{"title":"Books by Simone Buchholz","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"9781914585661","title":"The Acapulco","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eHamburg State Prosecutor Chastity Riley becomes involved in the horrifying, chilling search for a violent serial killer targeting dancers from a club …              the first book in an award-winning, wildly original, addictive series…             \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e‘             Such a revelation’              \u003cb\u003eLaura Lippman\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e‘             Gruesome and assured, Buchholz’             s work remains as persuasive as ever’              \u003cb\u003eBarry Forshaw, \u003ci\u003eFinancial Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e‘             Reading Buchholz is like walking on firecrackers …              a truly unique voice in crime fiction’              \u003cb\u003eGraeme Macrae Burnet\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e‘             Unpredictable, shocking and funny …              Simone Buchholz is my favourite German crime writer’              \u003cb\u003eMark Sanderson, \u003ci\u003eThe Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e**WINNER of the CWA Crime in Translation Dagger**\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e–             –             –             –             –             –             –             –             –             –             –             –             –             –             –             –             –             –             –             –             –             –             –             –             –             –             –\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA serial killer is on the loose in Hamburg, targeting dancers from The Acapulco, a club in the city’             s red-light district, taking their scalps as gruesome trophies and replacing them with plastic wigs.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eChastity Riley is the state prosecutor responsible for crimes in the district, and she’             s working alongside the police as they investigate. Can she get inside the mind of the killer?\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHer strength is thinking like a criminal; her weaknesses are pubs, bars and destructive relationships, but as Chastity searches for love and a flamboyant killer –              battling her demons and the dark, foggy Hamburg weather –              she hits dead end after dead end.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs panic sets in and the death toll rises, it becomes increasingly clear that it may already be too late. For everyone…\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e–             –             –             –             –             –             –             –             –             –             –             –             –             –             –             –             –             –             –             –             –             –             –             –             –             –             –\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e‘             Caustic, incisive prose. A street-smart, gutsy heroine. A timely and staggeringly stylish thriller’              \u003cb\u003eWill Carver\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e‘             The coolest character in crime fiction …              Darkly funny and written with a huge heart’              \u003cb\u003eDoug Johnstone, \u003ci\u003eBig Issue\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e‘             Modern noir, with taut storytelling, a hard-bitten heroine, and underlying melancholy peppered with wry humour’              \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eNew Zealand Listener\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e‘             Dark, atmospheric, and complex, with often surprisingly emotional …              a classy piece of fiction from an author who never disappoints’              \u003cb\u003eJen Med’             s Book Reviews\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003ePraise for the Chastity Riley series:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Combines nail-biting tension with off-beat humor ... Elmore Leonard fans will be enthralled' \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Buchholz doles out delicious black humor ... interwoven in a manner that ramps up the intrigue and tension' \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eForeword Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e’             Lyrical and pithy' \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eSunday Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Fierce enough to stab the heart' \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eSpectator\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e'A real blast of adrenaline' \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eBig Issue\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Simone Buchholz writes with real authority and a pungent, noir-ish sense of time and space' \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eFinancial Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e'A stylish, whip-smart thriller' \u003cb\u003eRussel McLean\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43127986258098,"sku":"9781914585661","price":9.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781914585661_80abb05b-e2b6-484f-b6fa-029956805aee.jpg?v=1786030632"},{"product_id":"9781913193546","title":"Hotel Cartagena","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eWINNER OF THE 2022 CWA CRIME FICTION IN TRANSLATION DAGGER \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ‘Simone Buchholz writes with real authority and a pungent, noir-is sense of time and space … a palpable hit’ \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eIndependent\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e 'Reading Buchholz is like walking on firecrackers … a truly unique voice in crime fiction’ \u003cb\u003eGraeme Macrae Burnet\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ‘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’ \u003cb\u003eWilliam Ryan\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTwenty floors above the shimmering lights of the Hamburg docks, Public Prosecutor Chastity Riley is celebrating a birthday with friends in a hotel bar when twelve heavily armed men pull out guns, and take everyone hostage. Among the hostages is Konrad Hoogsmart, the hotel owner, who is being targeted by a young man whose life – and family – have been destroyed by Hoogsmart’s actions.