Simone Buchholz – Grab This Book

Cover Reveal: River Clyde – Simone Buchholz

Today I am beyond excited to share something new with you. A first opportunity to see the cover for River Clyde, the next Chastity Riley book from Simone Buchholz which will be published in the new year by Orenda Books.

Before you scroll down to catch that first glimpse of the FIFTH book in this stupendous series I have the FAQ’s too:

River Clyde releases in digital format first. Ebook will be available from 17 January 2022 with print copies arriving on 17 March 2022.

Once again we can thank Rachel Ward for translating the original German text into English, Rachel translated all four previous books in the series.

Blurb first, cover second and then the handy pre-order links, there is a lot of love for this series and I know you will want to secure this one early to be sure you can get reading as soon as possible.

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 nail-biting fifth instalment in the electric Chastity Riley series … and this time things are personal…

‘Simone Buchholz writes with real authority and a pungent, noir-ish sense of time and space … a palpable hit’ Independent

‘Reading Buchholz is like walking on firecrackers … a truly unique voice in crime fiction’ Graeme Macrae Burnet

Mired 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.

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.

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.

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.

Nail-bitingly tense and breathtakingly emotive, River Clyde is both an electrifying, pulse-pounding thriller and a poignant, powerful story of damage and hope, and one woman’s fight for survival.

You’ve been very patient so just zip down the page a little futher and enjoy the River Clyde cover in all its glory…

Isn’t it terrific? I love the stylistic approach that has featured for all the titles in this series and River Clyde really catches the eye.

I promised purchase links so you could get an early order in…

Waterstones: https://bit.ly/3EZj8XJ

Kindle: https://amzn.to/3F4nuwu

And I am afraid that’s all I have for you today, cover, blurb and order links with a huge dose of anticipation. Roll on January 17th

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March 21

Mexico Street – Simone Buchholz

Hamburg 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…

Night after night, cars are set alight across the German city of Hamburg, with no obvious pattern, no explanation and no suspect.

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.

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…

My thanks to Karen at Orenda Books for my review copy and to Anne Cater at Random Things Blog Tours for the chance to host this leg of the Mexico Street Blog Tour.

Reading a Chastity Riley thriller by Simone Buchholz is an intense experience. Not a word is wasted in the tight, punchy writing. Yet, as I highlighted in my review of the previous Chastity Reily book, there is a lyrical beauty in the writing.

Reilly is back and investigating a case which has seen a body found in a burnt-out car. The burning car is not a new crime, there have been cars set alight across Hamburg over many previous nights. For a burning car to be occupied this is new. Further problems arise when the identity of the deceased is established – the estranged son of one of the prominent gangster families.

Chastity is present when Nouri’s family are told of his death. Their reaction is strange and unnaturally withdrawn. The son was not considered part of the family, he had sought a life away from the influence of his family and they had closed the door on him. So was Noiri’s death a random incident or was he singled out because of who he was?

As Reilly and her colleagues try to unpick the background on their victim and his family the reader gets glimpses (very small glimpses) into Chastity’s life. I feel she is such an enigmatic character as she appears in a constant spiral of drinking, smoking and mourning changes in her life.

There is a retrospective element to the story too. Two adolescents growing up, drawn together and facing the world despite knowing their lot in life is not one either would want. I found this part of Mexico Street most compelling. The boy and girl were such vivid characters and their stories and the challenges they faced kept me hooked – I had to know how they could overcome their hardships. If they could!

I previously highlighted the lyrical power in Mexico Street (and the previous titles) so a huge shout of praise goes to Rachel Ward for the phenomenal translation of the text from the original German. During the recent Orenda Roadshow event in Glasgow Buchholz also went out of her way to praise the incredible work which was done on the translation, moving her words from the “clumsy” German into English. English translation was described by the author as being a “Holy Grail” in publishing, this series really is a rare treasure.

Mexico Street is published by Orenda Books and is available in paperback and digital format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mexico-Street-Chastity-Simone-Buchholz-ebook/dp/B07XBVQ95Q/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&qid=1584719807&refinements=p_27%3ASimone+Buchholz&s=digital-text&sr=1-1&text=Simone+Buchholz

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February 13

Beton Rouge – Simone Buchholz

On 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.

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.

A smart, dark, probing thriller, full of all the hard-boiled poetry and acerbic wit of the very best noir, Beton Rouge is both a classic whodunit and a scintillating expose of society, by one of the most exciting names in crime fiction.

My thanks to Orenda Books who provided a copy of the book for review

Beton Rouge is the second novel to feature Chastity Riley. As I have not yet read the first book in the series (Blue Night) I can categorically confirm that Beton Rouge is a story you can read and enjoy without knowing what occurred in Blue Night. I can also confirm that I shall be looking to pick up Blue Night very soon as I thoroughly enjoyed Beton Rouge.

Told in a sequence of short, punchy chapters we join Chastity Riley – prosecutor – in an investigation into a humiliating and violent attack. The victim was locked in a cage having been tortured and, after his ordeal, the cage is left in a public place to be found. A few short days later the same fate befalls one of the man’s colleagues.

Chastity, partnered up with Ivo Stepanovic, discovers the two men were school friends. They, along with a third friend, were an inseparable trio who grew up together and began their careers together. Their reputation precedes them and it is clear the three are not well liked – stories from their school days recall a time when a 4th person was placed into their proximity and suffered as a consequence.

With two of the three colleagues suffering a brutal experience it is imperative Chastity gets the third man protected – will she be too late or are there darker forces at play?

Away from the investigation the reader also gets a close look at Chastity’s social life. She is not the poster child for domestic bliss. Lonely drinking, hooking up with random strangers, texting friends as a veiled call for company. She is an engaging character who is determined and gives as good as she gets so it makes for fun reading.

Beton Rouge was translated to English by Rachel Ward who has done a terrific job. The language in the story is lyrical or poetic at times, very descriptive and often emotive and this shines through in the story telling which gives Beton Rouge a unique and distinctive feel.

Another terrific release from Orenda Books who seem to have a magical ability to find compelling stories.

Beton Rouge is published by Orenda Books and is available in digital and paperback format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=dp_byline_sr_ebooks_1?ie=UTF8&text=Simone+Buchholz&search-alias=digital-text&field-author=Simone+Buchholz&sort=relevancerank

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