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    Swiss Vendetta
    Swiss Vendetta
    Swiss Vendetta
    Audiobook10 hours

    Swiss Vendetta

    Written by Tracee de Hahn

    Narrated by Cat Gould

    3.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    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 Leman, 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 World War II 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.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTantor Media, Inc
    Release dateMar 14, 2017
    ISBN9781541470415
    Swiss Vendetta

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    Reviews for Swiss Vendetta

    3.5/5

    43 ratings13 reviews

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    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 4/5
      Tracee de Hahn does a fine job introducing us to her protagonist Agnes, setting up her backstory and the circumstances of her first murder case, and then hitting all the aspects of a murder mystery series that satisfy me. The supporting characters are complicated, and unwilling to reveal secrets, there are hidden stories that seem to bear no relevance to the case, and the main character has her own massive emotional trauma troubles to deal with. All-in-all a fine example of a good mystery story, I will return to the Agnes Luthi Mysteries in the future to get my fix.
    • 4/5
      I found this book slow to start and it was quite a while before I felt the pace picked up and the story started to reveal secrets that made it more interesting. That said, once it did pick up its pace, I began to quite enjoy it and wanted to see what was going to happen next. It kept me guessing. Some very interesting characters, and the detective's personal story and experience weighing heavy on her shoulders on her first real case gave it (and her) more depth than many murder mysteries. The extreme wealth and how the family dealt with priceless possessions was a glimpse into a world that I can't even imagine, but it made the setting fascinating to read, and I loved the history that was intertwined in both the artifacts themselves that are discussed, as well as the recollections of the nearest neighbour, a Russian WWII survivor. I think I will likely look for the next book in this series. And I loved the cover art.
    • 5/5
      Enthralling winter reading! Bundle up in your coziest blanket and in front of the fireplace, if available, with your favorite beverage to warm your body from within before the chill of the novel’s weather during the storm of the century seeps into your skin.After the loss of her husband, Detective Agnes Luthi has transferred to Violent Crimes in Lausanne, Switzerland. Agnes hasn’t even officially met Chief Étienne Bardy but expects to meet her new supervisor at the scene of her first homicide. After a perilous drive down to the crime scene along Lake Geneva, Agnes learns the victim is a young woman working at the Château Vallotton, and as Chief Bardy can’t make it to the scene due to the blizzard, Agnes is now the lead officer.The severity of the weather becomes a character in itself, preventing additional law enforcement support. The detective and those first on the scene begin their investigation, simultaneously being guests at the château. As the harsh weather conditions continue, power is lost, and the property takes on the added mystique of a locked room mystery.Atmospheric writing and character development were well-crafted and fine-tuned. The author skillfully used her architectural experience in crafting the interior of the château and villa using the architectural features to provide the means of red herrings for the investigation.
    • 4/5
      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
    • 3/5
      I liked the story, but found the narrative dreadfully dull & boring, the characters dull & slow, so I skipped over most of the beginning & middle of the book... I didn't miss a thing.I figured out immediately who the murderer was, but not why; as well as who was the thief.Again, I didn't really care for the characters and felt that the sub-plot of her husband killing himself was a moot point & mattered not. In fact I didn't even care, except the author, Most Annoyingly, kept inserting it wherever she couldSo, no matter my interest in the last 1/4 of the book; I'm calling this a dud and a waste of time.
    • 4/5
      An enjoyable book with a triple mystery and lots of details. Author's architectural background is quite evident in the description of the old chateau's extensive tunnels and stairwells scheme. The characters are many with sufficient description to form one's opinions early on. Several red herrings keep you going right through to the end. I hope this is just the first of many subsequent books in this series.Synopsis (from (book's dust jacket):Detective Agnes Lüthi, 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.
    • 4/5
      We meet Inspector Luthi on her first day at her new position. While she has been a police officer for many years, she has just recently transferred to the violent crimes unit from financial crimes. A terrible snow/ice storm is on it’s way and everyone who isn’t actively needed are going home to sit it out at the end of the day. Luthi is just getting ready to leave when she gets a call to go check out a dead body found at the home of a prominent family. As Agnes drives to the property she calls home to let her family know that she is going to a crime scene, though as the weather worsens, she wonders if it wasn’t a better idea to pass and just go home where it is safe and warm. When she gets to the property, there is a long downhill drive that is treacherous from the worsening ice storm, leaving a few dents in her car and some bark missing from trees. Her recent boss, a doctor and a climber who helped the other two down the driveway with ropes were the last to arrive. A local officer was already at the scene trying to protect any evidence from the wind and freezing rain. While it looked like a peaceful accidental death, they soon discovered that the poor girl had been murdered. On top of that, everyone was stuck at the castle, since there was no way of getting out, and all emergency personnel and vehicles were busy helping those truly in need.Inspector Luthi has her hands full, finding many secrets, by many of the people she encounters, including the old Russian, renting the nearby mansion. Some of the secrets go back to world war II. Even the victim had plenty of her own secrets, leading a double life. Which secrets were important and which might have gotten her murdered?I found this to a decently twisted plot and lots of interesting story lines. We really get to know Agnes in this book, and even for a first book she grows quite a bit. We also learn some secrets about her life and those close to her. I felt it was a good cozy with lots of depth. In some ways kind of reminds of Charles Todd’s Inspector Rutledge's mysteries.
    • 4/5
