"NEVER FORGET" By Martin Michaud

This is the third in the series and my very first read from this very famous author, dubbed the Master of the Quebec Thriller and already a television show, this really piqued my interest. I am going to tell you friends, this did not disappoint. I am addicted to this thriller and police procedural suspense/mystery read, I loved the characters, the pacing and the amazing twisted plot that had me on the edge of my seat. This was a wonderful read for me that I highly enjoyed! I will be recommending this to everyone who wants to read an excellent crime thriller/suspense.

This was my first Nordic thriller and I loved it! It was my first by Martin Michaud and can not wait to read more of his.

This was the third one in the series but the first one to be translated in English. I loved the two main characters and all of the drama with their home lives as well as work lives.

There are a ton of characters in these stories which can be a bit confusing but you do get used to it.

I highly recommend and hope that more people check out this series or even just this one book!

This is a long, complicated, book traversing the decades from the 1960s to 2012 which is when this book was written. It also takes some liberties with North American history but not in too distorting a way.

When a homeless man leaves two wallets behind before jumping to his death it is discovered that one of the owners is missing while the other was recently murdered. An open and shut case then? Remorse at what he'd done causing the successful suicide attempt? Of course not! What is discovered becomes the basis of a case the Montreal police department, led by Victor Lessard and partner Jacinthe Taillon, find themselves enmeshed in as Christmas approaches.

The victims are successful professionals holding down high powered positions now in their seventies and apparently with more than a few secrets they would have preferred to keep to themselves. Their suffering at the hands of their tormentor speaks of a rage in need of assuaging while the lack of verifiable clues hints at a methodical  and well prepared perpetrator.

Although I enjoyed this book it had its flaws. Firstly, although it is the first of author Martin Michaud's books to be published in English, it is the third in the series with the preceding novels being translated and reissued over the next two years rather than in the right order. Secondly this book is long, too long in my opinion; there are parts which could have been cut without lessening the complexity of the main case or eliminating the importance of Victor's private life.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers in exchange for an unbiased review and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a detailed police procedural novel or one that can consume you for longer than the average length book.

I had great hopes for this book. The blurb sounded really interesting – a homeless man committing suicide, leaving behind two wallets and many questions for a bewildered police force. Unfortunately, my hopes of a good read were not realised. It was not a bad book, and some of the plot lines were quite riveting. But, as a whole, it did not work for me.
I did really like the character of the overweight, deliberately obnoxious police officer, Jacinthe Taillon, whose complete lack of tact was mind-boggling, while concealing a heart of gold. I was much less impressed with her partner, Victor Lessard, who was supposed to be the hero of the book. A man suffering from childhood demons, trying desperately not to slip back into alcoholism, botching yet another promising relationship, flirting with witnesses, and always bordering on (or giving into) violence. Yes, he may get his culprit eventually - but should someone like that really continue to be supported by the police department?
The book was too long, and really slow going for the first quarter. I found it difficult keeping all the characters straight (not helped by each cop being referred to by title or nickname or first name or surname – but not consistently). It then picked up a lot and I was enjoying the read. But, a descent into multiple conspiracy theories – including throwing JFK into the bag (Why???) – ending in a longwinded (barely believable) confession to tie up the (many) loose ends.
I felt, there was a very good story lurking within this book, but it got mired in the highly convoluted, myriad of plot lines, too many baddies, and culprits whose reasons for doing what they did, were rather contrived.
So, a book with promise, but not one that appealed to me.

Once again, I’m starting a mystery series in the middle. But for once, it’s through no fault of my own. The publisher decided to start translating the series, originally written in French, with the third book. The problem with this is that we know Lessard had a rough go from a prior case. He’s been demoted and is still recovering, both physically and mentally. In a bit of a twist from the normal detective, he gets sick every time he sees a dead body. Not so his partner, Jacinthe Taillon. She’s tough as nails, raunchy and rough. Michaud does a great job of painting her in just a few words. “Jacinthe’s foot on the accelerator was as heavy as the rest of her.” They have a contentious relationship and threaten to go nuclear multiple times.

