The Road by Richard Williams

Something very different on the blog today! I am delighted to be taking part in the tour for The Road: A Guide to Crossing the Nepal Himalayas by Bike by Richard Williams. My thanks to Kelly Lacey at Love Books Tours for the invitation and to the publisher for my paperback review copy.

The Blurb

Part guidebook, part travelogue but definitely all adventure, join author Richard Williams and photographer Manish Maharja as they cross the Nepalese Himalayas on a mountain bike.

Originally from Pembrokeshire, but now resident in Switzerland, Richard details this most remarkable of journeys through some of the most stunning, and most challenging, landscapes and environments the world has to offer.

Along with the remarkable textual and photographic account, the book also contains maps, details about accommodation, places of interest and plenty of other information you might need if you fancy undertaking the journey yourself.

Take The Road and embark on a once-in-a-lifetime experience that you will never, ever forget.

With foreword by Christoph Sauser.

Buy Link

https://graffeg.com/products/the-road

My Review

I should start by pointing out that I currently (never say never!) have no plans to cross the Himalayas on a bike! The Road is a pretty niche book, I reckon. But I have had an interest in the Himalayas and the people who live in or around them since watching a fabulous film from Nepal's neighbour Bhutan, Lunana: A Yak in my Classroom a few years ago - do try to see it, it's excellent and the cinematography is beautiful. But I also have someone in mind who I think might be interested in the cycling side of things, someone far more adventurous than me! 

Despite my lack of biking plans I really enjoyed this book. There are several sections including biking information, details on the country, the Nepali people, the culture, the two sections of the Road and interviews with mountain bikers of note - there was plenty of interest to this non cyclist. The information in the two Road sections is extensive. Each section is divided by day, and each day includes distance, time and details of any climb, an over of the route, a map, an extract from Richard's journal for his trip, and details of where to eat and stay. 

All accompanied by some stunning photographs by Manish Maharjan and Ananta Poudel.  

I particularly enjoyed the journal extracts and photographs, together with some of the early sections which give an idea of the country and its people. But for the cycling enthusiasts, and anyone thinking of perhaps making the trip, there is a wealth of information - the different types of bikes suitable for such a trip, health and safety, what to pack, bike equipment needed, energy foods to take, where to stop, where to eat and, as mentioned above, journey details for each day of the trip. And where to find a guide - highly recommended - for the Road. 

The Road is a really interesting and informative guide, particularly for the keen adventure cyclist, but also for anyone interested in that area of the world. I found it to be a very enjoyable read. 

The Author

Richard Williams was raised on a farm in north Pembrokeshire and lived for a number of years in Sydney, Australia, in his early twenties. Later, following a degree and master's degree in Development Studies from Exeter University and LSE respectively, Richard worked as a technical writer at the newly-created Global Fund to fight HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria, in Geneva, Switzerland.

Firewatching by Russ Thomas #Blogathon

I'm thrilled to be taking part in the Russ Thomas blogathon over the next few months, starting today with his debut novel Firewatching. Thank you to Tracy Fenton from Compulsive Readers for inviting me to take part and to the publisher for my review ebook. I also bought my own paperback copy.

The Blurb

One wrong move will ignite the city . . .

A body is found bricked into a wall of the Old Vicarage. From the state of the hands, it’s clear the dead man was buried alive. When the man is connected to an old missing person’s case, Detective Sergeant Adam Tyler is called.

After an ‘incident’, Tyler needs this case to go well in order to prove himself and get his career back on track. But he soon discovers that he has a connection to the case that hopelessly compromises him. He makes the snap decision not to tell his superiors, certain that he is the only one that can solve the crime. Now Tyler must move carefully to find out the truth, without destroying the case or himself.

Meanwhile, someone in the city knows exactly what happened to the body. Someone who is watching Tyler closely. Someone with an unhealthy obsession with fire . . .

A taut investigative thriller bursting with character and tension, introducing an enigmatic, fresh lead detective unlike any you have met before.

Firewatching is published by Simon & Schuster and came out on 20th February 2020.

My Review

Following the 'incident' mentioned in the blurb DS Adam Tyler has been kind of sidelined onto the Cold Case Review Unit ('sea crew'). We first meet him on his way, somewhat reluctantly, to a work social thing in a bar. Whilst there a handsome, or rather pretty, guy catches his eye... Next time we see him he's muscling his way into a crime scene and the subsequent investigation. The body that has been found in a wall was buried alive. And this is before the fires start...

