The ever-generous Karen of Euro Crime is a constant source of high-quality and free books, mainly in the shape of advance reading copies from kind publishers. As you might imagine, it is very hard to resist Karen's monthly (or so) email to her Euro Crime reviewers listing the titles that have been submitted or offered to the site. And, through her good relations with publishers, Karen can often obtain titles that I've spotted and would like to read, too.
As I have enough books by these means to fill my quota of Euro Crime reviews for about a year (!) I made a list of them all and asked Karen which books she would like reviewed first. Your task, dear reader, is to say which of these (if any) you would like me to read (and hence review). I will start with the two books that I have read since Karen's selection, as these reviews are in draft and I hope to submit them to Euro Crime later today:
The Killer's Art by Mari Jungstedt (tr Tiina Nunnally – Sweden).
My Soul to Take by Yrsa Sigurdardottir (tr Bernard Scudder and Anna Yates – Iceland).
On the Euro Crime list and open for your suggestions for prioritising:
Italian Shoes by Henning Mankell
The Pull of the Moon by Diane Janes
Dead Like You by Peter James
Winterland by Alan Glynn
Cambridge Blue by Alison Bruce
Hit by Tara Moss
Tell-Tale by Sam Hayes
Willing Flesh by Adam Creed
Where the Shadows Lie by Michael Ridpath
The Poison Tree by Erin Kelly
The Inspector and Silence by Hakan Nesser (not via Karen but from the shelves of books submitted to Nature for review!)
Of course, in addition to these I have very many books indeed on my shelves waiting to be read, from a variety of sources (including Karen!) – mainly from publishers and via buying the books myself, occasionally from friends and fellow-reviewers who have passed them on to me. I would very much appreciate any recommendations from people who have read any of these. I am attempting a vague prioritisation of these also, to see which, if any, you would like me to review first for Petrona (or possibly Euro Crime if they qualify):
Money to Burn by James Grippando (currently reading)
The Shadow of Your Smile by Mary Higgins Clark
The Third Rail by Michael Harvey
Gunshot Road by Adrian Hyland
Water-Blue Eyes by Domingo Villar (Jose has recently written about this book.)
The Complaints by Ian Rankin
Anarchy and Old Dogs by Colin Cotterill
Solar by Ian McEwan
Twisted Wing by Ruth Newman
Supreme Justice by Philip Margolin
This Body of Death by Elizabeth George
The Man in the Window by K. O. Dahl
The Neighbour by Lisa Gardner
Acts of Violence by David Ryan Jahn
The First Rule by Robert Crais
A Beautiful Place to Die by Malla Nunn
Far Cry by John Harvey
The Last Child by John Hart
And very many more, plus I have to find and read one novel from South America that isn't Argentinian, one from Australasia that isn't Australian, one from Asia that isn't Chinese and one from Africa that isn't South African.
Petrona 
I’m curious about The Poison Tree by Erin Kelly so I’d vote for you to read that from the Euro Crime Pile
As for your personal pile (short list only – the Good Reads longlist makes my head spin) I’d recommend A Beautiful Place to Die because I absolutely loved it even though it paints quite a confronting picture. I am about to embark on Malla Nunn’s second novel and am looking forward to it very much. But I haven’t read any of the others on your list so I may be leading you astray as they may all be as good.
The only one on that list that I’m glad isn’t awaiting me is the Elizabeth George. I am done with Tommy bloody Lynley.
Thanks, Bernadette! Great steer.
Maxine – You do have such wonderful books!! So hard to choose… Well, I would vote for The Poison Tree from your Euro Crime pile, too. I’ve read blurbs, etc., but we know how blurbs are! From your personal pile, I would vote for Cotterill’s Anarchy and Old Dogs. I have to say, though, that I really like Dr. Siri, so that’s a totally biased suggestion.
Thanks, Margot – The Poison Tree is sure heading upwards! I think we are all biased in our reading choices, out of necessity – and it is far too long since I last encountered Dr Siri as I have three unread novels of the series on my shelf!
Maxine, afraid can’t be of any help since I don`t know most of the authors/books. Anyhow am interested in Colin Cotterill, K. O. Dahl and Malla Nunn but as said I’ve very little information about the books on your list. Currently reading Nesser’s The Mind’s Eye, chapter 5 is superb.
I can recommend The Man in the Window by KO Dahl which is translated by Don Bartlett which should be reason enough for you to put it to the top of your list. ;o)
I have just started The Stone Cutter which you very kindly sent me. The contrast in styles between Henning Mankell’s global political agenda and Camilla Lackberg’s domestic issues is a bit difficult to adjust to at first.
Glad you are enjoying Nesser, Jose. I must go and look up chapter 5!
Norman – I can imagine it! I am sure the Dahl will be good, as I enjoyed the previous one so much.
God, I’m in awe at how much you all read. I’m loving Donna Leon’s newest book, “A Question of Belief,” and have to come down after that to find something really good to read. Many ideas are here. I again pull my hair as I see that so many European books are not yet in my public library, including many of those here…ugh.
I’d say review all books Scandinavian, Tara Moss, other non-U.S. writers. I live across the pond, as you say and I get lots of U.S.-book reviews.
I do like Donna Leon’s books, but I have to say that I prefer Camilleri, Carofiglio and a couple of others who actually are Italian. They seem more authentic, somehow. Are there really people like Comissario Brunetti and Paola in existence? Maybe, but there is something a bit forced about it, I find.
I wish there were more translated books in my Euro Crime pile, but I realise that the reason there isn’t is because I always read those first!
I have not read Camilleri nor Carofiglio (who is the writer on that one?) but a friend loves Camilleri and has watched all of the tv show episodes in Italian on the Italian tv network at least 3 times each.
I doubt if Paola and Guido exist anywhere but in Donna Leon’s mind and books and in the German tv programs about them. But then again, what can we count on in fiction except that there are interesting characters, plots and dialogues–and introspection?
It transports us, entertains us, makes us think, makes us content.
The writer is Gianrico Carofiglio – great series (three so far) about a lawyer living in Bari, Italy. See http://www.eurocrime.co.uk/books/books_by_gianrico_carofiglio.html I can highly recommend these (have not yet read his standalone novel).
I agree on your definition of fiction – good one!