In the pages of the mythical magazine Pilote, René Pétillon created the detective Jack Palmer in 1974, a prototype of the goofy antihero, dazed and disastrous. Pétillon, brilliant observer of society, uses his talent to dissect the morals of his contemporaries. Taking as models the themes of his previous works, Corsica and fundamentalism, today the author attacks tax havens and money laundering.

The story, impossible to truly summarize given the numerous savoury plot twists, starts at the doorstep of a bank in a small tax haven tucked into the heart of the Alpes, Bürgenzell. Jack Palmer takes a photo of a man who enters the financial establishment. It’s a husband in the middle of divorce proceedings. The lawyer of the wife has charged the detective to bring in proof that he is concealing revenue. The problem is that in the photo is also a notorious member of the Mafia working for the Colombians, come to deposit a suitcase bills. Palmer is therefore pursued by the Colombians, by the Russian Mafia, and by the local police force who don’t like that someone’s prying at their bank confidentiality, especially at a moment when the G20 is interested. We also meet crazy traders, a choral director with principles, and many other crazy characters. To top it off the whole thing takes place during the Prince’s engagement which recalls the glory of Monaco.

“Enquête au Paradis” (Investigation in Paradise) is a hilarious volume from René Pétillon at the top of his form, on a current subject in these tough economic times.