True crime novel about 1949 murder of Paris life model wins France’s biggest literary prize

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According to the Guardian, French author Philippe Jaenada has won the Prix Goncourt for his novel 'L’Inconnue du quai de Javel'. The book recreates the 1949 murder of 29-year-old Breton woman Louise Cansot, whose killer was never identified by police. In his 530-page work, Jaenada not only attempts to identify the murderer but also seeks to rehabilitate the reputation of the victim, who was unfairly maligned in contemporary police reports. Jaenada, who had been shortlisted for the prize four times previously, drew inspiration from the Inspector Maigret series by Georges Simenon for his investigative approach.