How timely this book remains! First published a couple of years ago, the droll portrait of America stand in sharp view even in today's world. Funny and descriptive, this book is much more than a crime novel. This is one not to be missed!

Mystery novel with the setting being Norway and upstate New York, the main protagonist being a Norwegian police woman getting over her shooting of a armed man, her brother wanted for questioning in the death of his girlfriend in the U.S., a U.S. sheriff looking to preserve the peace, all set against the backdrop of America's racial tensions and the 2008 U.S. presidential election. Good story, would read more by this author.

I thought I would miss Sheldon Horowitz, but Sigrid Ødegård made me forget about the beloved character that drove the action forward in the first book. The plot was interesting, but my favorite parts where when Sigrid compared law enforcement in her country with law enforcement in the U.S. Brilliant!

This novel is a sequel to Norwegian By Night, but is a stand alone story. Let me start by saying I gave my review of Norwegian by Night 5 stars. I loved that book and hope that someday it gets made into a movie. I do not think I would have enjoyed this book very much if I had not read the prior book. It only "hooked me" because of the interaction between two main characters, Sigrid, a Norwegian policewoman and Irv, an American policeman. The book is constructed around the disappearance of Sigrid's brother Marcus in rural upstate New York. Sigrid takes leave from her job and flies to New York to get to the bottom of his disappearance. But the REAL story for me was Sigrid's and Irv's. The author is a master at character development, so my big disappointment in this book was that I failed to connect with Marcus. I enjoyed Miller's wry humor that frequently referenced serious subjects. I would have given the story another star if I had connected with Marcus, but I did not.

Oh, Derek B. Miller, it's good to know you've still got it, that incredible ability to take serious, tough topics like suicide, cancer, depression, grief and loneliness, politics and prejudice, and put them into a story that is deep, yes, but lots of fun too. Loved it!

I adored Norwegian By Night (5 stars also), so this sequel had a lot of expectations to live up to; and it managed to make me feel happy, sad, and even a little more intelligent because Miller's writing covers some heavy topics that make you really think. These are all the same feelings I had with NBN, so this book met and surpassed my expectations.

We get to know Sigrid Odegard much better here, and the New York sheriff Irving Wylie who is trying to help her find her brother is a wonderful character. Miller creates lonely, quirky souls who worm their way into your very heart.

In this town in upstate New York, an African American boy named Jeffrey was shot by a policeman who believed Jeffrey's toy gun was real. The cop was exonerated. His Aunt Lydia is dating Sigrid's brother Marcus, and Lydia is soon found dead outside a construction site, having fallen 6 floors. Whether she was pushed by Marcus, now missing, and if there was any connection between the two deaths is what Sheriff Wylie wants to know; and Sigrid intends to find her brother before the authorities do. She is much more wiley than Sheriff Wylie, but quite a pair they do make. The ending might make you cry.

An ebook from NetGalley and HMH.

After being completely captivated by Norwegian by Night I had great expectations. Unfortunately, setting up American by Day with Sigrid's backstory made for a bit of a slow start and a not terribly compelling narrative.

In this follow-up to Norwegian by Night, Miller takes on a journey to middle America as seen through Norwegian eyes and the resulting picture is just as full of quirky characters and situations as in his previous novel.

Sigrid Ødegård was hoping to spend time recovering from the events at the close of the previous novel, visiting her father’s farm, but instead her father sends her off to America to find her missing brother, Marcus. When she arrives in the small New York college town where Marcus has been teaching she finds that he disappeared after the death of his lover, college professor Lydia Jones and is now wanted by the local Sheriff, cowboy boot wearing Irving Wylie, in connection with her death.

As a Norwegian, Sigrid is able to look at America with outsider’s eyes and see the weirdness that has been allowed to develop. A country where gun ownership is valued more than people’s lives, where a child can be shot by a police officer while playing with his friends without recrimination and where racial inequality still thrives. Through her wry observation and logic, Sigrid is able to point out these differences without causing offense. Such as when she is discussing the number of police killed by guns (a rare event in Norway) with Melinda, a young female police officer, she states that despite a high level of gun ownership for hunting, there is almost no gun violence because fundamentally Norwegians do not want to shoot each other.

Sigrid is also fascinated by the American system of voting Sheriffs into office and the influence that politics and politicians, rather than justice, can have on policing. Sheriff Wallace (‘Irv’) is fascinating to her in his cowboy boots and laid back manner that camouflage his sharp wit and intelligence. Irv is also fascinated by Sigrid, as there are few female cops in the higher ranks in the US, particularly in small towns. Together they make a fine partnership of contrasting styles as they go off in search of Marcus.

The novel is full of quirky and inventive scenes, mostly of Sigrid’s making (such as her interactions with the local bikie gang and later the special response team sent to arrest Marcus) and is a joy to read from start to finish. In American by Day Miller has written an excellent literary thriller, on a par with the superb Norwegian by Night.

Derek Miller is brilliant! AMERICAN BY DAY is an amazing character study and intricate work of fiction. Yes, it is also a mystery, but that is not the most compelling aspect of the book, although it did pull me along. Sigrid is fascinating and the writing is superb. I can hardly wait for Miller's next book!

