James Thompson is an established author in Finland. His novel, Snow Angels, the first in the Inspector Vaara series, was released in the U.S. by Putnam and marked his entrance into the international crime fiction scene. Booklist named it one of the ten best debut crime novels of 2010, and it was nominated for the Edgar, Anthony, and Strand Critics awards. His second Vaara novel, Lucifer’s Tears, released in March, 2011, earned starred reviews from all quarters, and was named one the best novels of the year by Kirkus.The third in the series, Helsinki White, was released 2 weeks ago, on March 15. Around that time I asked Thompson what he was reading. His reply:
I’m reading an excellent book, Witness the Night, by Kishwar Desai. Here’s a blurby description:Visit James Thompson's website and blog.
A family is slaughtered. Thirteen people poisoned, stabbed, and burned. The only suspect: the lone survivor, a fourteen year-old girl who appears to have been raped, beaten and found tied to her bed. Her guilt or innocence is of less importance than the reputations of those involved. Witness the Night is a plunge down the rabbit hole to Punjab, India, a fairytale world where houses are painted ice pink, sea blue, and mint green. To a place where female foeticide is a norm, and female newborns are often fed opium, placed in milk-filled urns, and buried in the garden. A fascinating and startling book.
The Page 69 Test: Snow Angels.
The Page 69 Test: Helsinki White.
--Marshal Zeringue
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