Pesticide by Kim Hays

Pesticide

Kim Hays

Seventh Street Books · Paperback · April 19, 2022

Bern, Switzerland—known for its narrow cobblestone streets, decorative fountains, and striking towers.

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Who it’s for
A Bern-set mystery pairs police procedure and danger with a detective’s complicated personal life.
Themes
Murder investigation, Romantic tension and marital strain, Police assumptions and principles
Pacing
Fast

About this book

Bern, Switzerland—known for its narrow cobblestone streets, decorative fountains, and striking towers. Yet dark currents run through this charming medieval city and beyond, to the idyllic farmlands that surround it. When a rave on a hot summer night erupts into violent riots, a young man is found the next morning bludgeoned to death with a policeman’s club. Seasoned detective Giuliana Linder is assigned to the case.

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That same day, an elderly organic farmer turns up dead and drenched with pesticide. Enter Giuliana’s younger—and distractingly attractive—colleague Renzo Donatelli to investigate the second murder. Giuliana’s disappointment that they’re on two different cases is tinged with relief—her home life is complicated enough without the risk of a fling. But when an unexpected discovery ties the two victims into a single case, Giuliana and Renzo are thrown closer together than ever before. Dangerously close. Will Giuliana be able to handle the threats to her marriage and to her assumptions about the police? If she wants to prevent another murder, she’ll have to put her life on the line—and her principles. Combining suspense and romance, this debut mystery in the Polizei Bern series offers a distinctive picture of the Swiss. An inventive tale, packed with surprises, it will keep readers guessing until the end.

Bern After Dark

A Bern-set mystery pairs police procedure and danger with a detective’s complicated personal life.

Come here for

  • Two murders that pull seasoned detective Giuliana Linder and her colleague together
  • A Swiss setting spanning medieval streets and surrounding farmland

Expect

  • Suspense braided with romance and questions about police and personal principles
  • An escalating investigation with danger close to home

Where it sits

Police Procedurals75%
International Crime Fiction37%
Romantic Suspense29%

Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.

Publisher categories

  • Police Procedurals
  • Crime Fiction
Authors
Kim Hays
Publisher
Seventh Street Books
Published
April 19, 2022
Format
Paperback
Theme
Murder investigation · Romantic tension and marital strain · Police assumptions and principles
Reading lane
Police Procedurals