‘I didn’t kill anyone until I was forty-two. That’s actually a little on the late side for my current professional environment. Admittedly, I did kill almost half a dozen in the week that followed.’ (Murder Mindfully, Chapter 1.)
How not to love a book that starts like this! Murder Mindfully delivers what the title promises. There’s organised crime + murder, and there’s mindfulness. Not two things that are often connected, so of course I was intrigued and eager to read this.
And it was an absolute joy! Yes, it was an absolute joy to read a book with lots of murders and criminality. Because, apparently murder can be part of a joyful, mindful way of living.
Bjorn is a criminal defence lawyer ostracised by everyone in the law firm where he works because he is responsible for one of the firm’s most lucrative but distasteful clients, Dragan, the boss of an organised crime gang. Dragan is keeping Bjorn so busy that Bjorn is stressed out and his family life is suffering. So he gives in to his wife’s demand to pull his socks up, and agrees to take lessons in mindfulness. And discovers the key to continuing his work but with way less stress!
Murder Mindfully is a book to race through. It’s intelligent, witty – at times very funny – cleverly plotted and very, very entertaining. Sure it’s as light and full of holes as a stick of candyfloss, but who cares, it’s fun. No wonder it’s been translated (from the German original) into several languages and even been made into a Netflix series (which I haven’t seen). It’s popularity is well earned. Recommended.
My thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the auther for giving me a free copy of this book. All my reviews are 100% honest and unbiased, regardless of how I acquire the book.
You might also like: Benjamin Stevenson – Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone