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thoughtsfromapage's review
5.0
4.5 stars
Tracee de Hahn’s debut novel, Swiss Vendetta, is a must-read for mystery lovers. The mystery itself is highly entertaining and the resolution believable (to me this is where a lot of mysteries fail), but my very favorite part of the novel is the Swiss setting, particularly the Chateau Vallotton.
As the book opens, Agnes Luthi, a Swiss police detective, has recently switched from Financial Crimes to Violent Crimes following the death of her husband. Lausanne, Switzerland is in the midst of the snow storm of the century when Luthi gets called to the Chateau Vallotton to investigate the murder of a young woman, Felicity Cowell, who was stabbed on the Chateau’s lawn. The wealthy Vallotton family had hired Felicity to inventory the family’s priceless art collection and other valuable treasures. Two weeks into her inventory project, she is found stabbed on the lawn of Chateau Vallotton in the height of the horrific storm. The blizzard has knocked the power out across the entire region, and the roads are nearly impassable by the time Luthi gets to the Chateau. Luthi and her team are tasked with solving the crime before someone else is killed.
Swiss Vendetta contains a fabulous cast of characters, each with their own agendas and secrets. My favorite character is Luthi who feels guilty about being apart from her children during the blizzard but finds peace in focusing on something other than her husband’s suicide. Count Arsov who lives in the neighboring mansion has his own mysterious past and meticulously kept home. The Vallottons are an insular group who are not used to sharing their home with the myriad of visitors brought there by the murder and seem more concerned with their own lives than who murdered Felicity. There are numerous other carefully created characters that play significant roles in this very entertaining mystery.
De Hahn’s vivid, thoughtful descriptions of the Chateau and the eeriness created by the lack of electricity create a somber, spooky setting for Swiss Vendetta. The candlelight in the Chateau’s cavernous rooms cast shadows in corners and leave large areas in the dark adding to the mood. De Hahn capitalizes on this mysterious atmosphere and the various odd rooms that ancient chateaus might have such as dungeons, long, dank tunnels, and hidden rooms to create the perfect setting. Her equally fabulous depiction of the bitterly cold weather Luthi and her crew endure made me feel like I was right in the midst of the storm.
I highly recommend Swiss Vendetta and cannot wait to read the next installment in the series. Thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Tracee de Hahn’s debut novel, Swiss Vendetta, is a must-read for mystery lovers. The mystery itself is highly entertaining and the resolution believable (to me this is where a lot of mysteries fail), but my very favorite part of the novel is the Swiss setting, particularly the Chateau Vallotton.
As the book opens, Agnes Luthi, a Swiss police detective, has recently switched from Financial Crimes to Violent Crimes following the death of her husband. Lausanne, Switzerland is in the midst of the snow storm of the century when Luthi gets called to the Chateau Vallotton to investigate the murder of a young woman, Felicity Cowell, who was stabbed on the Chateau’s lawn. The wealthy Vallotton family had hired Felicity to inventory the family’s priceless art collection and other valuable treasures. Two weeks into her inventory project, she is found stabbed on the lawn of Chateau Vallotton in the height of the horrific storm. The blizzard has knocked the power out across the entire region, and the roads are nearly impassable by the time Luthi gets to the Chateau. Luthi and her team are tasked with solving the crime before someone else is killed.
Swiss Vendetta contains a fabulous cast of characters, each with their own agendas and secrets. My favorite character is Luthi who feels guilty about being apart from her children during the blizzard but finds peace in focusing on something other than her husband’s suicide. Count Arsov who lives in the neighboring mansion has his own mysterious past and meticulously kept home. The Vallottons are an insular group who are not used to sharing their home with the myriad of visitors brought there by the murder and seem more concerned with their own lives than who murdered Felicity. There are numerous other carefully created characters that play significant roles in this very entertaining mystery.
De Hahn’s vivid, thoughtful descriptions of the Chateau and the eeriness created by the lack of electricity create a somber, spooky setting for Swiss Vendetta. The candlelight in the Chateau’s cavernous rooms cast shadows in corners and leave large areas in the dark adding to the mood. De Hahn capitalizes on this mysterious atmosphere and the various odd rooms that ancient chateaus might have such as dungeons, long, dank tunnels, and hidden rooms to create the perfect setting. Her equally fabulous depiction of the bitterly cold weather Luthi and her crew endure made me feel like I was right in the midst of the storm.
I highly recommend Swiss Vendetta and cannot wait to read the next installment in the series. Thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
booksuperpower's review
4.0
Swiss Vendetta by Tracee de Hahn is a 2017 Minotaur publication.
I love a good ‘whodunit’, and am thankful anytime I find one with a fresh approach, with a nice spin on a classic formula. The very slight Gothic tones didn’t hurt, either.
As a debut novel, the author did a wonderful job with the plot, atmosphere, and characterizations, making a very nice impression!
Anyone who loves mysteries will enjoy this novel!
4 stars
This review is the copyrighted property of Night Owl Reviews. To read the full review, click on this link- https://www.nightowlreviews.com/v5/Reviews/Gpangel-reviews-Swiss-Vendetta-by-Tracee-De-Hahn
I love a good ‘whodunit’, and am thankful anytime I find one with a fresh approach, with a nice spin on a classic formula. The very slight Gothic tones didn’t hurt, either.
As a debut novel, the author did a wonderful job with the plot, atmosphere, and characterizations, making a very nice impression!
Anyone who loves mysteries will enjoy this novel!
4 stars
This review is the copyrighted property of Night Owl Reviews. To read the full review, click on this link- https://www.nightowlreviews.com/v5/Reviews/Gpangel-reviews-Swiss-Vendetta-by-Tracee-De-Hahn
vesper1931's review
4.0
As the 'storm of the century' is approaching Lausanne Detective Agnes Luthi is called out to a suspicious death at Chateau Vallotton. The dead female has worked at an auction house in London and has been working at the chateau to create an inventory of the art collection. Because of the storm, Agnes can only rely on the people who are present to help solve the case, and to try to come to terms with her recent husbands' death.
I really enjoyed this, a good mystery with subplots and a good range of characters, and well written. Look forward to reading the next in the series.
A NetGalley Book
I really enjoyed this, a good mystery with subplots and a good range of characters, and well written. Look forward to reading the next in the series.
A NetGalley Book
missyp's review
3.0
Swiss Vendetta seems to be a locked door mystery; but in a vast chateau, can one ever be sure that every door is secured? Actually, movement in and around the chateau is impeded by a huge ice storm that has knocked out the electricity and made travel nearly impossible. The relatively small collection of people staying in Château Vallotton and a neighboring property have sufficient secrets to provide all the twists and turns and dead-ends necessary for a mystery. Inspector Agnes Lüthi is dedicated and hardworking; she's also trying to solve a personal mystery while working on the case in front of her. As in many mysteries series, many of the other characters provide various opportunities and motives, but aren't terribly compelling in and of themselves. The descriptions of the chateaux and the lifestyle of the residents are more interesting than the people living in them. Setting - both near (the chateaux) and far (the country of Switzerland) - is a central focus on the book. I enjoyed reading Swiss Vendetta and plan to read the next book in the series, A Well-Time Murder, which is to be published in February 2018.. Now that Inspector Luthi's backstory has been established, de Hahn can spend more time developing the characters.
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