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Graham Brack
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Field of Death: An atmospheric international mystery (Josef Slonský Investigations Book 4) Kindle Edition

by Graham Brack (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.6 out of 5 stars 561 ratings
The indomitable Slonský returns! Perfect for fans of Ian Rankin, Jo Nesbo and Peter Robinson.

Slonský is back … and on a diet…

Josef Slonský is preparing to take up his promotion as Captain when a spanner is thrown in the works.

He has to pass a medical, and a lifetime’s supply of beer and sausage is not helping his chances of passing.

Faced with a strict diet and exercise regime, Slonský is even less amenable than usual.

But, his attention is caught when reports come in of a Second World War bomb detonating in a nearby field.

It seems four metal detectorists were killed in the blast upon discovering it.

But the pathologist Slonský works with suspects foul play…

Could this be a murder investigation? Was the bomb planted?

Slonský must solve the mystery surrounding this Field of Death

FIELD OF DEATH is the fourth international crime thriller in the detective series featuring Lieutenant Josef Slonský: an atmospheric police procedural full of dark humour.

JOSEF SLONSKÝ INVESTIGATIONS SERIES
BOOK ONE: Lying and Dying
BOOK TWO: Slaughter and Forgetting
BOOK THREE: Death on Duty
BOOK FOUR: Field of Death
BOOK FIVE: A Second Death
BOOK SIX: Laid in Earth
BOOK SEVEN: The Murdered Molls
BOOK EIGHT: The Ladies' Lounge
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  1. Book 4 of 8
    Josef Slonský Investigations
  2. Print length
    251 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Accessibility
    Learn more
  5. Publication date
    March 23, 2019
  6. File size
    1.4 MB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
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  9. Enhanced typesetting
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07NJ7YQJ8
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Sapere Books
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ March 23, 2019
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.4 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 251 pages
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1913028206
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Book 4 of 8 ‏ : ‎ Josef Slonský Investigations
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 out of 5 stars 561 ratings

About the author

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Graham Brack

Graham Brack

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Graham Brack has been writing for as long as he can remember, but now concentrates on crime fiction. Three times shortlisted for the Crime Writers' Association's Debut Dagger prize (in 2011, 2014 and 2016) he never quite managed to win it.

Graham lives with his wife Gillian in Northamptonshire and has two children and three granddaughters, who are too young to be allowed to read Grandad's books, so he provides other stories for them.

He trained and practised as a pharmacist and has also written about football, rugby, cricket and medical law. He is an ordained priest in the Church of England.

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
561 global ratings

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Top reviews from the United States

  • phrynne
    5.0 out of 5 stars Crime and humour!
    Reviewed in the United States on July 15, 2020
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Another hugely entertaining look into the life and career of Lieutenant (soon to be Captain) Slonsky. It is the humour which makes these books so good added to excellent stories and really likeable characters.

    Slonsky undergoes a few changes in this episode. He is forced to diet which means we hear a lot less about the search for the perfect sausage. He actually becomes fitter, maybe a little bit more cranky, and even takes his ex wife out a couple of times. Is this change going to last or will he regress in a future book?

    Luckily I have the next two books lined up ready to read so I will be able to find out very soon!
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  • Website's Mom
    4.0 out of 5 stars Egad, Slonsky's changing!
    Reviewed in the United States on July 28, 2021
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Firstly, he's losing weight and drinking and eating less! He's let his wife, Vera, back into his life and is thinking about his future! Last, he takes over for Lucas as captain while directing young proteges Navratl and Pieperova. Oh, my!
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  • Magpie
    5.0 out of 5 stars Very good
    Reviewed in the United States on June 6, 2019
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    As usual Slonsky does not disappoint - once again a sense of Czech history is prevalent as well as an atmosphere of the new Eastern Europe. A very good story with subplots galore! Relationships in the department are set to change. Highly recommended - I look forward to the next one!
    One person found this helpful
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  • Lauhva
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great Mystery
    Reviewed in the United States on October 18, 2019
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Great book. The characters come alive and are very engaging. Very relatable. Start with the first book in the series. Highly recommend.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Cloggie Downunder
    5.0 out of 5 stars Addictive and entertaining Czech-flavoured crime fiction.
    Reviewed in the United States on March 29, 2019
    Format: Kindle
    “‘I’ve been talking to our experts on militant nationalist groups.’
    ‘We have some then?’
    ‘Militant nationalist groups? Plenty.’
    ‘I meant experts on them.’
    ‘A few. But the ones who know a lot do nothing and the ones who do a lot know nothing.’
    ‘I thought that was true of all branches of government?’”