I will begin my review by saying that when I finished Derek B. Miller’s American by Day, I saw it more as a piece of fiction than a boxed-up mystery. A Norwegian cop travels to the United States to find her missing brother. Ok, fish-out-of-water tale where the Scandinavian is going to teach the Americans a thing or two about police work… somewhat yes, but in a lot of ways absolutely not. American by Day is a touchingly serious, yet amusing convergence of race, politics, truth, and love.

Recently exonerated in the shooting death of a subject, Sigrid travels a couple hours north of Oslo to see her father, only to find that his correspondence with his son Marcus has abruptly stopped. He wants his daughter to fly to upstate New York immediately. She arrives in Watertown, NY, discovers her brother’s African-American girlfriend has recently died under suspicious circumstances. Sigrid knows that her brother needs her help.

Miller’s main character values deduction and logic, and has an encyclopedic knowledge of criminal theory and police procedure. Her honed instinct is constantly tested by the shrewd theologian sheriff in Watertown. They trade barbs and philosophy about cultural differences and why Americans are the way we are… At first I thought some of these passages were heavy-handed, but after finishing the novel I see them as necessary. They are an exploration of race in American that was unavoidable especially in the context of the 2008 presidential election.

American by Day is an exceptional novel that also has elements of a mystery. That’s the best way I can put it. Like I stated before, this is not a book you can easily categorize or create simple expectations for. Miller takes on serious topics, yet keeps it light with his smart writing and wit.

Thank you to NetGalley, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, and Derek B. Miller for the copy of this book to review.

It’s early in the year, but I’m certain that “American by Day” will be on my 2018 top ten list for literary crime fiction. Derek Miller is a brilliant writer and storyteller, and for that alone I would recommend this book. But that is only part of the reason I loved this book. I appreciate hearing reasoned opinions and ideas about social and political issues in the US from non-US residents, and the observations and commentary of Miller were revealing and insightful, particularly about institutional racism, economic inequality, the proliferation of guns and the lack of reasonable gun control laws, and misconceptions about what constitutes freedom. In addition, Miller perfectly leavens dark drama with dry wit and very funny comments and conversations. (Now I know one of the reasons some men wear cowboy boots!) The characters are believable and deeply developed and I found myself wanting to spend time with them. I highly recommend “American by Day” and though it can easily be read as a stand-alone, I strongly encourage reading the first book in the series “Norwegian by Night” because it’s just as exceptional.

My review was posted on Goodreads on 4/20/18.

I don't read a lot of mysteries (and I am not sure this completely qualifies as one), but this was excellent. Plenty of commentary on the USA and a gripping story. I'll go back and read the first book in the series.

After I notoriously did not care much for [book:Norwegian by Night|15775210], unlike the rest of my book club, I was a bit hesitant to pick up the sequel. But I was interested in the idea that it was about a periphery character in the first novel, one I didn't like all that much, the female Norwegian cop, but focusing on her journey to upstate New York to try to find her brother. It's lucky she did because he is a suspect in a murder case and people are closing in. (Also lucky because he is an adjunct professor and could never afford to defend himself.)

I liked her personal journey, questioning herself about the man she shot and killed, which of course in Norway is hugely rare. I liked the discussions about police shootings in the United States but it all had a distasteful tinge of white people sitting around talking about race instead of actually including anyone they're talking about (except as victims of shootings) so ... I am not sure that is helping anything. There's some in here about mental health and privilege too.

If this series continues I'm guessing the American sheriff might be the next main character, as he has some complexities to him, such as wearing cowboy boots so people make the wrong assumptions, but really he has degrees in theology and other things like that. The setting is ripe for more stories, a small upstate town with no major industry anymore, lots of poverty and drugs. It would be nice to see this play out through characters who actually live there rather than these random Norwegians that the author keeps wanting to write about.

Sigrid's come to the US from Norway to find her brother, who has been accused in the death of his lover and she finds some interesting characters along the way. Miller has used this novel to expound, sometimes too much, on the state of policing, guns, and race in the US. That said, I very much enjoyed this novel, chiefly because of the characters. Irv, the sheriff, is a hoot- an unexpectedly wise and smart man who is a match for Sigrid in more ways than one. You'll also find yourself rooting for Deputy Sheriff Melinda. Marcus remains, even at the end, a bit of a cipher, although I appreciated that Miller didn't go deep into the reason behind his guilt until far into the story. There's some biting commentary on food in the US (Cheesecake Factory figures in) and a cameo with a movie star. Thanks to Netgalley for the ArC. This is hard to categorize as it's not a procedural or a mystery really even though it has elements of both. It is, however, definitely a good read.

Skillfully written: The narrative is tighly woven and allows the tale to extend beyond the core characters and events without losing a sense of cohesion. Timely and profound themes are redemptively levened with delightful humor and winning characters. The resolution to the story is deeply satisfying without being facile or superficial.

That's all a lot of words just to say: You'll want to read this one.
Better, in my opinion, than the first, Norwegian by Night, though the pair is different. Having read that first book helps somewhat to ground this second story, but American by Day works wonderfully as a stand-alone.

