Zen and The Art Of Murder: A Black Forest Investigation (The Black Forest Investigations)

by Oliver Bottini

Jamie Bulloch (Translator)

** SHORTLISTED FOR THE CWA INTERNATIONAL DAGGER 2018 **

The first in a gripping new crime series set in Germany - the Black Forest Investigations

Louise Boni, maverick chief inspector with the Black Forest crime squad, is struggling with her demons. Divorced at forty-two, she is haunted by the shadows of the past.

Dreading yet another a dreary winter weekend alone, she receives a call from the departmental chief which signals the strangest assignment of her career - to trail a Japanese monk wandering through the snowy wasteland to the east of Freiburg, dressed only in sandals and a cowl. She sets off reluctantly, and by the time she catches up with him, she discovers that he is injured, and fearfully fleeing some unknown evil. When her own team comes under fire, the investigation takes on a terrifying dimension, uncovering a hideous ring of child traffickers. The repercussions of their crimes will change the course of her own life.

Oliver Bottini is a fresh and exciting voice in the world of crime fiction in translation; the Rhine borderlands of the Black Forest are a perfect setting for his beautifully crafted mysteries.

Translated from the German by Jamie Bulloch

• ISBN10: 0486839184
• ISBN13: 9780486839189
• Publish Date: 13 November 2019 (first published 11 January 2018)
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 18 April 2024
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Dover Publications Inc.
• Format: Hardcover (US Trade)
• Pages: 400
• Language: English

Reviews

[annieb123]

Originally published on my blog Nonstop Reader.

Zen and the Art of Murder is the first book in a series written by Oliver Bottini. Originally published in German in 2004, this seamless English translation, out 13th Nov 2019 from Dover, is 400 pages and available in paperback and ebook formats (other editions available in other formats).

This is a modern dark procedural mystery with a distinct Scandinavian noir vibe. Main protagonist Louise Bonì is terribly flawed and haunted by the trauma she's experienced as an investigating officer. I found her difficult to like and relate to. She's so self destructive and on the other hand so intuitive and intelligent that I felt rather sad for her for most of the book. The writing is undeniably masterful - tense and extremely well plotted. This is a relatively long novel for a procedural and yet it never felt slow or dragging to me. The characters are complex, distinct, engaging, motivated by internal pressures and interactions. There is a brooding complex melancholy over the whole book which was both distressing and effective.

For connoisseurs of modern Nordic noir, this will absolutely be a good choice. Be warned, the subject matter is dark: murder, trafficking, alcoholism, mental health issues, violence, etc. The writing is superlative and the translation seems quite seamless. There's a lot more to fiction in translation than substituting one word for another, and I would be hard pressed to say that this reads like it's been translated. Kudos to Jamie Bulloch for the translation work.

Five stars for fans of dark noir procedurals with very flawed protagonists. Four for me personally (it made me sad).

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.