Description

‘A glorious debut’ – SUNDAY EXPRESS
‘An affectionate homage to classic murder mysteries’ – DAILY MAIL
‘Recommended reading for a long winter night’ – GUARDIAN

A snowstorm. A country house. Old friends reunited.
It’s going to be murder…

Torben Helle – art historian, Danish expat and owner of several excellent Scandinavian jumpers – has been dragged to a remote snowbound Northumbrian mansion for a ten-year reunion with old university friends. Things start to go sideways when their host, a reclusive and irritating tech entrepreneur, makes some shocking revelations at the dinner table. And when these are followed by an apparent suicide, the group faces a test of their wits… and their trust.

Snowed in and cut off, surrounded by enigmatic housekeepers and off-duty police inspectors, not to mention a peculiar last will and testament, suspicion and sarcasm quickly turn to panic. As the temperature drops and the tension mounts, Torben decides to draw upon all the tricks of Golden Age detectives past in order to solve the mystery: how much money would it take to turn one of his old friends into a murderer? But he’d better be quick, or someone else might end up dead…

This witty murder mystery puts a modern spin on the classic country house whodunnit. A must-read for fans of Agatha Christie, Richard Osman and Janice Hallett.

‘A witty repurposing of the Golden Age country house’ – FINANCIAL TIMES
‘An entertaining whodunnit in the classic Christie style’ – MAIL ON SUNDAY
‘A glorious feat that intrigues, surprises and delights’ – JANICE HALLETT
‘A love letter to the classic country house murder mystery’ – J.M. HALL

Publisher Review

A glorious feat that intrigues, surprises and delights from page one. This gem is a solid gold revival of the golden age whodunnit, with a delicious Danish twist — Janice Hallett, author of THE APPEAL A love letter to the classic Country House murder mystery… if Agatha Christie had written The Big Chill it would have been very much like this — J.M. Hall, author of A SPOONFUL OF MURDER A brilliant update on the traditional country house murder. Oskar Jensen has a wonderfully descriptive style, pin-point accurate and loaded with atmosphere. If this is the start of Scandi-Cosy, I’m all for it — Ian Moore, author of DEATH AND CROISSANTS Oskar Jensen is a sparkling new voice in crime fiction. Loved it — S.J. Bennett, author of THE WINDSOR KNOT A wonderful mix of golden age tributes, scandi not-so-noir, puzzling mystery, and a study of the sort of friendships that linger across the years, often against the odds… A belter of a book, and I’m already anxiously awaiting the sequel — Katy Watson, author of THE THREE DAHLIAS A glittering jewel in the crown of modern country house mysteries. We must have more of Torben Helle! Truly excellent — Marion Todd, author of OLD BONES LIE A clever, elegant mystery in the Golden Age tradition, though it’s set in the present day. Nods to my favourite fictional sleuth of the era made it even more special — Leonora Nattrass, author of BLUE WATER A highbrow cosy that takes a playful approach to the tropes and fetishes of the genre while effortlessly twisting the reader in circles. A hugely accomplished fiction debut — Eva Dolan, author of LONG WAY HOME A brilliantly clever murder mystery with an alluring cast and fiendish puzzle at its heart. Perfect for fans of the country house whodunnit looking for a contemporary take on a classic tale — Philippa East, author of LITTLE WHITE LIES Cunningly clever. I defy you to guess whodunnit. Golden age mystery — Tina Baker, author of CALL ME MUMMY As cunning as Christie, as elegant as Sayers, with a dash of Donna Tartt thrown in for good measure. Helle & Death is not only a fiendishly clever mystery on par with the best the Golden Age has to offer, but a deft character study in the complex entanglements of old friendships. Witty, erudite, funny, and wonderfully well-written, I am in awe of what Oskar Jensen has achieved with this book — William Hussey, author of KILLING JERICHO A clever, funny, sparklingly fresh twist on classic country house murder — Kate Griffin, author of FYNESHADE A clever and funny country house murder… brilliant — J.B. Mylet, author of THE HOMES Super tight plotting with a great cast of characters and wonderful Sorkin-esque dialogue. Huge recommendation for fans of Agatha Christie and Rian Johnson — Tariq Ashkanani, author of WELCOME TO COOPER A charmingly quirky protagonist, a bleakly vivid setting, and a cleverly plotted country house murder make for a brilliant read! Helle and Death is a beautifully written tribute to the golden age classics — Guy Morpuss, author of FIVE MINDS