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e With the police looking on from outside – their colleagues’ lives at stake – and Chastity on the inside, increasingly ill from an unexpected case of sepsis, the stage is set for a dramatic confrontation … and a devastating outcome for the team … all live streamed in a terrifying bid for revenge.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Crackling with energy and populated by a cast of unforgettable characters, \u003ci\u003eHotel Cartagena\u003c\/i\u003e is a searing, relevant thriller that will leave you breathless.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003ePraise for the Chastity Riley series\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ‘Caustic, incisive prose. A street-smart, gutsy heroine. A timely and staggeringly stylish thriller’ \u003cb\u003eWill Carver\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ‘With plenty of dry humour and a good old dash of despair, Simone Buchholz is an unconventional, refreshing new voice’ \u003cb\u003eCrime Fiction Lover\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ‘Lyrical and pithy’ \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eSunday Times \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ‘With brief, pacy chapters and fizzling dialogue, this almost feels like American procedural noir and not a translation’ \u003cb\u003eMaxim Jakubowski, Crime Time\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ‘There is a fantastic pace to the story which keeps you hooked from the first sentence all the way to the end … a unique voice that delivers a stylish story’ \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eNew Books Magazine\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ‘A smart and witty book that shines a probing spotlight on society’ \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eCultureFly\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ‘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’ \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eGoethe Institute\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ‘Stripped back in style and deadpan in voice … a scintillating romp around the German criminal underworld and back’ \u003cb\u003eDoug Johnstone, \u003ci\u003eBig Issue\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e '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’ \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eSunday Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ‘Disgraced state prosecutor Chastity Riley chases round the dive bars of the port city pursuing and being pursued by a beguiling cast of cops, criminals and chums, delivering scalding one-liners as she goes’ \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ‘Great sparkling energy, humour and stylistic verve … and the story itself is gripping and pacey’ \u003cb\u003eRosie Goldsmith, European Literature Network\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ‘A must-read, stylish and highly original take on the detective novel, written with great skill and popping with great characters’ \u003cb\u003eJudith O’Reilly, author of \u003ci\u003eKilling State\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e 'Constantly surprising … an original, firecracker of a read' \u003cb\u003eLoveReading\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eChastity Riley and her friends are held hostage in a hotel bar by twelve armed men set on revenge, in a searing, breathtakingly original new thriller from the ‘Queen of Krimi’.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ‘Simone Buchholz writes with real authority and a pungent, noir-is sense of time and space … a palpable hit’ \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eIndependent\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e 'Reading Buchholz is like walking on firecrackers … a truly unique voice in crime fiction’ \u003cb\u003eGraeme Macrae Burnet\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ‘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’ \u003cb\u003eWilliam Ryan\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTwenty floors above the shimmering lights of the Hamburg docks, Public Prosecutor Chastity Riley is celebrating a birthday with friends in a hotel bar when twelve heavily armed men pull out guns, and take everyone hostage. Among the hostages is Konrad Hoogsmart, the hotel owner, who is being targeted by a young man whose life – and family – have been destroyed by Hoogsmart’s actions.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e With the police looking on from outside – their colleagues’ lives at stake – and Chastity on the inside, increasingly ill from an unexpected case of sepsis, the stage is set for a dramatic confrontation … and a devastating outcome for the team … all live streamed in a terrifying bid for revenge.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Crackling with energy and populated by a cast of unforgettable characters, \u003ci\u003eHotel Cartagena\u003c\/i\u003e is a searing, relevant thriller that will leave you breathless.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003ePraise for the Chastity Riley series\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ‘Caustic, incisive prose. A street-smart, gutsy heroine. A timely and staggeringly stylish thriller’ \u003cb\u003eWill Carver\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ‘With plenty of dry humour and a good old dash of despair, Simone Buchholz is an unconventional, refreshing new voice’ \u003cb\u003eCrime Fiction Lover\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ‘Lyrical and pithy’ \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eSunday Times \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ‘With brief, pacy chapters and fizzling dialogue, this almost feels like American procedural noir and not a translation’ \u003cb\u003eMaxim Jakubowski, Crime Time\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ‘There is a fantastic pace to the story which keeps you hooked from the first sentence all the way to the end … a unique voice that delivers a stylish story’ \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eNew Books Magazine\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ‘A smart and witty book that shines a probing spotlight on society’ \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eCultureFly\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ‘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’ \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eGoethe Institute\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ‘Stripped back in style and deadpan in voice … a scintillating romp around the German criminal underworld and back’ \u003cb\u003eDoug Johnstone, \u003ci\u003eBig Issue\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e '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’ \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eSunday Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ‘Disgraced state prosecutor Chastity Riley chases round the dive bars of the port city pursuing and being pursued by a beguiling cast of cops, criminals and chums, delivering scalding one-liners as she goes’ \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ‘Great sparkling energy, humour and stylistic verve … and the story itself is gripping and pacey’ \u003cb\u003eRosie Goldsmith, European Literature Network\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ‘A must-read, stylish and highly original take on the detective novel, written with great skill and popping with great characters’ \u003cb\u003eJudith O’Reilly, author of \u003ci\u003eKilling State\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e 'Constantly surprising … an original, firecracker of a read' \u003cb\u003eLoveReading\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43205823365298,"sku":"9781913193546","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781913193546_6ff0fb9c-1591-4c21-a5d0-98e05c316158.jpg?v=1786030383"},{"product_id":"9781914585067","title":"River Clyde","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eHamburg 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 … \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e ‘A modern classic’ \u003cb\u003ePaul Burke, CrimeTime\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e ‘Written in crackling prose and with searing insight, this is a deeply heartfelt slice of existential noir – utterly unique’ \u003cb\u003eDoug Johnstone\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e ‘Deftly captures the beating heart of Glasgow’ \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eHerald Scotland\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e ‘A beautifully crafted exploration of grief and redemption, wrapped in a love letter to Glasgow … Glorious writing’ \u003cb\u003eWill Carver\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e ‘Reading Buchholz is like walking on firecrackers … a truly unique voice in crime fiction’ \u003cb\u003eGraeme Macrae Burnet \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMired 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.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e 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.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e 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.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e 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.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e Breathtakingly emotive, \u003ci\u003eRiver Clyde\u003c\/i\u003e is an electrifying, poignant and powerful story of damage and hope, and one woman’s fight for survival.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e‘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’ \u003cb\u003ePaul Burke, CrimeTime FM\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e ‘In just a few words – a light brushstroke – Simone paints such a vivid picture. Unlike any crime novel I’ve read. I loved it’ \u003cb\u003eMichael J. Malone\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e ‘Simone Buchholz writes with real authority and a pungent, noir-ish sense of time and space’ \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eIndependent\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePraise for the Chastity Riley series\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e ‘[A] nerve-racking narrative … [with] a cunning climax that is shocking and deeply romantic’ \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e 'Combines nail-biting tension with off-beat humor ... Elmore Leonard fans will be enthralled' \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e 'Buchholz doles out delicious black humor ... interwoven in a manner that ramps up the intrigue and tension' \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eForeword Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ‘Modern noir, with taut storytelling, a hard-bitten heroine, and underlying melancholy peppered with wry humour’ \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eNew Zealand Listener\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e ‘The coolest character in crime fiction … darkly funny and written with a huge heart’ \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eBig Issue\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e ‘Fierce enough to stab the heart’ \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eSpectator\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e ‘A stylish, whip-smart thriller’ \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eHerald Scotland\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e ‘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’ \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eMystery Scene\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e ‘With brief, pacy chapters and fizzling dialogue, this almost feels like American procedural noir and not a translation’ \u003cb\u003eMaxim Jakubowski\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e ‘A smart and witty book that shines a probing spotlight on society’ \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eCultureFly\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e ‘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’ \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eGoethe Institute\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e ‘Lyrical and pithy’ \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eSunday Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43206298861746,"sku":"9781914585067","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781914585067.jpg?v=1786030596"},{"product_id":"9781912374595","title":"Beton Rouge","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eHamburg 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…\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eYou loved \u003ci\u003eDark\u003c\/i\u003e … now meet Chastity Riley\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e ‘Caustic, incisive prose. A street-smart, gutsy heroine. A timely and staggeringly stylish thriller’ \u003cb\u003eWill Carver\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e ‘With plenty of dry humour and a good old dash of despair, Simone Buchholz is an unconventional, refreshing new voice’ \u003cb\u003eCrime Fiction Lover\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e ‘Lyrical and pithy’ \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eSunday Times \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eWINNER of the CWA Crime in Translation Dagger 2022\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eWINNER of the German Crime Book of the Year Award\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOn 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.