Jean-François Parot (27 June 1946 – 23 May 2018) was a French diplomat and writer of historical mysteries, born in Paris.

Background and professional career

Coming from a family closely connected with the cinema (as a child, he knew

Jean Gabin Jean Gabin (; 17 May 190415 November 1976) was a French actor and singer. Considered a key figure in French cinema, he starred in several classic films including ''Pépé le Moko'' (1937), '' La grande illusion'' (1937), ''Le Quai des brumes'' ...

, his mother worked for Marcel Carné and his grandfather was editor of Abel Gance's ''

Napoléon Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...

''), Parot has a BA and an MA in history and completed

postgraduate studies Postgraduate or graduate education refers to academic or professional degrees, certificates, diplomas, or other qualifications pursued by post-secondary students who have earned an undergraduate (bachelor's) degree. The organization and struc ...

anthropology Anthropology is the scientific study of humanity, concerned with human behavior, human biology, cultures, societies, and linguistics, in both the present and past, including past human species. Social anthropology studies patterns of be ...

, specializing in Egyptian

mummification A mummy is a dead human or an animal whose soft tissues and organs have been preserved by either intentional or accidental exposure to chemicals, extreme cold, very low humidity, or lack of air, so that the recovered body does not decay furt ...

techniques, the myths of the

Pacific Islanders Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of Oce ...

, and the social history of eighteenth century

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), ma ...

. He is the author of a study ''Structures sociales des quartiers de Grève, Saint-Avoye et Saint-Antoine, 1780–1785'' (published on microfiche by Hachette, 1974). Following his

military service Military service is service by an individual or group in an army or other militia, air forces, and naval forces, whether as a chosen job ( volunteer) or as a result of an involuntary draft (conscription). Some nations (e.g., Mexico) require ...

, working in Saint-Louis, Senegal, Parot was launched into diplomacy "by chance" on the advice of the consul general to whom he had been assigned. He was vice-consul in Kinshasa (1974); Consul General of France in Ho Chi Minh City (1982–87) and in

Athens Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates ...

; embassy counselor in

Doha Doha ( ar, الدوحة, ad-Dawḥa or ''ad-Dōḥa'') is the capital city and main financial hub of Qatar. Located on the Persian Gulf coast in the east of the country, north of Al Wakrah and south of Al Khor, it is home to most of the count ...

Khartoum Khartoum or Khartum ( ; ar, الخرطوم, Al-Khurṭūm, din, Kaartuɔ̈m) is the capital of Sudan. With a population of 5,274,321, its metropolitan area is the largest in Sudan. It is located at the confluence of the White Nile, flowing n ...

Djibouti Djibouti, ar, جيبوتي ', french: link=no, Djibouti, so, Jabuuti officially the Republic of Djibouti, is a country in the Horn of Africa, bordered by Somalia to the south, Ethiopia to the southwest, Eritrea in the north, and the Red ...

Ouagadougou Ouagadougou ( , , ) is the capital and largest city of Burkina Faso and the administrative, communications, cultural, and economic centre of the nation. It is also the country's largest city, with a population of 2,415,266 in 2019. The city's ...

and

Sofia Sofia ( ; bg, София, Sofiya, ) is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria. It is situated in the Sofia Valley at the foot of the Vitosha mountain in the western parts of the country. The city is built west of the Iskar river, and h ...

; Minister Counselor at

Tunis ''Tounsi'' french: Tunisois , population_note = , population_urban = , population_metro = 2658816 , population_density_km2 = , timezone1 = CET , utc_offset1 ...

and deputy to the French ambassador; also advisor to the Minister of Industry and deputy director of personnel in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Nantes. Between 2002 and 2006 he was deputy director of the Directorate of Military Cooperation and Defense. He became Ambassador in

Guinea-Bissau Guinea-Bissau ( ; pt, Guiné-Bissau; ff, italic=no, 𞤘𞤭𞤲𞤫 𞤄𞤭𞤧𞤢𞥄𞤱𞤮, Gine-Bisaawo, script=Adlm; Mandinka: ''Gine-Bisawo''), officially the Republic of Guinea-Bissau ( pt, República da Guiné-Bissau, links=no ), ...

in October 2006. As ambassador, he emphasised the role of food in diplomacy.

