Thirty Days of Darkness by Jenny Lund Masden – translated by Megan Turney Paperback Out Now
A snobbish Danish literary author is challenged to write a crime novel in thirty days, travelling to a small village in Iceland for inspiration, and then the first body appears…
Copenhagen author Hannah is the darling of the literary community and her novels have achieved massive critical acclaim. But nobody actually reads them, and frustrated by writer’s block, Hannah has the feeling that she’s doing something wrong.
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When she expresses her contempt for genre fiction, Hannah is publicly challenged to write a crime novel in thirty days. Scared that she will lose face, she accepts, and her editor sends her to Húsafjörður – a quiet, tight-knit village in Iceland, filled with colourful local characters – for inspiration.
But two days after her arrival, the body of a fisherman’s young son is pulled from the water … and what begins as a search for plot material quickly turns into a messy and dangerous investigation that threatens to uncover secrets that put everything at risk … including Hannah.
My Review
Well this was different, not your average crime novel. But then Danish writer Hannah Krause-Bendix is not your average author. Her books are rather high-brow, literary, full of deeper meaning and she pours scorn on everyday crime writers who she believes have no talent and write books that are formulaic. Especially her arch nemesis Jørn Jensen who churns them out one after another and is making a fortune. And she is not. In fact hardly anyone reads her books.
Following a public spat with Jørn at a book fair (their constant banter is very entertaining), Hannah agrees to a bet. She has to write a crime novel in a month. For peace and inspiration, her editor sends her to Húsafjörður in Iceland, where she will stay with an older lady called Ella. There will be no distractions (apart from the cold and the snow), so she can just get on with it.
So far so good, but then the first body appears. It’s that of a young man, who supposedly drowned, but could it have been something more sinister and could it be material for Hannah’s book.
Hannah is very annoying. Not only is she so up herself she can’t help being arrogant and irritating, but she is also unbelievably nosy. She asks inappropriate questions of just about everybody, and lies about her reasons for doing so. She is told by local police officer Viktor to stay out of it, but that’s like a red rag to a bull. Oh and did I mention she’s an alcoholic.
In poking around she has put herself in danger, but does she heed the warnings? No of course not. What starts as a simple death by misadventure becomes a fabulous Icelandic romp with plenty of intrigue and dark humour. I really enjoyed it.
Many thanks to @annecater for inviting me to be part of #RandomThingsTours
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About the Author
Jenny Lund Madsen is one of Denmark’s most acclaimed scriptwriters (including the international hits Rita and Follow the Money) and is known as an advocate for better representation for sexual and ethnic minorities in Danish TV and film. She recently made her debut as a playwright with the critically acclaimed Audition (Aarhus Teater) and her debut literary thriller, Thirty Days of Darkness, first in an addictive new series, won the Harald Mogensen Prize for Best Danish Crime Novel of the year and was shortlisted for the coveted Glass Key Award. She lives in Denmark with her young family.
Orenda Books is a small independent publishing company specialising in literary fiction with a heavy emphasis on crime/thrillers, and approximately half the list in translation. They’ve been twice shortlisted for the Nick Robinson Best Newcomer Award at the IPG awards, and publisher and owner Karen Sullivan was a Bookseller Rising Star in 2016. In 2018, they were awarded a prestigious Creative Europe grant for their translated books programme. Three authors, including Agnes Ravatn, Matt Wesolowski and Amanda Jennings have been WHSmith Fresh Talent picks, and Ravatn’s The Bird Tribunal was shortlisted for the Dublin Literary Award, won an English PEN Translation Award, and adapted for BBC Radio Four ’s Book at Bedtime. Six titles have been short- or long-listed for the CWA Daggers. Launched in 2014 with a mission to bring more international literature to the UK market, Orenda Books publishes a host of debuts, many of which have gone on to sell millions worldwide, and looks for fresh, exciting new voices that push the genre in new directions. Bestselling authors include Ragnar Jonasson, Antti Tuomainen, Gunnar Staalesen, Michael J. Malone, Kjell Ola Dahl, Louise Beech, Johana Gustawsson, Lilja Sigurðardóttir and Sarah Stovell.
