Helle and Death
A classic whodunnit for the twenty-first century.
- 2024
- Viper Books
A glorious feat that intrigues, surprises and delights from page one. This gem is a solid gold revival of the golden age whodunnit, with a delicious Danish twist
— Janice Hallett, author of The Appeal
Shortlisted for The Crime Fiction Lover Debut Novel Award 2024
A snowstorm. A country house. Old friends reunited.
It’s going to be murder…
Torben Helle – art historian, Danish expat and owner of several excellent Scandinavian jumpers – has been dragged to a remote snowbound Northumbrian mansion for a ten-year reunion with old university friends. Things start to go sideways when their host, a reclusive and irritating tech entrepreneur, makes some shocking revelations at the dinner table. And when these are followed by an apparent suicide, the group faces a test of their wits… and their trust.
Snowed in and cut off, surrounded by enigmatic housekeepers and off-duty police inspectors, not to mention a peculiar last will and testament, suspicion and sarcasm quickly turn to panic. As the temperature drops and the tension mounts, Torben decides to draw upon all the tricks of Golden Age detectives past in order to solve the mystery: how much money would it take to turn one of his old friends into a murderer? But he’d better be quick, or someone else might end up dead…
This witty murder mystery puts a modern spin on the classic country house whodunnit. A must-read for fans of Agatha Christie, Richard Osman and Janice Hallett.
A clever, elegant mystery in the Golden Age tradition, though it's set in the present day. Nods to my favourite fictional sleuth of the era made it even more special
— Leonora Nattrass, author of Blue Water
Shortlisted for The Crime Fiction Lover Debut Novel Award 2024
A snowstorm. A country house. Old friends reunited.
It’s going to be murder…
Torben Helle – art historian, Danish expat and owner of several excellent Scandinavian jumpers – has been dragged to a remote snowbound Northumbrian mansion for a ten-year reunion with old university friends. Things start to go sideways when their host, a reclusive and irritating tech entrepreneur, makes some shocking revelations at the dinner table. And when these are followed by an apparent suicide, the group faces a test of their wits… and their trust.
Snowed in and cut off, surrounded by enigmatic housekeepers and off-duty police inspectors, not to mention a peculiar last will and testament, suspicion and sarcasm quickly turn to panic. As the temperature drops and the tension mounts, Torben decides to draw upon all the tricks of Golden Age detectives past in order to solve the mystery: how much money would it take to turn one of his old friends into a murderer? But he’d better be quick, or someone else might end up dead…
This witty murder mystery puts a modern spin on the classic country house whodunnit. A must-read for fans of Agatha Christie, Richard Osman and Janice Hallett.
Recommended reading for a long winter night
— Guardian
A witty repurposing of the Golden Age country house whodunnit for the modern age
— Financial Times
Combines classic country house murder mystery with an ensemble comedy caper in a glorious debut
— Sunday Express
A spine-chilling, Agatha Christie-esque whodunnit
— iPaper
An ingenious plot, witty asides and lively characterisations... If Carlsberg did whodunnits they would probably be something like this
— Saga Magazine
Jensen has taken themes from dozens of golden age novels and made something new – and funny – out of them... Self-conscious in the best way, with an array of literary references, this is an excellent cosy crime novel
— Literary Review
A love letter to the classic Country House murder mystery ... if Agatha Christie had written The Big Chill it would have been very much like this
— J.M. Hall, author of A Spoonful of Murder
As cunning as Christie, as elegant as Sayers, with a dash of Donna Tartt thrown in for good measure. Helle & Death is not only a fiendishly clever mystery on par with the best the Golden Age has to offer, but a deft character study in the complex entanglements of old friendships. Witty, erudite, funny, and wonderfully well-written, I am in awe of what Oskar Jensen has achieved with this book
— William Hussey, author of Killing Jericho
A brilliant update on the traditional country house murder. Oskar Jensen has a wonderfully descriptive style, pin-point accurate and loaded with atmosphere. If this is the start of Scandi-Cosy, I'm all for it
— Ian Moore, author of Death and Croissants
A glittering jewel in the crown of modern country house mysteries. We must have more of Torben Helle! Truly excellent
— Marion Todd, author of Old Bones Lie
Super tight plotting with a great cast of characters and wonderful Sorkin-esque dialogue. Huge recommendation for fans of Agatha Christie and Rian Johnson
— Tariq Ashkanani, author of Welcome to Cooper
A wonderful mix of golden age tributes, scandi not-so-noir, puzzling mystery, and a study of the sort of friendships that linger across the years, often against the odds... A belter of a book, and I'm already anxiously awaiting the sequel
— Katy Watson, author of The Three Dahlias
Oskar Jensen is a sparkling new voice in crime fiction. Loved it
— S.J. Bennett, author of The Windsor Knot
A highbrow cosy that takes a playful approach to the tropes and fetishes of the genre while effortlessly twisting the reader in circles. A hugely accomplished fiction debut
— Eva Dolan, author of Long Way Home
