Fred Vargas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Frédérique Audouin-Rouzeau
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Fred Vargas, 2009
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| Born | 7 June 1957 Paris, France |
| Pen name | Fred Vargas |
| Occupation | Medieval historian and archaeologist; writer |
| Genre | Crime fiction |
Fred Vargas is the pen name of Frédérique Audouin-Rouzeau (born June 7, 1957). She is a French historian, archaeologist, and a very popular writer of crime novels.
She is well-known for her studies on the Black Death, a terrible disease that spread in the Middle Ages. Her crime novels, often called "police procedurals," have won many awards. She won the Duncan Lawrie International Dagger Award three times in a row (in 2006, 2008, and 2009). This was a first for any author! Her English translator, Siân Reynolds, also received recognition for her excellent work.
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Working as an Archaeologist
Frédérique Audouin-Rouzeau started working at the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) in 1988. This is a big research organization in France. Later, she joined the Institut Pasteur, which is famous for its work in biology and medicine. There, she worked as an archaeologist who studies very small living things called eukaryotes.
She led a project to study how the Black Death and bubonic plague spread. Her research led to a very important book called Les chemins de la peste (which means "Routes of the Plague") published in 2003. This book is considered a key work in understanding the history of the plague.
Working as a Novelist
Fred Vargas mostly writes exciting police thrillers. She likes to call them "puzzles" because they are full of mysteries to solve. Writing helps her relax and combine her love for history with her creative side.
Her stories are usually set in Paris, France. They follow the adventures of a clever detective named Chief Inspector Adamsberg and his team. Her interest in the Middle Ages often shows up in her books, especially through a character named Marc Vandoosler, who is a young expert on that time period.
Her book Seeking Whom He May Devour was nominated for the Gold Dagger award in 2005, which is a big award for crime novels. In 2006, her next book, The Three Evangelists, won the first-ever Duncan Lawrie International Dagger award. She won this award again in 2008 with Wash This Blood Clean From My Hand. She was the first writer to be nominated for three books in a row. Then, in 2009, she won the International Dagger again, making her the first author to win it for three books in a row, along with her translator, Siân Reynolds.
In 2018, Fred Vargas received the Princess of Asturias Prize for Literature. This is a very important award given in Spain for achievements in science, arts, and other fields.
Main Characters in Her Books
Fred Vargas has created many memorable characters in her novels. Here are some of the most important ones:
- Three Evangelists series:
- Marc Vandoosler, also known as "Saint Mark": He is a historian who specializes in life during the Middle Ages.
- Lucien Devernois, known as "Saint Luke": He is a historian who studies World War I. He was inspired by Vargas's own brother.
- Matthias Delamarre, known as "Saint Matthew": He is a historian who focuses on prehistory (the time before written records).
- (These three characters, nicknamed "the Evangelists," live together in a house called The Dosshouse with "Old Man Vandoosler.")
- Armand Vandoosler: He is a former police chief and Marc's godfather. He loves good food and is a bit quirky.
- Ludwig Kehlweiler: He is another former policeman who has a huge network of people who give him information. He also has a pet toad!
- Adamsberg series:
- Commissaire Jean-Baptiste Adamsberg: He is a police chief who often travels. He has a calm and thoughtful way of solving crimes, almost like a Zen master.
- Adrien Danglard: He is a very organized police inspector and Adamsberg's main helper. He is divorced, has five children, and enjoys drinking white wine.
- Camille Forestier: She is a musician and a plumber who has a complicated relationship with Adamsberg.
Books Made into Movies and TV Shows
Many of Fred Vargas's Adamsberg novels have been turned into films and television series:
- Have Mercy on Us All: This is a 2007 movie that starred José Garcia.
- Collection Fred Vargas: This was a series of TV movies made between 2008 and 2019, starring Jean-Hughes Anglade.
- Beyond the Grave: A New Adamsberg Case: This was a two-part TV special based on her book Sur la Dalle, with Yvan Attal in the lead role.
