A fascinating read with more twists than a pretzel!

What is it about Canadian French noir? Possibly that gritty, understated humor, or the 'no holds barred' exposé of the underbelly of 1978 Québécois Montreal, the rivalry of gangs--the Italian Mafiosa, The Biker Gangs, and the newer guys on the block, the Russians/ Eastern bloc coteries.
Sergeant-Detective Émile Cinq-Mars enters a new phase of his career, and courtesy of his old boss Armand Touton, he's at the pointy end of a problem that will spread into the gang situation.
Touton wants him to lookout for a deeply embedded agent in the gang arena. Coalface, as Touton dubbed the mole, has been there for over twenty years. A situation that's been on total blackout and unknown to all except for Touton, and now Émile. Now that Touton has retired how and whom does Coalface contact if needed?
A call out to a simple robbery leads to some dangerous places, including the mole's apartment block. Things take a darker when the stolen toasters call out is upgraded to murder with the discovery of a body in a closet. More bodies, police corruption, and internal gang wrangles erupt with international overtones.
What can I say? I was totally involved, totally present and cynically sold on the politics of it all in this 'in your face' read.

A Severn House ARC via NetGalley

Gritty police procedural set in Montreal in the past. John Farrow places Detective Sergeant Cinqmars in the middle of a potential gang war, multiple murders and underworld informers. Cinqmars' former and now retired boss has an informer in place, but he is behaving strangely. Enjoy the mafiosi, Hells Angels and police who pursue them. Well plotted to draw you into this world.

Set in 1978 Montreal, this procedural features an interesting detective in Emile Cine-Mars. A former priest, he's a conflicted man and a sharp detective. Assigned to investigate an odd robbery and then murder, he finds himself looking backwards 20 years to the root of a current Mafia and other bad guys war. It's complicated for sure (and those of us not familiar with Canada might find parts a little confusing) but Emile teams up with Detective Henri Casgrain. Henri is a calm man and he's also a good match for Emile, who, it seems, grates on many. There's corruption, there's dirty dealing, there's all sorts of things packed into a relatively slim volume. Montreal noir for sure. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Will work as a standalone and as a good introduction to Farrow's novels.

This is my first taste of John Farrow's Sergeant Detective Emile Cinq-Mars series set in Montreal, an unusual protagonist, having trained as a priest, a vocation he dropped because he felt celibacy was not for him, tried being a vet which also disagreed, only to settle for being a conflicted cop, a role that fits him like a glove and which he excels at. Bemoaning his current state of unplanned celibacy, stillness serves him better when it comes to thinking, rather than a hectic environment or any fuss, preferring guile to violence, he has a reputation for oddball intuitive thinking. It is 1978, Emile has only just been promoted to Sergeant, his first task is to attend to the strange multiple burglaries, 17 apartments and 11 storage sheds, at a poor apartment block of resident crazies. His first thought is that this is preparation for some bigger crime, the toaster heist doesn't make much sense, but he is forced to rethink when he finds the body of a murdered man in the closet of a resident's apartment.

Emile's night police patrol mentor and reformer boss, Captain Armand Touton, now retired, gets in touch about an undercover agent embedded in the local mafia since 1958, nicknamed Coalface. Having barely had any contact with Coalface for the last 20 years, Touton has now been asked to ensure the denial of early release of a minor league punk, Johnny Bondar, from the Vincent de Paul penitentiary to prevent all out gang warfare in the city. Touton passes the task to Emile, who fails to persuade Reverend Alex Montour to stop supporting Bondar's parole. Emile has no liking for convulated criminal plots and organised carnage, but this is what he has on his hands as Montreal threatens to slip into a deadly and brutal war between the Mob, the Biker Gangs, and the Russians and Eastern Europeans who want to muscle into their territory.

Emile, facing threats from within the police and the criminal fraternity, needs a partner he can trust and ensures that he gets the night patrol's Detective Henri Casgrain. Casgrain, with his congenital stoop, is convivial and intelligent, and unusually he has the smarts to get Emile , by the end of the case he returns to his previous post, but I would love to see him continue to partner Emile in the future, the pair work so well together. Farrow has created a fascinating central protagonist in Emile, serving in a police force where corruption is rife, where having been a priest surprisingly turns out to help him considerably in his role as a cop. This is complex and intricately plotted dark storytelling, and a noir crime series which I thoroughly enjoyed becoming acquainted with. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Severn House for an ARC.

