On the Radar — The release to look out for this week is the latest Scandinavian crime novel from Norway, The Bird Tribunal. We lead with that but if it’s not to your taste we’ve got a Scottish lawyers, Chinese detectives, a heist in Australia and… a dead allotment baron!

The Bird Tribunal by Agnes Ravatn
It’s a story of past sins, atonement and isolation, as Orenda Books brings us the Norwegian equivalent of domestic noir. TV presenter Allis Hagdorn puts herself in voluntary exile, leaving her urban life behind to live as housekeeper and gardner to reclusive Sigurd Bagge at his remote house. An obsessive relationship develops between them and it becomes increasingly psychological, and dangerous, as they await the return of his wife. Drama in the land of cold weather and cold blood. Out now.
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Present Tense by WHS McIntyre
Scottish lawyer William McIntyre brings his understanding of the law and law breakers to the crime fiction bookshelf. His main character Robbie Munro is, yes, a lawyer, and one who’s returned to live with his ex-cop father and newly found daughter Tina. When he’s looking into a rape case, his dodgy client leaves him a box to look after, and before he knows it he’s investigating a helicopter crash. There are twists, turns and dark humour throughout the pages of Present Tense. Out on 15 Sept.
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Agatha Raisin Pushing Up Daisies by MC Beaton
The creator of Hamish McBeth is back with a cosy crime story which sees open warfare break out in the allotments of Carsley. The local aristocrat Lord Bellington is to throw the gardners off the allotments and sell the land to housing developers but, wouldn’t you know it, he’s found dead – poisoned with antifreeze. Agatha is asked by his son to investigate but could one of the cabbage growers really have gone from pesticide to homicide? Out 20 Sept.
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The Fourth Sacrifice by Peter May
This reprint of the second novel in Peter May’s early series, set in China, follows on from The Fire Maker. In an unusual move, Chinese police call in an American forensics expert to help solve a series of four ritual murderers. Detective Li Yan needs to find out why an American diplomat was one of those killed, but pride prevents him from working with the foreign pathologist. Of course, just like Arnie and James Belushi in Red Heat, they end up cooperating in their own manner… Out 8 Sept.

Gunshine State by Andrew Nette
Inspired by characters like Richard Stark’s Parker, former Crime Fiction Lover contributor Andrew Nette presents his second novel, Gunshine State. Nope, we’re not talking Florida here. Instead it’s an Australian heist thriller that takes in the Surfers Paradise and a stopover or two in Asia. Former army driver Gary Chance teams up with illegal gambling fixer Dennis Curry, who in turn wants to rip off his best customer, Freddie Gao. The plot is to begin with a honey trap, and as plans like this normally do, it gets sticky from the start… Out 12 September.
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