My first foray into the Josef Slonsky series with and it was certainly a hit with me. A sexually abused young girl is found dead ion the banks of the Vltava River in Prague and Captain Josef Slonsky is called upon to solve the case. A man who loves his beer, pastries, and a healthy dose of sausages, the unorthodox captain has his unique way of working the system, leading his young team of Jan Navratil and Kristyna Peiperova, and guiding the investigation through agile thinking and old-fashioned digging. Throw in a parallel “subplot” to provide the reader a bit of a breath, and you have a thriller that keeps moving in plot and dialogue with a myriad of well developed characters that all contribute to a satisfying read. Talking about dialogue - there are some great lines - generally straight from the lips of Slonsky - witty, wry, and clever - what a character!I like that along the way we get to know a bit about Prague and the surrounding areas replete with interesting people (including Navratil’s mother!), a glimpse into navigating the halls of the Czech police organization, and a window into life in the Czech Republic. A recommended read for sure and will check out the other books in this series. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

3.5 stars

In this 5th book in the 'Josef Slonský' international thriller series, the detective investigates the death of a young girl. The book can be read as a standalone.

*****

Newly promoted Captain Josef Slonský of the Czech Criminal Police has two main interests in life: solving his cases and filling his stomach - usually with beer and sausages or coffee and pastries.

Slonský's team has been severely depleted because of transfers and suspensions, but he still has three detectives, including Jan Navrátil - his personal protégé. Slonský also gets part-time assistance from his former officer, Kristýna Peiperová - who's been temporarily seconded to Colonel Urban, the Director of Criminal Police.

It so happens that Navrátil and Peiperová are engaged to be married, and Slonský feels he has to keep a close eye on them, to forestall excessive canoodling on the job. 💞

Slonský knows he needs to supplement his detective ranks - and increase the number of women on his squad - so he uses innovative (and sneaky) techniques to get exactly who he wants. Slonský's maneuvers in this regard are quite entertaining, as are his frequent stops at canteens and cafes, where he (constantly) 'replenishes his energy.'

Slonsky needs good cops because he has an especially troubling case. The body of a ten-year-old girl, showing signs of long term sexual abuse, has been fished out of the Vlatava River.

DNA evidence shows that this is a girl who disappeared seven years ago, when she was three-years-old. The toddler vanished from her nursery school at dismissal time - while her mother was waiting out front to pick her up.

Slonský learns that the original investigation of the girl's disappearance was shoddy at best, and the nursery school director was more interested in covering her butt than helping the police.

While Slonský and his crew are investigating the case of the dead girl - which includes a probe into her original disappearance - Slonský gives himself an additional job. Slonský's been expecting to get Officer Kristýna Peiperová back for good when Colonel Urban is promoted to Director of Police for the Czech Republic. However, it's starting to look like a different administrator - with important government connections - will get the job. So Slonský recruits some police buddies to help him rectify the situation. Once again, Slonský's clever strategies are on display.

Slonský and his detectives have to interview people all over Czechoslovakia to solve their homicide case, and they learn some disturbing things along the way.....but they're successful in the end. We also get a peek into the personal lives of the main characters, which adds to the book's interest.

This is a fun suspense novel, with an interesting setting and an engaging lead detective. Fans of humorous mysteries would probably enjoy this book.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author (Graham Brack), and the publisher (Sapere Books) for a copy of the book.

‘She’s a missing person we never found.’

The body of a young girl is found on the banks of the River Vlatava. But no-one has reported her missing. Fortunately, newly promoted Captain Josef Slonský is on the case, and he won’t let staff shortages get in the way of solving this case. Kristýna Peiperová may be on a one-year assignment elsewhere in the police force, but Slonský is able to negotiate for her to (temporarily at least) rejoin him and (her fiancé) Jan Navrátil to work on the case.

In the meantime, there are internal police matters to deal with and Slonský has some domestic issues as well. Clearly the life of a Czech policeman never runs smoothly. Slonský is resourceful, and Peiperová and Navrátil have become used to the way he works: frequent stops for pastries and coffee or beer and sausages are required.

