‘The Preacher’ by Sander Jakobsen

Published by Sphere,
17 July 2014.
ISBN: 978-0-7515-5236-2

This the first book in what is obviously intended to be a series, written by Danish debut pseudonymous authors Dagmar Winther and Kenneth Degnbol.  It's received rave reviews in Denmark, as much for the clear and punchy writing as for the wonderful scene-setting.  Not Copenhagen, but the cold little villages and isolated houses of east Jylland.  I was strongly reminded of Babette's Feast. 

Thea Krogh, the pursuing detective, is another of those good solid women, whose life is uneventful, and whose pursuit of the villain responsible for the shooting deaths of at least two women is remorseless. Who is he?  Why does he want these particular women dead?  The plot is full of twists and surprises. Well worth reading.
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Reviewer: Susan Moody
The Preacher a debut novel, which we translated into English by the authors.

Dagmar Winther was born in 1980 and graduated from the Danish School of Journalism in 2004. She has worked as an intern at the Birmingham Post & Mail and for the European Commission in Brussels before settling down as a teacher of journalism at Rønde Højskole, a Danish Folk High School ( a very Danish phenomenon which is part of the non-formal education system in Denmark). She still does the occasional freelance job and is also a singer, mostly of classical music. She has a daughter and currently lives in Thorsager, a tiny village near Aarhus.

http://sanderjakobsen.com

Kenneth Degnbol was born in 1972. He has a master’s degree in music and history from the University of Aarhus, and spent four years as an organization consultant before he began working at Rønde Højskole in 2004, alongside Dagmar, teaching philosophy and music. He is a skilled musician and a father of three. He lives in Hornslet, a small town near Aarhus.

http://sanderjakobsen.com

Susan Moody was born and brought up in Oxford.  She has published over 30 crime and suspense novels, including the Penny Wanawake series and the Cassandra Swann bridge series.  She is a past Chairman of the British Crime Writers' Association, a member of the Detection Club, a past Writer-in-Residence at the University of Tasmania and a past President of the International Association of Crime Writers.  She divides her time between south-west France and south-east Kent.   Nominated for the CWA short story award.  Nominated for the RNA's award.