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Pesticide (1) (A Linder and Donatelli Mystery) Paperback – April 19, 2022

by Kim Hays (Author)
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 54 ratings
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Bern, Switzerland—known for its narrow cobblestone streets, decorative fountains, and striking towers. Yet dark currents run through this charming medieval city and beyond, to the idyllic farmlands that surround it.

When a rave on a hot summer night erupts into violent riots, a young man is found the next morning bludgeoned to death with a policeman’s club. Seasoned detective Giuliana Linder is assigned to the case. That same day, an elderly organic farmer turns up dead and drenched with pesticide. Enter Giuliana’s younger—and distractingly attractive—colleague Renzo Donatelli to investigate the second murder. Giuliana’s disappointment that they’re on two different cases is tinged with relief—her home life is complicated enough without the risk of a fling.

But when an unexpected discovery ties the two victims into a single case, Giuliana and Renzo are thrown closer together than ever before. Dangerously close. Will Giuliana be able to handle the threats to her marriage and to her assumptions about the police? If she wants to prevent another murder, she’ll have to put her life on the line—and her principles.

Combining suspense and romance, this debut mystery in the Polizei Bern series offers a distinctive picture of the Swiss. An inventive tale, packed with surprises, it will keep readers guessing until the end.
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Previous page
  1. Book 1 of 3
    Linder and Donatelli Mysteries
  2. Print length
    358 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    Seventh Street Books
  5. Publication date
    April 19, 2022
  6. Dimensions
    5.5 x 0.9 x 8.25 inches
  7. ISBN-10
    1645060462
  8. ISBN-13
    978-1645060468
  9. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Kim Hays brings a sparkling new voice to police procedurals, giving us engaging and realistically drawn detectives who struggle to balance their personal lives with the demands of a gripping investigation. Set against the fascinating backdrop of modern Switzerland, Pesticide will delight crime fiction fans--a standout debut for 2022!" -- Deborah Crombie, New York Times bestselling author of the award-winning Duncan Kincaid/Gemma James novels

"Kim Hays hits it out of the park with her debut novel, Pesticide, giving this twisty police procedural lots of heart by creating characters that the reader truly cares about. It is a must read for mystery lovers, especially those who prefer their intrigue with an international edge." -- Allen Eskens, bestselling and award-winning author of The Stolen Hours and six Max Rupert and Joe Talbot mysteries

"A highly original police procedural, set in Switzerland, with a charming cop heroine who is also a mum, and blending drug deals and organic farming to produce a first-rate yarn." -- Martin Walker, editor-in-chief emeritus of United Press International and author of the Bruno, Chief of Police series

"Giuliana Linder and Renzo Donatelli make for one of the sharpest, most compelling police duos you'll ever read. Their conflicted attraction bristles with true emotional depth and poignancy as they lead a rich ensemble cast through the surprisingly nefarious world of organic politics. A remarkable procedural set in Bern, Kim Hays's Pesticide is Switzerland's answer to Scandinavian noir. Fresh and oh so readable, you won't want to put it down." -- James W. Ziskin, author of the award-winning Ellie Stone mysteries

"Kim Hays delivers a superbly written mystery set in Switzerland. Two murders, one in the old town of Bern, the other on a nearby organic farm, test the wits of veteran police detective Giuliana Linder and her handsome junior colleague, Renzo Donatelli. The setting is fresh, the characters richly developed, and the plot as intricate as the inside of a Swiss watch. Enjoy!" -- Betsy Draine and Michael Hinden, co-authors of the Nora Barnes and Toby Sandler mysteries

"A convincing and compelling page-turner in a unique and authentic setting, Pesticide is a cleverly-plotted mystery that manages to be well-researched, intriguing, and entertaining. Kim Hays writes complex characters and suspense equally well, and her investigating duo, Giuliana and Renzo, are sure to win the hearts of readers everywhere." -- Clare O'Dea, author of Voting Day

About the Author

Kim Hays is an American who moved to Bern thirty-five years ago when she married a Swiss; by then, she’d already lived in the US, San Juan, Vancouver, and Stockholm. She studied at Harvard and Berkeley, and before beginning the Polizei Bern series, she worked in a number of jobs, including executive director of a small nonprofit and lecturer in sociology. A Fondness for Truth is her third police procedural featuring Swiss detectives Linder and Donatelli. The first, Pesticide (2022), was shortlisted for a CWA Debut Dagger Award and a 2023 Silver Falchion Award for Best Mystery. Kirkus called the second mystery, Sons and Brothers (2023), “a smart Swiss procedural that keeps its mystery ticking.”

