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WORK TITLE: Swiss Vendetta
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: https://traceedehahn.com/
CITY:
STATE: VA
COUNTRY:
NATIONALITY:
https://traceedehahn.com/tracee/ * https://us.macmillan.com/author/traceedehahn/
RESEARCHER NOTES:
LC control no.: n 99055215
LCCN Permalink: https://lccn.loc.gov/n99055215
HEADING: De Hahn, Tracee
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100 1_ |a De Hahn, Tracee
370 __ |e Virginia
373 __ |a University of Kentucky
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670 __ |a Crimes against children, c2000: |b CIP t.p. (Tracee de Hahn)
670 __ |a Swiss vendetta, 2017: |b ECIP t.p. (Tracee de Hahn) data view (completed degrees in architecture and European history at the University of Kentucky and then lived in Europe, including several years in Switzerland. She currently lives in Virginia)
953 __ |a sc19
PERSONAL
Married; husband’s name Henri (an architect and university professor).
EDUCATION:University of Kentucky, degrees in architecture and European history.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer. Has worked as architect and for nonprofit institutions. Was assistant vice president for alumni relations at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.
AVOCATIONS:Reading, travel, cooking, painting.
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
Tracee de Hahn has a long-standing interest in Switzerland, where she lived for several years, and that is reflected in her debut novel, Swiss Vendetta, the first in a planned series of mysteries featuring Swiss-American police detective Agnes Lüthi. As to why she set the novel in Switzerland, de Hahn wrote on her home page: “There isn’t one particular reason although my husband is Swiss and during the years we lived in Lausanne my interest in the country took root. I’ve always found it a fascinating country, one that is simultaneously well-known and anonymous.” She further noted: “It is a country of diverse geography, diverse cultures and languages, deeply rooted traditions and cutting edge technology. There are so many places and people to capture the imagination of readers that it seemed like a perfect setting to share.” Switzerland, she told Miss Demeanors blogger Cate Holahan, is “incredibly beautiful and peaceful and orderly … until you notice the undercurrent of energy expended to keep it that way. The contradiction is fascinating and made me think of the elements of a mystery.” She continued: “The winter setting was inspired by the memory of a devastating ice storm some years ago in Geneva. The famous Château de Chillon on the shores of Lac Léman above Lausanne was the inspiration for my Château Vallotton (Lord Byron was also inspired by this location). After I had the location in mind, the plot and characters evolved. The crime at the center of the book came easily.” She decided to make her protagonist Swiss-American, she wrote on her home page, “since that would provide a chance to highlight cultural differences,” she added. Agnes is the daughter of American parents but grew up in Switzerland and married a Swiss man.
As Swiss Vendetta opens, Agnes’s husband has recently committed suicide, leaving her a single mother of three sons. She is till grieving and trying to understand why her husband took his own life, and dealing with a mother-in-law who blames her. Agnes also has just transferred from the Lausanne Police Department’s financial crimes division to its violent crimes unit. On her first day in her new position, she is called upon to investigate a murder. Felicity Lowell, a British appraiser for an auction house, has been found stabbed to death at the Chateau Vallatton, an estate on Lake Geneva (known in French as Lac Léman) where she was cataloguing items to be sold. It is the day of the worst blizzard ever to hit Lausanne, and Agnes is stranded at the chateau with an odd assortment of people. The sumptuous estate is occupied by Marquise Antoinette Vallatton de Torney, the matriarch of an aristocratic family, and her corps of servants. Visiting at the moment are her nephews Julien and Daniel, Daniel’s wife, a godson, and an American historical researcher, Nick Graves. Neighbor Vladimir Arsov, a Russian who fought as part of the French resistance in World War II, is present as well. None of these people seem to have a motive, and they are not very forthcoming with information, but they are the only ones who would have had the opportunity to kill Felicity. A police officer from a nearby village assists Agnes in her investigation, along with three men who happened to be at a hotel in the area when the murder was reported—Agnes’s former supervisor in financial crimes, a local doctor, and their mountain guide. In this isolated, claustrophobic setting, with electrical power out and roads blocked, she must determine who killed Felicity Lowell—and in the process, prove herself a capable homicide detective. She ends up discovering some secrets about the Vallatton family and, from Graves, about the murder victim.
Several critics found Swiss Vendetta an entertaining mystery with a fascinating setting. It “is a winning Agatha Christie-style locked room mystery—a feat in itself—but the book also has several twists that make it appealing to all manner of mystery lovers,” remarked Jennifer Poff Cooper in Virginia’s Roanoke Times. A Kirkus Reviews contributor noted that the novel “recalls the structure of a classic English countryhouse murder, but the setting in contemporary Switzerland and the astute policewoman as protagonist bring an edge.” Shelf Awareness commentator Jessica Howard added that Swiss Vendetta is “a modern police procedural and yet reminiscent of Mary Stewart’s gothic writing.” De Hahn evokes the past not only by paying homage to venerable mystery subgenres but by mixing in twentieth-century European history, with Arsov sharing his accounts of WWII, some reviewers observed. “While contemporary mystery lovers will appreciate the primary story, historical mystery aficionados will like the excerpts from Arsov’s World War II diary,” Cooper related. “These seem superfluous until de Hahn expertly ties them into the main storyline at the end.” The blogger behind Luv to Read also thought Arsov’s presence enhanced the story, saying the character “brings a melancholy, historical aspect to the mystery.”
