I was interested in this book from the beginning, the storyline is absolutely intriguing. Unfortunately, it took me a moment to realize that it was #11 in a series and I refuse to judge a book mid series without reading the before. Maybe some day I'll get to tackling this series but for now, I had to DNF.

Unique Mystery Puzzle with Interesting Characters and Humor. The Poison Will Remain is a brilliant, complex story with unforgettable, flawed, deeply nuanced, fully-fleshed characters. beautifully written.

This is my first novel by Fred Vargas and it did not disappoint. The mystery is fresh and the police procedural that follows is also non-traditional for the genre. The prose is on point and non-distracting, and as the story rolls along, there is a desire to linger for a little longer before the last page is turned.
This is a series, which I have recently discovered, and I will certainly be picking up more of Vargas in the near future.

The Poison will Remain was my introduction to Vargas and the Commisserate. I thoroughly enjoyed this crime mystery. I was drawn in quickly, and loved the writing style. There were times when it seemed a little hard to follow. I am not sure if that is typical of this author or not, but I muddled through and enjoyed the ending.
I would consider reading more by Vargas as I love mysteries!

Thank you Penguin Books for the eARC of The Poison Will Remain. I was thoroughly intrigued by Commisaire Adamsberg and his police team. When they start to investigate the deaths of 3 men believed to have been killed by recluse spiders, I had no idea whether that was the mystery and how it could possibly come together. This story was incredibly well crafted, adding pieces of of the mystery, but keeping everything off balance so I was left guessing the whole time.
I would love to go back and start this series from the beginning!

This is number 11 in the Commissaire Adamsberg series, but it can be read as a standalone. It took me a little while to get acquainted with the various officers in Adamsberg’s squad. However, each has a distinct personality (and idiosyncrasies) and after a while, they feel like old friends.

When I began reading This Poison Will Remain, I wasn’t certain what to expect. Fortunately, in this case, I thoroughly enjoyed the book.

I always enjoy the dynamics of police procedurals: the different personalities and work habits, the various quirks, the rivalries and alliances, the way they pull together under their leader–or revolt. I have no idea if real life police investigators act like this, but it’s interesting to read in fiction. This book was no exception.

Adamsberg’s team features a man with an encyclopedic memory for minutiae, an IT genius with narcolepsy, an ichthyologist wannabe, and a junior officer who’s effective at making coffee and ineffective at everything else, and others. While Adamsberg is normally an effective leader, in this book his team is divided over whether they ought to investigate the recluse spider deaths at all. Vargas uses this conflict to crank up the tension but also in some surprising ways.

This whole book is a bit of a surprise. There are touches of humor throughout. (I applaud translator Siân Reynolds for her ability to translate Vargas’ words and make the funny quips and one-liners feel fresh and funny in English. That can’t be easy!)

While I did have a good idea who the killer was, the path Adamsberg takes to arrive at his discovery twists and turns, dead ends and detours, much like a real investigation would.

That’s a good thing, because otherwise we might be incredulous by the fantastical nature of the crime. This book features one of the oddest murder methods I’ve read: death by recluse spider.

Mind you, this isn’t the same recluse that’s native to North America. This type is the non-aggressive, solitary Mediterranean recluse. According to the spider expert–an insufferable, know-it-all prig–the victim would need to be bitten by at least 22 spiders in order to receive enough venom to die.

Yet three men have died. How did the killer do this?

While that’s an intriguing puzzle, it’s the discovery of the reasons for the murders that kept me reading. Vargas takes us to some dark places. An orphanage where the original “Band of Recluses” terrorized others. An archaeological dig that seems medieval in origin. Dark memories that plague the commissaire. An attic, and the dark spaces lurking in the human heart.

A word of warning: this book is not for the faint of heart. Spiders are featured prominently throughout the book and those with arachnophobia might want to stay away.

It’s worth noting, however, that humans are far worse predators than any spider could be. As evidenced by the murders and the reasons for them, humans turn on their own kind. Even small children aren’t safe, and Vargas provides ample evidence for this, too. Consider that a trigger alert.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and I’m interested in reading more of Fred Vargas’ work.

Note: I received a copy of This Poison Will Remain from Netgalley and Penguin Books in exchange for an honest review.

This review will run on my blog on October 21, 2019 (https://MeredithRankin.com/this-poison-will-remain-fred-vargas/)

Commissaire Adamsberg is convinced that three deaths, the result of venom from the recluse spider, are connected, but support for his theory is lacking. Can he win over his colleagues and solve the case?

I had a hard time getting through this book; the format made it difficult to follow the dialogue and become immersed in the story because there wasn’t a paragraph break between speakers. This Poison Will Remain is the 11th book in a series, so I’m sure I was missing a lot as I read as well. The story didn’t really grab me, plus it kind of sucks when your favorite character turns out to be the killer. I’m not saying this was a bad novel, it just wasn’t for me.

Fred Vargas has never yet disappointed me. Her complex plots and well developed characters make for a riveting read. Commissaire Adamsberg is in fine form in This Poison Will Remain, refusing to be put off by what appears to be an impossible crime. Interspersed with personnel problems on his team, the clues are subtly interjected making for a thoughtful book. Not to be missed!!