LO241 Café Littéraire: Total Chaos ("Total Khëops"), by Jean-Claude Izzo

Total Chaos is the first novel in Jean-Claude Izzo’s gritty Marseilles Trilogy, a landmark of French noir that blends crime fiction with social critique and Mediterranean lyricism. The story follows Fabio Montale, an ex-cop drawn back into a violent underworld when two childhood friends are brutally murdered. Set in the sun-drenched, volatile streets of Marseilles, the novel explores themes of loyalty, lost ideals, racism, corruption, and the personal cost of justice. As Fabio investigates, he’s forced to confront not only the criminal forces at work but also his own past and complicity in the chaos around him. Izzo’s Marseilles is not just a backdrop but a living, breathing character—multicultural, decaying, and deeply human. With its blend of poetic language, political edge, and emotional depth, Total Chaos transcends the crime genre, offering a mournful, passionate portrait of a man—and a city—struggling to hold onto a sense of meaning amid collapse.

The book group meets at the organizer's apartment. The directions, door code, telephone number, etc., are sent in the 7-day and 1-day reminder emails, following registration.

Registration for the October meeting opens on Saturday, 27 September 2025.