Jean Baptiste Rossi entered the world in 1931, amidst the vibrant streets of Marseille, France. Known to the literary realm as Sébastien Japrisot, he has carved his name as a master of mystery, an auteur of film, and a deft translator, residing under the enchanting French skies.

At the tender age of eighteen, Japrisot unveiled his first novel in 1950. A mere thirteen years later, his work The 10:30 from Marseilles reached English readers, after its debut in French in 1962. In 1997, it re-emerged with a new identity, titled The Sleeping Car Murders. This gripping tale, woven with the meticulous intricacy of a police procedural, unravels a string of murders aboard a passenger train.

His novel Trap for Cinderella (first seen in French in 1964 and then in English the same year) tells a haunting story of two young women consumed by fire. The lone survivor emerges, unrecognizable and amnesiac, setting the stage for a labyrinthine mystery told through a prism of perspectives. This work earned the esteemed Grand Prix de la Littérature Policiére.

Acclaimed Works

The psychological enigma, The Lady in the Car with Glasses and a Gun, debuted in French in 1966 and in English in 1967, earning the Prix d'Honneur for its brilliance. It was succeeded by Goodbye Friend (French, 1968; English, 1969), unraveling the plight of a doctor tainted with a murder accusation upon his return from Vietnam. Meanwhile, One Deadly Summer (French, 1978; English, 1980) follows a daughter, born of a brutal assault, who seeks retribution against her father.

The Passion of Women, originally published in 1986 and translated into English in 1990 as Women in Evidence, delves into the tragic demise of an innocent man wrongfully blamed for a child's death. This poignant narrative was succeeded by the profound A Very Long Engagement (French, 1991; English, 1994), a saga of enduring love entwined with the ravages of war. This tale not only garnered the Prix Interallia in 1991 but also captured hearts across continents, becoming an international bestseller.

Film Adaptations

In his extensive oeuvre, Japrisot also crafted Rider in the Rain (French, 1992; English, 1999), alongside a multitude of screenplays. Several of these were cinematic interpretations of his novels, such as The Sleeping Car Murders (1965), Trap for Cinderella (1965), and One Deadly Summer (1983). By 2002, discussions were underway for a film adaptation of A Very Long Engagement, though Japrisot opted not to pen the screenplay himself.