But what happened to the young girl? DNA matches lead them to an old, cold case. Finding out the identity of the girl leads the team into a dark, unsettling mystery. And while Slonský and the team try to solve the girl’s grim case, their various domestic situations provide some lighter (mostly) relief. Slonský, in his usual ingenious way, manages to recruit a new member for his team and solve a few administrative ‘problems’ as well. Is there nothing that Slonský can’t achieve once he puts his mind to it? Well, he may not yet have worked out his relationship with his (ex) wife, Vera.

This is the fifth entry into the Josef Slonský series, and it is every bit as good as the previous four. Yes, you could read this as a standalone, but I strongly recommend reading the novels in order. While the case being investigated is independent of the earlier books, the characters continue to develop, and the backstory is important.

Highly recommended. I hope there will be further instalments.

Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Sapere Books for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

I love this book; the policemen are witty, intelligent, very likable! It was hard dealing with the abuse of the child, the best way this new author I have found, and am very impressed with; deal with it is in the Hitchconian way! You never see it while it is happening, you have a witness to it. Therefore, this is much easier to deal with the ugliness; the writer gives us humor to offset it, and it works!
I love the lead Detective, he is a hoot! The two young people are like what our parents, or grandparents would have been like; their morals are in place! I love the entire book, the policeman; you want to be friends with them or work with them; they great characters to hang around with! I cannot wait for the next book!
I highly recommend! Thank you Netgalley!
carolintallahassee.com

This is my first introduction to this brilliantly humorous Josef Slonsky series by Graham Brack, set in Prague in the Czech Republic. This is the fifth addition to the series, so I had to quickly familiarise myself with a wide group of diverse characters, but that was fine as I had a ball getting to know them. I only wish I had been there at the beginning but I found this worked reasonably fine as a standalone. Slonsky has managed to evade promotion but it has caught up with him as he is now Captain in a rapidly depleted police department. He arrives at the scene of a recovery of a murdered 10 year old girl from the River Vlatava. The odd thing is that no such girl has been reported missing, and it is clearly that the well dressed child has been abused for some time. What is even stranger is that a DNA test identifies the girl as having disappeared at the age of 3 from a nursery in a small town not far from Prague.

A livid Slonsky unearths the alarming fact that the local police at the time conducted a woefully incompetent inquiry that suspected the innocent parents, and that the head of the nursery was more concerned about avoiding blame, leading the police astray initially. However, since the girl had been killed recently, what happened to her in the intervening years? Slonsky is feeling the absence of Kristyna Peiperova, more specifically her competence and efficiency, she is engaged to the fine and morally upstanding detective Jan Navratil, a man Slonsky has trained himself. Kristyna has been seconded as personal assistant on a temporary basis to their boss, Urban, until he is promoted to the post of Director of Police. However, there is a fly in the ointment as the minister of the interior has another candidate in mind, a man that no-one in the police service can stomach. Slonsky sees it as his duty to avoid this calamity and springs into action, involving Major Rajka, the head of the office of internal inspections, in his machinations. Amidst the humour and comic wit, the police team work hard to get to the bottom of a the dark twisted mystery of child abduction, abuse and murder.

Amidst my delight at discovering another stellar crime series, there was a part of me that groaned. There are so many wonderful series to follow...oh, well, such is the lot of the avid reader. I adored the character of Slonsky, the sausage eating and beer drinking police officer, bright, prone to flashes of intuitive insights that prove to be crucial to investigations, not to mention in his adroit manipulation of HR diversity goals and his political machinations at the highest levels. One of the highlights of this novel is the fabulous team he is surrounded with, apart from Kristyn and Jan, there are others, such as the able desk Sergeant Mucha and includes retired police officers too! If you are not yet acquainted with this endearing and hilarious police series, I suggest you rectify this as soon as possible and pay a visit to Prague, you will not regret it. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Sapere Books for an ARC.

4.5★
“Peiperová turned off and pulled up by the side of the road to get the exact address. ‘Sir?’

‘I’m not asleep. Just resting my eyes.’

‘So who was snoring, then?’