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Seventh Street Books (April 19, 2022)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 358 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1645060462
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1645060468
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12.8 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.9 x 8.25 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 54 ratings

About the author

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Kim Hays

Kim Hays

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Kim Hays has lived in Bern since marrying her Swiss husband; she started writing the Polizei Bern mysteries in her fifties. Before that, she lived in San Juan, Vancouver, Stockholm, and around the US. Kim has worked in various jobs, from factory forewoman to director of a small nonprofit, from university lecturer to cross-cultural trainer for multinational firms. She has a BA from Harvard and a Ph.D. from the University of California Berkeley.

PESTICIDE, the first book in the Polizei Bern series, was shortlisted for a Debut Dagger Award by the Crime Writers' Association and Killer Nashville's 2023 Silver Falchion award for Best Mystery. Kim's second book was SONS AND BROTHERS; Kirkus Reviews called it "a smart Swiss procedural that keeps its mystery ticking," while Julia Spencer-Fleming rated it "a must-read." A FONDNESS FOR TRUTH, the third Polizei Bern book, which again features detectives Linder and Donatelli, came out in April 2024. BookLife Reviews, which made A FONDNESS FOR TRUTH an editor's pick, considers it a "stellar" police procedural: an "empathetic, entertaining, smartly plotted mystery [that] will keep readers guessing."

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
54 global ratings
Best mystery of 2022! Smart Giuliana & sexy Renzo solve linked crimes in Bern, Switzerland.
5 Stars
Best mystery of 2022! Smart Giuliana & sexy Renzo solve linked crimes in Bern, Switzerland.
Kim Hays delivers a superbly written mystery set in Bern, Switzerland. Two murders, one in the old town of Bern, the other on a nearby organic farm, test the wits of veteran police detective Giuliana Linder and her handsome junior colleague, Renzo Donatelli. The setting is fresh, the characters are richly developed, and the plot is as intricate as the inside of a Swiss watch. We are stocking up for Christmas and birthday gifts!
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Top reviews from the United States

C. Wakefield
5.0 out of 5 stars a tour de force
Reviewed in the United States on May 10, 2023
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I have known Kim Hays from the Jungle Red Writers blog as one of the commentators and enjoyed reading her comments. So imagine my surprise to learn she was an author and having just finished Pesticide I can promise that you won’t be disappointed by her story. She has another book out now which I hope to read but Pesticide is worth reading. I love learning about other countries and their crime fighting procedures and Kim doesn’t disappoint with lots of background such that I felt I might be able to find my way around Bern. The organic farming background is clear and adds to the story. I loved this book.
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Aunt Peggy
4.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable and engaging procedural, but some ebook formatting issues
Reviewed in the United States on January 8, 2024
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So far (about half way through) I'm caught up in the story and enjoying the characters and their imperfect (real) relationships. I'm looking forward to where this story will end up, because so far I'm not even guessing. Nicely complex.

But two things brought me to review this now. In the Kindle edition there are things that are "highlighted" by changing the font or typeface to a smaller, very delicate and lightweight script which I find to be nearly unreadable on my small screen. While I get that some foreign words or other notable phrases are being highlighted, this particular font takes me out of the flow, and in fact I've found that I'm skipping over them rather than struggling to read them. Not good.

And one wonky little story point, but was Ms. Hays serious when the character of Renzo is meeting Frau von Oberburg for the first time and his inner voice wonders if the pale green dress she's wearing is the color called "magenta". Is this a joke, supposed to make him sound as though he doesn't know anything about color? Or is this a mistake by the writer and editors? Again - it pulled me out of the story.
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C. Wilson
5.0 out of 5 stars I'm giving this as a gift
Reviewed in the United States on August 3, 2022
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The complexity and detail are compelling. The protagonists are likeable, and have failings, and real marriages and real children and real dilemmas. The police are collegial and work very hard to follow up clues. It covered the amount of background work needed - not just the flashy parts of detection. There is a great discussion between an informant and the policewoman about why people lie to the police. Lies about things that have nothing to do with the crime to be solved. And how once involved in a scam it can be hard to extricate. The best review I can give is to say that I'm sending this to several people that I like, including one from Switzerland.
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Alex W
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent debut. Looking forward to next in series
Reviewed in the United States on May 9, 2022
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I don't typically read mysteries, but am very glad I picked this one up. I found it to be a page turner and greatly enjoyed the characters. The plot was very enjoyable and had numerous unexpected twists and turns. I'm looking forward to the next in the series.
One person found this helpful
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CrimeFictionCritic
4.0 out of 5 stars Satisfying international whodunit with a strong female lead
Reviewed in the United States on July 5, 2022
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We get two cases for the price of one here, and though they are ultimately linked (directly rather than coincidentally), I liked the way Hays introduces them. First, homicide detective Giuliana Linder draws a case investigating whether a civilian died due to a young Bern police officer using excessive force. Shortly after Giuliana and her partner begin investigating, the police learn someone murdered another man, a pioneer in Swiss organic farming, just thirty-six hours before the man died after the young cop struck him in the head with his riot baton.

