July is here, so as the hot weather sweeps across the Northern Hemisphere, why don’t we all cool off with the latest Icelandic crime fiction? Arnaldur Indridason starts things off with a frozen body for us. Our second featured book also features a frozen body, but this time in New York courtesy of Kevin G Chapman and we might as well take you to Tokyo, a boiling hot French city, the Lincolnshire Fens and a Scottish loch while we’re at it.
A wide variety of crime fiction every week. That’s what our On the Radar column is known for…
The Darkness Knows by Arnaldur Indridason
Well known for his Detective Erlendur series, a few years ago Icelandic author Arnaldur Indridason began a series featuring a detective called Konrad, which combined elements of cases dating back to World War II and some present day investigating. The Darkness Knows follows on loosely from The Shadow District and The Shadow Killer and sees the reopening of a case that’s been cold for 30 years. It’s open because a body has been found, frozen in the Langjökull glacier. As it happens, Konrad also receives information about the missing man from a woman following the death of her father. The Darkness Knows is out today.
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Fatal Infraction by Kevin G Chapman
Kevin G Chapman’s fourth Mike Stoneman book has a distinctly topical feel about it. No, not COVID, but taking the knee – which is what controversial quarterback Jimmy Rydell does before being found dead at the Central Park carousel in New York. Jimmy had been gone for two days, his body frozen. Why? One of Jimmy’s team mates had threatened to kill him and the quarterback’s bodyguard had inexplicably been given the night off. His team are understandably upset, but seem very keen to collect the $20 million insurance pot. All very suspicious, and it’s up to NYPD homicide detectives Mike Stoneman and Jason Dickson to get to the truth of the matter. Fatal Infraction is out on 15 July.
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Tokyo Zangyo by Michael Pronko
Tokyo Traffic, The Moving Blade, The Last Train and now Tokyo Zangyo – American author Michael Pronko loves his adopted home in Japan and he loves setting his mysteries there. In the fourth Detective Hiroshi novel, our eponymous hero is pondering why an executive died in the exact same spot as a teenager did three years ago. Was it suicide caused by the zangyo – those unpaid hours Japanese people are expected to work – or was the man wiped out, possibly by his employers? You’ll be able to dive into the atmosphere while enjoying the Olympics later this month. On sale 15 July.
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Little Rebel by Jérôme Leroy
This is French author Jérôme Leroy’s first appearance in English translation, with a novella that is right on the cutting edge of social issues in France. A city is in lockdown as it faces the threat posed by a terror cell who have already killed a policeman. Terrorism, prejudice, the psychological affects of COVID and other factors see tension and the temperature dialled up in Little Rebel, which is out now.
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Marshlight by Joy Ellis
We’re off to the Lincolnshire Fens for a new psychological thriller from Joy Ellis, and we’re about to meet a bookseller who is rubbing people up the wrong way. Matt and Liz have retired from police work, but they can’t resist the pull of an investigation when an old friend’s sister goes missing after acting rather oddly. Meanwhile, Liz’s cousin Christie comes to visit – and takes an instant dislike to Gina, the local bookshop owner. Christie is convinced that there’s more to Gina than meets the eye, but as she battles to get anyone else to share her opinion, another friend vanishes late at night on the misty Fen marshes. Marshlight is out on 8 July.
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Down by the Water by Elle Connel
A remote Scottish castle, a girls’ weekend and plenty of prosecco – what could possibly go wrong? Plenty, if Elle Connel’s Down by the Water is anything to go by. This is the first book by Elle – better known as historical thriller writer Lucy Ribchester – and it’s a spooky psychological thriller. The friends are a few bottles down when they decide to head to the loch for some choice selfies, setting the camera to self-timer for some group shots. But later, looking back at their snaps, they see something impossible – in the background is a small boy, sopping wet, emerging from the water… One of the group is out for revenge, so prepare for shenanigans! Already out for Kindle, in print 8 July.
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