Death on Duty

Death on Duty, the third novel in the Josef Slonský Investigations series, turned out to be even better than the previous two although they were all good! This is a series I have come to love, and with each addition, the characters, plot and writing get better and more immersive. As always, there are plenty of wonderful plot twists and surprises, most of which come at you like a steam train and blow you away, and Brack makes sure he adds a smattering of hilarious moments throughout to keep the reader amused. Told from a third-person perspective, it is easy to engage with and is a fast-paced read as a result. Sometimes authors try to do exceptional things to make their creation stand out in a crowded marketplace, including shifting timelines and shifting PoV, but I am pleased that some are sticking to good, solid ways of structuring and feel it will appeal to many more readers because of this.

Lieutenant Josef Slonský is a fantastic character, a rulebreaker, an unconventional copper and a pain in the proverbial of his superiors. However, his ability to be able to get into the mind of the criminals and his brutal honesty and knack for catching the big fish are skills that have never deserted him. His unique wisdom on life and its thrills and spills had me giggling throughout. Although even within his force there has been a move towards more polite, politically correct words and behaviour, I am pleased to say that Slonský is a copper of the old school, classic crime variety and has no time for all of that. This series certainly has it all. I nearly neglected to mention the beautiful city setting of Prague, somewhere I've always wished to be whisked off to, it feels almost as though it is a character in itself. Although part of a series, this works perfectly as a standalone as the plot is self-contained, but if you wish to know more about Josef Slonský's background you may wish to start at the beginning. I look forward to returning to the Czech Republic for Slonský's next adventure!

Many thanks to Sapere Books for an ARC. I was not required to post a review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Not the standard police procedural, as it's set in Eastern Europe and has a lot of VERY FUNNY POINTS. Good plot, story and characters; very enjoyable. And it shows the importance of good sausages and beer.

Thank you NetGalley and Sapere Books for this arc.

This story opens with Slonsky at a sausage festival. where he's been roped into being a judge... and he thinks he's achieved nirvana, but then crime creeps in and disturbs all that.... I love this series. Slonsky and his team are sent off to find some Bosnian criminals in Prague and the story is off to the races from there. A great fast paced read (not including breaks for sausage, pastries and beer) with plenty of twists and unexpected events (Slonsky's ex (?) wife) and lots of Slonsky's thoughts and interactions with others. The characters are wonderful in this series and just keep getting better. This is the third book of the series and while it can be read as a stand alone, reading them in order will only enhance the enjoyment.

I really enjoyed this book. The humorous lead character, who reminds me of Bill Slider, makes you chuckle and makes the book an enjoyable read. The characters are an interesting bunch and I look forward to reading the next book

Death in Duty is the third book in the Josef Slonsky series by Graham Brack and like the previous ones it is a well written police procedural with an excellent undercurrent of humour that adds to the story.

All the main characters re-appear in this book and continue to develop which is always a bonus

The triology has been one of my finds of the year and I look forward to the next book in the series.