Afera Sen-Fijakr

The story begins when inspector Gilles Megre receives an anonymous letter claiming that the crime will take place during mass in the church in the village of Saint-Fijacre, where Megre spent his childhood. This village has a special significance for him because his father used to work as the manager of the estate of the local Saint-Fijakre count family. Intrigued, Megre goes to the village to investigate, although he is unsure whether the letter is a serious threat or a joke. At the center of the story is the Countess Saint-Fijacre, an elderly woman living in an impoverished castle, surrounded by people who take advantage of her generosity - including her spoiled son Maurice, his lover and several parasitic figures from the surrounding area. During mass in the church, the countess suddenly dies, apparently of a heart attack. However, Megre suspects that the death was caused on purpose and begins to investigate. Through conversations with locals and family members, Megre uncovers a network of greed, jealousy and hidden motives. The investigation leads him through complex relationships within the Saint-Fijacre family, but also through his own childhood memories and the sense of loss associated with that place. Without revealing the key trades, Megre's investigation exposes not only the perpetrator, but also the tragic dynamics that led to the crime, with an emphasis on the moral and emotional complexity of the situation.