THE SILENT EXECUTIONER

by Marcel & Pierre Souvestre Allain ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 21, 1987

When Fantomas, the first in a 1911-1914 series of French mystery-adventures, was republished in English last year, much attention was paid to the series' curious place--ostensibly on the fringes of surrealism--in European literary history. Most readers, however, will find these outlandish adventures merely silly, and often incoherent, as Inspector Jure continues to chase vainly after the shadowy, Satan-like chameleon/villain known as Fantomas. In this sequel, Jove and his journalist-sidekick Fandor are lured to the house of enigrustic Belgian doctor Chaleck--where they find the body of a woman who's been mysteriously ""crushed all over."" Then, while trying to identify the corpse (could it be Lady Beltham, the femme fatale of Fantomas?), they're led into various traps and wild-goose-chases by Parisian gangleader Loupart and his moll. There's a hospital shooting, a train robbery, and--in a faintly amusing vein--Juve's attack on masked thieves. . .who turn out to be actors in a film. And finally it appears, of course, that master-of-disguise Fantomas is behind all this mayhem--which concludes with the possible, but unlikely, extinction of hero Juve. (""'I win!' shouted Fantomas, as a terrible explosion sounded."") Readers of Corian Doyle will quickly guess the true nature of Fantomas' crushing, ""silent executioner."" And Peter Sellers fans will find unintentional comedy--amid all the stagy, hectic foolishness--in Juve's occasional resemblance to bumbling, bombastic Inspector Clouseau.

Pub Date: July 21, 1987

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Morrow

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 1987

Categories: FICTION