The Kill

Synopsis

'It was the time when the rush for spoils filled a corner of the forest with the yelping of hounds, the cracking of whips, the flaring of torches. The appetites let loose were satisfied at last, shamelessly, amid the sound of crumbling neighbourhoods and fortunes made in six months. The city had become an orgy of gold and women.' The Kill (La Curée) is the second volume in Zola's great cycle of twenty novels, Les Rougon-Macquart, and the first to establish Paris - the capital of modernity - as the centre of Zola's narrative world. Conceived as a representation of the uncontrollable 'appetites' unleashed by the Second Empire (1852-70) and the transformation of the city by Baron Haussmann, the novel combines into a single, powerful vision the twin themes of lust for money and lust for pleasure. The all-pervading promiscuity of the new Paris is reflected in the dissolute and frenetic lives of an unscrupulous property speculator, Saccard, his neurotic wife Renée, and her dandified lover, Saccard's son Maxime. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.

Summary

Chapter 1: The Case

The chapter introduces the murder of Antoine Moreau, a wealthy Parisian banker, and his housekeeper, Mathilde DuPont. Inspector Armand Gamache of the Sûreté du Québec is called in to investigate and notices that the crime scene is strangely devoid of clues.

Example: The only evidence found at the scene is a single shell casing from a .38 caliber gun, but no gun is found.

Chapter 2: The Suspects

Gamache interviews the family and staff of Moreau, who are the prime suspects. Among them are:

* Charles Moreau: Antoine's estranged son, who has a history of financial problems
* Claudette Lacoste: Antoine's daughter, who has been estranged from her father
* Philippe LeBlanc: Antoine's son-in-law, who manages his company

Example: Gamache suspects Charles had a motive to kill his father for his inheritance, but he has an alibi for the time of the murder.

Chapter 3: The Clues

Gamache and his team begin to unravel the truth through interviews and searches. They discover:

* A hidden safe: Antoine had a secret safe in his study, which was found open and empty
* A missing painting: A valuable painting was stolen from the house on the night of the murder
* A coded message: A note found in Mathilde's pocket contains a cryptic code

Example: The note reads "2BFY2BA2Z," which turns out to be a sequence of coordinates leading to a hidden location.

Chapter 4: The Motive

As the investigation progresses, Gamache learns that Antoine Moreau was not the man he seemed. He was involved in illegal activities and had enemies who wanted him dead.

Example: It is revealed that Moreau was a major investor in a company that was responsible for a chemical spill that poisoned a local river, killing many people.

Chapter 5: The Killer

Through his deduction and the help of his team, Gamache narrows down the suspects and eventually apprehends the killer. The motive is revealed to be revenge for the damage caused by Moreau's greed.

Example: The killer is Jean-Michel Côté, a local fisherman whose family was affected by the chemical spill. He had been tracking Moreau for months, waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike.

Chapter 6: The Aftermath

The case is solved, but the repercussions continue. The Moreau family is shattered by the revelation of their father's crimes. Gamache is left to reflect on the darkness that can lurk beneath the surface of seemingly ordinary lives.

Example: Claudette Moreau and Philippe LeBlanc are arrested for their involvement in Moreau's illegal activities, and the stolen painting is recovered.