Fred Vargas

Fred Vargas writes in French novels mainly based in Paris. Her protagonist is Commissioner Adamsberg, an eccentric dreamer who leads the serious crime squad. His foil is Danglard, who is a single father of 5 and an alcoholic.

Her books are full of Gallic characters with French eccentricities. Vargas is a historian and archeologist as well and so many of her plots are crimes with a historical link; from medieval recipes for beating death, recreations of the plague to mass murder in the vein of mahjong tiles.

Aside from Adamsberg, Vargas has written about the three evangelists, three historians setting up home with an ex cop god father. These are just as enjoyable though sadly not many have been translated to English.