Brilliant! Clever and well plotted, Helle and Death was an engrossing read. I worked out some of the clues but I got some things completely wrong. There were moment of humour too (Torben was Danish and his thoughts on the Swedes were entertaining) that lifted the atmosphere momentarily. I enjoyed the diverse cast of characters who came to life well and interacted believably I thought. And the nods to GAD fiction were a delight.

Helle and Death by Oskar Jensen is a mystery and there is a death but the novel is so much more.

Solid 3.5 stars for this murder mystery story. A group of old college friends are invited to spend the weekend with one of their group in his luxurious (but very cold), and surprisingly tastefully furnished large home. He's averse to mobiles so they are not allowed, there's a snow storm so everybody is trapped in the house and we quickly see that everyone seems to have something to hide from everybody else. So, the perfect setting for a murder made to look like a suicide.

The book then covers the next couple of days as the group unravel their secrets and try to determine who amongst them is actually a murderer. Could it be the £50K that their host has bequeathed them all in his will that is the motive? Or revenge for a college day slight or stolen idea?

This is a well written and fun story that captures snippets from the golden age of crime writing in the 1920s and 30s without being a copy of that style. It’s original enough to enjoy reading it but not enough to blow me away.

Why then 3 instead of 4 stars? 3 stars tends to be my rating for a decently plotted and well written. To get to 4 the prose has to stand out or there has to be something in the plot that completely takes me by surprise and whilst this is far from predictable the plot/resolution just didn’t have me going “wow, I didn’t see that coming”. Having said all that I would read another book by this author.

As soon as I saw that this novel had been praised by Janice Hallett (the incredible author of ‘The Appeal’ and ‘The Twyford Code, among others) and was recommended for fans of Agatha Christie and Richard Osman (two of my absolute faves), I knew I HAD to read it…

‘Helle & Death’ by Oskar Jensen tells the story of a group of eight university friends, some of whom have not seen each other since their shared Oxford staircase, who gather together in the remote Northumbrian home of the most “successful” of the bunch. Torben Helle, the titular character, is introduced to us as an astute professor who can find clues in historical artwork and joy in his academic endeavours, but more is revealed about his character and past throughout the tale.

Our setting: an old house with a library full of mystery novels, cold rooms and traditional decor - surrounded by heavy snowfall

Our characters: a professor, a police inspector, an academic, a retired inventor, and four other graduates in various professions

Our invitation: a weekend of reminiscing, pretentious banquets, painful memories… and death

I loved how well the characters were developed, and the fact that despite the fairly large cast each individual was memorable. I liked the clever references to fiction and the jumpy style of the narration which lurched from one perspective to another, spinning us around as readers but keeping us grounded in time. The middle of the book dragged a little for me, but the ending more than made up for that, pulling the rug out from under my feet and leaving me dizzy and amazed at the author’s trickery.

Overall, I am giving this one four stars. I concur with the blurb and really do think that fans of classic whodunnits and cosy mysteries would struggle to put this one down! The book publishes on 18 January 2024 and I hope you give it a go.

I received a free review copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest unedited feedback.

Delicious…
A reunion of old university friends turns decidedly unsettling and eventually fatal in this cleverly conceived, well crafted whodunit with a distinct Golden Age feel. The ingredients are all here in droves - a remote country house come mansion, the somewhat eccentric host, the housekeeper, a small group of soon to be potential suspects and a snowstorm. Torben Helle, our enigmatic Danish ex-pat protagonist, has his work cut out as he desperately tries to find a possible solution to a murderous puzzle - as well as a potential killer. With a pacy narrative packed with clever wordplay, engaging witticisms and a deftly drawn cast, the game begins. Delicious.

Rounding up to 3 ✨️

This one didn't quite hit the mark for me.
Too predictable.
Characters I didnt particularly like, doing things that didn't surprise me.
It had good pacing, a nice bit of humour and a classic get up of death, country house and a group of suspects, any of which you could believe had done it.