The Quest for Truth

Through the characters of Violette and Philippe, the novel explores how knowing the truth requires delving below superficial reasoning. When Violette's daughter dies, there is an official report released on the tragedy. Some people know pieces of the story, but Violette and her husband Philippe begin their quest to find the whole truth. Each employs a different method and varying degrees of determination to establish what occurred on the night of the fire.

Violette's daughter Leonine is seven when Violette lets her go to a girls' camp at La Clayette for a week. Violette then receives a phone call from police with the news that Leonine died in a fire. Philippe rushes to the scene and discovers there is not even enough of his daughter's body to identify. Over the coming days, police put together an official report of what happened. A trial...