Reviewers praised other aspects of the novel as well. “The pacing is perfect; when one question is answered, another surfaces to keep readers’ interest and build suspense,” Cooper reported. De Hahn, according to a critic at the Night Owl Reviews Web site, “did a wonderful job with the plot, atmosphere, and characterizations, making a very nice impression.” This critic particularly commended the portrayal of Agnes, as “her compassion and empathy make her a different type of crime solver,” while Howard called the character “an eminently likable heroine.” In BookPage‘s online edition, Barbara Clark voiced some reservations, maintaining that after opening “on a thrilling note,” the action slows down, and that as Agnes solves the murder, her “insights are not always substantiated within the narrative, sometimes seeming to appear from offstage.” Clark continued: “After a great beginning, a slow-going middle gives way to a finale that helps rescue some of the book’s dramatic potential.” A Publishers Weekly contributor saw a wealth of coincidence in the story, but allowed that “those who like a fireside read on a winter night will be pleased” by de Hahn’s “absorbing debut.” Still others strongly recommended Swiss Vendetta. The Luv to Read blogger termed it “an excellent mystery, with a dash of history, and a smart plot and heroine.” An online reviewer at Marilyn’s Mystery Reads concluded: “Tracee de Hahn has written a compelling first novel, with, I hope, many more to follow.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Kirkus Reviews, December 1, 2016, review of Swiss Vendetta.
Publishers Weekly, December 5, 2016, review of Swiss Vendetta, p. 50.
Radford News Journal (Radford, VA), May 31, 2017, Pat Brown, :Author Tracee de Hahn Immerses Herself in Mystery”
Roanoke Times, April 30, 2017, Jennifer Poff Cooper,review of Swiss Vendetta.
ONLINE
BookPage Web site, https://bookpage.com/ (February 7, 2017), Barbara Clark, review of Swiss Vendetta.
Coffee with a Canine, http://coffeecanine.blogspot.com/ (February 16, 2017), interview with Tracee de Hahn.
Luv to Read, https://luvtoread.com/ (February 7, 2017), review of Swiss Vendetta.
Marilyn’s Mystery Reads, http://www.marilynsmysteryreads.com/ (February 18, 2017), review of Swiss Vendetta.
Macmillan Web site, https://us.macmillan.com/ (August 29, 2017), brief biography.
Miss Demeanors, https://www.missdemeanors.com/ (February 7, 2017), Cate Holahan, interview with Tracee de Hahn.
Night Owl Reviews, https://www.nightowlreviews.com/ (May, 2017), review of Swiss Vendetta.
Shelf Awareness, http://www.shelf-awareness.com/ (March 3, 2017), Jessica Howard, review of Swiss Vendetta.
Tracee de Hahn Home Page, https://traceedehahn.com (August 29, 2017).*
FAQs
Why do you write novels that are set in Switzerland when you’re an American? There isn’t one particular reason although my husband is Swiss and during the years we lived in Lausanne my interest in the country took root. I’ve always found it a fascinating country, one that is simultaneously well-known and anonymous. Ask almost anyone what they know about Switzerland and they will be able to name a thing, a place, a person that is legitimately connected (Geneva, Lucerne, Heidi, watches, Mont Blanc, chocolate, cows, fondue, and the United Nations to name a few favorites). It is a country of diverse geography, diverse cultures and languages, deeply rooted traditions and cutting edge technology. There are so many places and people to capture the imagination of readers that it seemed like a perfect setting to share.
What was the inspiration for your characters? Agnes Lüthi developed slowly as her personality emerged. I wanted her to be American and Swiss since that would provide a chance to highlight cultural differences. Also important is that she isn’t a super-hero and therefore she has the same pressures many have in their family, at work, with their hair, clothes… you name it. In rounding out her family, my husband and I love cooking and I wanted to give Agnes a connection to food so her mother-in-law, Sybille, is the foodie (another strong food connection emerges in the next book). My husband claims that Julien Vallotton is an idealized version of him and I hope he doesn’t read this and realize that’s not entirely true! The Vallotton family does represent the most traditional of Swiss and European values. They allow us a glimpse into a life of great privilege and the associated problems. Plus I love to travel, collect antiques and art and the Vallottons each tap into one or more of those interests. I also wanted to showcase the wide variety of architecture found in Switzerland and Château Vallotton allows that glimpse. The chalet of Agnes’s in-laws provides an architectural balance. In the next book you will find a sampling of modern architecture (hint: Le Corbusier, one of the most famous architects of the 20th century, was a native of Switzerland even though he later was more associated with France).
How did you get into writing? Because I love stories, it’s as simple as that. You could say that my first love was reading, which nurtured a sense of ‘what if’. That’s when writing entered the game.
What writers do you read? Everyone and everything isn’t too far from the truth although I’ve always loved mysteries. During my grade school years we spent summers at my grandparents in Mississippi and the Ruleville library was a favorite outing (everyone should have access to such a wonderful facility). I picked out my first Agatha Christie’s there (perhaps Elephants Can Remember was the first?) in addition to biographies of Queens Marie-Antoinette and Elizabeth I. Clearly I must have thought that happy endings weren’t necessary for a good read. Of course every reader has long term favorites and mine include Larry McMurtry’s Lonesome Dove, Tolstoy’s War and Peace and Anna Karenina, and James Clavell’s Shogun, to name a few. I have a long list of favorite mystery writers including, but not limited to: Kate Ross, Henning Mankel, Donna Leon, Elizabeth George, Martha Grimes, C.J. Sansom, Tatiana de Rosnay, Deanna Raybourn, Oliver Potzsch, Louise Penny, Jo Nesbo, David Liss, Philip Kerr, P.D. James, Tana French, Alan Furst, David Downing, Alan Bradley, Tasha Alexander. Other than mystery: P.G. Wodehouse, Elizabeth Kostova, Diana Gabaldon, Jasper Fforde, Bernard Cornwell (Richard Sharpe series)… and too many more to name.