‘It wasn’t me, because I wasn’t asleep, so it must have been you. I’ve warned you before about cat-napping at the wheel.’ ”

How delightful to find that the lovely Kristýna Peiperová is back in action with my favourite Czech detective, Captain Josef Slonský, not to mention also working with her earnest young fiancé, Jan Navrátil, Slonský’s off-sider. They are now used to the boss’s frequent stops for coffee and pastry when he’s “feeling deficient in sugar” or beer and sausages when his brain needs “the cogs oiled”.

She’d been assigned to another position, but with the musical chairs happening in the police service, Slonský finds himself very short-handed in his new role as Captain. There are vacancies above and below him, and one of the plot threads follows his investigation of questionable practices by a candidate he doesn’t care for in an old case.

“Dostál had some depressingly weird ideas about doing things by the book, by which he meant a book that he got to write and revise at will.
. . .
‘Dr Pilik thinks Dostál is just what the police service needs to shake them up.’

‘We’re a law enforcement agency, not a cocktail.’ ”

The main case, however is seeking information about the body of a young girl found in the river. Who and why? Nobody has reported her missing. Good old DNA sets them off to question people about a cold case from several years ago. A witness is less than cooperative.

“ ‘I must protest! This is most unfair. I can’t be expected to recall these events at a moment’s notice.’

‘Oddly, that’s the way the police work. We tend to find that if we give witnesses notice of our questions their answers tend to be less useful than we are entitled to expect. So, I repeat, when did you become aware that she had gone missing?’ ”

There is always the wonderful undercurrent of private lives, with Slonský’s estranged wife, Vera, trying to worm her way back into his good books by letting herself into his flat, cleaning and cooking. And of course the young lovers – (no, NOT lovers, because Navrátil is saving himself for marriage) – are teased mercilessly by their Captain. She is a very smart cookie, and he is equally bright but less sure of himself.

There is a lot of banter, which makes for a very agreeable break from the grimness of the little girl’s story. There is also plenty of police politics, and I imagine this translates easily to police and other agencies around the world.

Slonský’s office is very understaffed and has more men than women (no surprises there).

“The faces turned towards him alerted Slonský to the ringing of his mobile phone. He did not recognise the number but answered it anyway.

‘Velner. I work in Human Resources.’

‘Good for you. I’m glad somebody does,’ Slonský replied.”

They discuss diversity, equality and the applicant list.

“ ‘A female would give you more balance.’

‘This is a police department, not a damn trapeze act.’ ”

He’s an old dog learning new tricks, which is always entertaining. He’s also a cunning old dog who knows the old ones, which makes for good criminal investigations, which is what I think these are. It’s also fun watching him teach the young ones, affectionate jokes and all.

I enjoy this series and I enjoy my short virtual visits to the Czech Republic. I will add one final section about Navrátil’s mother, when he’s taking Peiperová home to his mother’s for the weekend. (Incidentally, they are nearly always referred to by their last names.) You must remember that he is a very strait-laced young man, to the point that Slonský thinks this about them.

“God knows what any child they produced would be like — if Navrátil ever overcame his scruples and decided that sex after marriage was permitted.”

He certainly didn’t get his scruples from his mother!

“Mrs Navrátilová was still up when they finally arrived. . . On this particular Friday evening she quickly turned off a film about lesbian vampires when she heard the key in the lock, preferring to be found watching a documentary about Slovakian nuns who made and sold their own honey.”
. . .

[His mother has offered them the use of her big bed while she uses his old single.]

“Navrátil finally managed to hiss ‘We’re not married’ at his mother.

‘I know, but there’s no harm in a cuddle. When I was a girl if you had to share a bed with a boy they put a line of pillows down the middle of the bed to keep you apart.’

‘And suppose I’m overcome by passion?’ Navrátil protested.

You’re bright young folks,’ said his mother. ‘I hope one of you would have the wit to throw the pillows away.’ ”

You gotta love her! And the good captain and his force. I’m hoping the author continues to take us with him to enjoy the beer and sausages and coffee and pastries in the next book!

Thanks to the author and Sapere Books and NetGalley for the preview copy from which I couldn’t resist quoting. If anything has changed in the final edition, what a pity. I like it the way it is!

