From the award-winning author of Marlborough Man and Doom Creek, this atmospheric thriller plunges readers into a bloodsoaked crevasse of natural disasters, international intrigue and calculated murder.
The tiny South Island town of Franz Josef is perched precariously on New Zealand’s Alpine Fault. It already faces devastating earthquakes, floods and landslides. And now it harbours a killer.
When a body is discovered suspended in a glacier, detectives Nick Chester and Latifa Rapata are sent to investigate. More victims surface, as does a web of corruption stretching from the international aid industry to the blood-steeped fields of a civil war.
Alan Carter was born in Sunderland, United Kingdom. He immigrated to Australia in 1991 and now lives just south of Hobart. He sometimes works as a television documentary director. In his spare time, he plunges into the icy Tasmanian waters for fun. He is the author of five Cato Kwong novels – Prime Cut, Getting Warmer, Bad Seed, Heaven Sent and Crocodile Tears – and the Nick Chester novels Marlborough Man and Doom Creek, set in New Zealand.
(3/5)
Franz Josef is centred on drama around the receding glacier west of South Island NZ. The plot started with finding of a naked deceased man; an illegal refugee being supported by an underground group. Nick Chester is a contract detective working with local police solve the mystery.
It took a while before Chester emerges as a leading character, as he suffers under the hands of the protagonists and senior police. This story contains many colourful characters, lots of scenery, nasty weather events, and helicopter rides. These all assist to keep readers engaged. I really felt like Nick Chester nearly got crowded out of the story, but he was still a good main lead.
(5/5)
This is the third book in Alan Carter’s detective Nick Chester series, but it is very enjoyable as a stand-alone novel (I had never read any Alan Carter books prior to this).
I enjoyed the writing style, which was almost first-person in some places when the protagonist Nick was thinking. When I first came up against this, I worried it would make the book a bit stilted. But actually it made me feel like I was thinking along with Nick and it helped the flow of the novel.
Franz Josef is an action-packed crime story that I found hard to put down. There were plenty of twists and turns to the plot, to keep the intrigue going. I think I need to like the main protagonist in a novel in order to enjoy it, and happily there were several characters in this book who I’d like to meet in person.
I found the portrayal of rural New Zealand down-to-earth, current, and realistic, making me want to visit there again. So now I’m off to find the earlier books in the series and do a bit of catch-up!
(4/5)
As this is the first Alan Carter book I have read, I found that the style of writing was a little confusing.
The story line seemed to be a little slow to develop, but that appears to be the norm with crime drama. I found the geographical descriptions gave a nice overview of New Zealand areas, but my main issue was the method of writing conversations. While most writers would indicate who was speaking, I found Alan would quote a line then add what appears to be thoughts, by the main character, about who was talking. This led me to have to re-read sections to get the gist of the paragraph.
I really could not get “into” the book, as it seemed to be hard to follow the story line and Nick’s flashbacks. But apart from these few issues, the story does have some good points. The use of world events was handled well without actually using real identities. The introduction of natural disasters helped to pan out the story and local character development and also showed the spirit of local communities.
To sum up: Read the series from the first book and make sure you can follow the direction of the conversations.
(5/5)
Detective Nick Chester is back in another cracking read by the masterful Alan Carter.
Nick is as impulsive, intuitive and likeable as ever. Still getting in trouble for not following protocol and procedure. Still getting results … sometimes.
Nick’s investigation into a suspicious death in the alpine town of Franz Josef – assisted by smart, sassy trainee detective Lafita Rapata – uncovers corruption and violence stretching across the continents, and triggers a battle against the clock to find and stop those responsible.
Franz Josef is a compelling thriller with memorable characters, atmospheric locations, and headline-ripped societal issues. Loaded with humanity, action, and believable investigative procedure and a smattering of humour, I highly recommend it for fans of Kiwi crime, international thrillers and police procedurals. But if you’re new to the Nick Chester series, start with Marlborough Man. You’ll soon be hooked, like me.
(4/5)
I am a long standing Alan Carter fan, but I found this wasn’t my favourite book.
The story was complex, with international intrigue, climate and cultural issues, multicultural murders interwoven with police procedural tactics. These kept the book alive and engrossing. However I felt the resolution was unrealistic, given the darkness and history of the baddies.
However, as usual the story telling was capturing, and the characters likeable and interesting. Franz Josef is well-worth the read.
