A Louva-a-deus

As this French mystery series opens a body is found in a sawmill; the way it has been posed matches that of Jeanne Deber, a serial killer known as 'The Mantis', who was incarcerated twenty years previously. It is the third such case; there is clearly a copycat at work. When Jeanne hears about the case she contacts the police and offers to help... on one condition; her long-estranged son, Captain Damien Carrot must lead the case. He has kept the identity of his mother secret, even his wife believes he is an orphan, but as the case progresses the secret will be hard to keep. Before the case is solved there will be more killings and various suspects will emerge.

This is a solid serial killer mystery series. The murders are somewhat varied and unpleasant, as befits the genre and the links to a previous killer are intriguing... is there a real connection or is the new killer just a fan? The characters, most obviously Jeanne and her son Damien are interesting; the former's motives are nicely ambiguous. There is plenty of tension and a fair bit of misdirection as suspects appear and are later eliminated before the final reveal. At only six episodes the series never drags, nor does it feel rushed. The resolution is a bit melodramatic but I enjoyed the various twists and turns; which don't stop with the arrest of the killer. I enjoyed the references to other works, notably to the film version of Stephen King's 'Misery'... not just because of what happens to one victim but the name of Damien's home town; Miserey. Captain Carrot's name may even be a Discworld reference but as he isn't a six foot dwarf it might be coincidental! Overall I'd certainly recommend this to fans of French crime dramas.

These comments are based on watching the series in French with English subtitles.

To be honest, the first thing you need to know is that there are a few inconsistencies which can make you think that this can't be real. Apart from that, the story itself is interesting and keeps pushing the characters further and further.

The good acting is a big part of La Mante's charisma and this is what you need to watch this six-episodes show at least once. You get easily attached and it is nice to see that much known faces outside of their comfort.

There are enough exciting twists to keep the story good and each of them brings with it a controversial subject beautifully established.

Manon Azem is a true diamond which everyone needs to keep an eye on, and Fred Testot is pretty convincing when he's not trying to make us laugh.

At the end, it's a good surprise and even without being exceptional, it's still a refreshing thriller show.

My wife and I really enjoyed this series. Yes, there were some flaws: a few stupid decisions by the police and a little overacting; but overall it was a great series with a complicated plot that in the end made sense. This is one of the better detective series we have found recently and I would definitely recommend it.

Netflix recommended this because I liked Le Chalet, and they do have elements in common. Slow burner with good characterisation and a few twists. A slightly offbeat police drama, which stretches credulity more than slightly. Nethertheless, recommended, especially for Francophiles.

I enjoyed watching this series and was really impressed with the quality of the acting, especially with Carole Bouquet, Fred Teston and Manon Azem. While the plot has some unrealistic elements, the relationship between the mother and son was portrayed with emotion and was compelling to watch. I have seen many thrillers (The Fall, The Killing, The Disappearance), but have not seen this particular mother/son dynamic before. I ended up binge-watching this series, something that I don't normally do. For this reason, I am rating it as a 9. I hope that there will be a second season.