Jérôme K. Jérôme Bloche #21

The twenty-first volume of Alain Dodier's beloved Franco-Belgian detective series opens with a cover that immediately sets a moody, cinematic tone — a sleek vintage Aston Martin sits front and center on a cobblestone street, its teal bodywork gleaming under dim light, while a shadowy figure lurks in a doorway behind it. The title "Déni de fuite" (Denial of Flight) promises the kind of tightly wound intrigue that has kept Jérôme K. Jérôme Bloche a fan favorite for Dupuis readers. Dodier's clean, atmospheric ligne claire linework is in fine form here in 2009, making this a thoroughly satisfying entry in the long-running series.