In 2013 I visited 9 countries through 33 crime, mystery or spy novels, and four made my select list of five star reads. (In 2012 I visited 15 countries through 25 crime novels, including two five star reads).
I like series, not least because they are often more than the some of their parts - so I enjoyed two new-in-English Annika Bengtzon tales (Liza Marklund should be very grateful for splendid translations by Neil Smith), and was sad to say goodbye to David Downing's John Russell.
I didn't meet anybody to rival Martin Beck or Kurt Wallander, but I was impressed by John Lawton's Inspector Troy, Howard Linskey's David Blake, Chris Morgan Jones's Ben Webster and Stav Sherez's Carrigan and Miller. I will be renewing my long friendship with Maigret through the Penguin reissue series.
Three Stars: Worth reading
De Kok and Murder by Melody, by AA Baantjer, trans HG Smittenaar (Netherlands)
The Eye Collector, by Sebastian Fitzek, trans John Brownjohn (Germany)
The Damage, by Howard Linskey (UK)
The Drop, by Howard Linskey (UK)
Black Water Rising, by Attica Locke (US)
The Jackals Share, by Chris Morgan Jones (UK)
Sweet Forever, by George Pelecanos (US)
White Riot, by Martin Waites (UK)
Pietr the Latvian, by Georges Simenon, trans (Belgium)
A Song From Dead Lips, by William Shaw (UK)
Four Stars: Authors worth revisiting
The Blinded Man, by Arne Dahl, trans Tiina Nunnally (Sweden)
SS-GB, by Len Deighton (UK)
Lherter Station, by David Downing (UK)
Masaryk Station, by David Downing (UK)
The Judge and His Hangman, by Friedrich Durrenmatt (Switzerland)
The Quarry, by Friedrich Durrenmatt (Switzerland)
Panda Theory, by Pascal Garnier, trans (France)
The Summer of Dead Toys, by Antonio Hill, trans Laura McLougin (Spain)
Black Out, by John Lawton (UK)
Old Flames, by John Lawton (UK)
Call for the Dead, by John le Carre (UK)
Alex, by Pierre Lemaitre, trans Frank Wynne (France)
The Dead, by Howard Linskey (UK)
Lifetime, by Liza Marklund, trans Neil Smith, (Sweden)
The Long Shadow, by Liza Marklund, trans Neil Smith, (Sweden)
An Agent of Deceit, by Chris Morgan Jones (UK)
A Private Venus, by Giorgio Scerbanenco, trans Howard Curtis (Italy)
Dark Redemption, by Stav Sherez (UK)
Eleven Days, by Stav Sherez (UK)
Five Stars: Something Special
Pierced, by Thomas Enger (Norway)
A Delicate Truth, by John Le Carre (UK)
Sweet Tooth, by Ian McEwan (UK)
Norwegian by Night, by Derek B Miller (US)
Thanks to everyone who helped me to these choices through their recommendations.
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