I picked this up because I love mysteries in different locales and the idea of Montreal intrigued me. But I can’t say it worked well for me. I’m trying to decide if my trouble with the story was the translation, the starting in the middle of a series or what. The plot was initially very confusing and it took me longer than normal to get a feel. Once I did, about a ⅓ into the book, I was engaged. Although I do believe the book could have used a good edit. And the ending didn’t exactly work for me, as it entailed a conspiracy theory which I found way too far fetched.

I did appreciate that Michaud makes Montreal and its winter another character in the book. Not just the bitter cold, but also the driving hazards. In fact, there’s a fabulous car chase towards the end of the book.

The jury is still out as to whether I will try another book in this series.

My thanks to netgalley and Dundurn Press for an advance copy of this book.

This is Martin Michaud's third in the DS Victor Lessard Montreal series written in French but the first to be translated into English. This is a complex story, with numerous threads, that take quite a while to become connected, making this feel on occasion like an unwieldy and choppy read until it begins to make sense. Lessard is a divorced, disgraced, PTSD suffering, police detective who has returned to the Major Crimes Unit, partnered with Jacinthe Taillon. He has a traumatic family history, plagued by fits of rage and drink issues, has two children, Martin, with a troubled history and Charlotte, and is in a relationship with a younger cop, Nadja. It all begins with the suicide of a homeless man, Andre Lortie, a man with mental health issues, who commits suicide at the Stock Exchange Tower. He has on him two wallets belonging to Judith Harper, a retired psychiatrist, and Nathan Lawson, a renowned gay lawyer, both in their seventies, distinguished, respectable and prosperous professionals but it seems highly unlikely he would have known either of them.

Soon after, Harper is discovered murdered in a warehouse, having been tortured with a medieval instrument known as a heretic's fork, and Lawson is missing, having left his law firm with a old file from the archives. The Montreal police team are baffled, and, for a while, entertain the idea that Lortie killed Harper. Lortie had been in and out of a psychiatric hospital through the years, suffering from delusions and memory loss, but has left behind hidden papers, and strange hieroglyphs on a cardboard sheet that take some time to yield their secrets. Interspersed is the story of siblings, Charlie and Lennie, and their concerns over what is happening to their father. In a twisted narrative with a rising body count, connections emerge between Harper, Lawson and the homeless Lortie, a history that goes back to the sixties and seventies, unethical psychiatric experiments at McGill University funded by the CIA, cover ups, old Quebec history, and surprising links to the JFK assassination and Lee Harvey Oswald.

This is a story of memory, its loss, its fundamental importance to our sense of identity around which Michaud weaves a compelling story, utilising actual realities, although he does take liberties with those events and people. He depicts the unsavoury darker aspects of the psychiatric profession in the present but which goes back historically, involving the widespread global misuse of psychiatry to imprison, harm, torture and destroy individuals by governments, intelligence agencies, powerful individuals and the military. I am not sure I understood the logic or reasoning in translating the third book first, and I believe the first two books in the series are lined up to published in English soon. The central protagonist, Victor, is a fascinatingly flawed creation with enough to him to carry him through a long series. I liked the other characters in the police team, although I did not warm in the slightest to Victor's partner, Jacinthe, who seemed to lack the ability to make any sensitive or positive contribution to the investigation, an unpleasant, sadistic and nosy character with little in the way of redeeming qualities. This is a great read for those who like their crime reads to be intricate and complicated puzzles. Many thanks to Dundurn Press for an ARC.

Great series alert!!! Never Forget is number 3 in the series but the only one translated into English, and read fine as a stand alone.

When a homeless man jumps to his death the police find two wallets in his possession, one of a recently murdered psychiatrist and one from a missing lawyer. The murders are gruesome and bizarre with no obvious connections to the suicide.

With police detectives Victor Lessard and Jacinthe Taillon working together the piece the pieces of this puzzle, the killer is ready to strike again and disturbing secrets are beginning to emerge about a pivotal moment in Quebec’s history.

This was an action packed and fascinating read with an intricate plot. Although based on actual historical events, this novel doesn’t convey historical or political reality but rather what could have happened. And I absolutely loved Victor and Jacinthe! My only negative would be that keeping track of all the names was a bit confusing, but it all worked out in the end. Happy to hear that the other books are being translated this year.

