Council
Written by Snorri Kristjansson — This author started off his writing career with the Valhalla saga, a series of Viking fantasy novels. The Helga Finssdottir series is also set in Viking times, around end of the 10th century and is full of subterfuge, pig-headed men…
Metropolis
Written by Philip Kerr — The tragic passing of Philip Kerr last year means that Metropolis is the last book in his hugely popular historical crime series featuring the German detective Bernie Gunther. You can read a full rundown on the series here, and if…
Below the Fold
Written by RG Belsky — This is former newsman Dick Belsky’s second crime story featuring Pulitzer-Prize winning print journalist Clare Carlson, now significantly reduced in career status by working as the news director for Channel 10 television. Clare tells the story in first-person, so you…
Death’s Dark Veil by Patricia Dixon
Not all crime novels grab you by the throat immediately. Some are a slow burn, and that description certainly applies to this book. I’m at a loss to describe the crime sub-genre Death’s Dark Veil fits into best. It has cosy moments, certainly veers towards…
The Better Sister by Alafair Burke
To understand for sure what author Alafair Burke intended with the title for her latest domestic crime thriller you might need her to define what she means by ‘better’. By the end of the story, you may be hard-pressed to judge whether super-successful women’s magazine…
Fallen Angel
Written by Chris Brookmyre — In an interview with the Independent Chris Brookmyre said, “The most dangerous lies are the ones we tell ourselves.” Lies and secrets, in particular family secrets, form the core of his latest novel, Fallen Angel, which tells the story of…