Did you attend a creative writing program? No, although my father and I have been writing together for years (while we both worked at our respective day jobs). It was like a personalized, intensive writing program where you have to develop a story and finish it, no excuses.
Are you a member of any writing associations or other organizations? Yes, I am a member of Sisters in Crime.
Do you visit Bookclubs? Absolutely, I would love to join your bookclub. If it’s within driving distance an in-person visit can be arranged, farther away and I can join by Skype. It’s a pleasure to talk books! Use the Contact form on my website to get in touch.
Are you in a writer’s critique group? Two currently. They keep me connected to others in my community who are committed to the craft of writing. Because of the format I don’t have to present often, which means I don’t submit work that is in the earliest – and most fragile – stage. I do have trusted beta readers who read on an as-needed basis, meaning they are willing to read “right away!” Critical, since timing can be everything.
When will your next book be released? Swiss Vendetta releases February 7, 2017 with the second of the Agnes Lüthi mysteries to follow.
Tracee de Hahn writes the Agnes Lüthi mystery series set in Switzerland.
Prior to writing fiction she began her career in the practice of architecture, using the need to see great buildings as an excuse to travel. After several years in Switzerland, and receiving an advanced degree in European history, she turned her hand to the non-profit world, eventually running alumni relations for a west coast university.
Having left the ‘real’ world to purse a writing career, she now lives with her husband and Jack Russell Terriers and Flemish Giant rabbit in southwest Virginia in a Victorian house with the foothills of the Appalachian mountains in the far distance. There they have a marvelous deep porch where limitless cups of Lady Grey tea can be enjoyed while the next book is plotted. She loves reading and travel and cooking and is an occasional amateur painter.
TRACEE DE HAHN completed degrees in architecture and European history at the University of Kentucky and then lived in Europe, including several years in Switzerland. She currently lives in Virginia with her husband, a Swiss architect, and their Jack Russell Terriers. Swiss Vendetta is her first novel.
Author Tracee de Hahn immerses herself in mystery
By Radford News Journal -May 31, 201791
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Pat Brown
Contributing Writer
Photo by Pat Brown
In her upstairs office, Tracee de Hahn proudly displays a copy of her first published book “Swiss Vendetta,” a mystery set in Switzerland.
Settings are very important to author Tracee de Hahn, both the settings of her books and the surroundings in which she writes.
Her first mystery novel, “Swiss Vendetta,” is set in a chateau on Lake Geneva (French name: Lac Leman). The hardback edition came out in September. It can be downloaded and is already available in audio format. The large print edition comes out in August.
“It’s an amazing setting,” de Hahn said of Lac Leman, a place she has visited with her Swiss husband Henri. A painting in the couple’s home depicts the actual lakeside castle that provided the inspiration for her first novel’s setting.
In “Swiss Vendetta,” female inspector Agnes Lüthi is among the people who are trapped in a lakeside chateau by an ice storm. “You need a place that’s evocative,” de Hahn said.
Her second book, “A Well-Timed Murder,” is also part of the Agnes Lüthi series, and is already listed by Amazon. It will be out in February of 2018.
So de Hahn is busy. She has completed a 14-city promotional tour of book signings and meet-and-greets. Her publisher, Minotaur Books, arranged a tour that took her across the South, out to the Midwest and to New York City. When she is at home in Christiansburg, she is writing fulltime.
She and husband Henri, director of the school of architecture and design at Virginia Tech, chose a Victorian home in Christiansburg for their residence. In her office overlooking a large, tree-shaded yard, de Hahn writes each day. On warm, dry days, she might take her writing to her spacious front porch. These days she is working on a mystery that might be set in Kentucky, her home state.
“As a new author, you don’t have a name out there,” said de Hahn, explaining why she spent time away from her current projects to promote works she completed months ago. When a writer comes home from a promotional tour, “you have to be really committed to the project that’s currently going on.”
De Hahn said she was thrilled during book launching engagements when readers asked her questions that reflected familiarity with “Swiss Vendetta.”
“Oh, my gosh, they read it!” she recalls thinking to herself.
Local signings so far have included stops at Barnes and Noble stores in Roanoke and Christiansburg. Her book is available at local libraries.
De Hahn said she approaches her writing by first “rolling ideas around in my brain.” When she’s ready, she creates a rough outline, “so I know where I’m going,” she explained. She estimated she writes a minimum of 1,000 words a day—sometimes in longhand, but most often on her computer.
“It’s easier to edit bad ideas than it is to edit a blank page,” she said.
Ideas get jotted down in a notebook. “This helps me not forget plot points, lines of dialogue or simply ideas I want to mull,” she said. She keeps note cards and notebooks divided into chapters to help her check continuity quickly as she progresses through a story. A wall chart that reveals the entire book in ten-page segments helps her control the book’s pacing.
De Hahn appreciates the flexibility her at-home work site affords. “I can be working in the yard thinking about what I’m writing. If I get an idea, I can come inside.”
Another perk of being at home while she works is the fact that de Hahn can keep an eye on the couple’s two Jack Russell terriers, Alvaro (Spanish for architect) and Lika (the first dog in space).
“But I felt a little bit hurried last week,” she admitted, explaining that it had been her turn to write a week’s worth of online entries for a blog she and four other writers maintain. “When you write, you’re alone,” she said, “so it’s important to be part of a community of writers.”
De Hahn has joined the New River Writer’s Group, which meets monthly at Lucie Monroe’s in Christiansburg. Occasionally she attends weekend writing workshops. She has four on her calendar right now, including ones where she is a featured guest.
