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2014 Longlist

The Murder of Halland

Translated to English from the original Danish.

ABOUT
THE BOOK

Denmark’s foremost literary author turns crime fiction on its head.

Bess and Halland live in a small town, where everyone knows everyone else. When Halland is found murdered in the main square the police encounter only riddles. For Bess bereavement marks the start of a journey that leads her to a reassessment of first friends, then family.
If you like crime you won’t be disappointed. The book has all the right ingredients. A murder, a gun, an inspector, suspense. But the story strays far beyond the whodunit norm. In beautifully stark language Pia Juul manages to chart the phases of bereavement.

 

 

ABOUT
THE AUTHOR Pia
Juul

Pia Juul, born 1962, claims her place as one of Denmark’s foremost literary authors. She has published five books of poetry, two short story collections and two novels. The Murder of Halland was published in Danish in 2009 and has won Denmark’s most important literary prize, Den Danske Banks litteraturpris. Pia is the translator of Ali Smith and Alain de Botton into Danish.

Pia Juul, born 1962, claims her place as one of Denmark’s foremost literary authors. She has published five books of poetry, two short story collections and two novels. The Murder of Halland was published in Danish in 2009 and has won Denmark’s most important literary prize, Den Danske Banks litteraturpris. Pia is the translator of Ali Smith and Alain de Botton into Danish.

NOMINATING LIBRARY COMMENTS

In her novel Pia Juul uses the form of the traditional crime fiction to show that analysis and intellectual investigation don’t reveal the real mystery and complexity of human life and existence.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Date published
01/06/2012
Country
Denmark
Original Language
Danish
Author
Publisher
Peirene Press Ltd.
Translator
Martin Aitken
Translation
Translated to English from the original Danish.

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