Jean-François Le Mestre
Born in Brest, Jean-François Le Mestre spent his early years in the Menez-Paul and Guelmeur neighborhoods. These early years definitively anchored his Breton identity in this territory at the "end of the earth." As a teenager, he discovered life in Clichy-sous-Bois. This uprooting fostered in him a sensitivity to social issues, reinforced by his studies in economics at Paris XIII University. He began his professional life by joining the external services of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, then a departmental administration in Occitanie, serving the most vulnerable populations. Now retired, he finally has the time to dedicate himself to writing. This new means of expression extends his quest for connection through his novels, but also through his thrillers, which he readily sets in Brittany out of loyalty to his roots, and, when inspiration strikes, through his poetry. In 2023, her crime novel "Un collier fait sa valise" (A Necklace Packs Its Suitcase) was a finalist for the "Roz et Noir" suspense prize in Perros-Guirec. In 2025, her novel "Les choix de Sophie" (Sophie's Choices) was published by Éditions Douro. "Un livre libère ses maux" (A Book Unleashes Its Ills) is its sequel.
A book (liber in Latin) generally liberates its words, but also the pain it reveals. The pain it contains, or Antoine Cam's own? The pain he carries deep within his soul, even after Sophie's death. The pain that afflicts him, like the adoption proceedings. So he writes a book within a book, "Option Adoption," with a naiveté that will cause him much trouble, plunging him into despair to the point of giving rise to regrets. Ultimately, it will also allow him to reconsider his personal life, to allow himself other choices, and bring him that long-awaited revelation: understanding the cause of Sophie's accident… This novel approaches the world of work from the perspective of fraternity and solidarity, all the more reason to denounce stubbornness and cynicism when they prevail. In general, it celebrates fidelity to commitments, both personal and professional. Throughout the story, it draws on strong values, particularly when addressing the themes of family and parent-child relationships. Publication date: January 2, 2026 Order Press release
Sophie, a young psychologist, is starting out in child protection. Her attention is drawn to the situation of two little girls, sisters placed in the care of a foster mother. Faced with the older girl's silence, whose perplexing behavior worries her teacher, she ingeniously adapts her investigative methods to unravel her mystery. She experiments with new strategies to overcome the girl's resistance. Will her revelations about the child's reality lead to a reassessment of the placement? As she faces the complexities of the legal system, she receives support she never dared hope for. It will transform her life through the series of choices she faces, both professionally and personally. Beyond addressing child abuse, this novel highlights the humanity of those involved. It examines the working relationship and trust between social workers, the institutional environment, the police-justice partnership, and the interference or misunderstandings with local elected officials. All these dimensions represent potential risks of dysfunction that could be detrimental to the child. Added to this are the personal histories and emotional burdens of the professionals involved… Publication date: April 1, 2025 Order Press release