Never Forget: A Victor Lessard Thriller
(Victor Lessard #3)
by Martin Michaud

ebook, 560 pages
Expected publication: January 18th 2020 by Dundurn (first published August 1st 2012)



Goodreads synopsis:
From the acclaimed “master of the Quebec thriller” comes an action-packed, breakneck mystery featuring Montreal police detectives Victor Lessard and Jacinthe Taillon, who race to track down a ruthless killer.

When an eccentric homeless man jumps to his death in Old Montreal, the police discover two wallets in his possession: those of a retired psychiatrist who was recently murdered in a bizarre ritual and a powerful corporate lawyer who has vanished. As police detective Victor Lessard and his partner, Jacinthe Taillon, work to solve the separate mysteries, a dark history begins to emerge.

While the pressure builds and the bodies accumulate, dark and disturbing secrets come to light about a pivotal moment in Quebec’s history. But will Lessard and Taillon crack the case in time to prevent the killer from striking again?

***

4.5 Stars

This is the third book in the Victor Lessard series by Martin Michaud.

This author and series has never been on my radar before but I was hooked from the very beginning. This is one of those books that you can’t skim. You need to pay attention to all the details and all the alleyways the plot leads you down.

In the beginning you don’t think the Kennedy assassin has anything to do with the case at all. It seems like just a bit of fluff and you scoff to yourself, “yeah, right.” Then as they investigate and as they keep digging deeper the case takes them to places they never thought they’d go.

I like how messy the lives of the detectives are. It makes it all so read and edgy. Definitely a book series I want to dig into more. I just enjoyed the heck out of it. One of my new favorite series of the year.

If you love a good suspense mystery thriller police procedural, check this one out. You won’t be disappointed.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

The novel was difficult to follow and rather uninteresting even when I did. I tried a few times to get into it, and when I finally did I thought it was quite the missed bag. I finished it a few weeks ago and just found it hard to motivate myself to write a review for it. So, uninspiring would sum it up! Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC.

I struggled with the confusing storyline of this book. Maybe because it was translated caused the storyline hard to follow. It seemed as though there are a lot of unnecessary reading that does not elevate the story.

This retro-modern police procedural is oddly captivating. While it feels as though some nuances may have been lost in translation, the layers of plot & character interactions make Michaud’s Never Forget, well, unforgettable. Earlier titles will also be released in translation soon, & I’m eager to know the backstory to the series. A solid handsell for the procedural lover who has read the usuals & is looking for a complex read by the fire, I truly enjoyed this title & look forward to many more volumes.

Never Forget is a mystery based out of Quebec featuring Montreal police detectives Victor Lessard and Jacinthe Taillon. The detectives are investigating a serial murderer on a killing spree of some high powered figures in the Montreal community. When the apparent suicide of a homeless man is found in possession of wallets of a retired psychiatrist and a missing corporate lawyer, the detectives end up on a wild chase to figure out how the puzzle pieces seem to fit.
While this investigation is going on, Lessard is also dealing with some family problems that become a distraction within the media. This further complicates his ability to do his job.
This was a very complicated mystery to keep up with. There is a lot going on, some of it relevant, some of it more of a distraction. There is even an element of the assignation of President Kennedy. I found it very difficult to follow what was going on. I also found much of the writing was lost in translation, it’s my understanding this is the third installment of this series, and the only book that was translated from French to English. I found myself confused more than once, and given a lot of useless information that wasn’t necessary.
Imt’s my understanding this is going to be a television series, possibly only in Quebec, hopefully it would make it to the US as I would be interested in seeing it play out on the screen.
I am giving this book a 2.5 stars because it was a difficult book to make sense out of.
I would like to thank Netgalley and Dundurn publishing for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

NEVER FORGET REVIEW

Martin Michaud continues his series featuring Montreal police sergeant Victor Lessard and his abrasive partner, Jacinthe Taillon, as they continue their antics fighting crime in the city’s gritty streets. The torture murders of two seemingly unrelated elderly people and the suicide of a homeless man who possesses both murder victims’ wallets, turns into a puzzling mystery they must solve before more murders occur.

The two cops uncover a tangled story of a 1960s mind control program where one of the brainwashed might have taken part in the JFK assassination. An ominous revenge plot comes to light and more victims might be involved if the mystery isn’t solved. The details are somewhat twisted in Michaud’s story but the police procedures are carefully detailed and all the participants, cops, crooks, and victims, are well defined and don’t drastically stumble over each other, a tribute to Michaud’s writing style (if not his plot construction). The ending doesn’t quite live up to the possibilities that could be there, but the author is content with his story and so then should we. Each reader will have to sort out his/her own feelings about it.

