Armand Cabasson

Hello,

I am a psychiatrist and a writer.

After having worked in different psychiatric hospitals (where I sometimes met criminals), I actually take care of children, teenagers and their families.

I write novels and short stories.

Three of my historical detective novels take place during the Napoleonic Era and are available in English : The Officer’s Prey, Wolf Hunt and Memory of Flames (Gallic Book Publishing).

I have won numerous prizes, including the “Prix spécial de la Gendarmerie nationale 2003” (for The Officer’s Prey) (The national Gendarmerie is the biggest French police force), the “Prix de la Fondation Napoléon 2005 catégorie Oeuvre de Fiction” (for Wolf Hunt), the “Prix Graham Masterton 2003 de la Meilleure Nouvelle Francophone” and the “Prix Littré 2006”.

During the Napoleonic Era, my ancestor, médecin-major Jean-Quenin Brémond, was a medical officer in the Great Army. Captured by English soldiers in Spain, he was sent in London… where he finally married an Englishwoman (an unusual union at that time !). He escaped and joined again the Great Army.

The Officer’s Prey (Gallic Books Publishing).

This novel is also published in French (Les proies de l'officier (Éditions 10/18, collection Grands Détectives and NiL Éditions)) and will be published in Spanish in 2010 (Inedita Editores S.L.).

June 1812, Napoleon begins his invasion of Russia leading an army of 400,000 soldiers coming from more than 20 different countries! But the Russian Empire is extraordinary powerful too…

During this epic campaign, captain Quentin Margont, an idealist officer, carries out a secret investigation to uncover which colonel of the Great Army is savagely murdering women. Clues are missing, but Margont is tenacious. Helped by his friends among which resourceful sergeant Lefine and medecin-major Jean-Quenin Brémond, he works out an strategy to obtain a short list of suspects.

On the road to Moscow, while battle follow battle (Cossacks’ attacks, Ostrowno, the Moscova…), captain Margont hunts a killer who, destabilised by this world in flames, is sinking deeper and deeper into perversion…

The Officer’s Prey won the 2003 Gendarmerie National Thriller Prize (“le Prix Spécial de la Gendarmerie nationale 2003”).

This novel has also been elected as one of the 100 very best detective novels (out of 1,800 published in French beetwen august 2001 and august 2002) by the Library of Detective Literatures (“la Bibliothèque des Littératures Policières”), “Star Book” by the magazine Historia and “book of the month” by the website Napoleon.org.

« The author ably combines the two elements of murder investigation and epic war novel, providing the reader with the historical background in a convincing but naturalistic way that does not interfere with the flow of the story. »

Euro Crime

(Laura Root)

« Cabasson skilfully weaves an intriguing mystery into a rich historical background. »

Mail on Sunday

(Simon Shaw)

« This is a fascinating book that will appeal equally to crime lovers and military enthusiasts. »

CrimeSquad

« A genuine page-turner (at least, I couldn't stop turning the pages) and a novel that certainly has me wanting to read the rest of the series.  Cabasson manages to combine the historical material and battle sequences with Cornwell-like aplomb and Margont is an endearing Columbo-esque detective, approaching his suspects from intriguing tangents. I thought it was a great read. »

Me And My Big Mouth

(Scott Pack)

« If anyone's venturing into Russian reading, especially War & Peace, then don't miss The Officer's Prey by Armand Cabasson. Set in 1812 It does exactly what is says on the tin, 'combines the suspense of a thriller with the compelling narrative of a war epic'. »

Dovegreyreader scribbles

Wolf Hunt (Gallic Books Publishing).

This novel is also published in French (Chasse au loup (Éditions 10/18, collection Grands Détectives)).

In 1809, the forces of Napoleon’s Grande Armée are in Austria. For young Lieutenant Lukas Relmyer it is hard to return to the place where he and fellow orphan Franz were kidnapped four years earlier. Franz was brutally murdered and Lukas has vowed to avenge his death.

When the body of another orphan is found on the battlefield, Captain Quentin Margont and Lukas join forces to track down the wolf that is prowling once more the forests of Aspern…

Wolf Hunt won the Prize of the Foundation Napoleon, category Fiction 2005 (“le Prix de la Fondation Napoléon, catégorie Oeuvre de Fiction 2005”). Among the jury was Jean Tulard, one the most famous specialists of the Napoleonic Era.

Memory of Flames (Gallic Books Publishing).

This novel is also published in French (La mémoire des flammes (Éditions 10/18, collection Grands Détectives)).

March 1814. Napoleon’s army is outnumbered and struggling to defend France against invasion by the European allies ranged against it. Paris itself is threatened.

When the colonel in charge of the security of Paris is found murdered at home, his face burnt and a fleur-de-lys pinned to his chest, it is clear that Napoleon’s authority is being challenged by royalist plotters.

Who better to call in to uncover the plot than committed republican, Lieutenant-Colonel Quentin Margont? Risking his own life, he must infiltrate the secret royalist society, the Swords of the King. But will he be able to, and why do Talleyrand’s parting words as he sets off on the mission, ‘Good luck, Lieutenant-Colonel Margont’, have the ring of an epitaph?

Back to my website in French