Bred to Kill : A Thriller - Hardcover

Franck Thilliez

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0670025976 ISBN 13: 9780670025978

Publisher: VIKING PRESS USA, 2015

Synopsis

Syndrome E's Lucie Henebelle and Inspector Sharko have reunited to take on the case of the brutal murder of Eva Louts, a promising graduate student who was killed while working at a primate research center outside Paris. But what first appears to be a vicious animal attack soon proves to be something more sinister. What was Eva secretly researching? Was she tracking three fanatical scientists who control a thirty-thousand-year-old virus with plans to unleash it into the world?

About this title

Review:

"Crichton fuses with True Detective' in a hammering hard-science thriller where the heart of darkness lies not in the soul, but in the genes. Thilliez engineers a winner." --Scott Sigler, "New York Times"-bestselling author of the Infected trilogy "Franck Thilliez has combined a crime of staggering violence, an ancient mystery, and a lost Amazonian tribe and created a truly frightening thriller, both for the intensity of the tale and the potential genetic vulnerability it reveals." Bred to Kill" is a smart science-thriller that makes the reader question, Could this be real?' Highly recommended." -- Jeremy Robinson, author of "Island 731" and "SecondWorld"
Praise for "Syndrome E"
"Compulsively readable . . . An eerie psychological mystery with a truly stunning resolution."
--"Pittsburgh"" Post-Gazette"
"A crackerjack story that most readers will devour in one sitting . . . Spare evocative prose propels French author Thilliez's stellar U.S. debut."
--"Publishers Weekly" (starred review)
"Blending science and neurology into the intrigue of his excellent thriller, Thilliez takes us into the maze of the human brain, with all the evils it can unleash."
--"Elle" (Paris)
"With a fascinating blend of noir procedural, espionage flavor, and an eerie set up that makes the video from "The Ring" seem harmless, it is no surprise that "Syndrome E" has already been an international sensation. Beneath its dazzling, byzantine plot are menacing questions of what lurks at the intersection between the new and chilling capabilities of neuroscience and the ancient but more-chilling capabilities of human evil."
--Michael Koryta, "New York""Times" bestselling author of "The Prophet "and "The Ridge"
"This terrific French thriller . . . boasts distinctive characters you want to spend time with, a lively plot, evocative settings, fun film references and, icing on the cake, an enjoyable offbeat romance. Having achieved bestseller status in Europe, Thilliez is poised to do the same in the U.S." --"Kirkus Reviews"
"Detective Lucie Henebelle is an overwhelmed single mother who doesn't need more trouble. Then she gets the call from a friend who has gone blind after watching an obscure film embedded with heinous images. It's her colleague, a profiler for the Paris police department, who makes the connection between the movie and the five men murdered at a construction site. Twisty neuroscience! Who can resist?"
--"New York""Daily News"
"A tour de force . . . A captivating plot that keeps the reader in his seat until the final moments."
--"Le Monde Magazine"
"Franck Thilliez leads his story like a beating drum, multiplying the reverberations without ever losing track of the psychological development of his characters . . . A reflection on the origins of violence that is as playful as it is erudite. Essential reading!"
--"Metro" (Paris)
Praise for "Bred to Kill"
"Franck Thilliez has combined a crime of staggering violence, an ancient mystery, and a lost Amazonian tribe and created a truly frightening thriller, both for the intensity of the tale and the potential genetic vulnerability it reveals." Bred to Kill" is a smart science-thriller that makes the reader question, Could this be real?' Highly recommended."
-- Jeremy Robinson, author of "Island 731" and "SecondWorld"

