One of my pleasant surprises last year was Michael Grant’s 2019 thriller A Sudden Death in Cyprus. Merely wanting something set in Cyprus for Rose City Reader‘s European Reading Challenge I didn’t expect much. Low and behold I flat-out loved the book, finding it “fast-paced, intelligent, well-written and pleasantly dripping with dark humor.” So enamored with A Sudden Death in Cyprus I later secured a copy of its follow-up An Artful Assassin in Amsterdam. After ignoring it for a year last week I finally read it. I was not disappointed.

Our favorite former career criminal turned crime writer David Mitre has traded the beaches of Cyprus for the canals, museums and cafes of Amsterdam. Officially on tour to promote his latest novel he’s also agreed to help an old associate track down his missing daughter he fears might be mixed up in the local underworld. But after not one but two amateurish attempt on his life he realizes someone wants him dead, and he’s clueless who it might be. But who should come to his aid but his old frenemy FBI Special Agent Delia Delacorte. She’ll help him catch his intended killer and find the missing young woman but he’s gotta help her foil the looming theft of a priceless Vermeer. He agrees and but soon realizes the only way to ensure the painting doesn’t get stolen is to steal it himself.

The result is a quick paced, frequently humorous romp full of clever plot twists. Mitre is one of those delightful anti-heroes who’s impossible not to like: whips-mart, resourceful and in the end will always do the right thing, even if it might kill him.

Just like Allan Martin’s Winter Blood I can find no mention anywhere online of a follow-up to An Artful Assassin in Amsterdam. Perhaps in the next few years the’ll be one, and if that happens I look forward to featuring it on this blog.

I was all set to finish out the year with Stieg Larsson’s The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets’ Nest and finally conclude Larsson’s outstanding Millennium trilogy while at the same time racking up yet another book for the European, Cloak and Dagger and Books in Translation reading challenges. But two weeks ago while wandering the shelves at my rural public library I came across a copy of Henning Mankell’s 2014 Swedish crime novel An Event in Autumn. Remembering the excellent luck I had with his 2003 whodunnit The Dogs of Riga I decided to postpone The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets’ Nest to early next year and instead go with the much shorter An Event in Autumn, since it’s applicable to all three above-mentioned reading challenges. As expected I whipped through it quickly and was not disappointed.

After nearly 30 years on the job Inspector Kurt Wallander wants to finally wind things down. Decades of solving horrible murders would take its toll on anyone and retirement is becoming an increasingly attractive option. He’s long since grown tired of sharing his apartment with his adult daughter and simply wishes to spend the rest of his life peacefully alone, ideally somewhere in the country. But with his modest inspector’s salary such desirable real estate is outside his price range leaving him few, if any attractive options.

One day his boss suggests he take a look at an old country farmhouse that could be exactly what he’s looking for. The owner, who happens to be his boss’s father is now in memory care where he’ll spend his remaining days. The property is rustic but decent shape and the price is surprisingly right. But just as Wallander is concluding his initial site inspection he spots something in the garden. Upon closer examination he sees it’s a human arm. As more buried remains are discovered the property quickly goes from prospective dream house to crime scene. Once it’s determined the remains belong to a woman who was brutally hanged decades ago Wallander realizes he’s got an age-old unsolved murder on his hands. The culprit, whoever he or she might be could have died years ago and if that’s the case impossible to prosecute. But as you’d hope Wallander gets busy, determined to find out what happened.

After enjoying this final novel in the acclaimed Wallander series I’d love to others. Perhaps in 2026 you’ll see more of Mankell’s fiction featured on my blog.