Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Great Swindle | 2015 | Pierre Lemaitre | Buy |
| 2 | All Human Wisdom | 2020 | Pierre Lemaitre | Buy |
| 3 | Mirror of our Sorrows | 2023 | Pierre Lemaitre | Buy |
The Paris Between the Wars trilogy by Pierre Lemaitre covers French life from the end of World War I through the lead-up to World War II. The first book, The Great Swindle (Au revoir la-haut), won the Prix Goncourt in 2013 and tells the story of two veterans who exploit the post-war memorial industry through an elaborate con.
All Human Wisdom (2020) and Mirror of our Sorrows (2023) continue the trilogy, each following different characters through the social and political upheavals of interwar France. Lemaitre uses individual stories to capture the mood of an entire era, blending dark humor with genuine tragedy. The trilogy was a major commercial and critical success in France, and The Great Swindle was adapted into both a film and a graphic novel.