“Memory is a strange thing. When I was in the midst of it, it wasn’t there, and now that it’s no longer there, I can see it clearly.”
Chapter 1: The Mysterious Phone Call
The novel opens with Jean Daragane, a reclusive writer, receiving an unexpected phone call from a stranger named Gilles Ottolini. Ottolini claims to have found Daragane’s old address book and insists on meeting him. Daragane, initially reluctant, agrees, sensing an unsettling familiarity in Ottolini’s voice.
Chapter 2: The Address Book
During their meeting, Ottolini reveals the address book, which contains names and numbers from Daragane’s past. One name, “Annie Astrand,” triggers vague memories. Ottolini probes Daragane about his past, hinting at a darker connection. Daragane grows uneasy but can’t resist the pull of his own forgotten history.
Chapter 3: Fragments of Memory
Daragane begins piecing together fragments of his youth, recalling a shadowy figure named “Gérard Mourade,” who may have been involved in criminal activities. The address book seems to link Daragane to Mourade, suggesting a past he’d rather forget. Ottolini’s motives remain unclear, adding to the tension.
Chapter 4: The Enigmatic Annie
Daragane’s memories of Annie Astrand resurface—a fleeting romance or a missed connection? He questions whether she was part of Mourade’s world. Ottolini drops cryptic hints about her fate, implying she disappeared under suspicious circumstances. Daragane’s curiosity turns into obsession.
Chapter 5: The Web of the Past
Daragane tracks down an old acquaintance, Chantal Grippay, who knew Mourade. She reveals Mourade’s involvement in a kidnapping decades earlier. Daragane realizes he may have been an unwitting witness. Ottolini’s role shifts from bystander to potential manipulator, forcing Daragane to confront his complicity in silence.
Chapter 6: Revelations and Doubts
As Daragane digs deeper, inconsistencies emerge. Was Mourade truly a criminal, or was he framed? Ottolini’s knowledge of the events seems too precise, raising suspicions. Daragane questions whether Ottolini is a truth-seeker or someone with a vendetta. The line between victim and perpetrator blurs.
Chapter 7: The Disappearance
Annie’s fate comes into focus: she vanished after a party where Mourade was present. Daragane recalls a foggy night, a car ride, and a sense of dread. Ottolini suggests Daragane knows more than he admits. The past becomes a maze with no clear exit.
Chapter 8: The Final Confrontation
Daragane confronts Ottolini, demanding answers. Ottolini reveals he’s the son of a man wronged by Mourade—and possibly by Daragane’s inaction. The address book was a lure to force Daragane to reckon with the past. The encounter ends ambiguously, leaving Daragane to grapple with guilt and unresolved questions.
Chapter 9: Epilogue
Daragane, now alone, accepts that some memories will remain fragmented. The neighborhood of the past is forever lost, but its ghosts linger. He returns to his solitary life, the address book a silent testament to the stories we bury and the ones that refuse to stay buried.
Key Ideas
- The unreliability of memory and its haunting persistence.
- The moral weight of silence and inaction.
- Identity as a construct shaped by forgotten or suppressed histories.
- The intersection of chance and fate in human connections.
- The search for truth in a past that resists clarity.
Who should read this book?
- Fans of psychological mysteries with slow-burning tension.
- Readers drawn to meditations on memory and identity.
- Those who appreciate atmospheric, introspective narratives.
- Admirers of Modiano’s signature elliptical storytelling.