Chastity Riley
2 primary works • 4 total works
Book 3
Hamburg state prosecutor Chastity Riley investigates a series of arson attacks on cars across the city, which leads her to a startling and life-threatening discovery involving criminal gangs and a very illicit love story...
'Another brilliant adventure in the company of Chastity Riley, the coolest character in crime fiction. Darkly funny and written with a huge heart’ Doug Johnstone, Big Issue
'Reading Buchholz is like walking on firecrackers … a truly unique voice in crime fiction’ Graeme Macrae Burnet
‘Caustic, incisive prose. A street-smart, gutsy heroine. A timely and staggeringly stylish thriller’ Will Carver
_______________
Night after night, cars are set alight across the German city of Hamburg, with no obvious pattern, no explanation and no suspect.
Until, one night, on Mexico Street, a ghetto of high-rise blocks in the north of the city, a Fiat is torched. Only this car isn’t empty. The body of Nouri Saroukhan – prodigal son of the Bremen clan – is soon discovered, and the case becomes a homicide.
Public prosecutor Chastity Riley is handed the investigation, which takes her deep into a criminal underground that snakes beneath the whole of Germany. And as details of Nouri’s background, including an illicit relationship with the mysterious Aliza, emerge, it becomes clear that these are not random attacks, and there are more on the cards...
_______________
‘A stylish, whip-smart thriller’ Russel McLean
‘Lyrical and pithy’ Sunday Times
‘Fierce enough to stab the heart’ Spectator
‘Sharp and unrelenting’ CultureFly
‘Simone Buchholz writes with real authority and a pungent, noir-ish sense of time and space’ Financial Times
‘Deeply moody, atmospheric and evocative’ Blue Book Balloon
‘An unconventional, refreshing new voice’ Crime Fiction Lover
'Another brilliant adventure in the company of Chastity Riley, the coolest character in crime fiction. Darkly funny and written with a huge heart’ Doug Johnstone, Big Issue
'Reading Buchholz is like walking on firecrackers … a truly unique voice in crime fiction’ Graeme Macrae Burnet
‘Caustic, incisive prose. A street-smart, gutsy heroine. A timely and staggeringly stylish thriller’ Will Carver
_______________
Night after night, cars are set alight across the German city of Hamburg, with no obvious pattern, no explanation and no suspect.
Until, one night, on Mexico Street, a ghetto of high-rise blocks in the north of the city, a Fiat is torched. Only this car isn’t empty. The body of Nouri Saroukhan – prodigal son of the Bremen clan – is soon discovered, and the case becomes a homicide.
Public prosecutor Chastity Riley is handed the investigation, which takes her deep into a criminal underground that snakes beneath the whole of Germany. And as details of Nouri’s background, including an illicit relationship with the mysterious Aliza, emerge, it becomes clear that these are not random attacks, and there are more on the cards...
_______________
‘A stylish, whip-smart thriller’ Russel McLean
‘Lyrical and pithy’ Sunday Times
‘Fierce enough to stab the heart’ Spectator
‘Sharp and unrelenting’ CultureFly
‘Simone Buchholz writes with real authority and a pungent, noir-ish sense of time and space’ Financial Times
‘Deeply moody, atmospheric and evocative’ Blue Book Balloon
‘An unconventional, refreshing new voice’ Crime Fiction Lover
Book 5
Hamburg State Prosecutor Chastity Riley travels to Scotland to face the demons of her past, as Hamburg is hit by a major arson attack. Queen of Krimi, Simone Buchholz, returns with the emotive fifth instalment in the electrifying Chastity Riley series …
‘A modern classic’ Paul Burke, CrimeTime
‘Written in crackling prose and with searing insight, this is a deeply heartfelt slice of existential noir – utterly unique’ Doug Johnstone
‘Deftly captures the beating heart of Glasgow’ Herald Scotland
‘A beautifully crafted exploration of grief and redemption, wrapped in a love letter to Glasgow … Glorious writing’ Will Carver
‘Reading Buchholz is like walking on firecrackers … a truly unique voice in crime fiction’ Graeme Macrae Burnet
––––––––––––
Mired in grief after tragic recent events, state prosecutor Chastity Riley escapes to Scotland, lured to the birthplace of her great-great-grandfather by a mysterious letter suggesting she has inherited a house.
In Glasgow, she meets Tom, the ex-lover of Chastity’s great aunt, who holds the keys to her own family secrets – painful stories of unexpected cruelty and loss that she’s never dared to confront.
In Hamburg, Stepanovic and Calabretta investigate a major arson attack, while a group of property investors kicks off an explosion of violence that threatens everyone.