    Field of Death is the fourth book in the Josef Slonský Investigations series by British author, Graham Brack. Slonský hears about the explosion of an old World War Two bomb that kills four men with metal detectors, and assumes he won’t need to get involved. But when pathologist Dr Novak is on the scene in a field near the little town of Holice, he summons Slonský: both he and his blast injuries expert believe this is murder. And a brutal one at that.

    One of the victims is Sedlák, a local police lieutenant, yet his colleagues don’t seem to be doing much to solve the case. And when Slonský and Peiperová inspect the scene, they see unusual heavy vehicle tracks in the vicinity. A military expert shares the (apocryphal?) story of the Ghost Battery: Slonský and Lukas worry about who might have access to this military hardware if it is indeed true. Given the ruthless nature of the crimes, Navrátil is none too pleased to be going undercover.

    Holice needs replacement staff so Slonský (rather sneakily) sends their own Lieutenant Doležal to stand in for the victim; Doležal, struck by the strange attitude at the police station, is leery of trusting any of them and reports back to Slonský his suspicions about a huge shopping mall development. The Fraud Squad’s Major Klinger gets interested: are the Russians involved? Perhaps the cases are unconnected, but Slonský’s contact in the Security Information Service doesn’t believe in coincidence.

    All this against a backdrop of upheaval: Slonský is about to lose Kristýna Peiperová to a role as Personal Assistant for the Director of Criminal Police, just weeks before he himself takes over from Josef Lukas as Captain. This necessitates further, less-than-ideal, staff changes when Jan Navrátil is already miserable to be separated from Peiperová. Slonský struggles with his compulsory Human Resources refresher. And of course, he has to pass his medical…

    There may have been readers worried about Slonský’s diet in the first three books; are they now cheering him on as he tries to comply with dietary recommendations, even as they feel a little sorry for him? Surely he won’t keep this torture up once the necessary hurdles have been vaulted! After all, what (or who) could possible induce him to persist with a strict regime of healthy food and exercise?

    Brack brings his extensive therapeutic knowledge into play when Slonský accepts some pharmaceutical help with weight loss, but this scene is best not read with a full bladder if readers have continence issues. And, of course, there are plenty more laugh-out-loud moments in the slightly Keystone-cops-esque ride to the climax. The case, of course, is intriguing and Slonský’s team excels in their detective work, their initiative, and their dedication. The cassock, in particular, was an excellent idea.

    With the ever-changing dynamics of the work situation for Prague’s finest police, it will be interesting to see what (now Captain!) Slonský and his colleagues are faced with next. Addictive and entertaining Czech-flavoured crime fiction.
    This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Sapere Books.
    One person found this helpful
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  • PattyMacDotComma
    4.0 out of 5 stars A new favourite series! Great Czech characters, real, funny, smart.
    Reviewed in the United States on July 9, 2019
    Format: Paperback
    4.5★
    “‘It’ll certainly be hazardous if I discover he’s complicit in the murder of a boy with Down’s Syndrome.’

    ‘I didn’t know that. And I shall, on this occasion, volunteer to hold your jacket while you question him.’”

    Josef Slonský was the first speaker, and the second is obviously aware of Slonský's sometimes old-fashioned interview methods. He’s being forced to mend his ways to prepare for his coming promotion, but it’s a struggle. Between his diet and HR/Personnel workshops, he is understandably cranky from time to time.

    “’Give me an example of diversity in the police,’ she commanded.

    Slonský responded at once. ‘We employ officers ranging from the highly competent to the downright bl**dy useless,’ he said.”

    He would know. He’s worked with plenty, but at least he now has his two keen young off-siders with him. The lovely Kristýna Peiperová is about to be transferred to another department, much to his regret (she does all the admin behind the scenes). Meanwhile earnest Jan Navrátil, Peiperová’s fiancé, has a dangerous undercover role.

    The field of death: there was an explosion of some kind in an odd open space in the rural town of Holice, but nobody knows quite why or how it occurred, and the remains of four bodies only raise more questions than they answer. A local police officer was a victim, but the others don't seem to be following up as enthusiastically as you'd expect.

    Navrátil goes undercover, but the work tests him, as he is such a stickler for the rules and the truth. But lying is all in a good cause, and he's learning.

