety of creative work happening in France today," explains Anne. That's why Le French Book is going digital first, riding the wave of electronic publishing to introduce readers to new authors. But it's also about entertainment, about just plain good reads. Their slogan is "If we love it, we'll translate it."

Each of the company's first books was chosen to give a different view of modern France, with an entertaining and gripping twist only the crime fiction genre can give you. How are the books chosen? Anne has been living in France for more than 25 years, she definitely has a foot in each country and knows what can appeal to readers on both sides of the Atlantic! During all these years, she developed many contacts with the French publishing world. That's why major French publishing houses, like Albin Michel and Fayard, immediately embarked on this adventure. They were particularly drawn to the new approach offered by Le French Book: being digital-first means the books can reach the American public very quickly after being published in France.

"But it doesn't mean we rush them to market," insists Anne Trager. "There is nothing worse than a book that is poorly translated and full of mistakes and typos." That's why Le French Book put together a team of professionals to make sure the translations and final e-books are world-class. And it's only the first step. Le French Book is a digital-first publisher, not digital-only. "Our goal is to expand a book's reach, not to choose between digital or paper," says Fabrice Neuman, the company's Chief Technology Officer. "In our model, ebooks pave the way to all the other formats."

The company's first three books are crime fiction and will be officially launched this fall. The already mentioned The Paris Lawyer is a fast-paced legal procedural set between the sophisticated world of Paris and the rural outreaches of France. The second, Treachery in Bordeaux by Jean-Pierre Alaux and Noël Balen, is the first of a 20-book series following Benjamin Cooker, a world-renowned wine specialist using his know-how to solve strange mysteries in the wine region. The third book, The 7th Woman by Frédérique Molay, takes you into the inner-workings of the crime investigation team in Paris. All these books won prizes and were critically acclaimed in France. Le French Book also announced a collection of 52 short-stories and is already working on several other books.

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Below is more information about the two books already published by Le French Book: The Paris Lawyer, originally published as La Rigole du diable and the winner of the Prix du Sang d’Encre in 2011; and Treachery in Bordeaux, originally published as Mission à Haut-Brion in 2004, which has been adapted for French television. And keep an eye out for The 7th Woman, which is expected to be published in early fall.

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The Paris Lawyer
Sylvie Granotier

As a child, Catherine Monsigny was the only witness to a heinous crime. Now, she is an ambitious rookie attorney in sophisticated modern-day Paris. On the side, she does pro bono work and hits the jackpot: a major felony case that could boost her career. A black woman is accused of poisoning her rich farmer husband in a peaceful village in central France, where the beautiful, rolling hills hold dark secrets. While preparing the case, Catherine’s own past comes back with a vengeance.

      

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Treachery in Bordeaux
Jean-Pierre Alaux and Noël Balen
A Benjamin Cooker, Winemaker Detective Mystery (1st in series)

In modern-day Bordeaux, there are few wine estates still within the city limits. The prestigious grand cru Moniales Haut-Brion is one of them. When some barrels turn, world-renowned winemaker turned gentleman detective Benjamin Cooker starts asking questions. Is it negligence or sabotage? Who would want to target this esteemed vintner? Cooker and his assistant Virgile Lanssien search the city and the vineyards for answers, giving readers and inside view of this famous wine region.