As events in these two countries collide, Chastity prepares to face the inevitable, battling the ghosts of her past and the lost souls that could be her future and, perhaps, finally finding redemption for them all.
Breathtakingly emotive, River Clyde is an electrifying, poignant and powerful story of damage and hope, and one woman’s fight for survival.
––––––––––––—
‘Every word is a heartbeat, loaded with pain and anguish and self-discovery. This is Harbour Noir. This is a bravura literary performance, and a fitting swan song’ Paul Burke, CrimeTime FM
‘In just a few words – a light brushstroke – Simone paints such a vivid picture. Unlike any crime novel I’ve read. I loved it’ Michael J. Malone
‘Simone Buchholz writes with real authority and a pungent, noir-ish sense of time and space’ Independent
Praise for the Chastity Riley series
‘[A] nerve-racking narrative … [with] a cunning climax that is shocking and deeply romantic’ The Times
'Combines nail-biting tension with off-beat humor ... Elmore Leonard fans will be enthralled' Publishers Weekly
'Buchholz doles out delicious black humor ... interwoven in a manner that ramps up the intrigue and tension' Foreword Reviews
‘Modern noir, with taut storytelling, a hard-bitten heroine, and underlying melancholy peppered with wry humour’ New Zealand Listener
‘The coolest character in crime fiction … darkly funny and written with a huge heart’ Big Issue
‘Fierce enough to stab the heart’ Spectator
‘A stylish, whip-smart thriller’ Herald Scotland
‘Combines slick storytelling with substance … like a straight shot of top-shelf liquor: smooth yet fiery, packing a punch with no extraneous ingredients watering things down’ Mystery Scene
‘With brief, pacy chapters and fizzling dialogue, this almost feels like American procedural noir and not a translation’ Maxim Jakubowski
‘A smart and witty book that shines a probing spotlight on society’ CultureFly
‘Fans of Brookmyre could do worse than checking out Simone Buchholz, a star of the German crime lit scene who has been deftly translated into English by Rachel Ward’ Goethe Institute
‘Lyrical and pithy’ Sunday Times
‘A modern classic’ Paul Burke, CrimeTime
‘Written in crackling prose and with searing insight, this is a deeply heartfelt slice of existential noir – utterly unique’ Doug Johnstone
‘Deftly captures the beating heart of Glasgow’ Herald Scotland
‘A beautifully crafted exploration of grief and redemption, wrapped in a love letter to Glasgow … Glorious writing’ Will Carver
‘Reading Buchholz is like walking on firecrackers … a truly unique voice in crime fiction’ Graeme Macrae Burnet
––––––––––––
Mired in grief after tragic recent events, state prosecutor Chastity Riley escapes to Scotland, lured to the birthplace of her great-great-grandfather by a mysterious letter suggesting she has inherited a house.
In Glasgow, she meets Tom, the ex-lover of Chastity’s great aunt, who holds the keys to her own family secrets – painful stories of unexpected cruelty and loss that she’s never dared to confront.
In Hamburg, Stepanovic and Calabretta investigate a major arson attack, while a group of property investors kicks off an explosion of violence that threatens everyone.
As events in these two countries collide, Chastity prepares to face the inevitable, battling the ghosts of her past and the lost souls that could be her future and, perhaps, finally finding redemption for them all.
Breathtakingly emotive, River Clyde is an electrifying, poignant and powerful story of damage and hope, and one woman’s fight for survival.
––––––––––––—
‘Every word is a heartbeat, loaded with pain and anguish and self-discovery. This is Harbour Noir. This is a bravura literary performance, and a fitting swan song’ Paul Burke, CrimeTime FM
‘In just a few words – a light brushstroke – Simone paints such a vivid picture. Unlike any crime novel I’ve read. I loved it’ Michael J. Malone
‘Simone Buchholz writes with real authority and a pungent, noir-ish sense of time and space’ Independent
Praise for the Chastity Riley series
‘[A] nerve-racking narrative … [with] a cunning climax that is shocking and deeply romantic’ The Times
'Combines nail-biting tension with off-beat humor ... Elmore Leonard fans will be enthralled' Publishers Weekly
'Buchholz doles out delicious black humor ... interwoven in a manner that ramps up the intrigue and tension' Foreword Reviews
‘Modern noir, with taut storytelling, a hard-bitten heroine, and underlying melancholy peppered with wry humour’ New Zealand Listener
‘The coolest character in crime fiction … darkly funny and written with a huge heart’ Big Issue
‘Fierce enough to stab the heart’ Spectator
‘A stylish, whip-smart thriller’ Herald Scotland
‘Combines slick storytelling with substance … like a straight shot of top-shelf liquor: smooth yet fiery, packing a punch with no extraneous ingredients watering things down’ Mystery Scene
‘With brief, pacy chapters and fizzling dialogue, this almost feels like American procedural noir and not a translation’ Maxim Jakubowski
‘A smart and witty book that shines a probing spotlight on society’ CultureFly
‘Fans of Brookmyre could do worse than checking out Simone Buchholz, a star of the German crime lit scene who has been deftly translated into English by Rachel Ward’ Goethe Institute
‘Lyrical and pithy’ Sunday Times
The hair stands up on the back of my neck and I get an age-old feeling in my belly. Like there's a fight ahead. Like something's really about to go off...
