The Magician's Accomplice (Commander Jana Matinova Investigation)

Praise for Michael Genelin:

“The resourceful and prodigiously insightful Jana seems to have no flaws. But it isn't her feats of superheroism that give the story its chilly sense of reality; it’s her casual acceptance of the almost universal corruption of everyone who lives in her world.”—The New York Times Book Review

“Genelin effectively brings a relatively unknown country like modern Slovakia to life for American readers.”—Booklist

“Genelin ratchets up the prose with smooth suspense, evocative locales, and distinctive characters who leap from the page.”—Publishers Weekly

Devastated by her lover’s death in an explosion—on the same day an indigent student was shot and killed in sleepy Bratislava—Jana is transferred to The Hague, headquarters of the international police force Europol. On the flight she encounters a retired magician, the dead student’s uncle, who is determined to help Jana investigate his nephew’s death. And his help is indeed needed as Jana faces an international criminal conspiracy emanating from Europol itself.

Michael Genelin is a graduate of UCLA and UCLA Law School. He has served as a consultant for the US State Department and USAID in Central Europe, Africa, Asia, and Haiti. He lives with his wife in Paris.

"In Genelin's superb third novel featuring Slovakian police commander Jana Matinova (after 2009's Dark Dreams), a late-night call plunges Matinova into an unusual murder case. A professional hit man has gunned down university student Denis Macek, who sneaked into the dining room of a swanky Bratislava hotel to get free food. Matinova has barely begun to investigate before she learns that her lover, prosecutor Peter Saris, who'd been conducting a sensitive corruption inquiry, has been killed by a bomb set in his office phone. To prevent her from seeking revenge, her supervisor transfers Matinova to Europol headquarters in The Hague, where her predecessor as her country's representative has vanished. Macek's uncle, a retired magician, tracks the commander down, and the pair scheme to bring those responsible for their losses to justice. Genelin brilliantly blends action and detection, never allowing the plot twists to overshadow his characters' humanity. (July)" Publishers Weekly (Copyright PWyxz LLC)

Devastated by her lover’s death in an explosion—on the same day an indigent student was shot and killed in sleepy Bratislava—Jana is transferred to The Hague, headquarters of the international police force Europol. On the flight she encounters a retired magician, the dead student’s uncle, who is determined to help Jana investigate his nephew’s death. And his help is indeed needed as Jana faces an international criminal conspiracy emanating from Europol itself.

Michael Genelin is a graduate of UCLA and UCLA Law School. He has served as a consultant for the US State Department and USAID in Central Europe, Africa, Asia, and Haiti. He lives with his wife in Paris.