The story
Nahenda's body was found in disturbing circumstances, inside the Notre-Dame-de-Lorette church, in the heart of Wendake.
Sergeant-Detective David Gros-Louis quickly realizes that the case goes beyond a simple criminal matter.
What appeared to be an isolated murder gradually reveals a web of silences, fragile loyalties, and ancient secrets.
As the investigation progresses, certainties crumble.
In a community where history weighs heavily, some truths only ask to be forgotten.
But silence comes at a price.
And someone will have to pay for it.
David Gros-Louis, 44 years old
Sergeant-detective with the Wendake Police Department.
A native of the village, he knows every street, every family, but also the silences that weigh on the community. A methodical, observant, and tenacious police officer, he prefers facts to grand speeches, and his intuitions are often correct.
Behind his calm exterior, David carries the weariness of night shifts, crime scenes, and cases that are never truly closed. Confronted by his own demons, he constantly wavers between his duty to protect his family and to serve justice.
Jean-Paul Dicaire, 61 years old.
Chief of the Wendake Police Department.
A former field operative with a sharp, piercing gaze, he carries on his shoulders the weight of investigations, political compromises, and fragile loyalties.
Protective of his police officers, distrustful of politicians.
Dicaire walks a fine line between justice and the pressure of power, while trying to repair what his profession has broken in his own life.
Karine Romain, 25 years old.
Patrolwoman in the Police Department.
As a young agent, she combines the freshness of a recruit with the seriousness of a professional already marked by field experience.
Empathetic to the victims, loyal to her colleagues, Karine is one of those who refuse to turn a blind eye when the truth is inconvenient.
Baptiste Sioui, 38 years old.
Patrolman in the Police Department.
Unconcerned with his physical appearance and clothing, a heavy drinker, he carries his demons around like others carry their service weapon.
A seasoned police officer, he knows every alley, every shortcut and almost all the secrets of his village… sometimes a little too well.
Gaston L'Allier, 50 years old.
Detective Lieutenant with the Sûreté du Québec.
Very tall, with broad shoulders, a square jaw and a military look, he commands respect as soon as he walks through a door.
Ambitious, authoritarian, obsessed with results, L'Allier is ready to push everyone around to make "his" truth burst forth — even if it means trampling those who stand in his way.
Jacques Duchesneau, 49 years old.
Psychologist at the Health Centre.
Checkered shirt, calm smile and desk filled with small objects that tell stories, he listens more than he speaks.
Caught between professional secrecy and the safety of the community, Jacques becomes the moral conscience of the investigation, where silence can save… or condemn.
Jérôme Awashish, 33 years old.
Homeless man originally from Ouje-Bougoumou.
After making his way in the St-Roch district, he settled in the Wendake area, where he feels at home.
He's an outsider, and people are too quick to point the finger at him. He becomes the ideal suspect… but behind the smell of alcohol lies a distress that no one really wants to see.
Joel Picard, 45 years old.
Childhood friend of David Gros-Louis and former patrolman with the Quebec City Police Service.
Held in the protection sector of the Donnacona penitentiary for 9 years, sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of his partner Constance.
Only his friend David still visits him in prison.
Excerpt
Night had not fully released its grip.
A thin mist drifted low along the Saint-Charles River, gnawing at the banks, swallowing the streetlights one by one. Wendake still slept, stiff with cold, rooftops dusted with frost and streets empty—except for the hesitant footsteps of a man moving close to the walls in the biting cold of a March night, 2024.
Jérôme Awashish’s hands were numb. His gloves, forgotten somewhere the day before, were not missed nearly as much as the warmth of a swallow of beer. He clutched a bag of empty cans against his chest; they clinked softly, like a sorrowful wind chime.
“Five bucks for a little cleanup,” the priest always promised. “Maybe a sip of sacramental wine if I sweep well enough,” he muttered aloud, moistening his lips.
He climbed the three steps to the porch of Notre-Dame-de-Lorette Church. The heavy wooden door adorning the façade groaned before opening onto a current of icy air saturated with the lingering scent of cold incense and wax.
A candle still burned at the foot of a statue of Saint Kateri Tekakwitha.
Inside the nave, shadow held firm, cut only by a pale blade of light spilling from a stained-glass window.
The silence had the density of stone.
Jérôme set his bag of cans near the holy water font with only relative reverence, lifted his head—and his alcohol-laced breath caught in his throat.
The author
Martin Couture has been a police officer for twenty years.
As a sergeant assigned to patrol duty, he is confronted daily with the raw reality of police daily operations.
At 44, a passionate reader of noir fiction, thrillers, and true crime,
He signs his first novel with Feathers of Silence.
A personal project, long in the making,
which became a writing necessity in 2025.
A plunge into silence, where the truth is disturbing.
Reader reviews
Emilie, Quebec
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Excellent crime novel, a great plot and a beautiful tribute to Wendake!!
Richard, Quebec
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
A great success. A story that keeps you on the edge of your seat until the very last chapter. Well-developed characters.
Congratulation
Marie-Josée, Wendake
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
A very good plot; you always want to keep reading to find out what happens next. It's also nice to recognize Wendake throughout the chapters.
Vanessa, Quebec
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
A great novel with good suspense!!!
I dare to dream of a continuation with the characters or even a rewriting of the story from the point of view of another character!
Dominique, Laval ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Very good novel. I recommend it. No regrets about buying it. Congratulations. Anik, Wendake ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I loved this novel. For a first book, the author already shows a remarkable writing style. The story is well constructed, and the intrigue quickly draws you in. I constantly wanted to keep reading to see where the story would lead. The author manages to keep the suspense alive throughout the entire book, without ever making the direction of the story predictable. It’s a truly captivating novel that makes you want to follow this author and read his future books. ✨
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The Feathers of Silence — All rights reserved.
Some truths leave traces.