      3.5 Agnes, who has recently suffered a devastating tragedy in her own life, newly transferred to Violent crimes, receives her first case. A young woman, working to an auction house, sent to catalog the family treasure, is found murders on a bench outside the chateau. The chateau belong to the Vallotons, an aristocratic family, the chateau itself situated on a lake in Switzerland.Although resembling a country house mystery, there is also a strong element of the locked room mystery. The blizzard of the century has struck, soon power is out, telephone lines down, and cell phones are unable to get a signal. Very atmospheric, the cold, the intense ice and snow, closed in feelings, depending on candles and torches, fireplaces and extra clothes for heat, and of course a limited range of suspects. The chateau itself magnificent, so many rooms, cellars, ice houses and the characters varied and holding on to their pasts, their own secrets. There is much more going on then first appears and as Agnes investigates much is uncovered, not just in this family, but the connection to the chateau across the way, and the Family's past.A very good start to a new series, plus I think this is the first mystery I have read set in Switzerland.Well written, tightly plotted, steady pacing, and I loved how Agnes managing her own grief, still manages to stay on track and interpret the clues. I actually finished this a few days back when it was snowing here and for that kind of weather it was a perfect read.ARC from Netgalley.
    • 2/5
      Swiss Vendetta: A Mystery is Tracee de Hahn’s debut novel. Inspector Agnes Luthi is with the police force in Lausanne, Switzerland. She has just transferred from financial crimes to the violent crimes unit. Agnes is trying to get away from the memories of her recently deceased husband and its associations with her former boss, Robert Carnat. A severe winter storm is blowing into the area when Agnes is called out to her first murder scene at Chateau Vallotton on the shores of Lac Leman. Agnes has extreme difficulty in getting to the location due to the storm, but she finally arrives. The body of Felicity Cowell was found near a bench outside the chateau. Felicity is dressed in a man’s coat and boots over a vintage evening dress. Felicity had been working at the chateau for the last few weeks evaluating art for the auction house she works for in London. The storm strands Agnes at Chateau Vallotton without cell phone reception and without power. Agnes tries to question the Vallotton family and their guests, but they are less than forthcoming. But, thanks to the storm, Agnes will have extra time to ferret out answers and clues to the killer’s identity. When Mimi, the six-year-old ward of Daniel Vallotton’s father, goes missing, Agnes will have to work quickly put together all the pieces to identify the perpetrator. Will she be able to catch the killer before he (or she) strikes again?Swiss Vendetta has an interesting mystery and a unique setting. I had an extremely hard time, though, getting through this novel. It took be three attempts to finish it. The writing style is formal which makes for difficult reading. The author liked to use $10 words as my father called them (an example is imperturbability). The conversations between characters were awkward and stilted. The beginning of the book is slow as Agnes drives to the crime scene (I fell asleep twice). Then we are introduced to a litany of characters who I could not keep straight (I was finally starting to figure out who was who near the end). I wish the author had provided a pronunciation guide (it would be helpful). Agnes is a hard to character to like. It is understandable that Agnes is grieving the death of her husband, but it overpowered her (and not because of her love for him). She has two sons to consider, but Agnes is very focused on herself. We find out the circumstances surrounding the husband’s death in the second half of the book (if you can make it that far). Agnes was depressed which clouds her outlook (she bummed me out). I found some information to be repeated and there is quite a bit of speculation on Agnes’ part (since she is snowed in and lacking in evidence). The novel gets better towards the end of the book. I give Swiss Vendetta 2 out of 5 stars. Swiss Vendetta just felt flat and sorrowful.
    • 2/5
      I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.Agnes Luthi, an Inspector in Switzerland, finds herself trapped in a mansion with a blizzard and a murderer. She must put aside the feelings she is still struggling with following the death of her husband, and figure out who among the many family members and guests committed the crime.I love mysteries set in isolated settings, so I was immediately drawn to this. It doesn't get much better, creepier, or more mysterious than a mansion no outsiders ever get to enter, snowed by a massive blizzard.I also really liked that the main detective was a strong, smart, complex woman.This book tried to do too much. There were so many characters and storylines it was hard to keep them all straight, and many plot points felt like they came out of left field because so much else was going on.I wanted to love this book, but I just didn't. There was way too much going on, and the solution to the mystery, while interesting, just wasn't strong enough to carry the book.
    • 4/5
      The investigation in Swiss Vendetta only took four days, but it seemed much longer. This is due in part to the claustrophobic weather and the locked room angle of the story, but it's also due to a slow pace that hampers the first half of the book. It was much too soon for Lüthi to lead any sort of investigation, but once the truth surrounding her husband's death is revealed, the pace picks up and the inspector shows a fine eye for detail and for putting clues together.The author has created a strong, atmospheric setting as well as an intriguing mystery peopled with a varied and interesting cast. From the hidden life of the dead woman to servants who have been loyal to their employers for generations, de Hahn drew me right into the lives of the old nobility who are accustomed to their treasure-filled ancient castles and mansions.I enjoyed my visit to Lausanne and look forward to Inspector Agnes Lüthi's next case.
    • 4/5
      4.5 starsTracee 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 St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
    • 4/5
      After her husband's death Agnes transfers from the Financial Crimes division to the Violent Crime division. She needs to have a change in her life. Her first case in the division is a murder at the chateau of a long rich family. With the snow storm of the century trapping her at the chateau she might just find herself in over her head.I have to admit that most of the time I was more interested in finding out what happened to Agnes' husband, George, then who killed Felicity. Agnes was still grieving over what happened with George and kept dwelling on it that my interest shifted towards that. Once she finds out a secret about her husband she then realizes why it happened. In regards to the mystery as to who killed Felicity I was a bit annoyed at how drawn out it felt. There are a couple other mysteries in this book and they really slowed down the plot for me. Little did I know that everything would be connected at the end but I still thought certain parts were unnecessary.This appears to be the beginning of a series and I would be interested in reading more. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the galley.