Kalmann and the Sleeping Mountain by Joachim B. Schmidt

 Kalmann and the Sleeping Mountain

 by  Joachim B. Schmidt


Kalmann and the Sleeping Mountain by Joachim B. Schmidt was published on 18th July 2024 by Bitter Lemon Press and was translated by Jamie Lee Searle.

My thanks to the author, translator and publisher for sending me a copy to review and to Random Things Tours for inviting me to take part on the tour.




Synopsis

A NORDIC CRIME THRILLER WITH A DIFFERENCE. No gratuitous violence, no revenge porn, but a tightly plotted thriller that is chock full of humour. It is set in Washington DC and northern Iceland, both highly exotic locations. AN ENDEARING PROTAGONIST: Our mentally challenged hero, described with empathy and psychological tact, is faced with two murders and the threat of more to come. 

Kalmann is back! But he’s already in trouble; in an interrogation room at the FBI headquarters in Washington, no less. All he wanted to do was visit his American father, but the loveable sheriff of Raufarhöfn got himself mixed up in the January 2021 Capitol riots. Thanks to sympathetic FBI agent Dakota Leen, he’s soon on a plane home. But not before she informs him that his grandfather was on a blacklist, suspected of spying for the Russians during the Cold War. Back in Iceland, there’s a murder and one heck of a mystery to unravel. And what role does a mysterious mountain play in all this? Somehow Kalmann never loses heart. There’s no need to worry; he has everything under control.


My Review

For me this was a book I had to persevere with until I got my head around Kalmann's neurodiverse character and even then it took some time to get into his head and work within his autism and possible ADHD to get to know his character. once I had though I really started to get into the book . There are no major shocks it just moves gently fowards in either Washington or Iceland to develop the story and unravel the mystery of the murder and the link to the mysterious mountain. 

You do need to get yourself into "being" Kalmann to get the most out the book and the writing is straightforward and written in the way that a neurodiverse character would think and converse in. It is very clever with the thought processes, drawing away from conventionality, and engaging your brain in a different process for you to experience the humour and alternative look at life and its events . 

At the end of it you will possibly find yourself a far more rounded person with a greater understanding of how different peoples brains work and assimilate facts and information. You will also side with Kalmann in what he says and does on many occasions.

I really wish I had read Kalmann ( An Icelandic Mystery ) first as I would have found the book more engaging earlier on if I had known the character beforehand.  

I will however, be looking out for future books about Kalmann now that I understand how he thinks and works.

About the Author



Joachim B. Schmidt, born in 1981, emigrated from Switzerland to Iceland in 2007. He is the author of several novels and short stories and a journalist and columnist. Joachim, who is Swiss and Icelandic, lives in Reykjavik with his wife and their two children. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Delegate by Ali Carter

Image
The Delegate by Ali Carter   What a tangled web she weaved…   The Delegate by Ali Carter was  published on 29th November 2022 by Matador. My thanks to the author and publisher who sent me a copy and Random Book Tours for inviting me to take part on the tour.      Synopsis Charlotte… Having been sprung by Mafia family the Zandini’s on a day release the previous year, and managing to ‘despatch’ one of their enemies in New York (plus a few extras), ex killer G.P> Charlotte Peterson was now securely back inside Rampton high Security Hospital. However, her work was unfinished and a second escape quite out of the question. It was why she had the need of a delegate. A killer to complete a very important job…someone she’d control. Annie… She had found the perfect person in Annie. A woman who felt cheated. A woman who was mentally and emotionally scarred in exactly the same way Charlotte had been throughout her own life. Annie was fully ripe for manipulation in the worst way possible - and t
Read more

Tristan /Yseulte by Harry Bonelle

Image
 Tristan /Yseulte  by Harry Bonelle Tristan/ Yseult by Harry Bonelle  was published on 31st january 2024 by Unicorn. My thanks to the author and publisher for sending me a copy to review and to Random Things Tours  for inviting me to take part on the tour. Synopsis Tristan/Yseult is a narrative poem about the yearning for oneness in a world split into fragments. A duel on an empty island sets the course for one of the greatest romances ever told. As the lovers of legend meet, something new is born, and something eternal is revealed. Their names will forever be spoken as one. This modern retelling of Tristan and Yseult sheds a stark light on the beauty of the Celtic tale. “Harry Bonelle’s new version taps into the dark and furious energy of the old saga, surging and juddering with life. Bonelle’s actor’s training has encouraged him to liberate the performance piece that its original author must have intended. Thrilling on the page, but even more so spoken loud.” - Simon Callow My
Read more

My Father & Other Animals by Mike Kirby

Image
  My Father & Other Animals  by Mike Kirby  My Father & Other Animals was published in February 2024.  My thanks to Mike for sending me a copy  in return for an honest review. Synopsis My parents chose the Yorkshire Pennines – a tough place to pursue their dream of having their own farm. Dad, a man of many actions but few words, was as relentless as the farming seasons, and through long hours and lots of mud, sweat and tears, gradually carved out a living, slowly making real the vision that they shared. My Father and Other Animals tells the story of how this driven man, always hand in hand with Mum, and blessed with a unique understanding of his animals, brought their  farming dream to life, building a successful farming business against the backdrop of the South Yorkshire hills.  Together they raised  a family, blessing all four of their sons  with their  common sense and restless work ethic and love of being outdoors, working side by side as family It is about the harsh reali
Read more