Jane~ A Good Ending

How important is it to you that a novel should have a good ending? Do those last few pages determine your feeling that it was a good read? If the storyline, language, plot everything throughout the read has enthralled you then BANG a poorly executed ending ends that dream. Do you hate the book or can you forgive the Author for not getting it quite right.

With this in mind let's think about novels by Antoine Laurain which are little gems with perfect endings.

The Red Notebook~ The story of Laurent Letellier a Bookseller and book lover who on a morning meander through streets of Paris finds a mauve leather handbag on top of a dustbin. He takes the bag home. Unable to resist he guiltily opens the bag and finds inside the contents of a person's soul. There are so many clues but nothing telling him where to find her. He smells her perfume, looks at her lipstick then finally finds The Red Notebook. Reading it he becomes obsessed with finding her. An offbeat, romantic detective story so beautifully told from beginning to end. Yes, to the very last word with a perfect and rather unusual ending.

The President’s Hat~ My favourite Laurain novel. As the title suggests this almost fairy tale story of the adventures of a hat is not about an ordinary hat but President Mitterand's hat which he carelessly leaves in a Paris restaurant. From that moment the hat is lost and found many times. These changing "owners" who we meet on intimate terms add colour and depth to this whimsical novel. The unexpected ending is perfect. Were I to select my favourite ending this would definitely be a strong contender. Please, please don't read the ending first.

The Readers’ Room~ Laurain's newly published novel again centres around Books, Publishing and a touch of detective work. One day a manuscript of a debut crime novel arrived at a Parisian Publishers. The Author's identity is impossible to find but the book must be published. So the story unfolds. I started it expecting another perfectly formed novel but it became a seesaw ride with its ups and downs. It flitted about, lost me, then pulled me back. Finally in true Laurain style the ending is superb. He's done it again. He makes the circle complete.

I'd love to meet Antoine Laurain and ask him one simple question. Do you write the endings first?

Request a copy here.