Sigrid Ødegård and Irving Wiley are two police officials who provide the witty banter that makes this novel so enjoyable to read. Sigrid and Irv represent opinions of Norway and the USA, individualism versus collaboration. Sigrid makes an excellent argument against gun ownership, arguing that USA individualism as the reason why guns are so prolific. Americans don't talk to each other. Sigrid and Irv also discuss the issues of power and authority. It seemed as if Michel Foucault informed much of that argument and Irv even accuses Sigrid of reading too much de Tocqueville. The two law enforcement officials are highly educated, and their arguments made this new novel quite enjoyable.

I haven't read Derek B. Miller's NORWEGIAN BY NIGHT, but I don't think that took away anything from the impact of this new story. Ingrid has traveled from Oslo, Norway to Watertown, NY to find her brother who may be in trouble. The siblings haven't been close in many years, but their father is concerned about Marcus and convinces Sigrid that she can make a short trip over to the US, find Marcus, and bring him home. Thus, we get the Norwegian perspective of the USA. Sigrid has a good dose of culture shock and about the only positive thing she can see about Watertown is that the prices at Target and the local liquor store are unbelievably low. I do tire of reading the creative ways to describe the obesity epidemic, but DBM is equal in his description of men and women in that regard.

Politically, it is a dangerous time in the USA. DBM gets that and the whole issue of American's fall from grace quite succinctly. AMERICAN BY DAY is a novel that will thrill suspense readers as well as those who care about why Americans are in deep trouble.

Thank you, NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for the opportunity to read this ARC.

We last left Sigrid in [book:Norwegian by Night|15775210], after the end of a case that seriously impacted her professionally and personally. In this outing Sigrid comes to Jefferson County in search of her brother, at the request of her father. She finds her brother wanted by the police in the mysterious death of a black woman. She meets Irving Wiley, former divinity student, now elected Sheriff of the County where the death occurred. She also gets a first hand look at race relations and other oddities of a country that shares little with her home country of Norway.

I love this author's writing style, amusing at times, witty, but incredibly insightful. His characters are well rounded, very different people, and Wiley is one of the best new characters invented in my many reads. He is honest, can quote scripture with the best of them and can be impassioned in his arguments, but he is also able to balance his communities needs, finding novel ways to tamper down tensions. Using Sigrid, the author shows us the many ways Norway differs from the USA., Showing us how little some of the things happening here make little sense. I liked this aspect of the novel, but can see where some readers might not. Sigrid herself is loyal, clever, and not above voicing her opinion.

This a a great mix of story and character. Will appeal to those who do not like mysteries, simply because this is so much more. It is also character driven and somewhat of a social commentary. This is an author I have come to love, all three of his books for me have been fantastic reading experiences.
Can't wait to see where he takes us next.

ARC from Netgalley.

I enjoyed Norwegian By Night, so, naturally, I was excited to pick up the second book in the series. I was not disappointed! This installment was even better than the first. After the final events of NBN (you can read this book as a stand-alone, but the ending of the first book is spoiled at the beginning of the second), our detective finds herself going to America to look for her brother who hasn’t been heard from for several weeks. This book has an outsider view of America which adds a dimension to the story. Highly recommend the series.

A Norwegian police officer, on leave following her involvement in a shooting, travels to the United States to find her brother who has disappeared in upstate New York. He is wanted by the local police for questioning when his African American girlfriend plunges to her death shortly after a jury exonerates the white police officer who shot and killed her nephew while he was playing with friends.

I really enjoyed this book. Miller’s biting observations of American life, its excesses and quirks, along with unorthodox characters were rollicking good fun. Yet, he was also able to present a searing critique of the brutality of inequality and racism in our society. I highly recommend this book.

This is the welcome follow-up of Norway by Night and continues the story of Sigrid Odegard, the detective from the earlier book, although it certainly stands alone. Sigrid is having a difficult time recovering from the violent outcome of her earlier case and is on a leave of absence from her job. This is fortunate, because her brother Marcus has gone missing in the United States, and her father has bought her a plane ticket to go find him. Sigrid learns that her brother disappeared following the suspicious death of his girlfriend, a PhD African American professor in upstate New York, and in fact Marcus is the prime suspect in her murder. Along the way, Sigrid meets the local sheriff, and after a rocky start the two of them work together to try to find Marcus in the wilderness before an over-zealous swat team does. The detective work and suspense in this book make it a page-turner, the procedural insights add a fascinating dimension, and the character development and fine writing elevate it to literary fiction. Readers will be eager for the next installment.

Sigrid Ødegård, the Norwegian police officer in command of the emergency response force from the dramatic ending of NORWEGIAN BY NIGHT, travels to the United States at her father's request to find Marcus, her missing older brother. Marcus had fled his adjunct professor position and his home in upstate New York following the suspicious death of his girlfriend, Dr. Lydia Jones. Sigrid reluctantly joins forces with Sheriff Irving Wylie, who has a master's degree in divinity from Harvard, to find Marcus, fearing the worst. Sigrid is no Sheldon Horowitz, but she comes close.