A thrilling read which kept me turning the pages, characters you care for and just brilliantly written. Great novel!!

*Many thanks to Graham Brack, Sapere Books and Netgally for providing me with ARC in exchange for my honest review.*
I found the second book with Lieutenant Josef Slonsky even more entertaining than the first one. The cold case that is reopened after an unexpected visit by a long-retired policeman has a potential which is nicely developed. The efforts to pursuit real murderers of a teenage girl undertaken by Slonsky & his team are rewarded due to the fact that even though Slonsky appears to be relaxed, he knows how to apply his experience when necessary. The plot is interesting, however, I enjoyed Josef's wisdom and his sense of humor most, and that was the best bit for me. The Author seems to be an expert regarding police work in Czechoslovakia, well before the Fall of the Berlin Wall, and skillfully weaves the story.

Thank you to NetGalley, Sapere Books and the author for an ARC of the book in exchange for my honest review.
The book was well written with a good plot and relatable characters. I wasn't aware this was book 2 in a series but still enjoyable.

4.5★
“‘I wish it had never happened,’ replied Slonský, ‘but your husband made his bed and now he has to lie in it. All we’re doing is turning the sheets down.’”

Another entertaining escapade with the rumpled Czech detective Josef Slonský. He’s close to retirement age and sailing a bit too close to the wind as far his captain’s standards of office hours and attire.

“. . . Slonský erupted into the room with the appearance of a man who had dressed himself by letting his wardrobe topple over onto him.”

Slonský is approached by a retired police officer about something that happened thirty years ago, and it seems a lot of the details don’t add up. People have been transferred, reports may have been altered, and then the old officer is suddenly the target of a hit and run.

There are a lot of Czech and Slovak references which are interesting and help explain motives and the history of what’s been happening behind the scenes. It's a nice change from other series for me.

Much of that revolves around the StB, the Communist plainclothes secret police that were in Czechoslovakia from 1945 to 1990. As with most secret police, nobody wanted to be drawn to their attention. Lie low, stay out of harm’s way.

Slonský maintains his usual pace.

“Since time was of the essence during a murder enquiry he restricted his coffee break to twenty minutes, during which he fortified the inner man with a párek, having been bewitched by the smell of sausage when attempting to walk past the stall.”

It begins to look like the old hit-and-run victim knew what he was talking about, so between his stops for coffee and pastries, Slonský pursues the case, which at one point necessitates an overnight trip on which he needs to take a young woman trainee recently assigned to the department. His captain worries.

“‘That means two hotel rooms.’

‘We could always share, sir, but she may snore.’

‘Slonský! There is no question of your sharing a room, under any circumstances. Do I make myself clear?’

‘Perfectly, sir. Thank you — she’s a fit young woman and I’m not sure I’d be able to fight her off if she jumped on me.’

A tiny smile flickered on Lukas’ face. ‘I think the expression I’m looking for is “in your dreams”, Slonský.’

‘You may be right, sir, though I don’t have those dreams any more.’”

At another time, when he’s educating young Navrátil about Czech women, Navrátil responds with

“‘Sir, you can teach me about a lot of things, but I’m not sure you’re an authority on Czech women. After all, you’ve been divorced a long time.’

‘I haven’t played hockey for thirty years but I still know what a goal looks like.’”

A good mystery that again sees our rumpled detective pointing the finger of suspicion right at the topmost echelons of government and law enforcement. He worries (and I worry) that he will be forced into retirement, due to his unorthodox ways.

But he catches the bad guys in his own, unparalleled fashion, and we know he continues to fight the good fight another day – with a sausage in one hand and a beer in the other, of course!

I look forward to following his exploits and learning more about Eastern Europe, about which I am abysmally ignorant.

Thanks for the preview copy from NetGalley and Sapere Books.

Thankyou to NetGalley, Sapere Books and the author, Graham Brack, for the opportunity to read a digital copy of Slaughter and Forgetting in exchange for an honest, unbiased opinion.
I thought the storyline was well written and offered a good read.

Slaughter and Forgetting is the second book in the Josef Slonsky series by Graham Brack and it is another very enjoyable read.

The Lieutenant and his two young trainees are faced with a 30 year cold case after a visit from a retired police officer but how can you investigate a crime that is from another era and in reality another country completely. .

The book is well written with the trademark light humour which the investigation proceeds at a good pace.

This is becoming one of my favourite series and is highly recommended.

‘I’ll tell you the story as I knew it. That doesn’t mean that it’s right, just that it’s what I heard or saw.’

Prague, Czech Republic. Edvard Holoubek, an elderly former detective, approaches Lieutenant Josef Slonský about a miscarriage of justice. Thirty years ago, Lubomir Bartoš was hanged for the murder of Jana Válková, a crime that Edvard Holoubek was certain that Lubomir Bartoš did not commit. Holoubek has information which he provides to Slonský. Slonský is not hopeful that he’ll be able to have the case reopened, until Holoubek is murdered in what could be a deliberate hit and run accident.

So, Slonský, his partner Navrátil and a new addition to the team, Peiperova, start to investigate.
Who murdered Jana Válková? Why was Lubomir Bartoš hanged for a murder he could not have committed?
Those of us who’ve read the first book in the series just know that Slonský, appropriately fuelled with food and drink, will solve the case. Black humour, witty observations, and dogged investigation are all part of the Slonský style.

‘Always assume that I’m completely ignorant, then make it your job to ensure that I’m not ignorant.’

This is the second book in the Josef Slonský investigations series. I’m enjoying the characters and am finding the cases interesting. We learn a bit more about Slonský’s past in this novel, and both Peiperova and Navrátil are great additions to the team.

‘Actually, those of us who lived through Communism know that the past can be rewritten any number of times but your future depends on things you can’t change.’

Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Sapere for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes. I’ve since bought my own copy, and am looking forward to the third instalment.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

Fun read. The lead character reminds me of Bill Slider - except with Czech names. A bit predictable but good reading