2024
CLUE #1
Cecilia lives at The Pearl, a guesthouse run by her dad in the idyllic small town of Schooner Cove. When Cecilia and her friends Leo, Une, and Une’s dog Egon get wind of the fact that some mysterious characters are staying in the grand old house, there is no stopping the gang from embarking on a sleuthing adventure fraught with thrills and danger. And as a man is found dead on the beach, the strangers’ connection to the man is gradually brought to light. Taking the investigation into their own hands, the four friends uncover a complex crime involving shadowy figures, shipwrecks, and big money – not to mention one creepy salamander.
The key phrase in Jørn Lier Horst’s first installment in the CLUE series, The Salamander Mystery, is “All we know is that we know nothing.” The quote is ascribed to the famous Greek philosopher Socrates, credited as one of the founders of Western philosophy. Socrates’ views on morals form a red thread throughout The Salamander Mystery, where readers are given the opportunity to effortlessly learn more about his philosophy and moral dilemmas as they try to solve the case together with the CLUE gang.
“The Salamander Mystery” is a skillfully nostalgic look back at the children’s book series of old. /.../ The prose flows beautifully, the plot is tight and loaded with suspense, the clues are cleverly spersed out and unwound without shortcuts.
The suspense is built on solid cornerstones, a simple and expert language /.../ Throughout, a different side of everyday police life is tied into the story: ethical and philosophical questions. A device that seems both natural and at the same time gives the story new depth. Engrossing and realistic.
“The Salamander Mystery” is a hair-raising sleuth novel with a fascinating crime. The author succeeds in keeping the suspense alive throughout the book, and when the conclusion draws near it’s full of drama and thrills. /.../ This is a read-in-one-sitting book for all crime fiction fans!
Jørn Lier Horst
Anton Soggiu
