Matt Rees Livres

En créant le personnage d'Omar Youssef, Matt Rees, journaliste et écrivain à Jérusalem, a rejoint les grands du polar. Son terrain d'enquête : la société palestinienne, sur laquelle Omar Youssef, héros atypique et charismatique, pose un regard passionné et inédit. La qualité de l'intrigue et un sens aigu du suspense ont fait le reste. Après Le Collaborateur de Bethléem, la deuxième enquête d'Omar Youssef nous entraîne à Gaza, au cœur d'une inextricable toile de violences, de corruption et de chantage. Car à Gaza-la-maudite, se fier aux apparences revient toujours à jouer avec la mort.

Italy, 1605: For the ruling Borgia family, Rome is a place of grand palazzos and frescoed cathedrals. For the lowly artist Caravaggio, it is a place of rough bars, knife fights, and grubby whores. Until he is commissioned to paint the Pope...Soon, Caravaggio has gained entry into the Borgia family's inner circle, and becomes the most celebrated artist in Rome. But when he falls for Lena, a low-born fruit-seller, and paints her into his Madonna series as a simple peasant woman, Italian society is outraged. Discredited as an artist, but unwilling to retract his vision of the woman he loves, Caravaggio is forced into a duel - and murders a nobleman. Even his powerful patrons cannot protect him from a death sentence. So Caravaggio flees to Malta, where, before he can be pardoned, he must undergo the rigorous training of the Knights of Malta. His paintings continue to speak of his love for Lena. But before he can return to her, as a Knight and a noble, Caravaggio, the most famous artist in Italy - simply disappears...

The fourth Omar Yussef mystery from CWA John Creasey Dagger winner Matt Rees. 'Morse, Rebus, and now Yussef' Observer'Omar Yussef is a splendid creation' Colin Dexter

Omar Yussef travels to Nablus for a wedding but becomes embroiled in a murder investigation following the theft of an ancient Torah scroll. As he navigates the dangerous alleys, he uncovers tensions between militias, secretive business dealings, and the complexities of the Samaritan community, questioning if he'll make it to the wedding.

For decades, Omar Yussef has been a teacher of history to the children of Bethlehem. When a favorite former pupil, George Saba, a member of the Palestinian Christian minority, is arrested for collaborating with the Israelis in the killing of a Palestinian guerrilla, Omar is sure he has been framed. If George is not cleared, he faces imminent execution. Then the wife of the dead man, also one of Omar Yussef’s former pupils, is murdered, possibly raped. When he begins to suspect the head of the Bethlehem al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades is the true collaborator, Omar and his family are threatened. But as no one else is willing to stand up to the violent Martyrs Brigades men, who hold the real power in the town, it is up to him to investigate.

'Mozart, music, and murder seamlessly blend together in this fascinating historical mystery. A perfect read.' Tess Gerritsen

It’s 1791 and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is enlightenment Vienna’s brightest star. Master of the city’s music halls and devoted member of the Freemason’s guild, he stands at the heart of an electric mix of art and music, philosophy and science, politics and intrigue. But six weeks ago the great composer told his wife he had been poisoned. Yesterday, he died. The city is buzzing with rumours of infidelity, bankruptcy and murder. But Wolfgang’s sister Nannerl will not believe base gossip. Who but a madman would poison such a genius? Yet as she looks closer, Nannerl finds traces of something sinister: a Masonic secret that might just be connected to his death. And as she listens to Wolfgang’s bewitching last opera, The Magic Flute, she realizes that the arias might contain more than just the music…

Praise for the Omar Yussef series highlights its engaging portrayal of Palestinian life and the complexities of the region. Critics commend the narrative for its readability and depth, emphasizing how it captures the human experience amid political intrigue and violence. The protagonist, Omar Yussef, navigates a West Bank fraught with corruption, religious tensions, and militia conflicts, making the broader Mideast conflict personal for readers. The story is described as both thrilling and emotionally resonant, shedding light on the realities faced in Palestinian society. The author, Matt Beynon Rees, brings a unique perspective as a former Jerusalem bureau chief for TIME magazine, enriching the narrative with authentic insights. His previous works include another mystery in the series and a nonfiction exploration of the Middle East. Rees currently resides in Jerusalem, continuing to contribute to discussions about the region through his writing.

Arriving to visit his son Ala in the heavily Palestinian neighborhood of Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, Omar Yussef discovers the beheaded body of one of the boy’s roommates. When Ala is arrested as a suspect, Omar Yussef must investigate to prove his son’s innocence, uncovering a deadly conspiracy of international proportions.

Die Ärztin Amy Weston, spezialisiert auf die Behandlung von Opfern chemischer Kampfstoffe, hat es eilig. Sie muss dringend Federal Agent Dominic Verrazzano sprechen, den man ihr empfohlen hat. Jedes Verbrechen, bei dem die Grenzen des amerikanischen Staates überschritten werden, liegt im Zuständigkeitsbereich seiner New Yorker Behörde Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Und Weston hat eine wichtige Botschaft. Aber bevor sie Verrazzano erreichen kann, wird sie tödlich verletzt, kann ihm nur noch einen kryptischen Zettel geben. Verrazzano, ehemaliger Elitesoldat und Söldner, nimmt die Ermittlungen und, wie es aussieht, auch den Kampf auf. Es geht um Giftgas, um einen Anschlag, und die Untersuchungen führen ihn und seine Kollegen schließlich nach Syrien, mitten in den Bürgerkrieg, zu einem Gelände voller Sarinfässer. Aber wer steckt wirklich hinter den dramatischen Anschlagsplänen und geht es hier tatsächlich um Syrien? Furios, voll komplexer Charaktere und überraschender Wendungen, actionreich und hochspannend – der erste Thriller von Matt Rees um den charismatischenFederal Agent Dominic Verrazzano.