After convicting a superior for corruption and shooting off a gangster's crown jewels, the career of Hamburg's most hard-bitten state prosecutor, Chastity Riley, has taken a nose dive: she has been transferred to the tedium of witness protection to prevent her making any more trouble. However, when she is assigned to the case of an anonymous man lying under police guard in hospital - almost every bone in his body broken, a finger cut off, and refusing to speak in anything other than riddles - Chastity's instinct for the big, exciting case kicks in.
Fresh, fiendishly fast-paced and full of devious twists and all the hard-boiled poetry and acerbic wit of the best noir, Blue Night marks the stunning start of a brilliant new crime series, from one of Germany's bestselling authors.
'Stripped back in style and deadpan in voice, Blue Night is a scintillating romp around the German criminal underworld and back' Doug Johnston, The Big Issue
'By turns lyrical and pithy, this adventure set in the melting pot of contemporary Hamburg has a plot and a sensibility that both owe something to mind-altering substances. Lots of fun' Times Crime Club
'A must-read, stylish and highly original take on the detective novel, written with great skill and popping with great characters' Judith O'Reilly, author of Killing State
'Constantly surprising, Blue Night is an original, firecracker of a read' Liz Robinson
'If Philip Marlowe and Bernie Gunther had a literary love child, it might just explain Chastity Riley - Simone Buchholz's tough, acerbic, utterly engaging central character' William Ryan
After convicting a superior for corruption and shooting off a gangster's crown jewels, the career of Hamburg's most hard-bitten state prosecutor, Chastity Riley, has taken a nose dive: she has been transferred to the tedium of witness protection to prevent her making any more trouble. However, when she is assigned to the case of an anonymous man lying under police guard in hospital - almost every bone in his body broken, a finger cut off, and refusing to speak in anything other than riddles - Chastity's instinct for the big, exciting case kicks in.
Fresh, fiendishly fast-paced and full of devious twists and all the hard-boiled poetry and acerbic wit of the best noir, Blue Night marks the stunning start of a brilliant new crime series, from one of Germany's bestselling authors.
'Stripped back in style and deadpan in voice, Blue Night is a scintillating romp around the German criminal underworld and back' Doug Johnston, The Big Issue
'By turns lyrical and pithy, this adventure set in the melting pot of contemporary Hamburg has a plot and a sensibility that both owe something to mind-altering substances. Lots of fun' Times Crime Club
'A must-read, stylish and highly original take on the detective novel, written with great skill and popping with great characters' Judith O'Reilly, author of Killing State
'Constantly surprising, Blue Night is an original, firecracker of a read' Liz Robinson
'If Philip Marlowe and Bernie Gunther had a literary love child, it might just explain Chastity Riley - Simone Buchholz's tough, acerbic, utterly engaging central character' William Ryan
Hamburg State Prosecutor Chastity Riley and her new sidekick Ivo investigate the case of newspaper executives who have been caged and tortured outside their offices … on a trail that leads them to the hothouse world of boarding schools and some harrowing secrets…
You loved Dark … now meet Chastity Riley
‘Caustic, incisive prose. A street-smart, gutsy heroine. A timely and staggeringly stylish thriller’ Will Carver
‘With plenty of dry humour and a good old dash of despair, Simone Buchholz is an unconventional, refreshing new voice’ Crime Fiction Lover
‘Lyrical and pithy’ Sunday Times
***WINNER of the CWA Crime in Translation Dagger 2022***
***WINNER of the German Crime Book of the Year Award***
_______________
On a warm September morning, an unconscious man is found in a cage at the entrance to the offices of one of Germany’s biggest magazines. He’s soon identified as a manager of the company, and he’s been tortured. Three days later, another manager appears in a similar way.
Chastity Riley and her new colleague Ivo Stepanovic are tasked with uncovering the truth behind the attacks, an investigation that goes far beyond the revenge they first suspect … to the dubious past shared by both victims. Travelling to the south of Germany, they step into the hothouse world of boarding schools, where secrets are currency, and monsters are bred … monsters who will stop at nothing to protect themselves.