"French author Thilliez's exceptional thriller, a sequel to 2012's" Syndrome E," poses a chilling question: what if a 'violence gene' passed down from prehistoric man has concealed itself in human DNA and periodically churns out a serial killer or another person capable of extraordinary brutality? The action is again set in and around Paris, where doctoral researcher Eva Louts is found dead inside a gorilla cage at a primate research center. Homicide inspector Franck Sharko and former detective Lucie Henebelle--both haunted by past personal tragedies-- quickly determine that Louts had recently been researching violent criminals who all had an identical set of characteristics: left-handedness, lactose intolerance, and a mother who died in childbirth. Also tied into the case are the recent theft of a 42,000-year-old Cro-Magnon mummy and the existence of a primitive jungle tribe that lives deep within Brazil's Amazon region. Aside from the occasional genetics lecture that slows the action, this shines as a thought-provoking, brilliant piece of speculative fiction. Thilliez plumbs humanity's dark side without relying on familiar conventions of plot and character."
--"Publishers Weekly" (starred review)
"Paleontology has rarely been this exciting."
"-- Kirkus Reviews"
"Leave it to Franck Thilliez to connect vicious criminality to science to a backstory romance . . . [Thilliez] brings us to the far edges of man's inhumanity to man with an original concept . . . produc[ing] a steady injection of thrills."
--"Jules Brenner's Critical Mystery Tour" blog
"Thilliez presents a weird and fascinating premise--evolution and violence . . . and again backs up the plot with enough science-based theory to make the story seem believable. [A] meaty thriller, the kind you can sink your teeth into."
--"No More Grumpy Bookseller" blog
Praise for "Syndrome E"
"Compulsively readable . . . An eerie psychological mystery with a truly stunning resolution."
--"Pittsburgh Post-Gazette"
"A crackerjack story that most readers will devour in one sitting . . . Spare evocative prose propels French author Thilliez's stellar U.S. debut."
--"Publishers Weekly" (starred review)
"Blending science and neurology into the intrigue of his excellent thriller, Thilliez takes us into the maze of the human brain, with all the evils it can unleash."
--"Elle" (Paris)
"With a fascinating blend of noir procedural, espionage flavor, and an eerie set up that makes the video from "The Ring" seem harmless, it is no surprise that "Syndrome E" has already been an international sensation. Beneath its dazzling, byzantine plot are menacing questions of what lurks at the intersection between the new and chilling capabilities of neuroscience and the ancient but more-chilling capabilities of human evil."
--Michael Koryta, "New York""Times" bestselling author of "The Prophet "and "The Ridge"
"This terrific French thriller . . . boasts distinctive characters you want to spend time with, a lively plot, evocative settings, fun film references and, icing on the cake, an enjoyable offbeat romance. Having achieved bestseller status in Europe, Thilliez is poised to do the same in the U.S."
--"Kirkus Reviews"
"Detective Lucie Henebelle is an overwhelmed single mother who doesn't need more trouble. Then she gets the call from a friend who has gone blind after watching an obscure film embedded with heinous images. It's her colleague, a profiler for the Paris police department, who makes the connection between the movie and the five men murdered at a construction site. Twisty neuroscience! Who can resist?"
--"New York""Daily News"
"A tour de force . . . A captivating plot that keeps the reader in his seat until the final moments."
--"Le Monde Magazine"
"Franck Thilliez leads his story like a beating drum, multiplying the reverberations without ever losing track of the psychological development of his characters . . . A reflection on the origins of violence that is as playful as it is erudite. Essential reading!"
--"Metro" (Paris)

Praise for "Bred to Kill"
"Crichton fuses with 'True Detective' in a hammering hard-science thriller where the heart of darkness lies not in the soul, but in the genes. Thilliez engineers a winner."
--Scott Sigler, "New York Time "bestselling author of the Infected trilogy
"Franck Thilliez has combined a crime of staggering violence, an ancient mystery, and a lost Amazonian tribe and created a truly frightening thriller, both for the intensity of the tale and the potential genetic vulnerability it reveals." Bred to Kill" is a smart science-thriller that makes the reader question, Could this be real?' Highly recommended."
-- Jeremy Robinson, author of "Island 731" and "SecondWorld"

"French author Thilliez's exceptional thriller, a sequel to 2012's" Syndrome E," poses a chilling question: what if a 'violence gene' passed down from prehistoric man has concealed itself in human DNA and periodically churns out a serial killer or another person capable of extraordinary brutality? The action is again set in and around Paris, where doctoral researcher Eva Louts is found dead inside a gorilla cage at a primate research center. Homicide inspector Franck Sharko and former detective Lucie Henebelle--both haunted by past personal tragedies-- quickly determine that Louts had recently been researching violent criminals who all had an identical set of characteristics: left-handedness, lactose intolerance, and a mother who died in childbirth. Also tied into the case are the recent theft of a 42,000-year-old Cro-Magnon mummy and the existence of a primitive jungle tribe that lives deep within Brazil's Amazon region. Aside from the occasional genetics lecture that slows the action, this shines as a thought-provoking, brilliant piece of speculative fiction. Thilliez plumbs humanity's dark side without relying on familiar conventions of plot and character."
--"Publishers Weekly" (starred review)
"Paleontology has rarely been this exciting."
"-- Kirkus Reviews"
"Leave it to Franck Thilliez to connect vicious criminality to science to a backstory romance . . . [Thilliez] brings us to the far edges of man's inhumanity to man with an original concept . . . produc[ing] a steady injection of thrills."
--"Jules Brenner's Critical Mystery Tour" blog
"Thilliez presents a weird and fascinating premise--evolution and violence . . . and again backs up the plot with enough science-based theory to make the story seem believable. [A] meaty thriller, the kind you can sink your teeth into."
--"No More Grumpy Bookseller" blog
Praise for "Syndrome E"
"Compulsively readable . . . An eerie psychological mystery with a truly stunning resolution."
--"Pittsburgh Post-Gazette"
"A crackerjack story that most readers will devour in one sitting . . . Spare evocative prose propels French author Thilliez's stellar U.S. debut."
--"Publishers Weekly" (starred review)
"Blending science and neurology into the intrigue of his excellent thriller, Thilliez takes us into the maze of the human brain, with all the evils it can unleash."
--"Elle" (Paris)
"With a fascinating blend of noir procedural, espionage flavor, and an eerie set up that makes the video from "The Ring" seem harmless, it is no surprise that "Syndrome E" has already been an international sensation. Beneath its dazzling, byzantine plot are menacing questions of what lurks at the intersection between the new and chilling capabilities of neuroscience and the ancient but more-chilling capabilities of human evil."
--Michael Koryta, "New York""Times" bestselling author of "The Prophet "and "The Ridge"
"This terrific French thriller . . . boasts distinctive characters you want to spend time with, a lively plot, evocative settings, fun film references and, icing on the cake, an enjoyable offbeat romance. Having achieved bestseller status in Europe, Thilliez is poised to do the same in the U.S."
--"Kirkus Reviews"
"Detective Lucie Henebelle is an overwhelmed single mother who doesn't need more trouble. Then she gets the call from a friend who has gone blind after watching an obscure film embedded with heinous images. It's her colleague, a profiler for the Paris police department, who makes the connection between the movie and the five men murdered at a construction site. Twisty neuroscience! Who can resist?"
--"New York""Daily News"
"A tour de force . . . A captivating plot that keeps the reader in his seat until the final moments."
--"Le Monde Magazine"
"Franck Thilliez leads his story like a beating drum, multiplying the reverberations without ever losing track of the psychological development of his characters . . . A reflection on the origins of violence that is as playful as it is erudite. Essential reading!"
--"Metro" (Paris)

