Tag: crime

Book Review: Venetian Blood by Christine Evelyn Volker

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Venetian BloodAbout the Book

Struggling to forget a crumbling marriage, forty-year-old Anna Lucia Lottol comes to Venice to visit an old friend- but instead of finding solace, she is dragged into the police station and accused of murdering a money-laundering count with whom she had a brief affair. A US Treasury officer with brains and athleticism, Anna fights to clear her name in a seductive city full of watery illusions. As she works to pry information from a cast of recalcitrant characters sometimes denying what she sees and hears, she succeeds in unleashing a powerful foe bent on destroying her. Will she save herself and vanquish her enemies, including her darkest fears? A captivating tapestry of murder, betrayal, and family, Venetian Blood is a story of one woman’s brave quest for the truth – before it’s too late.

Format: eBook (345 pp.)           Publisher: She Writes Press
Published: 8th August 2017      Genre: Crime, Mystery

Purchase Links*
Amazon.co.uk ǀ Amazon.com
*links provided for convenience, not as part of any affiliate programme

Find Venetian Blood: Murder in a Sensuous City on Goodreads

My Review

A few months ago I spent two wonderful days in Venice so when I saw this book I was immediately attracted by its setting. Having wandered along some of its streets and beside its canals (staying off the main tourist drag and much quieter once all the cruise ships have departed for the evening), I can certainly understand why the author hit upon Venice as a suitable location for murder!

The atmosphere of this wonderful city is convincingly evoked in Venetian Blood. From its network of narrow streets, punctuated every now and again by small bridges over quiet canals with the occasional gondola passing by, to the hustle and bustle of the main piazzas, to the Grand Canal with its constant stream of vaporettos and ferries, to the faded grandeur of its palazzos and the very different atmosphere of the outlying islands.

In Venetian Blood, the author creates a picture of an insular, closely connected community where just about everyone seems to know everyone else’s goings on, including relationships of a financial and (often illicit) romantic nature – the book’s subtitle Murder in a Sensuous City is well-earned. However this does mean there is only a small cast of characters for the reader to get to know – and suspect!

Initially suspected of the murder of the Count, Anna sets out to clear her name but, as she gets closer to the truth, she finds herself in danger. Furthermore, traumatic memories from her past start to surface, threatening her hold on reality. Soon Anna finds herself in the centre of a complex web of intrigue, wondering who she can really trust.  Everyone from the receptionist of her pensione to her best friend seems a possible threat.

As the book progresses, it becomes clear that the murder of the Count may be rooted in past secrets, family tragedies and a desire for revenge as well as more modern day concerns.  Like the doges of old, Venetians such as Alessandro, descended from the noble families of earlier times, seek to exert power and influence just as eagerly as they seek to restore and preserve ancient Venice. This provides an interesting contrast of past and present, sacred and profane.

The plot of Venetian Blood is as labyrinthine as the back streets of Venice and at points I found myself wishing for a whiteboard like the one used by our heroine, Anna, to map out the financial connections that form part of the story. I will admit to getting slightly lost with the latter – unlike the author, I don’t have a background in international banking! I suspected just about everyone at some point and willingly admit I did not unravel the solution before it was revealed.  The perfect murder mystery then!

If you know Venice and enjoy a deliciously intricate murder mystery, then this is the book for you. I loved spotting places I’d visited and I was thrilled when at one point something happened very near the hotel where I stayed. If you’ve never visited Venice, Venetian Blood would be the perfect introduction to the city – or, even better, the perfect excuse to plan a visit.

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In three words: Atmospheric, suspenseful, mystery

Try something similar…City of Masks by S D Sykes (same location, different century, similar body count – click here to read my review)

ChristineEvelynVolkerAbout the Author

Christine Evelyn Volker became intrigued by foreign cultures at an early age, which motivated her to study Spanish, German, and Italian. After earning an MLS and an MBA, she was drawn to international banking and worked as a senior vice president at a global financial institution. Her career brought her to Italy, where she immersed herself in the language and made frequent visits to Venice. Venetian Blood marks a return to her roots in the humanities. A native New Yorker, she resides with her husband in Northern California. Exploring both tame and wild places around the world, she is currently at work on her second international mystery, this one set in the rainforest of Peru.

