The sixth novel by Aymeric Patricot, Les Crapules, delves into themes of revenge, social inequality, and the hidden aspects of life in Paris. The story follows Sabine, a middle-aged adult film actress who raises her son Romain alone in the twentieth arrondissement. When a video of Sabine leaks at a middle school, Romain faces regular bullying, prompting Sabine to team up with Joseph, a bully, and Enguerrand, a bored member of the upper class, to seek revenge. The narrative also explores the lives of high-ranking officials and business elites, set against a backdrop of revenge porn and sexual freedom. In an interview with ActuaLitté, Patricot discussed the themes of his novel, noting that both Sabine and his previous heroine Anaëlle from La Viveuse (Léo Scheer editions, 2022) are women who challenge societal contempt through their involvement in sex-centered activities. Sabine, however, confronts the violence of judgment from the beginning, driving her to seek revenge against those who stigmatize her while committing worse acts. Patricot also addressed the issue of bullying, stating that while it has always existed, it has worsened with the rise of smartphones and social networks. He emphasized that bullying is one of the manifestations of the evil that exists within human nature, enabling both violence and cowardice. The novel also features Charles, a corrupt director of a Parisian museum involved in dark state files. Patricot suggested that this reflects on the corruption within the highest levels of society, noting that distrust toward the State has grown in recent years, influenced by scandals such as the Epstein affair. Set in Paris, particularly in the twentieth arrondissement and the Seine-Saint-Denis, the novel includes precise descriptions of neighborhoods and buildings. Patricot described the novel as an urban portrait of Paris, emphasizing the city's role as a key character. Each chapter of the novel is preceded by a poem evoking a form of evil, inspired by Dante's The Divine Comedy. Patricot mentioned that one of the characters writes these poems, and despite some advice to remove them, he insisted on keeping them. Patricot also discussed the genre of his novel, noting that it is not easily categorized as a noir or detective novel but can be described as a social thriller. The novel addresses the question of evil directly, without reducing it to an economic or social issue, and highlights that any person is susceptible to committing reprehensible acts, regardless of their situation or motivations.