Bookmark 02/2023

Christine Roth
Head of Marketing &
Communication
Orell Füssli Thalia AG
The next issue of Bookmark,
the English magazine by
Orell Füssli Thalia AG, will be
published in spring 2024.
Dear Reader
One of the most rewarding moments during
the colder season is curling up with a
captivating book, accompanied by a strong
cup of tea or coffee and a warm blanket. We
hope that, equipped with this issue of Bookmark,
you’ll find your next favourite read.
To elevate the cosiness of your reading
experience, we’ve shared here a fantastic
compilation of cosy crime novels. Whether
you are an experienced armchair detective
seeking to solve a puzzle or are simply longing
for an immersive tale to escape everyday
life for a few hours – these mysteries
will definitely do the trick.
We are honoured to be featuring bestselling
author R. F. Kuang in our interview.
Kuang gives fascinating insights into her
celebrated and timely novel Yellowface, in
which she fearlessly explores questions of
exploitation, friendship, and the irresistible
power of storytelling.
Showing that there are indeed entire cities
to be discovered between only two covers
of a book, we invite you to travel to our favourite
literary interpretations of different
cities – from New York’s skyscrapers all the
way to the canals of Amsterdam.
Last but certainly not least, Bookmark now
includes a section with book recommendations
for our youngest, helping to spark
the love of books for a new generation of
readers.
Warmest regards
Christine Roth
As modern-day events unravel, books have never been a safer space
to find solace and refuge from the struggles of everyday life. In
cosies, amateur sleuths who are often overlooked by society get their
chance to shine: the everyman solves crimes, puzzles and mysteries,
possibly all while cuddling a pet, munching on biscuits and sipping
tea. With autumn just around the corner and more chances to stay
indoors and read, we’ve put together a list of the cosiest new releases,
perfect for those first cold, crisp days after summer’s come and gone.
From historical and paranormal fiction to senior citizens sleuths and
closed-room mysteries, the books we’ve found are all so different
while honouring traditional components of the cosy crime subgenre.
1 The Last Devil to Die by Richard Osman
Starting strong with the maestro of cosy crime, Richard Osman’s
million-copy bestselling series Thursday Murder Club hands the four
eighty-year-old retired friends another juicy mystery to solve. This
time, in the attempt to protect a package, an antique seller, who also
happens to be a friend, has been murdered. As they solve yet another
murder, the gang of crime retirees are met with the intricacies of
the drug trade and the complicated business of antique fraud. And
Osman has cleverly laced into this novel questions surrounding the
care of the elderly. A simultaneously funny and heart-breaking read
in the much-loved series.
Imprint
Editor: Orell Füssli Thalia AG,
Dietzingerstrasse 3, Postfach, 8036 Zurich
Authors: Christine Modafferi, Fanny Lewis,
Catherine Sandwell-Meyer
Editorial staff: Orell Füssli Thalia AG
Design: design.isch. GmbH
Cover photo: Jose Camacho
5
“When
8
Rip-Roaring
all the dust has
settled, does anything
ever really change?”
Interview with
bestselling author
R. F. Kuang
Releases
Discover the season’s
best titles
Urban Stories
Some of our favourite literary interpretations
of cities around the world
Cosy Crime
3There is no such thing as an unsolved mystery
12
18
22
39
What We Loved
Recommendations
from our book experts
Stories for Young and Old
These books are bound to
take you back to the stories
that grew us into readers
Our branches
An overview of
our shops
Prices are subject to change. Current retail prices and an extensive selection of books, films and games can be found at www.orellfuessli.ch.
Titles marked with these symbols are also available as e-book or audiobook.
Cosy
Crime
Is there anything cosier than curling
up with a good book, a hot cup
of tea or coffee, and the comforting
knowledge that wherever you
escape, there is no such thing as
an unsolved mystery? Welcome
to the world of cosy crime.
Text by Christine Modafferi
Bookmark Magazine
2 The Murder Game by Tom Hindle
Murder mystery parties are a much-loved trope in the world of cosy
crime: multiple characters, all dressed-up in vintage outfits and a
locked-room mystery are the ingredients to a killer recipe! As old
friends meet at Hamlet Hall for a 1920s-themed New Year’s Eve
murder mystery party, their roles are set. But their relationships
are more complicated than they seem, and, as the fictional mystery
begins to play out, one late-comer is found murdered. To solve the
crime, the close-knit group members will inevitably begin to turn
against each other, and the closed circle’s secrets will come undone.
Told through multiple points of view with an unexpected plot twist
at its end, this is the perfect nostalgic-feeling Sunday afternoon read.
3 Grave Expectations by Alice Bell
If you love some soft paranormal activity in your cosies and lots
of humour, Grave Expectations by Alice Bell is the debut you won’t
want to miss. This cosy brings together four very different characters:
a medium called on to solve a murder that occurred in a very
posh English family’s mansion, her ghost friend who has been by
her side since she was seventeen, and the only two family members
that definitely aren’t the murderer(s), a handsome ex-policeman and
a non-binary teen. As they work together to solve the crime, Claire,
the medium, walks on a fine line. She’s not a very skilled medium,
and if her two new friends discover her best friend is a ghost who
follows her everywhere, she might lose all her credibility … and her
new friends.
4 Three Card Murder by J. L. Blackhurst
A closed-room mystery with not one but two female protagonists,
two sisters leading opposite lives. Tess is a policewoman. Her
half-sister, Sarah, a con artist. The two met late in life and never
really got the chance to form a relationship. But that’s about to
change, as Tess is assigned her first murder investigation, and the
only person who can help her is Sarah. As the two sisters get to the
bottom of the mystery murder, and their potential connection with
the killer, prepare to be misdirected, illuded and surprised by a
thrilling reveal at the end.
Second feature
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