Adam Tyler doesn't make friends easily, he's not a team player. To be honest he's not necessarily easy for the reader to like, especially at the beginning. But he does believe in justice and doing the right thing. Or at least trying to. And, fortunately, he has a decent relationship with his DCI. But he's a complex character with an interesting background and I'm keen to see how the character develops in the subsequent books.

There are some great characters in the supporting cast too. On the police side Doggett and Rabbani were standouts, from the wider cast and for very different reasons, Reverend Thorogood. But all the characters are interesting and engaging. And all full of secrets. 

The story, starting with the discovery of the man in the wall, is complex and ultimately tragic, involving many folk in unexpected ways. The descriptions of different types of manipulation feel authentic. Adam is definitely at the centre of the action with a feeling of constantly being watched, but other police officers are also at risk. The sub plot of fires being lit around the town ties into the main storyline brilliantly. The tension mounts throughout the book with a reel sense of dread until we reach the explosive denouement. 

Firewatching is a confident and assured debut with an interesting, flawed central character. The plot is well written, fast paced and tense, and I was always keen to turn the page to find out what came next. As a result it was a quick read. Looking forward to the next book in the series, Nighthawking. 

The Author

Russ Thomas was born in Essex, raised in Berkshire and now lives in Sheffield. After a few 'proper' jobs (among them: pot-washer, optician's receptionist, supermarket warehouse operative, call-centre telephonist, and storage salesman) he discovered the joys of bookselling, where he could talk to people about books all day. Firewatching is his debut novel.

One Grand Summer by Ewald Arenz (translated by Rachel Ward)

Today I'm visiting  early 80s Germany with my blog tour book review! Welcome to my stop on the tour for One Grand Summer by Ewald Arenz, translated into English by Rachel Ward. My thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me and to the publisher for my review copy. 

The Blurb

Sixteen-year-old Frieder’s plans for the summer are shattered when he fails two subjects. To be able to move up to the next year in the autumn, he needs to resit his exams.

So, instead of going on holiday with his family, he now faces the daunting and boring prospect of staying at his grandparents’ house, studying with his strict and formal step-grandfather.

On the bright side, he’ll spend time with his grandmother Nana, his sister Alma and his best friend Johann. And he meets Beate, the girl in the beautiful green swimsuit…

The next few weeks will bring friendship, fear and first love - one grand summer that will change and shape his entire life.

My Review

We all know I read mainly crime fiction but things would become very boring if I didn't switch them up occasionally. Two years ago I read Ewald Arenz's debut novel, Tasting Sunlight, the gorgeous story of the friendship between two very different women. I loved it, and it made my top three reads of 2022 so I was delighted to have the opportunity to read this new novel from Arenz.

This novel takes us back to a time before mobile phones, texting and social media and to that magical, scary age of 16. Maths and Latin are not strong subjects for Friedrich (Frieder) Büchner and as a result he is facing resits at the end of the summer - resits that he must pass. Whilst this means he will have to spend the summer with his beloved grandmother it also means his super strict step-grandfather will be supervising his revision. Frieder is dreading it but at least he will see one of his sisters sometimes, as she is also missing the family holiday, and hopefully his best friend Johann and Beate, the young woman he meets at the swimming pool just before term ends. Things are looking up.  

This novel is populated with characters you will take to your heart. Frieder is a lovely young man, close to his parents and siblings, has a wonderful relationship with his grandmother and a strong bond with his best friend. The few weeks described in the book see Frieder develop, grow up and gain a deeper understanding of those close to him. It was moving to see him learn about, and sometimes grapple to understand, some of his recent family history. But also we see him just being a 16 year old lad, mucking about with his friends, making mistakes, and learning the consequences. His relationship with Johann is great - The two boys have very different family backgrounds but have bonded none the less. And when Johann faces some difficult moments, Frieder is there for him - in fact, he has to make a very tough decision for such a young man. 

I loved the women in the story. Nana is warm, welcoming, loving and understanding, for the most part, and it was interesting to learn about her past, and see the obvious affection she has for Frieder, and the wider family. Alma is full of fun, Beate more shy as she joins this established group of friends, but it was beautiful to read her growing friendship with them all but particularly the developing feelings between her and Frieder. 

But I think my favourite thing in this book was Frieder's changing relationship with, and opinion of, his step-grandfather. It's subtle, but we see a  greater understanding and a grudging respect develop, so much so that Frieder knows who he must turn to in a time of crisis - it was beautiful to read. 

