Features

Oktoberfest special: German historical crime fiction

By
It’s Oktoberfest season in Germany and images of beer-drinking, sausage-munching, lederhosen-wearing crowds are probably what you have in mind. However, this is also the time for Krimifestival Munich, one of the largest crime festivals in Europe. It’s well known that the Germans love crime novels, although…
Read more
Features

Interview: Karen Charlton

By
The old motto ‘if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again’ could have been written for Karen Charlton. The former teacher from North East England has become a full-time historical crime writer. On her way to success, she’s seen many ups and downs. Her…
Read more
Book Club

The Pale House

By
Luke McCallin does the next-to-impossible, and  makes a sympathetic and credible character out of a German military policeman in 1945 Sarajevo. Gregor Reinhardt is adrift in a sea of treachery, brutality and panic, as vengeful partisans tighten the noose on the German army. Amidst the…
Read more
KindlePrintReviews

The Sans Pareil Mystery

By
Written by Karen Charlton — Back in  2012 we reviewed The Missing Heiress (later renamed The Heiress of Linn Hagh). Regardless of the title, readers fell in love with the Regency charms of Detective Lavender and his sidekick Constable Woods and it’s been a long wait for…
Read more
KindlePrintReviews

Barlow by the Book by John McAllister

By
John Barlow is the Royal Ulster Constabulary Station Sergeant in Ballymena, County Antrim. It’s 1960 and he is both respected and feared, depending on which part of Ballymena society you come from. Petty crooks fear his policing skills and intuition, but respect his fairness. Up-and-coming…
Read more