Quick, hide the sausages…..Slonský is back. Cop Josef Slonský has been strolling Prague’s mean streets for decades, keeping a sharp eye out for criminal activity & pastry shops. Lord knows his bosses have tried to get him to retire but he refused. Well, they got even. He’s been promoted.

He’s OK with the title. Captain Slonský has a certain ring to it. But he’s less enamoured with the responsibilities that go with. To make matters worse, one of his team has been seconded to the director & he’s fighting budget cuts to get a replacement. Luckily he still has Officer Jan Navrátil, his long suffering sidekick.

But he won’t be behind a desk for long. The body of a young girl is found floating in the Vltava. She looks about 10 years old & is well dressed. They need to identify her which leads to the first question. Why has no one reported her missing? The answer may lie with the autopsy that reveals she wasn’t so well cared for after all.

The mystery soon takes a surprising turn when they discover who she is. There’s a dark side to the story as Slonský & Navrátil piece together the details of her short, grim life & those who let her down.

This is a great entry in what is a consistently well written & entertaining series. There are serious crimes here that are nicely balanced by dry humour & witty dialogue. Slonský is the star of the show, which he would think is only right. He’s deceptively clever & much of the fun comes from watching him slyly manipulate those around him. Most are blissfully unaware they’ve helped him subvert the rules as he bulldozes his way through the investigation. But his personal life? Well, that’s another story. Thirty-six years ago, his wife Vera left him for another man. When the divorce papers arrived, he signed them. Now she’s come back to tell him she didn’t. What?

He’s surrounded by a great cast. Navrátil is really coming into his own & I was happy to see germaphobe Major Klinger of the Fraud Squad put in an appearance. During the investigation we run into a variety of colourful/heinous characters & there are hints a couple may be joining the team in future outings. It’s a quick, twisty read that keeps you guessing & I look forward to joining Slonský in his next search for justice & the perfect sausage.

Josef Slonský has just been named Captain of Prague’s Criminal Police division and his first case since his promotion is a heartbreaking one. A young girl is found dead in the river and it appears she was also a victim of abuse long before her death. Slonský’s team is short-handed, and in addition to the murder case, Slonský also has to do whatever it takes to keep a hard-nosed micromanager from becoming his new boss.

Once again Slonský uses unorthodox ways to staff and run his team. He has always seen himself as a loner, but his direct reports Navratil and Peiperova, as well as the desk sergeant Mucha and the journalist Valentin like and respect him. I love seeing this group work together, whether it’s to solve a crime or to keep things running the way Slonský wants it in the department. The murder case which is the focus of this book is sad for even the most experienced police detective to handle and the team is determined to get answers. The case is interesting and has a few twists and turns to keep you guessing. From the way the case starts, the reader knows the ending won’t be happy, but I like the way things are resolved.

I have enjoyed all of the prior books in this series, but the author does a great job of gradually introducing new readers to the main characters in the first couple of chapters. We get to meet a new character in this book, Navratil’s mother. She is not what I expected and I found her delightful and look forward to seeing more of her in future books. I love the characters, setting, and humor in this book and the entire series. This has become one of my favorite series and “A Second Death” is my favorite installment so far. I like the changes that Slonský had made to his team and am intrigued and a little anxious about the cliffhanger presented at the end of the book. I loved this book and can’t wait for the next one.

I received this book from NetGalley through the courtesy of Sapere Books. The book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.

I've always thought of this superb series as one of the most underrated in the genre and so far Brack has backed that up with every gripping instalment, with A Second Death marking the fifth adventure newly promoted Captain Josef Slonsky takes us, lucky readers, on. For the avoidance of doubt, each instalment can easily be read independently of one another without issue. The potent and highly engaging mix of compelling plot, black humour, delightful writing and not forgetting the inimitable, tenacious Slonsky — who has become one of my favourite protagonists of late — all make this a special and thoroughly enjoyable set of books.

I didn't realise quite how much I had missed this unique series but was rapidly reminded just how much of a sophisticated and rare gem it is. Once more we are introduced to the beautiful, atmospheric Prague metropolis as Slonsky embarks on his toughest case yet. On banks of the River Vittava, the body of a young girl washes up. She has been brutally murdered and shows disturbing signs of long-term sexual abuse. Czech police are not only shocked to the core but are baffled by the fact that she has no identification and that no youngster has been reported missing. Can his team, with him at the helm, identify and collar this predator and take him off the streets before another girl becomes the prey?