The prose in this is lush and full of descriptions, making it easy to conjure up a picture - it almost felt like I was there, hanging out with these kids - very vivid. My thanks to Rachel Ward for her seamless translation, enabling me to enjoy this lovely book, and to the author himself, of course.. One Grand Summer is a coming of age story, and the author beautifully handles some of the larger subjects delicately - family, friendship, love, grief and mental health. It shows the importance of having good people in our lives from an early age, and how those people can sometimes be transformative for us. And it reminded me of special summers when I was young - I'm sure many of us will have similar memories. Not my usual kind of read but a very welcome change - really enjoyed it. 

The Author

Ewald Arenz was born in Nuremberg in 1965, studied English, American literature and history, and now works as a teacher at a grammar school. His novels and plays have received numerous awards. Tasting Sunlight was longlisted for the Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize, shortlisted for the German Booksellers Best Novel Award, and featured on the Spiegel bestseller lists in both hardback and paperback for months. One Grand Summer won the German Booksellers Prize in 2021, and was a number-one bestseller in Germany. Ewald lives with his family near Fürth.

The Betrayal of Thomas True by AJ West

I know I've been very quiet on here - just life stuff, I'm afraid, but aiming to do better! And, oh my heart, it's an emotional one in the blog today! Welcome to my stop on the tour for The Betrayal of Thomas True by AJ West. I hadn't read The Spirit Engineer, the author's debut novel, so didn't know what to expect, but the blurb looked fascinating. I wasn't disappointed. Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me on the tour and to the publisher for sending my review copy.

The Blurb

It is the year 1710, and Thomas True has arrived on old London Bridge with a dangerous secret. One night, lost amongst the squalor of London's hidden back streets, he finds himself drawn into the outrageous underworld of the molly houses.

Meanwhile, carpenter Gabriel Griffin struggles to hide his double life as Lotty, the molly's stoic guard. When a young man is found murdered, he realises there is a rat amongst them, betraying their secrets to a pair of murderous Justices.

Can Gabriel unmask the traitor before they hang? Can he save hapless Thomas from peril, and their own forbidden love?

Set amidst the buried streets of Georgian London, The Betrayal of Thomas True is a brutal and devastating thriller, where love must overcome evil, and the only true sin is betrayal.

 

My Review

Thomas True arrives in London, just 18 and fresh faced. Very handsome too. He has left home to escape his strict parents and to find his true self. But it was such a rush he left in he's forgotten his luggage and when he is accidentally thrown from the carriage he has no idea where he is, what to do, or how to get to his cousin's house. Fortunately, someone is on hand to help and Thomas is introduced to the world of molly houses, specifically Mother Clap's Molly House, the biggest, the busiest, the best and the most colourful. And here Thomas meets Gabriel and both their lives change forever... 

Well, this is a real rollercoaster of emotions! From the moment Thomas arrived in London we're taken on a journey with him full of ups and downs. Naive, innocent and a little frightened when he arrives, he knows there is something different about him, and London is the place where he comes into his own. Seeing him find himself, and the freedom that comes with that is an utter joy. But the freedom isn't a real one, as his love is forbidden and illegal. And there are viscous gangs and a couple of nasty law men determined to put an end to such filth (in they die opinion). Reading about some of the men seeking out medical treatments to try to suppress their urges was heart breaking. 

But behind the doors of Mother Clap's Molly House the men could truly be themselves. The descriptions of the place are so vivid and colourful - the set up, the dancers, the costumes, the alter egos - it's some place! And Mother Clap herself - a woman providing a safe haven for all these men - brilliant. And so many fabulous characters - Jack, Fump, Vivian, the Duchess and, of course, Gabriel. Oh, he especially, tugged at my heart strings. So tortured, so sad, but so beautifully written. And trying to do the right thing, even when it might be the worst thing for him... Gabriel was my standout character in this book. An honourable mention for Harry, Gabriel's long time friend and a decent, stand up kind of guy.

I loved all the descriptions of London, the filth, the smells, the colours, the places and the people. So well illustrated and easy to picture. The story itself made me angry, happy,  grief stricken, filled my heart with joy, broke it, made me cry. I was telling someone today that I had cried at this book and she commented that I must have a good imagination to feel that way. Maybe, but for me, it's because of was so beautifully written that I really didn't have to try too hard to picture it all. 

