Emelie Schepp is one of the most exciting young authors at work in Scandinavia today. Her Jana Berzelius series has taken the crime-reading world by storm, and her newest book is set to release in the US this June! SLOWLY WE DIE is another novel featuring Jana Berzelius, but, from what I’ve read of it so far, it’s quite different from the previous Berzelius books—making it a great place for readers new to the series to dive in. Unlike her prior Berzelius books, SLOWLY WE DIE takes on a new angle: that of a medical thriller. This Scandinavian crime novel involves a series of killings rocking the medical community, and special prosecutor Jana Berzelius finds herself tasked with the investigation. Thanks to the team at MIRA, CBTB readers can dig into the Prologue and Chapter 1 of SLOWLY WE DIE by Emelie Schepp in today’s post.
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CBTB's Weekend Checklist - 5/19/18
Happy weekend, readers! I thought it might be fun to try something totally different today: a “Weekend Checklist,” aka the crime fiction (and other crime-y things!) that I’m recommending you check out this weekend. In this post you’ll find a weekend binge-read, a podcast recommendation, the crime TV show I’m watching, an independent bookstore to visit, and a whole lot more!
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Book Review: THE SUMMER CHILDREN by Dot Hutchison (Collector Trilogy, Book 3)
It’s been quite a while since I discovered a new-to-me crime series I love as much as Dot Hutchison’s Collector Trilogy. Comprised of THE BUTTERFLY GARDEN, THE ROSES OF MAY, and THE SUMMER CHILDREN, the Collector Trilogy delivers character-driven, often quite gruesome, totally addictive suspense—and perhaps best of all, each book within the trilogy retains a style and tone unique unto itself. THE SUMMER CHILDREN rounds out this trilogy in top form—Hutchison more than lived up to my expectations with her slam-dunk of a series finale. This is a far cry from your standard serial killer thriller, but fans of the genre will find much to love in Hutchison’s binge-worthy and emotional THE SUMMER CHILDREN. A disturbing plot, a strong female lead, page-turning writing… THE SUMMER CHILDREN is a knockout.
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Book Review: BRING ME BACK by B.A. Paris
Longtime readers of Crime by the Book will know much I loved Paris’ BEHIND CLOSED DOORS (I’m still recommending that book, and it’s a couple years old now!), so I had high hopes for Paris’ Summer 2018 release. Unfortunately, BRING ME BACK lacks the tension and menace of BEHIND CLOSED DOORS - and, coupled with a totally improbable plot, it just falls flat, plain and simple. If you’re keen to check out BRING ME BACK for yourself, I would encourage you to pick up a copy from your local library before spending your hard-earned money on it; this book is unfortunately not up to par with the crop of strong psychological suspense novels releasing this spring.
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Book Review: THE BOY AT THE DOOR by Alex Dahl
It’s hard to imagine a summer read better tailored to Crime by the Book than a Scandinavian psychological suspense novel, aka a combination of my two favorite kinds of crime books—and that’s exactly what readers will get in THE BOY AT THE DOOR by Alex Dahl. A binge-worthy story of suspense with dark and weighty undercurrents, Dahl’s first novel strikes an excellent balance between the melancholy and gloom of Nordic crime and the breezy pacing of your favorite beach read. Yet, despite its well-deserved “binge-read” status, THE BOY AT THE DOOR tackles genuinely difficult themes: most prominently, addiction and the pressures of motherhood take center stage here. It’s a winning combination, and, set against the atmospheric and picturesque backdrop of Scandinavia, Dahl’s tense and menacing story of familial suspense is a summer standout. Add this to your summer reading list and set aside a weekend to tear through its addictive and taut interpersonal mystery.
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