Of All the Gaul!

I remember a few years back, when I was in Paris haunting bookstores in search of French crime novels that had been translated into English. I knew that the country had turned out ample titles in this genre, but aside from Fred Vargas’ Have Mercy on Us All and the works of Georges Simenon (who, though he created Paris detective Jules Maigret, was Belgian, rather than French), I was unable to find more in my own language.

Now, though, Euro Crime alerts us to a new London-based publishing house, Gallic Books, “dedicated to bringing contemporary French authors to the UK market.” The first two titles will reach British bookstores next month: The Chatelet Apprentice, by Jean-François Parot, and Murder on the Eiffel Tower, by Claude Izner. Two additional historical tales, The Sun King Rises, by Yves Jégo and Denis Lépée, and The Officer’s Prey, by Armand Cabasson, are scheduled for publication in the fall, with more to come.

I suppose it’s too much to hope that Gallic Books will soon distribute these novels to the United States, as well, given the export and shipping difficulties involved, and after Republicans both inside and outside the White House acted so childishly toward France, following the latter’s opposition to U.S. military intervention in Iraq. (Remember the “freedom fries” fiasco?) But at least we can order them through British bookstores, such as Foyles.

The Gallic Books Web site is located here.