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Alphabet House by Jussi Adler-Olsen

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Translated by Steve Schein – Published for the first time in English, Alphabet House was Danish author Jussi Adler-Olsen’s first book in his native language, predating the Department Q series which includes Mercy and Disgrace. It is an ambitious psychological thriller that was inspired by…
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The Investigation

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Korean crime fiction is something of a rarity, so this translation by Chi-Young Kim is a find. It is 1944, and a mixture of criminals, anti-war activists and Korean partisans are being held in Fukuoka Prison, a Japanese POW camp. The guards have a particularly…
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Midnight in Europe by Alan Furst

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World War II is yet to start, but fascist forces in Germany and Italy are making ominous declarations, and General Franco’s nationalist army is fighting a civil war with the Spanish Republic. The Republic maintains fragile control over Madrid and Barcelona, but they are starved…
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The Human Flies by Hans Olav Lahlum

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When you pick up this Norwegian crime novel, don’t expect something out of the Nordic noir tradition. Instead prepare yourself for a classic whodunit of the highest calibre, a deviously challenging murder mystery set in an apartment complex in 1960s Oslo. Kolbjørn Kristiansen, a rookie…
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The Investigation

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Written by Jung-Myung Lee, translated by Chi-Young Kim — There’s been a move on of late to introduce Western readers to Korea’s literary traditions. However, up until now we’ve not come across many Korean crime pieces. The Investigation fits the bill, and more… The book is…
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Truth Dare Kill by Gordon Ferris

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Over the last five years, Gordon Ferris has established himself as a distinctive Scottish voice in crime fiction. He’s written one successful series featuring private detective Danny McRae, and another with investigative journalist Douglas Brodie. Truth Dare Kill was his debut, though it’s worth revisiting…
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Then We Take Berlin by John Lawton

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Having already penned seven Inspector Troy novels the author, director and screenwriter John Lawton’s latest offering is a thriller that is sure to have any fan of John Le Carré’s Smiley novels gripped. The book opens in Berlin in 1963, where the authorities are busy…
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