French Literature Reviews - 2026

Álex Martín Escribá, Interrogatoires. Mémoire et roman noir
Novel and Narrative Prose

This is a book of interviews. Eleven in total, they were conducted with renowned writers and specialists, mostly French, which is by no means a coincidence. Indeed, France is not only a pioneering country in Europe regarding crime fiction (roman noir), but also a key reference point for theoretical studies, which are essential for understanding the current reception of this literary genre in Spain.

Under the title Interrogatoires, we offer engaging and relaxed yet rigorous and comprehensive conversations that will appeal equally to scholars and genre enthusiasts. In particular, they shed light on the historical links between crime fiction and memory, while also exploring other topics such as literary collections, terminologies, literary movements, and authors.

Structured around a question-and-answer format, this essay aims to demonstrate how this realistic and critical narrative genre—to borrow Raymond Chandler's phrasing—has been and remains an outstanding medium for investigating the problems of our society.

Contents

Introduction
François Guérif
Benoît Tadié
Bernard Alavoine
Didier Daeninckx
Dominique Manotti
Jean-Bernard Pouy
François Thomazeau
Massimo Carlotto
Georges Tyras
Jordi Canal i Artiga
Andreu Martín

Crime fiction has long occupied a prominent position within modern European literature, functioning not only as popular entertainment but also as a vehicle for social and political critique. The roman noir tradition, particularly as developed in France, has frequently engaged with historical memory and the complexities of contemporary society. Such works often intersect with broader currents in literary theory, reflecting how genre writing adapts to address collective anxieties, historical traumas, and institutional failings across different national contexts within the broader landscape of European narrative prose.

This book contains eleven interviews conducted with renowned writers and specialists, mostly French. France is a pioneering country in Europe regarding crime fiction and a key reference point for theoretical studies. The volume sheds light on the historical links between crime fiction and memory, while also exploring literary collections, terminologies, literary movements, and authors in a question-and-answer format. Readers interested in the history and critical reception of European crime fiction may find it relevant.