Connect with Christine

Website ǀ Facebook ǀ Goodreads

 

Blog Tour/Review: Whiteout (Dark Iceland #5) by Ragnar Jónasson

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I’m thrilled to be one of the hosts of today’s stop on the blog tour for Whiteout, the latest in Ragnar Jónasson’s Dark Iceland series. Translated by Quentin Bates, Whiteout is another great crime mystery published by Orenda Books. You can read my review below.  (Be sure to check out the review by today’s co-host, Sharon at Shaz’s Book Blog.)

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Whiteout_New_CoverAbout the Book

Two days before Christmas, a young woman is found dead beneath the cliffs of the deserted village of Kálfshamarvík. Did she jump, or did something more sinister take place beneath the lighthouse and the old house on the remote rocky outcrop? With winter closing in and the snow falling relentlessly, Ari Thór Arason discovers that the victim’s mother and young sister also lost their lives in this same spot, twenty-five years earlier. As the dark history and the secrets of the village are unveiled, and the death toll begins to rise, the Siglufjordur detectives must race against the clock to find the killer, before another tragedy takes place.  Dark, chilling and complex, Whiteout is a haunting, atmospheric and stunningly plotted thriller from one of Iceland’s bestselling crime writers.

Format: Paperback (276 pp.)         Publisher: Orenda Books
Published: 1st November 2017      Genre: Crime, Mystery

Purchase Links*
Amazon.co.uk ǀ Amazon.com
*links provided for convenience, not as part of any affiliate programme

Find Whiteout (Dark Iceland #5) on Goodreads

My Review

I’ve not read any of the previous books in the Dark Iceland series and, although there are references to events in earlier books (and some suggestions of possible future storylines), I didn’t consider it affected my enjoyment of Whiteout at all.  I felt the translator, Quentin Bates, managed the difficult task of delivering the author’s intention of keeping the reader guessing at certain points: glances toward unidentified persons or possibly significant reactions to conversations. The downside of this, of course, is to remind us that we’re not an actual witness to the scene, only readers of a book with a deliberately obscured view of what is taking place.  However, these little ‘tricks’ certainly keep the reader guessing when it comes to working out what might be the solution to the mystery.

There’s nothing revolutionary about the plot of Whiteout or the motives of those involved when finally revealed but it’s certainly a very accomplished mystery with a limited number of suspects. Like this reader, you’ll probably suspect just about each of them at some point and, like detectives Ari Thór Arason and his boss, Tomas, also wonder if perhaps the death of the victim isn’t suicide rather than murder after all. I’m certainly not going to spoil it by telling you anything more…

The author has created an interesting character in Ari Thór Arason and I liked learning about his personal back story and the intriguing hints about events in previous books. Whiteout is set shortly before Christmas and I particularly enjoyed learning about Icelandic traditions and customs such as broadcasting seasonal messages of goodwill to friends and family on the radio and – proving they are indeed a most civilized nation – the exchanging of books on Christmas Eve which, for Icelanders, is the important day of the Christmas period.

Another element I really enjoyed was the authentic sense of place created by the author. The reader really gets a feeling of the cold, the harsh snow-covered landscape and the remoteness of a small community. The perfect location, in fact, for secrets and events from the past to come to light…with devastating consequences.

I received a review copy courtesy of publishers Orenda Books, in return for an honest and unbiased review.

In three words: Atmospheric, mystery, crime

Try something similar…Faithless by Kjell Ola Dahl (click here to read my review)

Ragnar JonassonAbout the Author

Ragnar Jónasson is author of the international bestselling Dark Iceland series. His debut Snowblind went to number one in the kindle charts shortly after publication, and Nightblind, Blackout and Rupture soon followed suit, hitting the number one spot in five countries, and the series being sold in 18 countries and for TV.

Ragnar was born in Reykjavik, Iceland, where he continues to work as a lawyer. From the age of 17, Ragnar translated 14 Agatha Christie novels into Icelandic. He has appeared on festival panels worldwide, and lives in Reykjavik with his wife and young daughters.

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Website ǀ Twitter ǀ Goodreads

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