Understandably, she calls herself “immersed” in her craft.
De Hahn comes to writing by a circuitous path. Like many youngsters, she read the Nancy Drew and Agatha Christie mysteries. She studied architecture at the University of Kentucky, where she met her husband. She wrote privately in college, but did not seek publication.
“I like to say that my mother taught me to read and my father inspired me to write,” de Hahn said. His writings were mostly fact-based, whereas de Hahn has always preferred to write fiction. Her parents still live in western Kentucky.
“I think he’s real proud,” de Hahn said, predicting her father’s reaction to her success as an author.
De Hahn’s professional career included working for universities and non-profits, often involving her in fund raising. She was assistant vice president for alumni relations at California Polytechnic at San Luis Obispo. She worked briefly at Virginia Tech before launching into writing fulltime. Unlike the solitary pursuit of writing, these jobs were “completely collaborative.”
“A Well-Timed Murder” is set in the small town of Basel, Switzerland, and the series de Hahn is currently creating, a mystery/adventure, she calls it, is set in Lexington, Kentucky.
“A year ago I was already asking myself what my second book series was going to be,” she said.
The post Author Tracee de Hahn immerses herself in mystery appeared first on Radford News Journal.
Thursday, February 16, 2017
Tracee de Hahn & Alvaro and Laika
Who is pictured in these photos?
I’m Tracee de Hahn and I live and work in an old Victorian house in Virginia. Many times I can be found on my front porch with Alvaro, our nine-year-old Jack Russell, who isn’t always a fan of being cuddled. His sister and litter mate, Laika, is always willing to be held…. particularly in this photo [at right], when we were waiting for the vet prior to her cataract surgery (which was a great success…. all the better to see distant squirrels).
What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?
Who needs a reason! They are with me every day almost all day long. They love walking into town for a coffee.
What's brewing?
At home I drink tea – Lady Grey by Twinings. Out of the house I treat myself to a cappuccino.
Any treats for you or Alvaro and Laika on this occasion?
Absolutely – I’m having a scone. Laika isn’t at all interested, she’s more focused on the squirrels (which look like a tasty snack to her). Alvaro [photo left] knows that he will get a doggy treat. He’s very food motivated and waits patiently for his reward.
How were you and your dogs united?
Alvaro and Laika were true life savers. We had a pair of Jack Russells and the girl, Sabatchka, died. She was the sweetest dog in the world and her brother fell into immediate depression (as did my husband). I found a girl puppy all the way up the coast at the top of California (we were living in the center of the state) and we drove there right away. During the seven hour drive we kept saying ‘them’ and not ‘her’. And sure enough we just couldn’t leave the final pup (a boy) there. For many years we had three Jack Russsells and I’m convinced that once our older dog was accustomed to them, they were the mainstay of his life for the next seven years.
How did your dogs get their names? Any aliases?
Our boy dogs are traditionally named after famous architects. Alvaro is in honor of Portuguese architect Alvaro Siza. The girls have Russian names – in honor of my love of Russian literature. Laika was the first dog in space. The terrier who went up in Sputnik.
Do Alvaro and Laika do more to help or hinder your writing?
That depends on their mood. Many days they sit nearby in their bed or on a chair looking out the window, waiting patiently until we have a walk. Other days they want to be closer, which means I must abandon the desk and sit on a sofa so they can cuddle nearby. Occasionally Laika is only content if she is literally on my lap – with my computer or notebook balanced on top of her.
Have any actual dogs ever inspired dogs in your fiction?
The Great Dane in Swiss Vendetta plays a critical role. He is based on a Great Dane I met once in Franklin, Tennessee. A gorgeous harlequin.
Cat, postman, squirrel...?
Laika wants to be friends with the neighborhood cats, but they aren’t very willing. Perhaps because they see how desperate she is to catch the squirrels.
Ball, squeaky-toy, stick...?
Alvaro love his toys, particularly tennis balls, but really any toy. Squeaky toys lose their squeak after five minutes but that’s five minutes of pure joy so it’s worth it! Now he’s nudging me as a reminder that the rats from Ikea are his favorite. Intended for human children, they don’t have squeakers but they are fun to carry and sleep with.
Who is each dog's best pet-pal?
They have always been together so the bond is strong. With each of our pairs of dogs, the female bonds with my husband and the male with me.
What is each dog's best quality?
Laika – when not obsessed with the squirrels – is very affectionate. Alvaro is playful and loyal.
If Alvaro and Laika could change one thing about Virginians, what would it be?
They love everything about the state. The weather – love that snow! – and how friendly people are. Plus there are lots of dogs, which makes them feel at home everywhere.
Laika was particularly happy when we moved here two years ago because she had terrible skin allergies in California and had to wear a shirt to prevent scratching. Horribly embarrassing for her.
If Alvaro and Laika could answer only one question in English, what would you ask them?
What could we do to make their routine even better.
If Hollywood made a movie about your life in which your dogs could speak, who should voice them?
Kate Winslet for Laika, because of her beautiful voice with a bit of spunk.
Alvaro might be Matt Damon, good humored but also serious.
What advice would your dogs give if asked?
To enjoy every day, that’s their attitude toward life and I think it’s working out for them.
Visit Tracee de Hahn's website.
PUB DAY!!!! An interview with Swiss Vendetta author Tracee de Hahn
February 7, 2017
|
Cate Holahan
Publication day!!!!
For my first book, it was the fulfillment of a dream, the culmination of years of work and the validation that I had not been crazy when I'd quit my journalism job to get "serious about writing fiction." It was also terribly unnerving to know that my baby would now be out there, inviting judgment. I was uncharacteristically touchy the whole day, like a raw nerve.
