Blue chalk circles are being drawn around random objects. A pigeon’s foot, a cigarette lighter etc and the media is rife with theories as to what they mean. Are the circles drawn around the objects or are the objects placed in the circles. Serious stuff, eh?

Only Adamsberg believes the circles to be sinister and fears the worst. Adamsberg solves crimes by intuition and when the first body appears in the circle his worst fears are realized. The Chalk Circle Man is filled with large characters. His Inspector Danglard, a single parent who enjoys his afternoon drink of wine, likes to collect information and looks for logic to solve the crime. Adamsberg’s method of crime solving drives him crazy. Mathilde the oceanographer who fills her apartment with sad lodgers. Charles Reyer the blind man, and Clemence, the lonely hearts spinster add color to this wonderful crime novel. Each of the eccentricities of the characters help Adamsberg solve the crime. It is a charming book, the first in the series and I am eager to read more.