I really enjoy reading mysteries, and my favorite ones are ones set in foreign countries. I guess I feel like I get to see the country the way someone visiting for a long time would, not just like a tourist. You see the lives, generally, of ordinary people; you see them dealing with violence and grief; you see them dealing with authority and what that relationship is like as well.

Below, I’ve listed some international mysteries that I’ve particularly enjoyed recently – or, in some cases, the first book of a series that I think is very good. I hope you’ll check some of them out – library books are, without a doubt, the cheapest way to travel!

All the summaries below are taken from our catalog unless otherwise noted.

Palm Beach, Finland by Antti Tuomainen

Summary: “Sex, lies and ill-fitting swimwear … Sun Protection Factor 100. Jan Nyman, the ace detective of the covert operations unit of the National Central Police, is sent to a sleepy seaside town to investigate a mysterious death. Nyman arrives in the town dominated by a bizarre holiday village – the ‘hottest beach in Finland’. The suspect: Olivia Koski, who has only recently returned to her old hometown. The mission: find out what happened, by any means necessary” – provided by publisher.