On the Radar — There’s always such a deluge of US and UK crime fiction. That’s why we like to look out for good translations from locations well outside our usual comfort zone – Africa, South America, Asia… Today we’re going to lead with a new novel from Argentina that looks like it’s got a bit of zip about it. We’ve also got a new graphic novel and crime stories inspired by Steely Dan. Yes, really.
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The Fragility of Bodies by Sergio Olguín
Translated by Miranda France, this is the first in a series of novels by Olguín set in Buenos Aires and starring journalist Veronica Rosenthal, who loves both bourbon and married men. The police take little interest when a local train driver commits suicide and leaves a note confessing to four mortal ‘accidents’ on the train tracks, but the story piques Veronica’s interest. Her investigation is about to lead her into an unfamiliar world of grinding poverty, junkie infested neighbourhoods, and train drivers haunted by the memory of bodies hit at speed by their locomotives in the middle of the night. Out 9 July. For more Argentinian-based crime, try Wolfram Fleischhauer’s Fatal Tango.
Pre-order now on Amazon
The Lies We Tell by Niki Mackay
Following hot on the heels of Louise Beech’s Call Me Star Girl comes another psychological crime thriller with a radio presenter as its central character. Out on 27 June, the Lies We Tell features top radio name Miriam Jackon, who’s married to a famous film producer and has a perfect life. Then her daughter goes missing and suddenly Miriam’s life doesn’t seem so perfect after all. She has dark secrets in her past that she doesn’t want to share with anyone, least of all her husband. Can headline-making private eye Madison Attallee help to find Miriam’s daughter without letting the cat out of the bag?
Pre-order now on Amazon
Die Behind the Wheel – Crime Fiction Inspired by Steely Dan
Here’s a set of crime fiction short stories for anyone who likes reading about ramblers, gamblers, whiskey drinkers, lovers and losers – all inspired by the 70s rock band Steely Dan. It comes out on 24 June and features some names who don’t constantly crop up in crime fiction compendia, which is a good thing. Writers include David Corbett, Nick Feldman, Bill Fitzhugh, Linda Joffe Hull and more, with settings from Sunset Boulevard to Scarsdale, New York.
Pre-order now on Amazon
Breakneck by Duane Swierczynski
Comic book and crime fiction author Duane Swierczynski is back, with his latest series compiled into graphic novel format and available from 25 June. Drawn by Italian artist Simone Guglielmini, Breakneck has a retro vibe to it but is based around a terrorist plot taking place in modern day Philadelphia. The clock is ticking as man in the street Joe Hayward tries to foil a terror plot. This graphic novel comes courtesy of Hard Case Crime, and was originally planned as a novel, was turned into a screenplay then later adapted to comic book format.
Pre-order now on Amazon
Killing with Confetti by Peter Lovesey
Lovers don’t come much more star-crossed than Ben Brace and Caroline Irving, who take centre stage in this latest book from award-winning author Peter Lovesey, out on 9 July. As a New Year begins in Bath, Ben proposes to his long-term girlfriend, Caroline, the daughter of a notorious crime baron. The problem is that Ben’s father, George, is the deputy chief constable and things come to a head on the Big Day itself. Can Bath’s head of CID Peter Diamond keep the warring families from killing each other and get the happy couple safely off on their honeymoon? Read our review of an earlier Peter Diamond book, Cop to Corpse.
Pre-order now on Amazon