Thank you NetGalley and Severn House for the eARC.
I love books set in Montreal, especially if it's the 70's, as I lived there at the time.
This was my first foray into the series and I was sorry I hadn't read any of the previous books; it would undoubtedly have added to my reading enjoyment. Will be adding to my TBR list!
Emile Cinq-Mars has just been promoted to Sergeant Detective. Previously he'd been a priest and then tried to become a veterinarian, before deciding to join the police.
This book really describes the underbelly of 1978 Montreal, which I must admit I was blissfully unaware of at the time. Between the Mafia, the Russian Mob and the Hell's Angels the police is kept very busy. We also meet someone deep
under cover with the Mafia, where he's been a member for decades, without trouble, until now.
A war between the three factions is imminent...
Cinq-Mars is a very likeable character and the writing is superb and atmospheric. I wish they'd make a TV show out of this series; they need to find an actor with a very large nose! I loved the way Cinq-Mars was able to joke about it's size. Highly recommended.

4.5 stars, rounded up
I have only read one other book in this series, the second (for some weird reason). But I enjoyed it, so was happy to get approved on netgalley for the upcoming 8th in the series.
This quickly grabbed my attention. Newly promoted Sergeant Detective Cinq-Mars gets called to a robbery. But not just any robbery, 17 of 28 units in an apartment building have been robbed. But these units are in one of the poorest areas in Montreal. So why? Then he finds a murdered victim in one of the units spared by the robbers. Then his retired boss asks him to prevent a convict from being granted early release; something Emile fails to do.
Another storyline involves a cop that goes deep undercover with the Mafia back in 1958.
It doesn’t take long for the connection between the two stories to become apparent. But how will it play out?
Farrow provides us with the historical story of the Mafia and the Hell’s Angels coming together as a supernova of crime.
Great characters and a nice complicated storyline that kept my interest. This is one you really need to pay attention to all the moving parts. Well written, with phrases that grabbed me. “Time had passed since any prayer he murmured contained conviction or import, yet he fell into a sorrow that eclipsed his previous inattentions.”
I have to say I’m finding it harder to concentrate on books right now with COVID-19. But this book managed to keep me reading and away from the news.
My thanks to netgalley nd Severn House for an advance copy of this book.

Set in Montreal, Canada in the late 70s. This is the eighth Emile Cinq-Mars adventure. He is an ex Priest, ex Veterian and is now working on the day shift as a Sergeant-Detective, after joining the Police force on the night shift, where he encountered his mentor Captain Armand Touton.
Touton has now retired but still keeps in touch. Emile's last partner was shot when on duty and has since retired. He now has a new partner, Detective Norville Geoffrion who has often been the subject of office jokes.
The two Policemen are called to an Apartment block where an unusual robbery has taken place - mainly toasters stolen! Also they find a murdered man in a wardrobe! Emile and Norville report to the long suffering Captain Delacroix.
Whilst the Detectives puzzle over the crimes another strand in the tale concerns Coalface otherwise known as Willy, who went undercover after reporting to Touton 20 years ago. He is involved with the Mafia, Hells Angels and Russian forces vying for the various rackets in the City.
Does the robbery and the murder relate to rumours of an impending gang war?
A well written book, the author is actually Trevor Ferguson an acclaimed Canadian writer who writes under the name of John Farrow. I previously read Ball Park and this book is equally as good. Recommended.

My thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Very well written. Well developed characters and the setting is one of my favourite cities in Canada, Montreal. (The dance clubs there are legend!) (Scenery is not bad either! JK!) This book made me want to take a five hour drive and pay that interesting city and match the scenes in the novel to actual places there.
For fans of crime novels and mysteries, this is the book for you!

I would like to thank Netgalley and Severn House for an advance copy of Roar Back, the eighth novel to feature Montreal based Detective Emile Cinq-Mars.

It’s 1978 and on his first day of promotion to Sergeant Detective Cinq-Mars is sent out to a most unusual burglary where all the occupants of an apartment complex have been burgled with the main haul being toasters. The discovery of a dead body adds to the mystery. Then his old boss asks for a favour, a source deeply embedded in the mafia wants them to stop the release of a prisoner. Cinq-Mars fails and it leads to unexpected consequences.

