Description
Black Gold
Book Summary
In "Black Gold", Dominique Manotti immerses the reader in the Marseille of 1973, a tumultuous city marked by the end of the French Connection. Young Commissioner Daquin faces a criminal web that transcends drug trafficking as he investigates the murder of a drug kingpin. The plot reveals the connection between a veteran secret service agent and the birth of a new and lucrative market for petroleum derivatives. A high-voltage noir novel that explores political corruption and the rise of shady business in 1970s Europe.
What is it about?
The novel is set in Marseille, 1973, a year after the dismantling of the French Connection network. Commissioner Daquin, a 27-year-old, is assigned to "the Bishopric," one of the city's most troubled police stations. He encounters a scene of violence: score-settling between gangs, an internal war between different police forces, and the proliferation of semi-clandestine associations. His investigation into the murder of a drug kingpin leads him to uncover a plot connecting a veteran secret service agent to the birth of a new market: petroleum derivatives. Through Daquin's eyes, we witness the meteoric rise of brokers, easy money, and the shady dealings that would mark a new era.
Main themes
- Political and police corruption in post-French Connection Marseille.
- The birth of the petroleum derivatives market and its link to organized crime.
- Internal warfare between the various French police forces.
- The figure of the broker and the rise of easy money in the seventies.
- The criminal investigation as a common thread to unveil a plot of power and illicit business.
Who is it recommended for?
This work is aimed at readers passionate about quality noir and detective novels with a strong historical and political component. It is ideal for those who enjoy complex plots that explore institutional corruption, organized crime, and the inner workings of power, with the dry and precise narrative style characteristic of the European noir genre.
What this book offers
- An immersion into 1970s Marseille, a historically and socially turbulent setting rarely addressed in such detail.
- An investigative plot that connects drug trafficking with the birth of commodity financial markets, offering an original perspective on the evolution of organized crime.
- A lucid and uncompromising critique of the relationship between political power, secret services, and illicit business.
- The opportunity to discover one of the most recognized authors of the European noir genre, with a style that combines documentary rigor and narrative tension.
- A read that invites reflection on the origins of the globalized economy and its shadows.
Technical Specifications
- Author: Manotti, Dominique
- Publisher: EDICIONES VERSATIL, S.L.
- Language: Spanish
- Subject: MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY FICTION, CRIME AND MYSTERY GENRE, MYSTERY AND SUSPENSE WORKS
- Collection: OFF VERSATIL
- Binding: Paperback
- Publication Date: November 2019
- Number of pages: 360
- Weight: 672 g
Editorial Review
"Black Gold" is a top-tier noir novel that transcends mere entertainment. Dominique Manotti builds a solid and well-documented plot that functions as both a police thriller and a lucid portrait of a transitional era. The figure of Commissioner Daquin, young and idealistic in a corrupt environment, serves as the perfect guide to enter a labyrinth of hidden interests. For genre lovers looking for stories with historical and critical depth, this work is an essential read that combines narrative tension with a profound reflection on power and money.