    The investigation is interspersed with Slonský’s personal trials to pass the fitness tests for his new role. In the past, he has enjoyed his sausages and beers and/or pastries and coffee at every available pub and coffee shop it seems. And it shows.

    “He also had a growing conviction that people were adding extra stairs to the top flight while he was out nowadays.”

    He goes for a test.

    “‘According to your weight, Slonský, you should be thirty-eight centimetres taller.
    . . .
    Right, on the treadmill. The target is a kilometre in under nine minutes.’

    Slonský took his mobile phone out.

    ‘What are you doing, Slonský?’

    ‘If I have to run a kilometre, I ring for a taxi,’ came the reply.”

    There is affectionate humour as well as some old-school, non-PC head-kicking, but nothing as graphic as the gory thrillers. I particularly enjoy the way Eastern European history and politics are the background. Of course, I looked up Holice and the Pardubice Region of the Czech Republic to see where it is.

    The language is British English, rather than Czech, which seems to work for me. Full credit to Graham Brack for being able to create such Czech characters and scenes while making the humour and relationships work for English readers.

    As the story progresses, it becomes harder to tell the good guys from the bad guys. Not just for me, but for Slonský and the others as well. I should mention his old pal, rumpled journalist Valentin, who is himself on some kind of drying-out program for his liver, which he describes as 5 days of drinking as usual and 2 with water – or was it the other way around, he wonders?

    Needless to say, I’ve come to look forward to the characters and their escapades. It’s a part of the world about which I know little but with which the author is very familiar. He goes to do reconnaissance and test the beer and sausages from time to time, just to make sure he stays authentic. Ah the things writers must suffer for their profession.

    And aren’t we glad they do?

    [FYI, I have NOT cherry-picked all the amusing bits. That is very much the tone of the book, along with good police work, good characters, and plot, of course. :)]
    3 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • cocobiskits
    5.0 out of 5 stars Explosive
    Reviewed in Canada on March 30, 2019
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    The story is well written in such an easy style that the more violent episodes come as a surprise. The balance of humour in what could be dark story enhances the world of Slonsky. While the novels form a grand story arc, they can be fully enjoyed on their own. Possibly one of the greatest compliments is that you are left wanting to read the next one!
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  • Mandrek Larl
    5.0 out of 5 stars Book 4 from Graham Brack and Josef Slonsky and it's another belter…
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 26, 2024
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    In our house we are having an ongoing Master Mercurius versus Josef Slonsky debate, the Memsahib favours the former but for me the contemporary Slonsky, now Captain Josef Slonsky, edges his early modern era counterpart by a whisker, but that's to take nothing away from Graham Brack's other truly wonderful creation, it really is a neck and neck contest.

    In this, the fourth instalment of the Slonksy saga, Slonsky investigates the peculiar circumstance surrounding the deaths of four detectorist allegedly killed when one of their finds exploded, but of course there's far more to these supposed accidental deaths than initially meets the eye, or at least the blind eyes of the local police force even though one of their number has been killed. At the same time though Slonsky has to deal with the pressing challenges of his imminent permanent promotion to police captain which brings with it issues around the idiosyncrasies of the team he's about to inherit, the requirement to pass the fitness test, and above all the need to embrace and encourage diversity and equality, ideas that have never previously troubled Slonsky. Fortunately for us these challenges cannot tame Slonsky's acerbic wit or dampen his cynicism which continues to fire on all cylinders despite his new responsibilities.

    With moments of pure comedy Graham Brack's writing continues to be taut, balanced, well-paced, and above all enjoyably entertaining. I wanted to give Slonsky's previous outing "Death On Duty" six stars, but hats off to Graham Brack "Field of Death" is even better. Bring on book five.
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  • kathleen gordon
    4.0 out of 5 stars Another engaging read
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 24, 2021
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Good fun. Slonsky's acerbic wit carries the narrative along and we learn some Czeck history along the way.
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  • jz
    5.0 out of 5 stars Another great Brack novel
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 21, 2023
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Graham Brack has never let me down and has become my favourite author. His wit and humour combine with tension and pace to bring to life another chapter in the life of Josef Slonsky and his team as he
    investigates the deaths of metal detectorists in a field. The book had me laughing out loud often as well as caring about the characters. Once again, well done Mr Brack, you have brought joy through your novels.
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  • Jackie I.
    5.0 out of 5 stars another fantastic read
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 24, 2024
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    I love the historical aspect to a number of the Slonsky novels. So brilliantly woven into the modern day plot. Wonderful
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