Jean-Louis Ezine: La Chantepleure (1983)

This is Jean-Louis Ezine's first novel. Here we have the 'illegitimate' Julien Bréaux come to visit the village where he was born, more importantly to see Magloire, owner of the local La Gazette du bocage, as he's the father he's never met.

A number of people are involved here because it's a small 'incestuous' community, and Bréaux first uses a friend, Gabriel Roques, who will later deflower the twenty-year-old Catherine, much to the (fatal) chagrin of the postman Fortunat, but that's another story.

There are a number of stories in this story, such as Julien killing Magloire's dog because he looks like his owner, but then... A short novel, but there are long-lasting events.