we are connected to the mediterranean sea so it's very different from the north of france. i feel closer to a guy from morocco than a guy from maybe germany or, etcetera. it's different. >> anthony: cedric fabre is a marseillais crime writer, who spent decades deciphering the dense layers of crime and corruption, pastiche, and sunshine. it's a perfect town for writers of noir. plenty of atmospherics and lurid history. why do you think it's such a fertile ground to set a crime novel? >> cedric: for me, it's more interesting because you write about the place you live in. i walk in the street, i have an idea, etcetera. i couldn't write about past things, like james ellroy does, because i have to know the real -- the real part of the city, the people. >> anthony: here, it's a really interesting stew of characters. >> cedric: in marseille, there is a very poor area and a very