Praise for "Bred to Kill"
Crichton fuses with 'True Detective in a hammering hard-science thriller where the heart of darkness lies not in the soul, but in the genes. Thilliez engineers a winner.
Scott Sigler, "New York Time"bestselling author of the Infected trilogy
"Franck Thilliez has combined a crime of staggering violence, an ancient mystery, and a lost Amazonian tribe and created a truly frightening thriller, both for the intensity of the tale and the potential genetic vulnerability it reveals." Bred to Kill" is a smart science-thriller that makes the reader question, Could this be real? Highly recommended."
Jeremy Robinson, author of "Island 731" and "SecondWorld"

"French author Thilliez s exceptional thriller, a sequel to 2012 s" Syndrome E," poses a chilling question: what if a 'violence gene' passed down from prehistoric man has concealed itself in human DNA and periodically churns out a serial killer or another person capable of extraordinary brutality? The action is again set in and around Paris, where doctoral researcher Eva Louts is found dead inside a gorilla cage at a primate research center. Homicide inspector Franck Sharko and former detective Lucie Henebelle both haunted by past personal tragedies quickly determine that Louts had recently been researching violent criminals who all had an identical set of characteristics: left-handedness, lactose intolerance, and a mother who died in childbirth. Also tied into the case are the recent theft of a 42,000-year-old Cro-Magnon mummy and the existence of a primitive jungle tribe that lives deep within Brazil s Amazon region. Aside from the occasional genetics lecture that slows the action, this shines as a thought-provoking, brilliant piece of speculative fiction. Thilliez plumbs humanity s dark side without relying on familiar conventions of plot and character."
"Publishers Weekly" (starred review)
Paleontology has rarely been this exciting.
" Kirkus Reviews"
Leave it to Franck Thilliez to connect vicious criminality to science to a backstory romance . . . [Thilliez] brings us to the far edges of man's inhumanity to man with an original concept . . . produc[ing] a steady injection of thrills.
"Jules Brenner s Critical Mystery Tour" blog
Thilliez presents a weird and fascinating premise evolution and violence . . . and again backs up the plot with enough science-based theory to make the story seem believable. [A] meaty thriller, the kind you can sink your teeth into.
"No More Grumpy Bookseller" blog
Praise for "Syndrome E"
Compulsively readable . . . An eerie psychological mystery with a truly stunning resolution.
"Pittsburgh Post-Gazette"
A crackerjack story that most readers will devour in one sitting . . . Spare evocative prose propels French author Thilliez s stellar U.S. debut.
"Publishers Weekly" (starred review)
Blending science and neurology into the intrigue of his excellent thriller, Thilliez takes us into the maze of the human brain, with all the evils it can unleash.
"Elle" (Paris)
With a fascinating blend of noir procedural, esp...

About the Author:

FRANCK THILLIEZ is the author of several bestselling novels in his native France, where he lives. "Syndrome E," his first novel to be published in the United States, is also available from Viking Press.MARK POLIZZOTTI has translated more than thirty books, including the 2014 Nobel Prize-winning "Suspended Sentences" by Patrick Modiano, and has written for "The Wall Street Jou"rnal, among other publications."

About this edition

• Publisher: VIKING PRESS USA
• Publication date: 2015
• ISBN 10: 0670025976
• ISBN 13: 9780670025978
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 376