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e 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.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eA smart, dark, probing thriller, full of all the hard-boiled poetry and acerbic wit of the very best noir, \u003ci\u003eBeton Rouge\u003c\/i\u003e is both a classic whodunit and a scintillating expose of society, by one of the most exciting names in crime fiction.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e‘Stripped back in style and deadpan in voice, this is a scintillating romp’ \u003cb\u003eDoug Johnstone, \u003ci\u003eBig Issue\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e ‘With brief, pacy chapters and fizzling dialogue, this almost feels like American procedural noir and not a translation’ \u003cb\u003eMaxim Jakubowski, CrimeTime\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e ‘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’ \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eNew Books Magazine\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e ‘The follow-up to \u003ci\u003eBlue Night\u003c\/i\u003e is a smart and witty book that shines a probing spotlight on society’ \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eCultureFly\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e ‘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’ \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eGoethe Institute\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e ‘\u003ci\u003eBeton Rouge\u003c\/i\u003e 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’ \u003cb\u003eLoveReading\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e ‘Great sparkling energy, humour and stylistic verve’ \u003cb\u003eRosie Goldsmith\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePraise for the Chastity Riley series\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e 'Combines nail-biting tension with off-beat humor ... Elmore Leonard fans will be enthralled' \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e 'Buchholz doles out delicious black humor ... interwoven in a manner that ramps up the intrigue and tension' \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eForeword Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ‘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’ \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eGoethe Institute\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ‘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’ \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eSunday Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56308597064053,"sku":"9781912374595","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781912374595_14236bed-c5d1-4a8e-b211-b832cd89b720.jpg?v=1786030909"},{"product_id":"9781913193157","title":"Mexico Street","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eHamburg 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…\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e ‘Another brilliant adventure in the company of Chastity Riley, the coolest character in crime fiction. Darkly funny and written with a huge heart’ \u003cb\u003eDoug Johnstone, \u003ci\u003eBig Issue\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e ‘Reading Buchholz is like walking on firecrackers … a truly unique voice in crime fiction’ \u003cb\u003eGraeme Macrae Burnet\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e ‘Caustic, incisive prose. A street-smart, gutsy heroine. A timely and staggeringly stylish thriller’ \u003cb\u003eWill Carver\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eWINNER of the CWA Crime in Translation Dagger 2022\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eWINNER of the German Crime Book of the Year Award\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNight after night, cars are set alight across the German city of Hamburg, with no obvious pattern, no explanation and no suspect.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e 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.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e 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…\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003ePraise for the Chastity Riley series…\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e 'Combines nail-biting tension with off-beat humor ... Elmore Leonard fans will be enthralled' \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e 'Buchholz doles out delicious black humor ... interwoven in a manner that ramps up the intrigue and tension' \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eForeword Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ‘A stylish, whip-smart thriller’ \u003cb\u003eRussel McLean\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e ‘Fierce enough to stab the heart’ \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eSpectator\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e ‘Sharp and unrelenting’ \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eCultureFly\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e ‘Simone Buchholz writes with real authority and a pungent, noir-ish sense of time and space’ \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eFinancial Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e ‘Deeply moody, atmospheric and evocative’ \u003cb\u003eBlue Book Balloon\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e ‘An unconventional, refreshing new voice’ \u003cb\u003eCrime Fiction Lover\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e ‘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’ \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eGoethe Institute\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e ‘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’ \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eSunday Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e ‘Great sparkling energy, humour and stylistic verve and the story itself is gripping and pacey’ \u003cb\u003eRosie Goldsmith\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e ‘A must-read, stylish and highly original take on the detective novel, written with great skill and popping with great characters’ \u003cb\u003eJudith O’Reilly, author of \u003ci\u003eKilling State\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56309409612149,"sku":"9781913193157","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781913193157_d5c1dc51-81d2-4b64-a1f2-4793ecd0cda7.jpg?v=1786030368"},{"product_id":"9781917764087","title":"Sharks","description":"\u003cp\u003eIn Hamburg’s troubled Wilhelmsburg district, Prosecutor Chastity Riley investigates a brutal double murder amid corruption and gentrification. Battling personal demons and powerful foes, she fights to expose a city’s dark secrets.