Annotation:Representing France: This is the tenth Aimée Leduc mystery, and to celebrate the occasion, she takes a return engagement with an arsonist she apprehended in the first book. Leduc is a computer consultant who solves crimes, which is an interesting wrinkle, and if you're not immediately interested in her sidekick—a computer-hacking dwarf with a black belt—then you might not have a soul. What we really love is Black's romantic familiarity with Paris, her ability to capture the flavour of every neighbourhood, and the fact that Leduc flits around solving crimes on a Vespa. We're certainly jealous, and a little bit in love. DI/CRA

Annotation:Representing Laos: While part of a series, we think this most recent chapter might be the most fulfilling one. And it's not just for the premise—Dr. Siri Paiboun, an aging coroner who's barred from retirement but still solves mysteries—but for Cotterill's decision to lace a serial rapist / killer's narrative throughout the book, showing how far ahead he is from Dr. Paiboun at all times. Creepy! DI/CRA

Annotation:Representing Iceland: Sometimes we just get hooked on a premise alone—like when a skeleton is found at the bottom of a lake, decades old, with a Russian transmitter and a hole in its skull. For series hero Inspector Erelndur, it's the beginning of an investigation that dials back thirty years into the Cold War. It's a busy book; Indriðason keeps you following Erelndur's investigation, Erelndur's and his team's family lives, and a series of flashbacks starring the unidentified victim. The biggest treat might be the evocative writing style: short, harsh, and as powerful as the setting. DI/CRA

Annotation:Representing Sweden: Fan-favourite Mankell debuts his Stefan Lindman character here, a brilliant, instrospective detective whom we meet moments into his learning he has cancer. He pours his frustration into investigating the death of a former colleague, and it's a mystery that snakes into some very dark corners of history. This one's all mood, with slow build and a grim tone that lets you into Lindman's hellish world. And here you were told that the Swedes were sensualists, too. DI/CRA

Annotation:Representing—you guessed it—Puerto Rico: The small town of Angustias, used to keeping its troubles under control, suddenly finds itself slammed by both a crime wave, and the mass slaughter of illegal U.S. immigrants. Sheriff Luis Gonzalo responds by increasing his force, assembling the best team of policemen he can find. Here's a title that plays heavily with street-level elements and particularly police procedural; don't mistake this one for a "cosy" mystery. DI/CRA

Annotation:Representing Japan—well, sort of: Rei Shimura's technically an American, and we won't even get into the Scottish boyfriend. Nevertheless, Shimura's mysteries are usually based out of the Land of the Rising Sun, and Massey's mystery this time around is quite uniquely Japanese, with judo masters, Edo-era artifacts and a dollop of Zen Buddhism all in the mix. Japanophiles might also appreciate this novel's value-added feature: there are additional clues if you can speak the language. DI/CRA