Progress on reading books eligible for the 2010 International Dagger

It is a while (5 March, in fact) since I have posted about my attempt to read as many as possible of the 61 books eligible for this year's International Dagger award - the annual CWA prize for a novel originally written in another language and translated into English. My end-date is the announcement of the shortlist, which will happen at CrimeFest next month (May). 

In my 5 March post, I reported that I had read fifteen of the books, which are listed below, with links to my reviews either at Euro Crime or at Petrona. 

Mikkel Birkegaard - The Library of Shadows (review t/c)
Andrea Camilleri - August Heat  
Leif Davidsen - The Woman from Bratislava (review t/c)
Karin Fossum - The Water's Edge
Petra Hammesfahr - The Lie
Anne Holt - Death in Oslo
Arnaldur Indridason - Hypothermia
Camilla Lackberg - The Stonecutter
Stieg Larsson - The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest
Deon Meyer - Thirteen Hours
Jo Nesbo - The Snowman (review t/c)
Claudia Pineiro - Thursday Night Widows
Andrea Maria Schenkel - Ice Cold
Gunnar Staalesen - The Consorts of Death
Johan Theorin - The Darkest Room

Since then, I have read the following eligible books:

Tonino Benaquista - Badfellas
Eugenio Fuentes - At Close Quarters
Luigi Guicciardi - Inspector Cataldo's Criminal Summer
Henning Mankell - The Man from Beijing
Dominique Manotti- Affairs of State 
Petros Markaris - Che Committed Suicide (review t/c)
Juli Zeh - Dark Matter (review t/c) 

This takes my total to 22, that is, about one-third of the total eligible. As things stand, I think the judges have a real problem on their hands, because only three of these 22 are, in my opinion, not likely to make the shortlist. I would be happy to see any of the remaining 19 go forward to the next round! Maybe I have been lucky in the particular books I have read out of the 61 possibles. (Not all of these 61 will have been put forward for the competition by the publishers, I guess, so it is possible that the judges will have an easier task if some of them were not submitted!)

In the meantime, any recommendations from among the remaining 39 books would be much appreciated.

Comments

[Norm]

I have read only a miserable five of your twenty two. But expect two of those to get on the short list, Johan Theorin and Stieg Larsson.

[Bernadette]

I am quite in awe of your effort Maxine. I think I will be lucky to read the shortlist (though will give it a go perhaps).

[Dorte H]

My, even without blogging, I cannot read as many books as you do. But I have read 3½ book this week so it does make a difference.

[Simon Clarke]

Maxine-- I have read over half the list--and if
you want to stick to crime--you can give
Marjolijn Februari-The Book Club -a miss --as
like the books by Tove Jansson and Tim Davys--
I cannot for the life of me --see how this
can be classified as a crime novel.

[Maxine]

Thanks Simon. I have today acquired The Last Fix by K O Dahl and Poisonville by Carlotto & Videtta - both seem definitely crime! I also have a couple of others on my shelf - the Franz Schatzel one looks very long indeed.....

[Jose Ignacio Escribano]

Maxine – There are quite a number of writers in Spanish. I have read Javier Marias - Your Face Tomorrow 3: Poison, Shadow and Farewell. Marias is one of the best Spanish writers now-a-days but I would not consider him a crime fiction writer. I have enjoyed Arturo Perez-Reverte - Pirates of the Levant, this one may fall into this category. I’ve also enjoyed Peruvian author Santiago Roncagliolo - Red April. I have not read Tuareg or Coltan by Alberto Vázquez Figueroa but I would not consider Vazquez Figueroa a crime fiction writer. I have Carlos Ruiz Zafon - The Angel's Game in my TBR pile for quite some time but I doubt I would read it.

[Maxine]

Thank you, Jose. I did check out the Marais novel but as it is third of three, and looks quite long and literary, I was not sure if I would like it. Thanks for the other recommendations -for some reason I, too, am reluctant to read The Angel's Game but I am not sure why.

[kdurkin@earthlink.net]

Glad to read your review of "The Man from Beijing." I liked it a lot and found it very challenging as it raised global issues and thought-provoking points about China itself. And I enjoyed the story and the strong women characters, all three of them, Swedish and Chinese.

Would that I had more time to read. Your list is daunting but international crime fiction is a great way to learn about the world, how people think and how they live in it. On to more good reading--and time to do it!

[Maxine]

Thank you very much for your kind comment, K. Durkin. I agree with your assessment of the book. These were the best parts, for me.
Agreed on lack of time, and greatness of international crime fiction!