The Betrayal of Thomas True is a truly emotional read - it's violent and brutal in places, gentle and loving in others. It will make you angry, so angry, in places, then make your heart soar in others, right up to its bittersweet ending. I was left in tatters. It's definitely one to beg, borrow or buy - I promise you, you will be moved. Highly recommended. I'm off to find a copy of The Spirit Engineer...

The Author

A.J. West's bestselling debut novel The Spirit Engineer won the Historical Writers'
Association Debut Crown Award, gaining international praise for its telling of a long forgotten true story.

An award winning BBC newsreader and reporter, he has written for national newspapers and regularly appears on network television discussing his writing and the historical
context of contemporary events.

A passionate historical researcher, he writes at The London Library and museum archives around the world.

To connect with AJ and discover more about his research, visit www.ajwestauthor.com


Bookshop Tour

The Blade in the Angel's Shadow by Andy Darby

Something a wee bit different from me today. Well, a big bit different, really! Regular visitors to my blog will know that fantasy is not a genre I usually read, with the exception of work by the late great Terry Pratchett, of course. However, is a new book from Andy Darby, the author of the bonkers Me and The Monkey: Chronicles of the Monkey God, Vol 1, which I read and reviewed back in 2021, and absolutely loved (I've since enjoyed more madness in Vol 2, but am still to write my review). I was delighted when he asked me to be a beta reader for this novel, a very different book from the Monkey God Chronicles, and am pleased to share my thoughts on it as part of the blog tour. Many thanks to Maia Gomez at Silver Dagger Book Tours for including me and to Andy for sending me a signed copy of the book. And look out at the end of the post for details of a giveaway! 

The Blurb

An Empire born through Angelic magic, or a hell on Earth? One woman’s sword may decide it all.

The Angels want to usher in Revelation, and what better way than through the creation of the British Empire?

Infamous swordswoman Captain Lament Evyngar awaits execution in the Tower of London, charged with heresy and attempted regicide, but all is not as it seems. Unwittingly entangled in the schemes of the Angels, she recounts her tale to the Queen's sorcerer, Dr Dee, who is more than a little responsible for her predicament.

Dr Dee has designs for a British Empire that will dominate the world for ages to come, and with the aegis of the Angels, he has the power to make it a reality. But, two elements are missing, and through blackmail and occult ritual, Lament and her giant Dutch comrade are forced to journey to the war-ravaged Spanish Netherlands on a quest that will reveal the truth about strange entities that use humans to fight out their eternal conflicts and in doing so alter the course of history forever.

So, a bargain is made, a child is created, and death is no longer an option for Lament as she is swept back and forth through time and space, her identity suddenly made fluid until she can at last return to the London of Queen Elizabeth I and face the cosmic horror that is unveiled in the royal court.


Book Links

Amazon UK

Amazon US 
Apple 
Barnes & Noble 
Google 

Kobo 

Waterstones
Blackwell’s

Bookbub

Goodreads

My Review 

We first meet Captain Lament Evyngar as she awaits her death, and then hear her story as she gives her final confession to Dr Dee, the astronomer to Queen Elizabeth I, who played a large part in bringing her to this end. When she is wrongly accused of a crime, Dee essentially blackmails her into working for him by threatening not only her life and reputation, but also those of her family and her loyal companion and friend, giant Dutchman, Sergeant Pieter Hertgers. He also insists on performong a ritual on her, which he claims will aid her in her quest. So Lament and Pieter set off for the Netherlands to steal magical items for Dr Dee but it proves to be a much more epic and terrifying journey than either of them could have possibly imagined. 

Lament and Pieter are engaging leads. Lament is charismatic and interesting, a skilled soldier and swordswoman, at a time when such a thing was almost unheard of. It was particularly interesting seeing her learn to control her more otherworldly abilities even if she perhaps doesn't understand them. And her interactions with Beatris were fascinating. Lament's relationship with Pieter is purely platonic, which I loved, but they are pretty devoted to each other, each always looking out for the other, fighting side by side. He is a much more straightforward character than Lament but no less interesting because of it. 

The story is both a bloodthirsty swashbuckling tale of hand to hand combat, eating, drinking and whoring and a completely otherworldly fantasy of angels, demons and inhuman monsters. And the two combine seamlessly to form a novel that grabs you from the get go and keeps you hanging on, tension always high As I mentioned, I don't have much experience with fantasy, but this worked for me. It is written in the present tense which helps keep it t air and exciting but maybe not so much in that we know Lament is relaying these events after they happened. There are a some moments when Lament slips between time and place which I felt could have been better highlighted and a couple of points that could've done with tighter editing, but these things were just niggles for me and didn't ruin my enjoyment of the book at all.