Throughout the story, there are plenty of twists and turns, peaks and troughs and the pacing is pretty spot on too. Humour has always helped to achieve a balance between the light and dark in these novels but it is particularly necessary with the brutal, sickening crime involving children here. I urge anyone interested in well-crafted, multifaceted crime fiction to give this book and/or series a go. Another highly entertaining and immersive police procedural, and whilst I didn't love it quite as much as its predecessors it's still executed to a very high standard. Roll on the next one! Many thanks to Sapere Books for an ARC.

For readers who haven't read any of the previous 4 book in this series, you're about to meet a most unique character in the form of Lt (although he was recently promoted to Captain) Josef Slonsky. He's lazy, but has a brilliant mind. He meets with his proteges and colleagues usually over beer and sausages where they discuss whatever case they happen to be working on.

His sense of humor runs to the sarcastic side and not everyone understands .. not even his wife of 40 years. A strong stubborn streak does him well. He doesn't exactly cross a line, but he comes close enough to cause all sorts of problems.

The body of a young girl is found on the banks of the River Vitava. Josef and his team are called out to investigate the murder and abuse of this child. There is no identification present and checking with Missing Persons, there are no young girls as reported missing. So who is this child?

When the medical examiner takes fingerprints he is very surprised that this girl was reported missing 7 years ago, presumed dead. So where has she been all this time?

This book will appeal to anyone who enjoys a classic mystery story with undertones of black comedy. Although 5th in a series, this one reads well as a stand alone, but I highly recommend starting at the beginning.

This is well-written with finely drawn characters and suspense that will keep the reader riveted to the pages. I look forward to the next in this series.

Many thanks to the author / Sapere Books / Netgalley for the advanced digital copy of this crime fiction. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

4.25 Stars
When the body of a young girl washes up on the banks of the River Vltava, the Czech police are troubled. Brutally murdered and with evidence of sexual abuse, it is not the sort of crime they are used to investigating. What’s even stranger is that there is no missing persons report for her
As a newly-appointed Captain, Josef Slonský takes the lead on the case.
This is the fifth book in the series & whilst there are some ongoing threads it could easily be read on its own. I’ve grown to really like Slonsky & wondered how his promotion would affect his books but I needn’t have worried as he manages field & office work if not easily then with aplomb. There is a lovely mix of the darker side of the investigation as well as the humour that is so much part & parcel of these books. I certainly look forward to many more
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

“‘Have you ever thought of being shot, sir? Officers who are shot on duty always excite great public sympathy.’
‘Do you see a possible flaw in that plan, Slonský?’
‘Not seriously shot, sir. Not fatally. Just … winged a bit.’
‘Winged?’
‘Flesh wound. Top of the thigh is good. Big muscle, bleeds a lot, not a lot of chance of hitting anything important underneath. It would make for dramatic pictures.’”

A Second Death is the fifth book in the Josef Slonský Investigations series by British author, Graham Brack. While his rank may have been elevated to Captain, Josef Slonský has never been one to confine himself to a desk in an office and he's not about to start that now. The report of a young girl's body on the bank of the River Vltava sees him quickly on the scene. It’s a pretty girl of about ten lacking any identification, and showing, much to the team’s dismay, signs of ongoing molestation.

She doesn’t fit the description of any missing children on their files, but her DNA soon has the team examining the case of a missing toddler from seven years previous, to the north in near Most. It becomes apparent that the local police did a very poor job at the time, but Slonský is determined to rectify this unsatisfactory situation, and bring some closure for the heart-broken parents.

With his team somewhat depleted by various promotions, transfers and secondments, Slonský will have to be clever if he is to avoid accepting the uninspiring candidates that Human Resources has lined up for the vacancies. Luckily, he has a promising young man in mind, and manages a rather ingenious work-around to avoid actually breaking any rules to install him in the job. HR are insisting Slonský bears in mind the “equality and diversity” aspects, but he feels if he can just have Ivo Krob, they can “Send me a Vietnamese lesbian if it helps with your quotas” and he won’t object.

