From Surrealism to Less-Exquisite Cadavers: Léo Malet and the Evolution of the French Roman Noir (Faux Titre 288)

'Les nouveaux mystères de Paris' (1954-1959), Léo Malet s fifteen-novel detective series inspired by Eugène Sue's nineteenth-century 'feuilleton', almost achieved the goal of setting a mystery in each of the twenty Parisian arrondissements, with Nestor Burma at the center of the action. In Burma, the détective de choc first introduced in 1943 s 120 'rue de la gare', Malet, considered the father of the French 'roman noir', creates a cultural hybrid, bringing literary references and surrealist techniques to a criminal milieu. Michelle Emanuel s groundbreaking study is particularly insightful in its treatment of Malet as a pioneer within the literary genre of the French 'roman noir' while making sure to also focus on his surrealist roots. Against the archetypes of Simenon s Maigret and Christie s Poirot, Burma is brash and streetwise, peppering his speech with colorful and evocative slang. As the reader s tour guide, Burma highlights Paris s forgotten past while providing insight to the Paris of (his) present, referencing both popular culture and contemporary issues. Malet s innovation of setting a noir narrative in France serves as a catalyst for further change in the policier genre in France, including his contemporary Jean Amila, the 'néo-polar' of Jean-Patrick Manchette, and the historical 'roman noir' of Didier Daeninckx. Table of Contents Acknowledgements Foreword: Léo Malet s Post-War Paris by Peter Schulman Introduction Chapter One: Expanding Boundaries Chapter Two: Surrealist Traces Chapter Three: Nestor Burma, 'comme tu voudras' Chapter Four: Supporting Players Chapter Five: Paris est Paris, voyez-vous Chapter Six: The Apparent Heirs Conclusion Appendix A: map of Parisian arrondissements with corresponding mysteries from Malet s series Appendix B: frequently used slang from Malet s series Bibliography