The Blade in the Angel's Shadow is a hugely entertaining novel with two hugely engaging leads. Action packed, tense throughout, full of a variety of antagonists - human and (very vivid) ethereal ones. There is an exciting denouement and a thrilling, explosive conclusion, each of which includes a heart breaking moment. I very much enjoyed it - more than I thought I might to be honest, which I'm delighted about - and I sincerely hope this isn't the last we've  seen of Captain Lament Evyngar!

The Author

Andy is a lifelong fan of fantasy, swords and sorcery, and weird tales. He also has a bit of an obsession with historical fiction/fantasy and alternate histories.

Andy lives on the north coast of Cornwall in the UK with his artist wife, teenage daughter, three cats, and two ponies. He is contantly running out of shelf space for the ever-increasing book collection.

Other books by Andy:
Me and the Monkey: Chronicles of the Monkey God Vol 1 & 2
The Paddington Incident


Author Social Media Links

Facebook
X/Twitter
Instagram
Bookbub
Amazon
Goodreads


Giveaway

$20 Amazon 

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

Rogue Hero by Rob Sinclair

Today is my stop on the blog tour for Rogue Hero by Rob Sinclair, a fab thriller I consumed in a couple of days. My thanks to Rachel Gilbey at Rachel's Random Resources for the invitation and to the publisher for my review copy. 

The Blurb

When a mystery bystander stops an assassination attempt on a prominent politician, it sparks a national search that captivates the nation…

Curtis Delaney watches the footage play out on the news, and immediately recognises the unidentified hero. He hasn’t seen his brother Finn in six years. He doesn’t know where he’s been in that time, or what he’s been doing. But there’s one thing he does know: Finn is no hero.

Curtis is determined to find his brother, but equally, Curtis is no detective. A husband and lawyer (and not the 'good' kind), with a mortgage and responsibilities, Curtis isn’t cut out for delving into whatever seedy business Finn has gotten involved with. But when armed men turn up on his doorstep, claiming to be FBI, he quickly realises he's been left with no choice.

The hunt for the truth will take them from the Capitol building in Washington, to the sun-kissed beaches of Mexico, and the cold streets of London, uncovering secrets of fraud, blackmail and murder. Can the brothers reunite before the real hero is discovered by the wrong people?


Purchase Link

https://mybook.to/rogueherosocial

My Review

A wee while back, well, five years ago actually - no idea where the time went, in the early days of this little blog, I read Sleeper 13 and Fugitive 13 (really must finish the trilogy) by Rob Sinclair and enjoyed them very much. His name stuck in my mind and I was pleased to have the chance to review this one, his latest - Rogue Hero.

Curtis has a nice life, a good job and a lovely wife. A news item on TV about a foiled shooting catches his eye when he realises The hero is his estranged brother. Seeing Finn unlocks something in Curtis - a need to find Finn, know he's OK. But also it makes him realise things about his work, marriage and life generally. As well as a search for Finn, this is also the story of a man finding himself. But there is excitement and danger along the way for everyone involved...

The story is told in a dual timeline and from two points of view. I thought this was very effective as we saw Curtis reaching conclusions and making decisions in the present, then learning the back story of how things came to be that way. I loved seeing Curtis coming into his own as he discovers skills he didn't really know he had. On the flioside, we learn that Finn frequently uses his skills in an underhand way, as long as he achieved his desired outcome. That said, though, there were streaks of decency through him, they just weren't very obvious.

The plot is satisfying, the action exciting and fast moving, particularly in Curtis's timeline where he crosses paths will all sorts of shady types. The back story has a different kind of action - scheming & underhand business practices. And the denouement is explosive and a little emotional.

Rogue Hero is a solid, well written thriller. It's a page turner that will suck you in and hang on to you - I read it in a couple of days. Very enjoyable.


The Author

Rob Sinclair is the million copy bestseller of over twenty thrillers, including the James Ryker series. Most recently published by Bloodhound, Boldwood publish his latest action thriller, Rogue Hero, this month and will be republishing all the James Ryker series over the coming months.

Author Social Media Links

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robsinclairauthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RSinclairAuthor
Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/RobSinclairNews
Bookbub profile: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/rob-sinclair

Do check out the other bloggers on the tour! 

