Bern, Switzerland
Surrounded by a river and well-known for its medieval towers and cathedral, narrow cobblestoned streets, and colorful fountains, Bern is orderly and beautiful. Yet dark currents run through this charming medieval city and on to the idyllic farmlands surrounding it.
“For aficionados of fine police detection and procedure, it doesn’t get better than Kim Hays’s Linder and Donatelli series. Puzzling mysteries, artful prose, and engaging characters abound in these Swiss-based treats for mystery fans of all tastes.” —GEORGE EASTER, Editor, Deadly Pleasures Mystery Magazine
2025 Release
A twisty, humane procedural . . .The suspense is richly layered [and] . . . Hays keeps the pages turning with urgent personal stakes, twists that make logical sense, and a deep humanity. —BOOKLIFE REVIEWS
Another sharply observed and savvy police procedural from Kim Hays, with people who feel real.—MARTIN WALKER, author of the Bruno, Chief of Police series
Expertly paced and crafted. . . . Linder and Donatelli have joined my list of favorite detectives.—DEBORAH CROMBIE, author of the Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James series
A page-turner [that] . . . can also be enjoyed slowly, like a delicious Swiss chocolate.—KIRKUS REVIEWS
“Kim Hays hits it out of the park with her debut novel, Pesticide, giving this twisty police procedural lots of heart by creating characters that the reader truly cares about. It is a must read for mystery lovers.
Allen Eskens, bestselling and award-winning author of the Max Rupert and Joe Talbot mysteries
“The second outing of Linder and Donatelli is as crisp and skilled as the first, with our police duo digging beneath the beauty of Bern to the shadows beneath . . . Brisk plot, depth of character, great setting–what’s not to love?”
Laurie R. King, Edgar Award-winning author of the Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes series
“A Fondness for Truth feels fresh as it engages with social conflicts that resonate . . . Hays’s empathetic, entertaining, smartly plotted mystery will keep readers guessing . . . in this stellar series procedural with compelling detectives.”
BOOKLIFE REVIEWS
Kim Hays, a citizen of Switzerland and the United States, lived in San Juan, Vancouver, Stockholm, Cambridge, MA, and Berkeley before moving to Bern. She has worked as a factory forewoman, lecturer in sociology, and cross-cultural trainer and now writes the Polizei Bern series of crime novels. She has lived in Bern with her Swiss husband for thirty-seven years; they have a thirty-two-year-old son.
Ask your local bookstore and public library to order the Polizei Bern mysteries for their shelves. The books are distributed by Simon and Schuster: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Pesticide/Kim-Hays/A-Linder-and-Donatelli-Mystery/9781645060468
Or order a paperback or eBook from Amazon by clicking on the titles. Pesticide, Sons and Brothers, A Fondness for Truth, Splintered Justice
Kim Hays 