Fatal Puzzle by Catherine Shepherd

Fatal Puzzle
Zons Crime Book One
Author: Catherine Shepherd
Translator: Julia Knobloch
Publisher: AmazonCrossing
ISBN: 9781477826508
Paperback: 154 pages

About the Book:

1495: In the peaceful medieval city of Zons, on the banks of the Rhine, a young woman is found hanging from a parapet, raped and mutilated. A month later, another maiden falls prey. Bastian Mühlenberg, head of the City Guard, is determined to decipher the murderer’s gruesome code, unaware that he and the woman he loves are in the killer’s sights. With the help of an old psychic, a priest, and the stars above, Mühlenberg must solve the “fatal puzzle” before it’s too late.

Present day: Journalist Emily Richter is thrilled when she’s assigned a series of articles about the historic Zons killings. However, right before her stories are to be published, a young woman’s body is found hanging from a city tower—grossly maimed and wearing a linen gown, like her medieval predecessors. Detective Oliver Bergmann leads the investigation, tapping the knowledge of the attractive young journalist. Working together—and using Mühlenberg’s old notes—they race to stay one step ahead of the copycat killer.

About the Author:

Thriller author Catherine Shepherd lives with her family in the medieval town of Zons, Germany, the setting of Fatal Puzzle. Since leaving her successful career as a project manager at a major German bank, Shepherd has devoted herself to writing full-time. Fatal Puzzle, the first book in the Zons series, hit number one on Amazon's bestseller list in Germany.

My Thoughts:

This mystery thriller is definitely worth taking notice of. From the beginning, I was really taken in by the shifting of time frames and how the story unfolded. In the late 1400's we are introduced to a serial killer and the detective that "hunts" him. In the present day, we are introduced to a journalist who is researching that killer. As she researches why the killer did what he did, and the pieces of the puzzle fall into place, there is a real life serial murder going on that mimics the 500 year old murder mystery.

As I read more and more translated novels, I'm finding that I love the fresh take on story telling they provide. This story was no exception! Full of suspense and a some red herrings, I really didn't figure out who did it until close to the end when it was revealed. I love stories that keep me guessing and I love the fact that there was a puzzle involved where you learned along with the main character.

I'm looking forward to seeing more of Catherine Shepherd's work translated into English. The translator (Julia Knobloch) for "Fatal Puzzle" did a superb job and there was no awkward feel to sentence structure or any misunderstanding in what was being said.

This is a great mystery/thriller to settle in with. It's not very long and the characters are fleshed out enough to really enjoy them. If you enjoy translated works, a good thriller or mystery or just like a well told story, then this is a must to add to your reading list!!

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley courtesy of the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review, but instead, one that gives my honest opinion.

Love is Pink! by Roxann Hill

Love is Pink!
Author: Roxann Hill
Publisher: AmazonCrossing
ISBN: 9781477826836
Genre: Romance

About the Book:

Michelle has everything: good looks, a great job, a fancy apartment, and cash to burn. She also has a boyfriend, Valentin—her dream man. There’s just one tiny snag: his wife.

Valentin promised Michelle that as soon as his children were grown, he would leave his marriage to be with her. But when the time comes—and to no one’s surprise but her own—Valentin chooses his wealthy wife, leaving Michelle stranded in the French Alps. Michelle finds herself lost and without a way back to Berlin. Out of options, Michelle hitches a ride in a rickety pink Citroën with the attractive but ostensibly penniless David and his precocious daughter, Emma.

Over the course of their three-day trip, Michelle comes face-to-face with the life she’s created. With David and Emma offering a fresh perspective, Michelle redefines what love is, and wonders whether it might truly be pink.

My Thoughts:

"Love is Pink" has to be one of my favorite romances. It is a fun and quirky romance that actually made me laugh-out-loud at times. I loved David and his daughter and Michelle was just hilarious! She was a character that I didn't much care for in the beginning, but as the story continued, she grew up and became someone I really liked.

Written by Roxann Hill who was born in the Czech Republic and now lives in Germany, this translated novel is not the formulaic romance that seems to be popular today. This novel was fresh and fun and boy didn't hate girl nor did girl hate boy. This was a well laid out story with no sex or anything objectionable. It was truly a fun and feel good story that had a great ending.

I highly recommend this story to anyone that just enjoys a fun and sweet read with a little romance sprinkled in.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley courtesy of the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review, but instead, one that gives my honest opinion.

Nowhere to Be Found by Bae Suah

Nowhere to Be Found
Author: Bae Suah
Publisher: AmazonCrossing
ISBN: 9781477827550

About the Book:

NOWHERE TO BE FOUND is a starkly elegant story about a young woman’s search for meaning in contemporary South Korea that translator Sora Kim-Russell calls “a road novel turned inside out, a story of a woman’s journey out of and into desire told as only Bae Suah could tell it.” As the nameless narrator passes through her life haunted by poverty, conformity, and dysfunctional relationships, she learns to turn inward to discover the truth at the core of her imagination and ultimately to find value, if not reassurance, in her own existence.

Written in Bae Suah’s unique and interpretation-defying style, NOWHERE TO BE FOUND heralds the arrival of an exciting new voice in modern world literature.

My Thoughts:

This novelette is a fast yet very powerful read. It is in a sense sad and depressing, but at the same time quite eye-opening as this unnamed young woman takes you through her life of poverty. It is raw and unnerving at times and and makes the reader think of how this existence could be acceptable to live. I questioned why she didn't leave and why she took the abuse of her mother and her other relationships.

It is hard to say I enjoyed this book as it is haunting and depressing - as it seems odd that one could enjoy something of that nature. This story is well written and appears to be well translated. It is gripping and quite different than most novels I read.

If you want to get a good look inside the life of a poverty stricken woman in Korea, this is certainly a story that will do it. It is at times difficult to read, but the insight and the story is well worth the effort. I highly recommend "Nowhere to Be Found" to anyone that enjoys translated novels, modern literature and just outright gritty and realistic stories.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley courtesy of the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review, but instead, one that gives my honest opinion.