Gabriel Præst: Book 1
Publication Date: March 28, 2023
Meet Gabriel Præst, an ex-Copenhagen cop (who dresses with panache), jazz aficionado, and relentless pursuer of truth as he explores Denmark’s Nazi-collaborator past and anti-Muslim present in a page-turning Nordic murder mystery with a cosmopolitan vibe
Everyone in Denmark knew that Yousef Ahmed, a refugee from Iraq, brutally murdered the right-wing politician Sanne Melgaard. So, when part-time blues musician, frustrated home renovator, and full-time private detective Gabriel Præst agrees to investigate the matter because his ex—the one who got away—asked him to, he knew it was a no-win case.
But as Gabriel starts to ask questions, his face meets with the fists of Russian gangsters; the Danish prime minister asks him for a favor; and he starts to realize that something may be rotten in the state of Denmark.
Wondering if Yousef was framed to heighten the local anti-Muslim sentiment, Gabriel follows a trail back in time to World War II when anti-Semitism was raging in Europe during the German occupation of Denmark. Fearing a nationalistic mindset has resurfaced, Gabriel rolls up the sleeves of his well-cut suit and gets to work. From the cobblestone streets of Copenhagen to the historic Strassen of Berlin where the sounds of the steel-toed boots of marching Nazis still linger, Gabriel finds that some very powerful Danes don’t want him digging into the case—as the secrets he unearths could shake the foundations of Danish identity.
Former police officer turned investigator Gabriel Praest can’t turn down a request by an ex-girlfriend to investigate a murder that has already resulted in a conviction.
Author Amulya Malladi introduces Praest in A Death in Denmark, the first installment of a new Gabriel Praest Mystery series. Out of the gate, the author has put together a complex storyline featuring a Muslim refugee convicted of murdering a politician.
With Copenhagen as the backdrop, Praest stumbles upon a startling revelation drawing a comparison between the current-day treatment of Muslim refugees and non-Danish Jews during World War II.
The action continues as powerful figures, including the Danish prime minister and a group of Russians, try to persuade Praest to drop the investigation. Instead, he focuses his attention on some research the politician was doing before her death.
Ultimately, this is a story delving into the past to reveal the actions of a Danish informant who contributed to the death of non-Danish Jews.
A Death in Denmark serves as an excellent introduction to Danish investigator Gabriel Praest who will do whatever it takes to find answers.
Amulya Malladi is the bestselling author of eight novels, including The Copenhagen Affair, A House for Happy Mothers, and The Mango Season. Her books have been translated into several languages, including Dutch, French, German, Spanish, Danish, Romanian, Serbian, and Tamil. She won a screenwriting award for her work on Ø (Island), a Danish series that aired on Amazon Prime Global and Studio Canal+. Currently living in California, she is a Danish citizen who was born and raised in India.
