Specimen
When “Adolescence” meets “Anatomy of a Fall.”
In Marseille, Carmina is trying to rebuild her life after escaping an abusive relationship. But when her 19-year-old son Rafael is arrested, accused of an unthinkable crime, her world shatters—and so do her most deeply held beliefs. As the investigation unfolds and conflicting versions of the truth emerge, Rafael’s moral ambiguity confounds everyone. Is he a victim—or a perpetrator?
Specimen probes the fault lines of a society that breeds its own monsters. As Rafael’s trial unfolds, it becomes more than a legal battle— it becomes a mirror held up to a system where perversion festers and spreads unchecked.
A gripping blend of psychological thriller and social drama, at its core this novel asks a haunting question: How far will we go to protect our children? With journalistic precision and unwavering empathy for her characters, Pauline Clavière explores the darkest corners of the human soul.
Reviews
“A literary heir to Vladimir Nabokov? Week after week, Pauline Clavière’s Specimen has established itself as the season’s reigning success. With chapters as taut and fast-paced as The Perfect Nanny by Leïla Slimani (winner of the 2016 prix Goncourt), Clavière’s work adds an extra dimension. […] The finale is a tour de force. […] Hats off.”—L’express
“A triumphant, masterfully crafted work.”—Maxime Chattam, author of 8.2 secondes
“Unputdownable.”—Europe 1
“Pauline Clavière has mastered the slow, relentless escalation of pressure, resulting in a novel of white-hot intensity.”—Le Nouvel Obs
“Pauline Clavière tackles the theme of youth with great sensitivity.”—Paris Match
“A deeply human, utterly absorbing, and strikingly contemporary novel about the devastating wounds of our time.”—Télématin
“A high-tension page-turner in which the intimate tips into the unsettling.”—Le JD Mag
“Specimen. The title is eye-catching, and the heavy atmosphere is established within the very first lines. We open in the sweltering late August heat of Marseille: what mysteries lurk within the walls of this troubled city? […] With a large-scale advertisement campaign underway in the Paris metro, this investigative novel grips the reader until the final page.”—Libération
“Pauline Clavière hooks the reader with her clipped chapters and clean prose. […] The ending [is] both stunning and completely unexpected.”—La Croix