When I was eight, we lived in a neighborhood that was still being built. Our narrow suburban street had families living on either side in small concrete houses with carports and tidy front yards. But only a few blocks away, there were half-built homes and vacant lots. We children—mostly boys, but I wasn’t the onlyContinue reading “Switzerland’s Junkyard Playgrounds”
Author Archives: Kim Hays
Trials Reconsidered
Until I watched a man in Bern being tried for attempted murder, I assumed trials required juries. But Switzerland doesn’t use juries; instead, it holds bench trials, where judges alone decide if defendants are innocent or guilty. I did some research to find out more about trials in Bern. I learned that juries generally existContinue reading “Trials Reconsidered”
A Joyful Novel
I’m not even going to try to come up with a list of the best books I read in 2023. But I can tell you about the book that delighted me most: Ann Patchett’s Tom Lake. A review in the Guardian calls it “an engaging exploration of contentment,” but I’m glad I didn’t read thatContinue reading “A Joyful Novel”
Debbi Mack’s Crime Café
Debbi Mack, the author of two mystery series, interviews fellow crime fiction writers on her podcast, Crime Café. So many of us want to be on her show that when I tried in February 2022 to sign up for a slot, she didn’t have a space for me until December 15, 2023! This turned outContinue reading “Debbi Mack’s Crime Café”
‘Tis the Season
This year, Bern’s Christmas season started on December 3, the first day of Advent. The official purpose of Advent is to celebrate the coming of Christ with four Sunday services before December 25, but since few Swiss attend church, it’s a time for feeling festive and getting a head start on baking the many sortsContinue reading “‘Tis the Season”
A Small Blast on My Own Trumpet
A little over a year ago, I shared my pleasure when Pesticide, the first Linder and Donatelli mystery, received a starred review from Kirkus. Since then, there’ve been no more Kirkus stars for my Polizei Bern books, although Sons and Brothers and the forthcoming A Fondness for Truth (April 2024) were praised by its reviewers.Continue reading “A Small Blast on My Own Trumpet”
The Small Miracle of Switzerland’s Federal Council
These days, when I feel brave enough to contemplate the state of the world, I worry about the integrity (and, in some cases, the sanity) of many national leaders. Even democracies, supposedly built with checks and balances, don’t seem to be able to stop their heads of state from making truly disastrous decisions. That’s whyContinue reading “The Small Miracle of Switzerland’s Federal Council”
Latest Interview about the Polizei Bern Books
I became a published writer nineteen months ago, and since then I’ve been interviewed several times for podcasts or write-ups. So far, I’ve enjoyed the experience of answering questions about my books. Recently, I was asked to do something new for me, an “interview” in writing, and that was even more satisfying. No more reflectingContinue reading “Latest Interview about the Polizei Bern Books”
The Allure of THE BLUE SWORD
Since my last blog post was about Bern and pumpkins, and the previous posts were about me, I sat down today planning to write about a recently read book. I went through a list of the last six months of titles and found that I didn’t want to review a single one, although I’d admiredContinue reading “The Allure of THE BLUE SWORD”
Bern Learns to Eat Pumpkins
Countless things, big and small, serious and frivolous, have changed since I moved to Bern thirty-five years ago. The people filling the city’s streets are no longer 98% white, and grocery stores now offer shelves full of Thai, Chinese, Indian, and Mexican food. There are many popular East- and South-Asian restaurants and even one Ethiopian place;Continue reading “Bern Learns to Eat Pumpkins”
Kim Hays 