A Clean Pair of Hands

Huh! he thought; if a woman with a pepper spray could see off two hired kidnappers, it would be too dangerous to attempt to dispose of her cleanly. He would keep that idea in abeyance. «I am a bastard,» he whispered under his breath. His thoughts moved on. A French family man appears to have everything he could want and enjoys life from a luxurious home on the outskirts of Paris, but he seeks ever stronger sensations and with encouragement from some friends with loose morals, embarks on a life of unbridled pleasure seeking, some of which must remain secret. The climax reveals the cost of a game in which participants were supposed to be adult, compliant and happy. The story is seen through the eyes of the main protagonists who comment on personal and political events with the conflicts and discrepancies of human interpretation. 'Dialogue that bounces between characters like real-life conversation pulls readers into the heart of the action in this allegorical historical novel.' Clarion Review 'Reynard's motives are clear; his aim is to show the consequences of choices forged by distrust and self-gratification. This book will resonate well with cynical Francophiles and those who see clearly the moral ill woven into modern society.' Melissa Wuske 'A book chronicling the shady business practices and decadent leisure pursuits of narcissistic Michel Bodin over a period of 30 years, the author presents him as a case study in the endemic corruption of French society under the «kleptocracy» of the Mitterrand and Chirac administrations. A generally shrewd social commentary, it chimes with current news of the Hollande presidency.' Blue Ink Review 'A libertine novel for the modern age.' Kirkus Review