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Antoine Blanchet
Published on
Nov 9, 2024 at 7:04 p.m.
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When the police get up to date. Tuesday, November 5, 2024, the presentation of the Quai des Orfèvres Literary Prize was held at 36 rue du Bastion, headquarters of the Paris judicial police. Created almost 80 years ago, this prize rewards a detective novel. The jury is made up of police officers, magistrates, journalists, and chaired by the director of the Parisian PJ. Two criteria are highlighted: the quality of writing, but also the realism of the police investigation carried out in the work.
A unifying goal
It was in 1946 that the project began to mix the bloodhounds of the legendary 36 quai des Orfèvres with belles lettres. Originally, Marc Catineauan advertising executive working in the publishing world, took up the matter. “He spoke with many of the great cops of the time, and also rubbed shoulders with magistrates. He realized that these trades were not talking to each other enough. It is with this objective that the price was set up,” explains Agnes Catineaugranddaughter of the creator of the literary prize.
Strict regulations
In more than seven decades, the Quai des Orfèvres prize has become an institution, with its codes and rituals. Each year, more than a hundred manuscripts are sent in March. Anyone has the opportunity to apply. However, the candidate must not not be over 80 years oldand must testify a clean criminal recordpolice oblige! The manuscript must also have never been published before.
The 22 members of the jury then receive the few works selected anonymously. The latter then debate among themselves to find out which book deserves the reward. “Personally, a good detective novel is a novel where there are twists and turns and where you cannot guess the end of the book. But it still has to be realistic,” explains us Fabrice Gardon, director of the Paris judicial police and president of the jury. A vote is organized in September in the office of the head of the PJ.
A godfather from the cinema
The ceremony has another tradition: the sponsorship of a celebrity every year. The latter, from the cinema, has already played a police officer on screen at least once. In 2016, for example, the prestigious title was sponsored by Jean-Paul Belmondo and Alain Delon. For the 2025 edition, it was the director and actor Olivier Marchal who accepted this role.
Two rewards for the winner
Once the rewarded book has been selected, it’s time for secrets. The novel is published by Fayard, but its title and the name of its author must not be revealed before the ceremony taking place at 36 rue du Bastion in November. It is the Prefect of Police who has the honor of bringing the mysterious author to light.
The winner receives two awards. The first is financial, with a gain of 777 euros. The second, more important, is made of paper. The awarded work is printed in 50,000 copies by Fayard editions. A major guarantee of visibility. For example, the winner of the 2024 prize, Martial Caroff, saw his work sold more than 150,000 copies.
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