Thirty Days of Darkness by Jenny Lund Madsen (translated by Megan Turney)

I am delighted to share my review of Thirty Days of Darkness, written by Jenny Lund Madsen and translated into English by Megan Turney, for my stop on the blog tour to  celebrate the paperback release of the book this month. But thanks to Anne Cater at Random Things Tours for inviting me and to the publisher for my gorgeous review copy (complete with spredges, what a treat!). 

 

The Blurb

A snobbish Danish literary author is challenged to write a crime novel in thirty days, travelling to a small village in Iceland for inspiration, and then a body appears … an atmospheric, darkly funny, twisty debut thriller, first in an addictive new series.

Copenhagen author Hannah is the darling of the literary community and her novels have achieved massive critical acclaim. But nobody actually reads them, and frustrated by writer's block, Hannah has the feeling that she's doing something wrong.

When she expresses her contempt for genre fiction, Hanna is publicly challenged to write a crime novel in thirty days. Scared that she will lose face, she accepts, and her editor sends her to Húsafjöður – a quiet, tight-knit village in Iceland, filled with colourful local characters – for inspiration.

But two days after her arrival, the body of a fisherman's young son is pulled from the water … and what begins as a search for plot material quickly turns into a messy and dangerous investigation that threatens to uncover secrets that put everything at risk … including Hannah…

The paperback edition of Thirty Days of Darkness comes out this Thursday, 9th May 2024, and is available here and will also be stocked by Sainsburys supermarkets in the UK.

My Review

Hannah Krause-Bendix writes literary fiction. She is confident her novels are brilliant, she just needs people to read them. Although she seems to have no time for readers. She is contemptuous of crime fiction and its authors, although I sense she would have no time for any genre that actually sold books which appeal to large numbers of people. So to not accept a challenge to write such a novel, something that is obviously so easy to do, in a month, would be to risk humiliation. However, she doesn't factor in being in a different country, a host who doesn't speak Danish or English, or a complicated relationship. Oh, and a murder and significant personal risk.... And she still has a book to write! 

When we first meet Hannah, she is not likeable. At all, really. Her only real friend is Bastian, her editor. She thinks pretty much everything and everyone is beneath her but is very much the tortured writer, agonising over her words whilst consuming alcohol and cigarettes in excess. She does acknowledge, at least though, that she really needs to start selling some books. But her frustrations at this and contempt for a popular Danish crime author who does sell books, and lots of them, lead her to the small Icelandic fishing village of Húsafjöður for a month - fishing boats, snow and not a lot of daylight. 

There are certainly many colourful characters for her to be inspired by. Stand outs for me were Ella, Hannah's host for the month. Welcoming and accepting, she doesn't bat an eyelid at her guest's odd and often rude behaviour. She is a model for how Hannah could be. I loved her part Danish, part English notes. Another character I liked was the barman at the village's only bar whose name we never learn but who proves to be a handy man to have around. And I can't forget about lovely Jørn.  The interesting thing about seeing these folk through Hannah's eyes is that she views them all as inferior to her in some way. Also, she doesn't really get relationships, possibly because she's not very successful at her own. The Icelandic landscape and the weather also play important roles here, but despite the cold, we do see Hannah beginning to thaw just a little. 

But this is a novel about writing a crime novel. And what more inspiration could Hannah want than a murder? But she is unprepared for the impact the crime has on her, the people around her and the book she is trying to write. Inspiration comes thick and fast, but she discovers she wants a satisfactory conclusion for more than the story. Even if her crime investigation skills leave much to be desired.

I haven't really conveyed how clever this book is. As someone whose first love is crime fiction I know it's a genre that tends to be looked down on by some of the wider fiction community, not classed as 'real' literature. Nonsense, of course, but I love how this book plays with that whole idea. It's self aware, a bit meta, humorous,  but tense in all the right places, and the tension just ramps up as the book progresses. Thirty Days of Darkness is a crime novel about writing a crime novel whilst investigating a crime. It's totally entertaining and absorbing - I read it in one sitting - and a very assured fiction debut. Highly recommended. And a big shout out, as always, for an excellent translation, this time provided by Megan Turney.

The Author

Jenny Lund Madsen is one of one of Denmark’s most acclaimed scriptwriters (including the international hits Rita and Follow the Money) and is known as an advocate for better representation for sexual and ethnic minorities in Danish TV and film. She recently made her debut as a playwright with the critically acclaimed Audition (Aarhus Teater) and her debut literary thriller, Thirty Days of Darkness, first in an addictive new series, won the Harald Mogensen Prize for Best Danish Crime Novel of the year and was shortlisted for the coveted Glass Key Award. She lives in Denmark with her young family.