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eGermany’s Queen of Krimi returns with the caustically funny, breathtakingly dark next instalment in an addictive series…\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e‘As much a character study as the story of a crime … like a flipbook, full of startling images and sudden movements, that will thrill cynics and romantics alike’ Sunday Times ‘For the first time in a long time, I found a book I simply couldn’t put down – and I didn’t want it to end. There really should be a word for the sadness you feel when you’re nearing the end of a truly fantastic read.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSharks is that kind of book’ Leye Adenle\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e‘Taut, compulsive and laced with humour as dark as its setting, Sharks raises the bar again for one of my favourite series. Chastity Riley is the perfect anti-hero for our times, and Simone Buchholz is the real deal’ Rod Reynolds\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e‘Such a revelation’ Laura LippmanThe Chastity Riley series WON the CWA Crime in Translation Dagger\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn Wilhelmsburg, Hamburg’s so-called ‘problem area’, an American couple is found brutally murdered in a derelict house. Prosecutor Chastity Riley is assigned the case and quickly finds herself waist-deep in a murky tangle of city planners, shady investors and vanishing officials. The gentrification machine is rolling on, and someone is sending a very clear message. As November fog settles over the city, Chastity is coughing up blood, her personal life is a slow-motion disaster, and her former colleague Faller won’t stop interfering. But nothing is going to stop her from cutting through the lies, not even the sharks circling ever closer.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDark, caustic and piercing, Sharks is a searing investigation into greed, power and the price of resistance in a city devouring itself, from one of Germany’s finest, most original crime writers.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePraise for the Chastity Riley series:‘Richly entertaining, wickedly cutting, to the point and funny. The perfect example of a crime novel that is literally pacy and has something to say, because you know Buchholz cares about society and Hamburg, and it shows in her writing’ Paul Burke, CrimeTime\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e‘A dark treat … memorable modern noir, and a fascinating portrait of seedy life in Hamburg’ Telegraph\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e‘Simone Buchholz can make you grin, gasp or gag at will’ The Times\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e‘Beautifully concise, with commendably sparse prose, dark humour and an appealing protagonist … uncompromising, provocative and righteously fierce’ Guardian\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e‘Beautifully written in cool, witty prose’ N.J. Cooper, Literary Review\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e‘German-American Chastity Riley is snooty, churlish, sarcastic, sometimes drunk and always inappropriate. The whole series breaks the boundaries of typical crime novels’ Romy Hausmann\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e‘A distinctive voice, and a flawed but compelling protagonist … style and sass and St Pauli’ Will Carver\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e‘Ice-cool, effortlessly classy prose’ Observer\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e‘Reading Buchholz is like walking on firecrackers’ Graeme Macrae Burnet\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e‘Buchholz’s work remains as persuasive as ever’ Financial Times\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e‘Simone Buchholz writes with real authority and a pungent, noir-ish sense of time and space … a palpable hit’Independent\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e‘With brief, pacy chapters and fizzling dialogue, this almost feels like American procedural noir and not a translation’ Maxim Jakubowski\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e‘There is a fantastic pace to the story … a unique voice that delivers a stylish story’NB Magazine\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e‘A real blast of adrenaline’ Big Issue\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56369391468917,"sku":"9781917764087","price":9.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781917764087_56b9ffee-fbaa-4631-9ffb-0a9fbf231372.jpg?v=1786030565"},{"product_id":"vipers-1","title":"Vipers","description":"\u003cp\u003eOn enforced leave in wintry St Pauli, Hamburg State Prosecutor Chastity Riley finds a barefoot homeless man beaten almost to death. When another victim appears and two teenagers vanish, she suspects the cases are connected – and the violence is only beginning… NEXT in Simone Buchholz’s addictive, award-winning series…'As much a character study as the story of a crime … like a flipbook, full of startling images and sudden movements, that will thrill cynics and romantics alike' Sunday Times'For the first time in a long time, I found a book I simply couldn't put down' Leye Adenle'Chastity Riley is the perfect anti-hero for our times, and Simone Buchholz is the real deal' Rod Reynolds‘Such a revelation’ Laura Lippman\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt’s nearly Christmas in St Pauli, and Hamburg State Prosecutor Chastity Riley has been ordered to take time off, whether she likes it or not. Football is on winter break, the days are empty, and walking is better than drinking before lunch.   Then, outside a second-hand shop in the Karoviertel, she comes across a man with no shoes, no shelter and practically no pulse. His face has been smashed.   The police show little interest in the assault on a homeless man, but Chastity cannot make sense of the missing shoes. When another victim is found on the streets and two teenagers go missing, her instincts tell her the attacks and disappearances are part of the same brutal pattern.   Then her mother turns up on her doorstep: the woman who left when Chastity was three.   Still on leave, Chastity follows the link between two men left for dead and two missing teenagers. If she is right, this is not random violence. And if she is right, the first bodies are only the beginning…\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57536574456181,"sku":"9781919061108","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781919061108.jpg?v=1790608772"}],"url":"https:\/\/backstory.london\/collections\/author-simone-buchholz.oembed","provider":"Backstory","version":"1.0","type":"link"}