Paris. The present day. A bureau de change is robbed by a quartet of villains from a run down banlieue défavorisée. When the girlfriend of one of the crooks is brutally murdered, Lieutenant Jerome Barthelmy from the 10th arrondisement police becomes involved. His efforts to solve the crime are hindered by the incompetence of his new superior, so he turns in despair to his former boss, the unlovely but formidable Lola Jost.

Lola combines forces with Ingrid Diesel, an American masseuse and exotic dancer, and the pair – Lola, the fat and grumpy cynic, and Ingrid with her energy and wide-eyed optimism – are perfect foils for each other. After several false leads, the focus turns back to the original robbers, and reveals a chilling saga of jealousy, greed and violent death. Our writer Raven found the book an appealing blend of social commentary, humour and suspense. Her full review is here.