Once Linder identifies her victim, connections to the murdered farmer quickly develop. As the story unfolds, the police try to determine what the connections mean, whether the young police officer killed the civilian or someone else did after the initial confrontation and whether they are hunting one or two murder suspects.

After the Bern police organize a task force to investigate the two murders headed by Linder and another senior detective, Renzo Donatelli, Linder’s younger and distractedly attractive colleague (who she has worked with before) gets brought in to help investigate the cases. Donatelli has a difficult marriage, and Linder’s marriage is also a bit tenuous. Also, Donatelli and Linder are strongly attracted to each other. This romantic twist adds complications and forms an intriguing subplot. The relationship adds an extra layer to both characters that helps us understand their respective lives and personalities more.

The Crime Writers’ Association shortlisted Pesticide for the 2020 Debut Dagger award, which didn’t surprise me to learn after reading the book. Hays offers readers a realistic and tightly plotted story that grips the attention from the start, and the near-perfect pacing keeps us engaged to the end. This novel is not just uncommonly good for a debut. It compares favorably with novels I’ve read authored by crime fiction writers with far more books under their belts. Pesticide is one of the two best crime fiction books I’ve read thus far this year.

In her acknowledgments at the end of the book, Hays explains she called upon high-ranking police officers in the Swiss cantonal police for insight while writing the book. While I have no firsthand knowledge about policing in Switzerland, I can say this explains why the police procedural aspects of Pesticide fit almost flawlessly the investigative tactics and techniques I know about used by other European police agencies. As a result, I have only one minor quibble with the novel’s realism.

In one scene, when circumstances force a police officer to employ deadly force, they intentionally shoot the suspect in the shoulder, careful to avoid hitting the arm and shoulder joint. As a former American police officer, I must say it doesn’t work that way except in the movies. Deadly force is always the measure of last resort, used when nothing else will do. And in a situation where a police officer decides they must use deadly force, they do not intentionally aim to wound anymore than they aim to kill. Instead, the intent is to stop the threat, and armed police officers constantly train to shoot center mass (the largest target) because that is the most reliable tactic for stopping the threat. So, the scene mentioned isn’t realistic, which most crime fiction fans find distracting because they put such high value on realism in any police procedural. It’s fine if a cop in a novel shoots someone, aiming at center mass, but ends up hitting them in the shoulder or some other non-fatal area, and the suspect survives. But realism demands that a writer avoid crafting a scene that features a tactic no trained police officer would employ.

Aside from the one tiny criticism, which didn’t detract at all from this book for me, Hays offered up a complex plot (or two), several surprises and some very likeable characters it’s easy to root for. I loved the book and believe any fan of international crime mysteries would enjoy this fast-paced read. I’m happy Pesticide is the debut in a promised series as I’m eager to meet Linder and Donatelli again in the next novel in the series.
3 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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susanne
5.0 out of 5 stars Spannender Krimi
Reviewed in Germany on September 14, 2023
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Ich habe das Buch geradezu verschlungen. Sehr spannend, gut geschrieben, die Hauptpersonen sind echt, der Plot geht auf. Freue mich schon aufs nächste Buch der Serie.
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Jill F.
5.0 out of 5 stars Loved it!
Reviewed in Germany on August 27, 2022
Verified Purchase
I bought one for myself and later ordered two more for gifts. The story is captivating and well written. I also loved how I recognized places in the book around Bern. I can hardly wait until Kim Hays' next book comes out. She is one of my new favourite authors.
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