Today is fellow MissDemeanor Tracee de Hahn's publication day for Swiss Vendetta, the first in her Detective Agnes Lüthi mystery series. Award-winning author Charles Todd called the mystery "a true page turner" and the novel has been hailed as "tense, atmospheric and richly detailed."
She answered a few questions about her writing process and feelings about her big day for today's blog.
Q. What was your inspiration for writing Swiss Vendetta?
A. My husband is Swiss and we lived there for some years. It is a fascinating country. Incredibly beautiful and peaceful and orderly… until you notice the undercurrent of energy expended to keep it that way. The contradiction is fascinating and made me think of the elements of a mystery.
There were a few other pieces that had to come together – the winter setting was inspired by the memory of a devastating ice storm some years ago in Geneva. The famous Château de Chillon on the shores of Lac Léman above Lausanne was the inspiration for my Château Vallotton (Lord Byron was also inspired by this location). After I had the location in mind, the plot and characters evolved. The crime at the center of the book came easily.
Q. How do you come up with your characters? Are they modeled after people that you know?
A. They certainly contain bits of people that I know, but the elements of the individuals are transformed into something wholly of my imagination. For example, one of my favorite characters in Swiss Vendetta is the aging Russian, Vladimir Arsov. His voice, his manner of speaking, and his confidence were all inspired by an Italian architecture professor I had the good fortune to know. Arsov’s life story was all my invention, but the reader will understand how the man’s presence – based on my friend’s – helped created the rest.
Q. Do you picture the actress who would play your protagonist in a movie?
A. I’ve thought about the cinematographic dimension of the book, but I haven’t thought about the actress who would play Agnes. Hopefully I’ll need to one day.
Q. What was the most surprising thing about the book publishing process to you?
A. The collegiality of the writing community, particularly those in the mystery and thriller genre. Writing is a solitary endeavor and they make it less so. I imagine that before the internet, authors wrote to one another. Now the immediately of the internet and the growing network of conferences mean that we can connect daily. There is much to be learned and this group is always willing to share.
Q. Now that it's launch day, are you happy, sad, relieved? All of the above? Why?...
A. A combination of happy and relieved. I know myself too well, and while writing is solitary, a book is a shared experience. I wanted to be out and about at launch time. My publishers lined up a tour of several cities and I’ll be distracted for a few weeks. For the actual launch date, I am signing at one of my favorite book stores, in a city I love – Joseph-Beth Booksellers in Lexington, KY.
If you want to join me on tour, the events are all up on my website at www.traceedehahn.com
Q. What is next for you?
A. Finalizing the second in the series and then starting the third! I think that the second is a psychological hurdle. I have a dozen ideas for the next one and hopefully the ones after that. Really, can’t wait to get started!
de Hahn, Tracee: SWISS VENDETTA
Kirkus Reviews.
(Dec. 1, 2016):
COPYRIGHT 2016 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
de Hahn, Tracee SWISS VENDETTA Minotaur (Adult Fiction) $25.99 2, 7 ISBN: 978-1-250-10999-6
Inspector Agnes Luthi investigates a violent death among the Swiss aristocracy in this debut mystery.Raw with grief
and seeking a fresh start, Agnes has just transferred from financial crimes to violent crimes when she gets her first case.
As the blizzard of the century sweeps across Lac Leman, a dead body is discovered on the grounds of Chateau
Vallotton, an ancient fortress on the lake. The victim is Felicity Cowell, a lovely young Englishwoman from a
prestigious auction house, at the chateau to catalog some family treasures. The roads are impassable, the power is out,
and the telephones are down. Only a resident of the chateau could have committed the crime, and Agnes and her little
team are on their own to discover which one. Nearly all the suspects seem as unlikely as they are familiar--the patrician
marquise, the highly competent housekeeper, the elderly plutocrat residing in the adjacent mansion--except for the
American graduate student researching in the library who knows about the victim's shady past. But when the
marquise's young ward goes missing and old bones are discovered on the grounds, the plot darkens in the shadow of
the Vallottons' long history. The storm isolating the ancestral castle recalls the structure of a classic English countryhouse
murder, but the setting in contemporary Switzerland and the astute policewoman as protagonist bring an edge. A
well-constructed mystery that will leave readers pleasantly anticipating a sequel.
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"de Hahn, Tracee: SWISS VENDETTA." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Dec. 2016. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA471902094&it=r&asid=f20ed0d4f571532556669a265b4a848e.
Accessed 14 Aug. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A471902094
---
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http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MARK_LIST&userGroupName=schlager&inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&ts=1502769073036 2/2
Swiss Vendetta
Publishers Weekly.
263.50 (Dec. 5, 2016): p50.
COPYRIGHT 2016 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Swiss Vendetta
Tracee de Hahn. Minotaur, $25.99 (368p) ISBN 978-1-250-10999-6
Police detective Agnes Luthi tackles her first homicide case in de Hahn's absorbing debut. Felicity Cowell, a British art
assessor with a sordid past, has been killed at an elegant lakeside estate near Lausanne, Switzerland. When a blizzard
descends, Agnes and other investigators become trapped at Chateau Vallotton with the aristocratic Vallotton family,
their guests and servants, as well as an elderly neighbor, the charming Vladimir Arsov, who fought with the French
Resistance during WWII. De Hahn sets up a locked-room mystery with potential for rich interpersonal tensions. The
rarefied, restrictive world of Swiss aristocracy provides a tantalizing backdrop, and Agnes--born to American parents,
raised in Switzerland, and a widowed mother of three sons after her husband's recent suicide--is a strong series lead.