I have loved this series since reading City of Ice 20 years ago and was delighted to be offered the opportunity to read Roar Back. Unfortunately the subject matter didn’t really capture my attention and I found it overly long, overly complicated and, by the end boring. This is a personal opinion of the plot based purely on my disinterest in the politics of criminal activity and the interactions of the various factions. None of it seemed particularly credible to me. Even the great toaster heist is a bit of a damp squib with no real explanation. This is not to say that I didn’t enjoy parts of the novel and those readers with more interest in the subject matter will really like it.

The plot is well constructed with several disparate events gradually coming together to form a narrative. It is a broad, sweeping tale and is therefore, necessarily told from two different points of view, Cinq-Mars and the embedded informer, known as Willy. There are plenty of twists, tense moments and action scenes but mostly it revolves around conversations and inferences. This offers the reader much food for thought. Both main characters are well drawn and fascinating in their own way. Cinq-Mars is an outsider, not particularly collegiate and disliked by many of his fellow officers as different. And yet, he is warm, humorous and caring at times but tough as nails at others. Willy is an enigma who is slowly unravelled over the course of the novel with nothing as it seems.

Gangland machinations are not my cup of tea so I found Roar Back a disappointment but for those who find it interesting it will be a good read.

4 stars

Emile Cinq-Mars, newly promoted to Sergeant Detective, made his way to the police force in a convoluted sort of way. He receives a call about a series of stolen items from some seventeen apartments units. The complex was made of relatively poor people, so it is a wonder why anyone would steal from them. He is astounded when he comes upon a dead man impaled in his closet. He must turn the case over to homicide.

When his old boss and mentor Armand Touton calls him up and demands Cinq-Mars' action on the case of a young man now in prison. Touton wants Cinq-Mars to convince a Reverend to not speak on behalf of the young man during his parole hearing.

This book clearly illustrates the ongoing tensions between the Montreal Mafia, the Hell's Angles biker gang, undercover cops, and the day-to-day police force. It also shows the ongoing grudges that are alive in the police force between different groups and departments. It is a tough, gritty and realistic portrait. It is dark and noir-ish.

The book is well written and plotted. The characters are interesting. I liked Cinq-Mars. He was bright and had a lot of common sense. I even liked Nord, Cinq-Mars' partner. Armand Touton, mmm..not so much. He was a pretty tough character. I usually don't care much for gangland-type stories. This one was an exception. It is a pretty heavy read, though. At least for me, it was. This is my first John Farrow novel, so I can't compare this book to others that he has written.

I want to thank NetGalley and Severn House for forwarding to me a copy of this book for me to read, enjoy and review.

4.5 Stars rounded up to 5. I want to express my thanks to NetGalley and Severn House Publishers for the ARC for Roar Back. I was delighted to receive this advanced copy, as the intriguing Emile Cinq-Mars has become one of my favourite fictional detectives. I have only become aware of these exceptional crime novels in the last couple of weeks. This is the third one I have read with enjoyment, and have a fourth one waiting.

In the two books I read recently, Emile has retired from the Montreal Police Force, and has gained much respect and esteem for his ability to notice clues others may have missed, and solve crimes through remarkable intelligent and logical deduction. In these books, he was aged 66 and trying to lead a quiet life with his wife. He is sometimes called on as a consultant for crimes that baffle the police.

In Roar Back the time is 1978, and the location Montreal. It goes back to when the young police officer, Emile Cinq-Mars has just been promoted to Sergeant Detective. The story begins with Emile investigating the break-ins of 17 apartments and 11 storage sheds at an apartment complex. Its inhabitants are poor, and it doesn’t make sense. Very little is missing except toasters. It appears to be a practice run for a larger heist. During the search, Emile and his partner discover a body in a closet, an unknown victim killed by a machete.

While puzzling about the thefts and the murder, Emile is ordered by his former police captain, now retired but with important contacts, to intervene in a small-time criminal’s imminent release from prison. It is crucial that the man remains in prison, but no reason is given. Emile fails in this task, and the results are devastating.

It soon becomes apparent that Montreal is on the verge of a gangland war between the Italian Mafia, Hell’s Angels, and the Russian Mob. The gains would be control of prostitution, drugs, and other illegal money-making criminal activities. Who is the mysterious Coalface, leading a secret life since 1958, and where does his loyalty lie? What is his motivation for stirring up rivalries and hatred between the Russian mob, the Mafia and Hells Angels?

