On the Radar — There are delectable treats for crime fiction lovers from start to finish in this week’s new books column. We’ll start you off with some Nordic noir and the latest Varg Veum novel by Gunnar Staalesen, then take a dipsy doodle through some historical crime along with a hard hitting psychological crime, and end punctually in the South of France with the new Bruno, Chief of Police novel. Nice.
Wolves at the Door by Gunnar Staalesen
Out now for Kindle, and in print on 13 June, the latest Varg Veum novel by Norwegian author Gunnar Staalesen gets off to a hair-raising start when someone tries to run the Oslo detective over in their car. Who is gunning for him, why, and are the deaths of two men just released from prison anything to do with the vengeance being aimed at Veum? A police enquiry finds the men – both convicted of sexual offences – died as the result of accidents, but Veum isn’t so sure. He does what a good detective should and goes back to their convictions to find out who might have wanted them killed. We reviewed Big Sister last year, and watch out for our verdict on Wolves, coming soon…
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The Winker by Andrew Martin
You certainly can’t pigeonhole Andrew Martin. He may have a reputation as a railway buff and creator of the Jim Stringer series of novels, set in Edwardian times, but his last book, The Martian Girl, jumped between the present and the late 19th century. Now he is tackling the 1970s with a story set in London and Paris and featuring Lee Jones, a charismatic failed rock star who likes to kill people for a hobby… after winking at them, as the title suggests. It’s out on 6 June, and Martin has even recorded two original songs that are mentioned in the book. Have a listen to Picture Show and Blue, Blue Day.
Pre-order now on Amazon
Ungentlemanly Warfare by Howard Linskey
The majority of Howard Linskey’s books are set in the present day, but after the success of Hunting the Hangman he is once again donning his 1940s hat (a natty trilby perhaps?) in a spy thriller featuring Captain Harry Walsh of the Special Operations Executive that’s out on 6 June. He may be an officer, but there’s little of the gentleman in this tortured character and Walsh is close to burn-out when he is ordered to assassinate the man behind the ME 163 Komet, Hitler’s miracle jet fighter. Allied victory in Europe depends upon Walsh making a success of his assignment. No pressure then, but can he put personal problems aside and get the job done?
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The Paramedic’s Daughter by Tara Lyons
The creator of the popular DI Hamilton series takes her first steps into the world of the psychological thriller with this standalone, out now. Abi Quinn is a member of the London Ambulance Service, saving lives on an almost daily basis. After dealing with a bomb attack on a tube station in the centre of London, Abi realises she’s missed a call from her student daughter. Rose left a garbled message and now she is missing. As Abi tries desperately to find her daughter, her world begins to crumble. She’s adept at saving others – now secrets from the past threaten the safety of Abi and everything she holds dear… Check out some other top reads from Bloodhound Books.
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The Body in the Castle Well by Martin Walker
Bruno, Chief of Police, returns with a new case to solve in Dordogne, in the Southwest of France. It’s the 12th mystery in the series and as the title suggests, an American student has been found at the bottom of a well underneath a hilltop castle. The young woman was doing research in the archives of a French art historian who was involved in Le Resistance, but is now a cripple. Was it an accident, or was it murder? These are some of the questions Bruno ponders as his case takes him to post-War Berlin and to France’s former colonies in Africa. It’s out 4 June.
Pre-order now on Amazon