Coincidences abound, but those who like a fireside read on a winter night will be pleased. Agent: Paula Munier, Talcott
Notch Literary Services. (Feb.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Swiss Vendetta." Publishers Weekly, 5 Dec. 2016, p. 50. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA475224844&it=r&asid=e8f62f23ea9ae3e05af84bddb45f2c10.
Accessed 14 Aug. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A475224844
SWISS VENDETTA by Tracee de Hahn: Book Review
PostDateIcon February 18th, 2017 | PostAuthorIcon Author: Marilyn Brooks | Bookmark and Share
There’s not much in the way of crime fiction coming from Switzerland compared to other European countries. So Tracee de Hahn’s debut novel, Swiss Vendetta, is definitely a welcome addition to the international mystery genre.
Agnes Lüthi has just been transferred to the Violent Crimes division of the Lausanne Police Department from its Financial division. She’s pleased yet anxious about her new position, and she’s still mourning the recent death of her husband. On her first day at her new job, the worst blizzard in the city’s history is covering Lausanne and its environs with freezing temperatures, biting winds, and whiteout conditions. But crime doesn’t respect the weather, and Agnes is called to investigate a murder. It’s her first homicide case, and the conditions could not be worse.
The murder has taken place at the Chateau Vallatton, home to the region’s wealthiest and most prominent family. The victim, a visitor named Felicity Cowell, was an appraiser for a London auction house, and she was in the process of valuing the hundreds of valuable items that the Vallatton family had amassed over the centuries. But something made Felicity leave the mansion that morning, bizarrely dressed in an evening gown and a man’s coat, and go out into the blizzard. What was it?
At first glance it’s hard to tell what happened to Felicity, given that her body is stuck to the ice. But when she is finally moved, a knife wound is revealed; now there’s no doubt it was murder.
The small investigative presence at the murder site is not what should have been. The chief of the station, Inspector Bardy, is stranded elsewhere because of the storm. André Petit is the village policeman without much homicide experience, preoccupied because his wife is going into labor with their first child. The other three men on the scene simply happened to be at the local hotel bar when the call came in reporting the murder, and so they went to the chateau to provide at least a semblance of officialdom: Robert Carnet, Agnes’s former supervisor in Financial Crimes; Dr. Blanchard, a local physician; and Frédéric Estanguest, an elderly villager who leads the two others up the mountain under the terrible weather conditions.
Not one of these men, nor Agnes, is experienced in investigating a murder. But they’ll have to do their best.
Matters aren’t helped by the people in the chateau. The only permanent resident is the marquise, Antoinette Vallatton de Torney, who barely acknowledges knowing the deceased. Her late brother’s two sons do not live in the mansion but both, along with the wife of the younger brother, are there at the moment. Neither brother seems to have a reason for the murder, and the younger one is in a wheelchair, making it virtually impossible for him to have gone out in the snow and killed Felicity Cowell.
The blizzard is one more obstruction for Agnes Lüthi. She is freezing cold, both physically and mentally, throughout the novel–first, obviously, by the raging storm; second, by her internal despair over her husband’s unexpected and unexplained suicide. How can she ever hope to solve this case, she wonders, when she has been unable to decipher any clues about why her husband, to whom she was closer than anyone else in the world, willingly left her and their two young sons?
Tracee de Hahn has written a compelling first novel, with, I hope, many more to follow. You can read more about her at this web site.
Read the complete Marilyn’s Mystery Reads at her web site.
Web Exclusive – February 07, 2017
SWISS VENDETTA
Murder at an icy château
BookPage review by Barbara Clark
On the surface, Tracee de Hahn’s debut mystery mimics those Golden Age country house crime novels where the suspects gather in the drawing room facing each other across the tea table, with the curtains drawn against the night. Her book, however, is somehow both more and less than those old thrillers. It’s set in present-day Switzerland as a storm of epic proportions sweeps through the Lausanne region, blanketing the area of Château Vallotton with deadly ice, snow and wind.
Swiss Vendetta opens on a thrilling note—an icy blast, with a murder taking place right off the bat, before readers (or the victim) have time to bundle up against the weather. Just before the storm shuts down all outside access, rookie police officer Agnes Lüthi slips and slides onto the scene along with a couple of other officers, to contend with a château full of suspects.
Though officers and suspects are effectively trapped on the scene by the ice and snow, this particular château has tons of rooms, stairways and secret tunnels, so it’s not exactly a modest Agatha Christie country house. Agnes and her colleagues spread out to try and learn why Felicity Cowell, a bright young appraiser for a London auction house employed by the family to appraise an estate full of treasures, has met her death out in the storm, dressed in a diamond-embellished gown. The château bristles with suspects from the Vallotton family—the regal Marquise, her nephews Julien and Daniel, a peckish godson named Mulholland and a Great Dane named Winston. A young American, Nick Graves, who’s doing historical research at the estate, has a prior connection to the victim, upping the intrigue level. The family’s elderly neighbor, Monsieur Arsov, also figures large, with his dramatic World War II backstory.
Everyone’s full of polite obfuscations, but they give Agnes the run of the estate to pursue her inquiries, so this old/new crime novel ought to be a page-turner, with its marvelous backdrop of storm and menace. However, detective Lüthi’s insights are not always substantiated within the narrative, sometimes seeming to appear from offstage. Readers may struggle to develop sympathy for the author’s sometimes two-dimensional characters, who never quite spring to life.
Swiss Vendetta is full of side stories rich with promise. After a great beginning, a slow-going middle gives way to a finale that helps rescue some of the book’s dramatic potential.
Book Review: "Swiss Vendetta"
Reviewed by Jennifer Poff Cooper, a freelance writer from Christiansburg. Apr 30, 2017 (0)
book cover swiss vendetta 043017 nr p01
Local writer Tracee de Hahn reaches a literary summit with her debut novel, the first installment in the Agnes Luthi mystery series. “Swiss Vendetta” is a winning Agatha Christie-style locked room mystery – a feat in itself – but the book also has several twists that make it appealing to all manner of mystery lovers.
De Hahn’s modern-day sleuth Agnes is an inspector with the police department, so the novel is also a police procedural. Having recently transferred from the financial crimes division to the violent crimes sector, this is her first murder case. The call about a murder comes in the midst of a winter storm. Does Agnes hit the road or plead the need to stay safe and close to her three sons?
Of course Agnes pursues the case. She barely makes it to Chateau Vallotton, where she finds that a guest in the family home – an art appraiser who was working on an auction of priceless artifacts in the extravagant Swiss chateau – has been stabbed outside. What was the young woman doing out in the severe weather? Why was she wearing a Napoleonic coronation gown topped with a man’s coat and boots? And, of course, who would want her dead?
Because of the severity of the weather, only a hiking guide and town doctor are able to reach the chateau, and no one is able to leave. The electricity is on the blink, making for a difficult search and adding to the shadowy atmosphere. The only interaction between the Vallotton family – headed by the aloof matriarch marquise – and the world is communication with the neighboring residents of the mansion of a World War II veteran called Arsov. Residents are able to navigate the snow back and forth between the two houses.
As such, all the members of both households become suspects. The Vallottons are tight-lipped, as are their loyal servants. The aged Arsov is mostly interested in his charge, the orphan Mimi, and memories of the past. As Agnes navigates the secret doors and stairwells of the Vallotton chateau she intersects with guests who populate the home, most with hidden pasts or agendas, and uncovers surprises about the murder victim as well.
While contemporary mystery lovers will appreciate the primary story, historical mystery aficionados will like the excerpts from Arsov’s World War II diary. These seem superfluous until de Hahn expertly ties them into the main storyline at the end.
Like peeling layers of an onion, de Hahn reveals slowly Agnes’ reason for changing course in her career as we learn more about her personal life. Her husband has recently died, and this side story intermingles seamlessly with the main plotline. It is not resolved, leaving plenty of room for a second book about Agnes (snippets of which this reviewer has had the pleasure of reading via a writing group with de Hahn). This emotional complexity adds depth to the standard murder mystery.
De Hahn’s background informs the story. Her academic studies were in both architecture and history, and she lived in Switzerland for a time with her Swiss-born husband. The author’s descriptions of the chateau, mansion and Swiss landscape that comprise the setting paint stunning visuals in readers’ minds. De Hahn utilizes her knowledge of World War II history in the diary. In a clever ploy, de Hahn makes Agnes a Swiss-American – not unlike herself – so that she can weave in aspects of Swiss culture organically, from a foreigner’s point of view.
The pacing is perfect; when one question is answered, another surfaces to keep readers’ interest and build suspense. The plot is tightly wound with all details playing into the ultimate solution to the murder. Unlike many plot-driven mysteries, even de Hahn’s peripheral characters have some depth. Readers may trip over the French names and need to pay close attention if they have any hope of solving the mystery, which this reviewer failed to do.
Maybe next time…as I look forward to Agnes’ second adventure.
ARC Review: Swiss Vendetta by Tracee de Hahn (Agnes Luthi Mysteries #1)
Posted on February 7, 2017 by luvtoread
swissvendettacoverOfficial Synopsis from Goodreads: In Tracee de Hahn’s magnetic debut, Swiss police detective Agnes Luthi finds herself trapped in a chateau during the blizzard of the century when she’s called out on her first homicide.
Detective Agnes Luthi, a Swiss-American police officer in Lausanne, Switzerland, has just switched over to the Violent Crimes unit from Financial Crimes in an effort to shed all reminders of her old life after her husband’s death. Now, on the eve of the worst blizzard Lausanne has seen in centuries, Agnes has been called out on her very first homicide case. On the lawn of the grand Chateau Vallotton, along the edge of Lake Geneva, a young woman has been found stabbed to death. The woman worked for an art auction house in London, and had been taking inventory at the Chateau Vallotton, which is dripping in priceless works of art and historical treasures.
Agnes finds it difficult to draw answers out of anyone—the tight-lipped Swiss family living in the chateau, the servants who have been loyal to the family for generations, the aging WWII survivor who lives in the neighboring chateau, even the American history student studying at the Vallotton castle’s library. As the storm rages on, roads become impassible, the power goes out around Lake Geneva, and Agnes finds herself trapped in the candlelit halls of the chateau with all the players of the mystery, out of her depth in her first murder case and still struggling to stay afloat after the death of her husband.
Genre: Mystery
Setting: Modern day Lausanne, Switzerland
***I received an eARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.***
Review: An exellent mystery with twists and turns and a classic feel. I loved it!
Swiss Vendetta by Tracee de Hahn is one of those rare finds that delivers a compelling mystery, a likeable heroine, and a stunning setting. Set in modern day Lausanne, Switzerland, our main character is Agnes Luthi, a detective who has recently transferred into Violent Crimes following the death of her husband. On an evening with a terrible ice storm, a body is discovered on the grounds of Chateau Vallotton, and Luthi goes to investigate and soon becomes trapped at the Chateau because of the storm.
With no power and no means of communication to the outside world, Luthi is at the Chateau with her former boss, Robert Carnet, who works in the Financial Crimes unit. Luthi and Carnet investigate the case.