Of course, musical chairs in the higher ranks are not unusual, but the rumour that a certain ex-SWAT chief may get the Director of Police job will ruffle quite a few feathers, and Slonský finds he has to get a little creative when some handy information comes his way. And always in the back of his mind is the question of his not-quite-ex-wife, Věra Slonská, who seems interested in resurrecting their marriage: Slonský isn’t sure…

Slonský’s conversations with his superiors, colleagues and associates (in particular Desk Sergeant Mucha and journalist Valentin) are always a rich source of dry (and sometimes, black) humour so, as usual, best not read in the Quiet Carriage on public transport to avoid disturbing other commuters with inevitable snickers, chuckles and laughing-out-loud. Readers may also find it difficult to refrain from reading out the many choice bits to those around them.

Fans will, by now, be very glad to again encounter the regular cast, most of whom develop just a bit more with each episode. The changing dynamics and new recruits (inventively acquired) keep this series from stagnating, although some elements remain unvarying, one being Slonský’s firm belief in the consumption of fine Czech beer to lubricate his fine Czech brain. This instalment features an excellent twist at the climax, as well as a few surprises that will have the reader eagerly anticipating Slonský #6, and hopeful of further doses of our favourite Prague detective. Yes, more please!!
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Sapere Books.

A Second Death is the fifth book in the Josef Slonsky series by Graham Brack and like the previous four books it is an excellent crime novel with the trademark underlying humour never far away.

At the end of the previous book Slonsky was promoted however this new role hasn't curbed his ability to be involved in a murder investigation or to use the system to his advantage. He even finds time to consider knocking down a wall so that he can see his team!!

The Slonsky series is one that I look forward to and A Second Death did not let me down with excellent pacing and plenty of twists & turns.

If you haven't read any of this series then you are missing out on a great read and if you are already a fan the you won't be disappointed.

100% recommended

Thank you NetGalley and Sapere Books for this arc.

I know I'm in for a treat with a new Josef Slonsky book. I was a little concerned when he was promoted at the end of the previous book and afraid his new administrative responsibilities would interfere his detection abilities (always best done away from the police station) and his "sustenance" breaks. But he manages all of them with real aplomb in this book.

The mystery itself was a "hummer" and somewhat dark and layered, but I still found this to be a laugh out loud read throughout. His recruitment and hiring plan seemed to be original and effective. His manipulations and machinations to arrange the Czech police bureaucracy to his liking continue as well and with good results.... even if it meant he had to take on even more work by investigating past cover-ups and malfeasance within the police department. And even more impressive -- he managed to it all without missing a single pastry, sausage or beer!

His relationship with Vera (wife?, ex-wife?, what??) continues to his complete bafflement.

5.0 stars

I would like to thank Netgalley and Sapere Books for an advance copy of A Second Death, the fifth novel to feature Captain Josef Slonsky of the Prague police.

When the body of a young girl is discovered on the banks of a river Slonsky and his team are determined to find the man who abused and murdered this defenceless child but first they have to identify her and she hasn’t been reported missing. Her identity comes as a shock and makes their investigation even more difficult. Slonsky must balance the case while wading through the treacherous waters of office politics.

I thoroughly enjoyed A Second Death which is an entertaining read with a good mixture of procedural and laugh out loud humour. The novel is told from the investigative point of view so there are always surprises for the reader but I feel that the plot is a bit clumsier and more obvious than its predecessors as I guessed where it was going much earlier than the detectives. I would also say that it feels darker, obviously with the subject matter but also because it is less absurd. Despite this it held my attention from start to finish and I read it in one sitting.

Josef Slonsky is one of my favourite characters and I itch to get tore into his latest adventure when I get my hands on it. He makes me laugh with his dialogue and general approach to life which seems to consist of beer, sausage and pastries then work, insisting that the beer lubricates his thought processes and the food gives him the stamina to act on his thoughts. He is a wily operator and his machinations within the bureaucracy made me laugh out loud. It is a master stroke to have made him old enough to straddle communist era and modern day policing. His ruminations on both are hysterical and bring tears of laughter to my eyes.

A Second Death is a great read which I have no hesitation in recommending.