You can try Daniel Pennac if you like litterature that is non-serious but still well written, it is really funny and refreshing. It is somehow related to "detective" stories, but in a funny way. It is a "serie", there are several books. It takes place in Paris, but not the touristic Paris. The protagonist is a professional scapegoat. Amazon's review describe it in a more intelligible english than I do: Benjamin Malaussene is the saint who solves the crime and confounds the wicked ogres in an exuberant crime story set in the Belleville district of Paris. Employed in a large department store, his job description is a joke: when enraged customers make a complaint to the manager, he must accept all the blame, plead guilty and feign such abject contrition that they forget their wrath and end up sympathizing with him. It's not an appealing way to earn a living but he needs the work, for Malaussene takes care of all his brothers and sisters, from little Half Pint to Therese who claims to have second sight. When a series of explosions in the store finds Malaussene suspiciously near the scene of the crimes he is grilled by the police. But this is the least of his worries; his dog has an epileptic fit, another sister becomes pregnant and he is mugged by his workmates. There is only one thing to do - he must investigate and solve the mystery himself. Extraordinary scenes, hilarious dialogue and sympathetic characters keep the reader turning the pages. A great read. (Kirkus UK) http://www.amazon.co.uk/Scapegoat-Daniel-Pennac/dp/1860466117/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1232669477&sr=8-3 http://www.amazon.fr/Au-bonheur-ogres-Daniel-Pennac/dp/2070403696/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1232669828&sr=8-2 The first novel is "Au bonheur des Ogres" in french, and "The Scapegoat" in english.