I really loved the character of Agnes Luthi. Agnes is recovering from the death of her husband, and her husband’s death is a big plot point in the book. I appreciate mysteries that bring in our detectives personal lives into the plot; the books always feel more relatable and realistic to me. Agnes was methodical and logical in her investigation, and I enjoyed her interactions with Vladimir Arsov, a wealthy neighbor who is haunted by WWII. The character of Arsov brings a melancholy, historical aspect to the mystery, which reminded me of Jacqueline Winspear’s Maisie Dobbs series.
Along with Arsov, we have the Vallotton family: handsome Julien, the adventurous (and injured) Daniel, Daniel’s beautiful wife MC, and the strong marquise, Antoinette Vallotton de Tornay. I liked all of these characters, and even though I liked them, they were still all logical suspects. There are a few other characters around, and with everyone trapped because of the storm, this is very much a “closed circle of suspects” mystery, which is one of my favorite situations.
Swiss Vendetta was an excellent mystery, with a dash of history, and a smart plot and heroine. It’s so refreshing to read a mystery in a modern-day setting, that hints at classic mystery elements. I truly loved this mystery and can’t wait to read more from the author!
Bottom Line: Excellent, classic-style mystery. I rated this 5 stars on Goodreads.
Swiss Vendetta
by Tracee De Hahn
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Following her husband's death, Inspector Agnes Lüthi has transferred from financial crimes to the new violent crimes unit being established in Lausanne, Switzerland. She wants a fresh start, but she discovers she's not quite ready to deal with death face-to-face again when she's called out to her first case.
A terrible ice storm is raging on Lac Léman when a young woman, Felicity Cowell, is found stabbed to death at a huge lakeside chateau. Agnes makes a literally smashing arrival as her car slides down the steep icy hill leading there. Trapped by the ice and the fallen trees, unable to contact their superiors because power and cell phone service are out, Agnes and a fellow officer are forced to stay in the candlelit chateau with the aristocratic Vallotton family, one of whom is probably the murderer. But why would any of the Vallottons want Felicity, an appraiser for a London auction house, dead? Did she discover a dark secret in the Vallotton art collection? Or could one of the servants have been involved?
A modern police procedural and yet reminiscent of Mary Stewart's gothic writing, Swiss Vendetta is an appealing first novel by Tracee de Hahn. The vivid, frigid location makes for an appropriately cold setting to a brutal murder. And Agnes's struggles to stay on task despite her own still-fresh grief make her an eminently likable heroine. --Jessica Howard, blogger at Quirky BookwormDiscover: Inspector Agnes Lüthi's first violent crimes case is a complicated one: a young woman is found stabbed to death in a Swiss chateau.
Swiss Vendetta
Agnes Luthi Mysteries, #1
I hope Agnes Luthi's career in violent crimes is just getting started.
Agnes’ very first case with violent crimes, begins during one of the worst blizzards in recent memory, just outside the famed Chateau Vallotton.
The victim, a young woman named Felicity, working on behalf of an auction house, was taking inventory of the art and historical pieces stored at the Chateau.
She was found stabbed out in the deadly cold, dressed in a beautiful evening gown, wearing a man’s coat.
Now it would seem that everyone on the premises is under suspicion. Could one of the wealthy residents have killed Felicity, or was it one of the staff, or maybe someone living in the mansion next door?
Either way, Agnes must discover the truth, which is complicated by a few stunning revelations of the victim’s past and by the ailing patriarch of the neighboring manor, who engages Agnes with the sorrowful tales of his youth.
Agnes’s depression and sadness vibrate off the pages as she suffers from the grief and pain of losing her husband, George, and facing the burden of raising her three sons without their father. But, her job helps to keep her mind occupied, and is cathartic for her, in many ways.
I really liked Agnes. Her compassion and empathy make her a different type of crime solver, even if she was a little awkward in the beginning, until she finds her footing. She’s a deep thinker who reaches into her own emotional depth to help her understand the human frailties that led to such a tragic outcome.
This is a contemporary mystery, but features a prominent historical thread, as well.
The author did a wonderful job of merging the past with the present and seamlessly blends the two together to create a well crafted mystery.
The scenery, against the backdrop of a dangerous blizzard and bone chilling cold, creates an even darker and more sinister atmosphere, trapping the suspects together, which was a nice touch.
The story did lose momentum once or twice, becoming a little too bogged down with personal dramas, but quickly regained its balance.
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!
Book Blurb for Swiss Vendetta
Swiss Vendetta, Tracee de Hahn's mesmerizing debut, is an emotionally complex, brilliantly plotted mystery set against the beautiful but harsh backdrop of a Swiss winter.
Inspector Agnes Lüthi, a Swiss-American police officer in Lausanne, Switzerland, has just transferred to the Violent Crimes unit from Financial Crimes to try to shed all reminders of her old life following her husband's death. Now, on the eve of the worst blizzard Lausanne has seen in centuries, Agnes has been called to investigate her very first homicide case. On the lawn of the grand Château Vallotton, at the edge of Lac Léman, a young woman has been found stabbed to death. The woman, an appraiser for a London auction house, had been taking inventory at the château, a medieval fortress dripping in priceless works of art and historical treasures.
Agnes finds it difficult to draw answers out of anyone—the tight-lipped Swiss family living in the château, the servants who have been loyal to the family for generations, the aging WWII survivor who lives in the neighboring mansion, even the American history student studying at the Vallotton château's library. As the storm rages on, roads become impassible, the power goes out around Lausanne, and Agnes finds herself trapped in the candlelit halls of the château with all the players of the mystery, out of her depth in her first murder case and still struggling to stay afloat after the death of her husband.
Night Owl Reviews May, 2017 4.00