I have never cared for novels focused on organized crime and usually avoid them. However, I would follow Emile Cinq-Mars into any type of story. Because of its focus on gangland activities, I was prepared to give the book a lower rating than the previous ones I read. However, I did not feel that my personal preferences for types of crime stories should unfairly influence my review.

This was a powerful story told with literary skill. It contains brilliant character development, with unforeseen twists and reveals. The plot is complex and credible, rich in atmosphere, and in the depiction of organized crime. Recommended!

Confession: when it comes to this series, I have not been a faithful reader *hangs head*. But I’ve been picking away at it & just recently finished “Ball Park” which I really enjoyed. So when this came along, I grabbed it. I could probably sum up the babbling that follows with 2 words. Loved it. But then I’ve never been known for my editing skills 😉.

The book opens with an uncomfortable scene from 1958. A young cop is put through a hazing ritual to prepare him for going undercover to infiltrate the mob in Montréal. It’s a long term assignment…years. And if accepted, he no longer exists. He will become known as Coalface.

It’s now 1978 & cop Émile Cinq-Mars has just been promoted to Sergeant Detective. So it’s only fitting that with his new rank comes a new case. Someone has broken into an apartment building. Seventeen times. Yep, 17 flats & 11 storage sheds were robbed. While he admires the thief’s work ethic, the location strikes Émile as an odd choice. This is a poor area, it’s not like the tenants were rolling in flat screens & jewels. But in one of the apartments, something was left behind.

In alternate chapters we follow a man who’s been undercover for 20 years. He’s had a hard life & is no longer sure he can distinguish himself from the Italians, Russians & Hell’s Angels he mixes with. If there’s one lesson he’s learned it’s that you don’t have to be dead to lose your life.

Émile & his partner are trying to get their heads around the robbery when his old boss gets in touch. Captain Armand Touton is a legend on the force & was Émile’s mentor when he worked night patrol. Although retired, Touton is still connected & has a job for his former protégé. He’s been contacted by a man known as Coalface with an urgent message. There’s a war coming between rival gangs & he has a request. After filling Émile in on the past, Touton makes it clear he’s passing the baton. Deal with it.

Buckle up, people. To quote Dr. Seuss, oh the places you’ll go. This is a dark, noirish mind bender of a story with an intriguing cast. On the surface it’s your basic cops vs. criminals but the characters & prose make it so much more. You’re dragged into a world full of secrets, violence & shifting alliances. And that’s just the police department. At times, there’s more honour & loyalty to be found among the so called “bad guys” but the downside is they tend to have a shorter life span.

The plotting is first rate but what puts it over the top are the characters. They’re diverse & so well depicted you can almost hear them breathing. Just be careful who you care about….they can be driving the story on one page & gone the next. Standouts for me include Émile’s partner Henri Casgrain, the smart & compassionate Reverend Alex Montour & hilarious neighbour-from-hell “The Bombardier”. And, of course, Émile.

If forced to pick one reason I keep coming back to the series, it would be this character. He’s a complex & compelling guy who is the beating heart of each book. Émile’s path to the police force was not a straight line. Initially he studied to be a priest until he had doubts about his calling. Then he turned toward becoming a veterinarian but that didn’t pan out either. However he has no regrets as those experiences proved valuable once he became a cop. Now he gets to hear confessions and deal with animals on a regular basis.

Émile is a thinker, a quiet & solitary man who often sees what others miss. His vocabulary & dust-dry humour frequently sail over the heads of colleagues. But not Henri Casgrain. For me, their relationship & dialogue was one of the highlights of the story.

If I had to give this book a label I’d call it a literary police procedural. From descriptions of the characters & their inner conflicts to the richly atmospheric setting, you become completely immersed in this fictional world. The plot is intricate, intelligent & sprinkled with dry, gallows humour (is it wrong that I was grinning during a funeral scene?). But it also reflects the brutal reality of the relationship between poverty & organized crime in a big city.

I’m a bit stingy when it comes to handing out 5 stars. It’s reserved for books that make me oblivious to my surroundings & completely engrossed in the story. This did that in spades & so just like that, I’ve got my first contender for the Top Ten of 2020.