Writing

Parot is best known as the author of the Nicolas Le Floch crime series. Parot conceived the idea of his eighteenth-century police ''Commissaire'' when stationed in Sofia. The characteristic feature of his novels is the accuracy of the historical Parisian background blended with action and mystery. His books are published by Éditions Jean-Claude Lattès in Paris and in the ''Grands détectives'' series by Éditions 10/18. Most have also been published by Éditions France loisirs and le Grand livre du mois. His works have been translated into Italian, Spanish, English, Japanese and Russian. They are the subject of a television adaptation on

France 2 France 2 () is a French public national television channel. It is part of the state-owned France Télévisions group, along with France 3, France 4 and France 5. France Télévisions also participates in Arte and Euronews. Since 3:20 CET on 7 A ...

by former police inspector

Hugues Pagan Hugues Pagan (born 1947) is a French detective writer and television writer. Early life Hugues Pagan was born in 1947 in Orléansville, French Algeria (now Algeria). His father was a postman who also served in the Military reserve forces of Fra ...

with Jérôme Robart in the title rôle.

Fictional character

Nicolas Le Floch was born in Guérande,

Brittany Brittany (; french: link=no, Bretagne ; br, Breizh, or ; Gallo: ''Bertaèyn'' ) is a peninsula, historical country and cultural area in the west of modern France, covering the western part of what was known as Armorica during the period ...

, the

illegitimate Legitimacy, in traditional Western common law, is the status of a child born to parents who are legally married to each other, and of a child conceived before the parents obtain a legal divorce. Conversely, ''illegitimacy'', also known as '' ...

son of the Marquis de Ranreuil, raised by Canon Le Floch. When the cycle of novels begins in 1761, he is working with the (real-life) Antoine de Sartine, Lieutenant General of Police of

, and promoted to ''Commissaire'' of le Châtelet. Assisted by Inspector Pierre Bourdeau and others he goes on to solve crimes as well as pursue a complicated love life. He and many of his friends are gourmets and descriptions of food feature prominently in the novels.

Works

''Les enquêtes de Nicolas Le Floch, commissaire au Châtelet'' (''Listed here are the first French editions (Éd. J.-C. Lattès, Paris) and the first English editions
Gallic Books
London)'' #''L'Énigme des Blancs-Manteaux'', 2000, . – ''The Châtelet Apprentice'', 2007, . #''L'Homme au ventre de plomb'', 2000, . – ''The Man with the Lead Stomach'', 2008, . #''Le Fantôme de la rue Royale'', 2001, . – ''The Phantom of the Rue Royale'', 2008, . #''L'Affaire Nicolas Le Floch'', 2002, . – ''The Nicolas Le Floch Affair'', 2009, . #''Le Crime de l'hôtel Saint-Florentin'', 2004, . – ''The Saint-Florentin Murders'', 2010, . #''Le Sang des farines'', 2005, . – ''The Baker's Blood'', 2012, . #''Le Cadavre anglais'', 2007, . #''Le Noyé du grand canal'', 2009, . #''L'Honneur de Sartine'', 2010, . #''L'Enquête russe'', 2012, . #''L'Année du volcan'', 2013, . #''La Pyramide de glace'', 2014, . #''L'Inconnu du pont Notre-Dame'', 2015, . #''Le Prince de Cochinchine'', 2017 .

References

External links

Official site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Parot, Jean-Francois 1946 births 2018 deaths Lycée Henri-IV alumni Writers from Paris French crime fiction writers French diplomats French male novelists Writers of historical mysteries