CIS: Georges Simenon's Dirty Snow revisited
If you’ve read Georges Simenon’s classic of existential noir Dirty Snow you will probably believe there was mutual influence between Simenon and his contemporary Albert Camus. Dirty Snow certainly belongs on the same shelf as Camus’ The Stranger. The influence of Dirty Snow’s existential musings is still prevalent…
First look: Art in the Blood
OK, a confession. You might have already seen this one. Art in the Blood by Bonnie MacBird has been available in this beautiful hardback edition since August 2015. But this is the first time we’ve seen it and we’re blown away. First off, the cover…
Blood Mist by Mark Roberts
Ever heard that definition of a newspaper: black and white and read all over? It’s a description that could equally apply to this tense and totally engrossing novel. Let’s tick off the elements. The white is the snow, which is near blizzard intensity when a…
Snowblind
Our thirst for Scandinavian gloom, death and despair remains unquenched. Ragnar Jónasson takes us to the bleak and suitably isolated town of Siglufjörđur, about as far north-west as it is possible to go in Iceland without falling into the icy waters of the Denmark Strait….
The Snowman
Hailing Nesbo as the new Stieg Larsson, the sticker on the cover does this Norwegian writer something of a disservice. He’s a skilled scribe in his own right and presents his plotlines and characters – in this case Oslo detective Harry Hole and the serial…
The Kingdom by Jo Nesbo
Translated by Robert Ferguson — Though Jo Nesbo is famous for his Harry Hole series, which details the trials and tribulations of an Oslo police detective, some of his finest writing is found in his standalone novels. They’re where he explores ideas, characters and atmospheres…
First look: The Kingdom by Jo Nesbo
In addition to the hugely popular Harry Hole series, Norwegian author Jo Nesbo often writes standalone novels. Books like The Son, Blood on Snow and Macbeth have given him the chance to work with themes and in styles that wouldn’t fit into his main series….