A smart, dark, probing thriller, full of all the hard-boiled poetry and acerbic wit of the very best noir, Beton Rouge is both a classic whodunit and a scintillating expose of society, by one of the most exciting names in crime fiction.
_______________
‘Stripped back in style and deadpan in voice, this is a scintillating romp’ Doug Johnstone, Big Issue
‘With brief, pacy chapters and fizzling dialogue, this almost feels like American procedural noir and not a translation’ Maxim Jakubowski, CrimeTime
‘There is a fantastic pace to the story which keeps you hooked from the first sentence all the way to the end. Once again Simone Buchholz holds no punches, with a unique voice that delivers a stylish story’ New Books Magazine
‘The follow-up to Blue Night is a smart and witty book that shines a probing spotlight on society’ CultureFly
‘Fans of Brookmyre could do worse than checking out Simone Buchholz, a star of the German crime lit scene who has been deftly translated into English by Rachel Ward’ Goethe Institute
‘Beton Rouge is a killer read, original, unusual and yet I felt that a part of it, in fact a part of Chastity, lodged itself deeply within my soul, it’s quite simply fabulous’ LoveReading
‘Great sparkling energy, humour and stylistic verve’ Rosie Goldsmith
Praise for the Chastity Riley series
'Combines nail-biting tension with off-beat humor ... Elmore Leonard fans will be enthralled' Publishers Weekly
'Buchholz doles out delicious black humor ... interwoven in a manner that ramps up the intrigue and tension' Foreword Reviews
‘Fans of Brookmyre could do worse than checking out Simone Buchholz, a star of the German crime lit scene who has been deftly translated into English by Rachel Ward’ Goethe Institute
‘By turns lyrical and pithy, this adventure set in the melting pot of contemporary Hamburg has a plot and a sensibility that both owe something to mind-altering substances. Lots of fun’ Sunday Times
You loved Dark … now meet Chastity Riley
‘Caustic, incisive prose. A street-smart, gutsy heroine. A timely and staggeringly stylish thriller’ Will Carver
‘With plenty of dry humour and a good old dash of despair, Simone Buchholz is an unconventional, refreshing new voice’ Crime Fiction Lover
‘Lyrical and pithy’ Sunday Times
***WINNER of the CWA Crime in Translation Dagger 2022***
***WINNER of the German Crime Book of the Year Award***
_______________
On a warm September morning, an unconscious man is found in a cage at the entrance to the offices of one of Germany’s biggest magazines. He’s soon identified as a manager of the company, and he’s been tortured. Three days later, another manager appears in a similar way.
Chastity Riley and her new colleague Ivo Stepanovic are tasked with uncovering the truth behind the attacks, an investigation that goes far beyond the revenge they first suspect … to the dubious past shared by both victims. Travelling to the south of Germany, they step into the hothouse world of boarding schools, where secrets are currency, and monsters are bred … monsters who will stop at nothing to protect themselves.
A smart, dark, probing thriller, full of all the hard-boiled poetry and acerbic wit of the very best noir, Beton Rouge is both a classic whodunit and a scintillating expose of society, by one of the most exciting names in crime fiction.
_______________
‘Stripped back in style and deadpan in voice, this is a scintillating romp’ Doug Johnstone, Big Issue
‘With brief, pacy chapters and fizzling dialogue, this almost feels like American procedural noir and not a translation’ Maxim Jakubowski, CrimeTime
‘There is a fantastic pace to the story which keeps you hooked from the first sentence all the way to the end. Once again Simone Buchholz holds no punches, with a unique voice that delivers a stylish story’ New Books Magazine
‘The follow-up to Blue Night is a smart and witty book that shines a probing spotlight on society’ CultureFly
‘Fans of Brookmyre could do worse than checking out Simone Buchholz, a star of the German crime lit scene who has been deftly translated into English by Rachel Ward’ Goethe Institute
‘Beton Rouge is a killer read, original, unusual and yet I felt that a part of it, in fact a part of Chastity, lodged itself deeply within my soul, it’s quite simply fabulous’ LoveReading
‘Great sparkling energy, humour and stylistic verve’ Rosie Goldsmith
Praise for the Chastity Riley series
'Combines nail-biting tension with off-beat humor ... Elmore Leonard fans will be enthralled' Publishers Weekly
'Buchholz doles out delicious black humor ... interwoven in a manner that ramps up the intrigue and tension' Foreword Reviews
‘Fans of Brookmyre could do worse than checking out Simone Buchholz, a star of the German crime lit scene who has been deftly translated into English by Rachel Ward’ Goethe Institute
‘By turns lyrical and pithy, this adventure set in the melting pot of contemporary Hamburg has a plot and a sensibility that both owe something to mind-altering substances. Lots of fun’ Sunday Times