I found the book to be intriguing and generally well written. The characters, particularly Lessard and Taillon, are well conceived and Taillon will certainly entertain the reader with her incessant sniping and feeding her face. Less grub might reduce her puffed up profile, which, apparently, doesn’t slow her down much but seems to increase her pugnacity, as well as her girth. The police work of Lessard and his entire team is detailed carefully and with authenticity.

I recommend this book as an entertaining read with the complexities kept fairly well in check by the author. That’s a welcome change from some recent books I’ve had to wade through where confusion reigned.

Schuyler T Wallace
Author of TIN LIZARD TALES

Where do I start I really struggled with this book the story was actually a good one but I felt it was difficult to follow. Partly because the characters were sometimes referred to by there first name sometimes by their surname or even by a nickname which for me really confused me particularly at the beginning.
However as the plot unfolded I could see it making a really good film where I think the tooing and froing from the past to present day would be better understood.

Never Forget is a exceptional police procedural, that delves into some interesting and surprising conspiracy theories. This is an intense, compelling thriller that deals with anguish, vengeance, retaliation, guilt, and past abuse within the mental health system. I recommend it to readers who like a complex police procedural (not my favorite genre). This is a thriller that will keep you hooked all the way until the very end. It keeps you guessing from the very beginning. I don’t usually care for police or detective stories but this one kept my attention. I recommend this book. I would like to thank Netgalley, the publisher and the author for providing me with a review copy in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion of this book.

This is the first book I have read from the Victor Lessard series. It was pretty standalone, with references to the earlier books, but nothing to distract from the story. If anything, these references could create more curiosity. This is the first translated-to-English book in the series.
Victor Lessard is a detective sergeant with the Quebec Police, and he and his partner, Jacinthe Taillon, manage to keep the bad elements off the street.
One day, a drunk man jumps to his death, leaving behind two wallets. These wallets belong to two high-profile people - one a lawyer and the other a psychiatrist. When they are finally tracked down, both of them are found dead in a gruesome manner.
The story follows Victor as he unravels the mystery behind the three seemingly unconnected deaths to reveal one of the most astonishing endings that changed history. All this while racing against time before the killer strikes again.
While it had the potential to be phenomenal, the ending is dampening. After such a great buildup, we expect a great climax. It is not to be.
However, the rest of the book is good. Victor Lessard is quite an interesting character and we can even see why he and Jacinthe work together even if both of them get on each other's nerves. Nadja and Martin, and their sensitive relationship with Victor are excellently written as well.

Will give the Victor Lessard series a chance, if I can get my hand on the translations.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What an interesting read and story overall!
I want to think that this will be made a tv show/ series if it's not already as I have read it somewhere but can't certify if It’s true or not.We all know the story and so many twists and turns that Kennedy's assassination went through and all the conspiracies theories about it as well. This story is based on one of them and it goes for a long period of time as much as 30 years.
In these years there are so many things happening in the professional and personal life of the main characters and we can see how they grew and changed.
It's a fast-paced read through and keeps you engaged in the story, it has small clues and twists but it all adds for the big scene at the end.

Never Forget is the kind of detective story that grips you from the beginning and has you turning pages until the very end. Our hero is Montreal police detective Victor Lessard, who with his partner starts out investigating one murder and then starts pulling at the threads. What follows is a string of murders and disappearances and a buried secret that powerful people want to say buried.

Never Forget is the first of Michaud's books to be translated into English. I can only hope it's not the last. This is a terrific atmospheric story and a wonderful police procedural that has you falling in love with Lessard, his partner, and the entire squad of well-drawn characters.

**Will post Amazon and GoodReads reviews after the book is released.

A really good read. There is a lot to this story. It took a lot of concentration to work out parts of it. I thought that it was a bit long in places and could have been better translated in some places as well. I liked the characters and the storyline and I hope that more books will be translated into English.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

Very impressive read. It had a body count and the twist and turns kept me on the roller coaster. Such perish translation. 5 big stars

Thanks, NetGalley for the advance copy.