Diva (Odier novel)

Diva
Author(s)	Daniel Odier
Country	France
Language	French
Genre(s)	Crime novel
Publication date	1979
Media type	Print (Hardback & Paperback)

Diva (1979) by Daniel Odier (writing under the pseudonym Delacorta) is a crime novel set in Paris. It was adapted into a major motion picture of the same name.

Plot summary

The young man Jules is a motorbike-riding courier for RCA in Paris, and a major fan of classical music and opera. Jules is also a groupie of the beautiful Cynthia Hawkins, an American opera singer. Hawkins is unusual in that she only performs live. She has never made a recording, studio or otherwise. One day, Jules secretly records a Cynthia Hawkins concert. He then shares the tape with his teenage friend Alba, who shares the tape with her adult friend Serge.

Criminal Serge Gorodish is in his mid 40's, he shares his life with Alba, a precocious teenage beauty. Serge realizes that the Cynthia Hawkins tape could fetch a large amount of money.

Meanwhile, Nadia is a twentysomething in the employ of Saporta. Saporta controls the largest drug cartel and prostitution ring in Paris. Nadia records harmful evidence against Saporta on a cassette tape. Nadia's cassette is erroneously dropped into the satchel on Jules' motorbike.

Soon, Jules is being chased by the police, as well as gangsters, though he has no idea why. Saporta mobilizes his entire crime organization to attempt to retrieve the tape from Jules. Locating an intrepid and skilled motorbike rider in Paris is not easy. Meanwhile, there is a furious underground bidding war for Jules' tape of Cynthia Hawkins' concert.

References and external links