(3/5)
I’m a huge fan of crime fiction, and I read as much of it as I can. I love the plot twists and the suspense and I was really excited to read Franz Josef by Alan Carter.
For me, the story was good, but I’m not a big fan of his blunt style of writing. I felt the areas that were supposed to elicit shock and suspense fell flat because of the way he writes. I was confused often with who was who, there were just too many characters for me to keep track of. I like a book with more relationship connections, and this one didn’t really have any except for a hint to the main character’s marriage and a previous working history with his sidekick, Latifa.
I haven’t read any of Alan Carter’s previous books, so came at this third book in the series without any prior knowledge of the Nick Chester character. For fans of Carter’s, I would think this book would be a hit, because in general the story is good. Perhaps having the other two books in the series under my belt, I would have enjoyed this one more. A good book none the less.
(4/5)
I have read other books by Alan Carter and loved them. Franz Josef is no exception.
Detective Nick Chester is investigating several murders in the tiny town of
Franz Josef in New Zealand. The town is mainly for tourists who wish to take a helicopter flight onto the Franz Josef glacier. Having done this trip myself, it’s an exciting adventure!
I enjoyed reading Detective Chester’s point of view as the book progressed. It is written in the first person and he isn’t always happy with himself. He seems accident-prone. He is working with his partner Latifa until more police are sent to help with the more frequent murders. They find that the murders stem from an event in South Sudan many years ago.
Throughout out the book there are are many references that are purely New Zealand-based. A couple I knew, but a couple of others I wasn’t aware of. I had to stop reading and Google them.
The writing style is excellent, and the descriptions make it easy to imagine that you are on the glacier or in a long, dark tunnel. I think anyone who enjoys a good crime story would love this.
(4/5)
Thank you to Fremantle Press and Good Reading for the privilege of previewing Franz Josef by Alan Carter.
Having never read any works by Alan Carter, I was unsure what to expect, but found it was a very interesting read with numerous twists and turns. I was kept engaged throughout the novel trying to work out the old question of whodunnit and why.
Without giving anything away, it definitely points out to always remember: whatever you did in the past may come back to bite you later on down the track. And there are always consequences. The characters are believable with their own flaws, and the setting described to such perfection that you could imagine yourself there.
I would recommend Franz Josef to anyone who enjoys a good crime novel.
(4/5)
After the body of a Sudanese man was found entombed in ice, Nick Chester and his partner Latifa Rapata are called in to solve the mystery. Things soon heat up when another man goes missing and the girlfriend of the corpse is found dead. Then Carter ratchets things up again when Latifa is targeted by a hit and run driver.
Overall it was a solid read and held my interest right to the end. The tension steadily builds throughout the book, but I felt as though the story could still have been better told without the audio transcripts. The case itself was spread out over weeks instead of days, which I found very different to most crime novels, because there wasn’t much happening day-to-day. Kind of like ‘one event’ and move on to the next ordinary day.
That said, I still enjoyed Franz Josef and would read more of this series. It is a good choice for anyone who loves the crime genre, and especially those who like Gone and The Brokenwood Mysteries on TV.
(5/5)
I truly enjoyed Franz Josef. I loved reading about the earthquakes, landslides, and the country landscapes, enjoying the twist of crime and murder. Intriguing and thrilling at the same time. Thank you for letting me read this early copy.
(3/5)
An outback noir-addict since devouring Alan Carter’s Cato Kwong series, I had high expectations for Franz Josef, the third in the New Zealand–set series that began with Marlborough Man.
Reckless, impulsive, but somehow still employed – Nick Chester stumbles through a treacherous landscape. For visual readers, the descriptive prose creates sense of place, supported by Chester’s engaging and thought-provoking inner dialogue – relatable as an ordinary person grappling with global issues in an increasingly angry and violent world.
Chester’s supporting cast, present throughout the series, adds structure, continuity, and emotional buy-in for returning readers. Crime-solving, however, takes third place to setting and character, with the plot feeling muddled; tangled in war crimes and murky motives. For those who like solving the case alongside the detective, the gaps in Chester’s investigation made this a frustrating – and for me, impossible – experience. Still, the final twist is redeeming in a clever and satisfying way.
Chester’s reckless decisions and investigative blind spots stretch plausibility, raising the question: how does this guy still have a job? Maybe he doesn’t…
Franz Josef has its faults – but the ending returns readers to solid ground, giving crime fiction fans plenty to talk about.
(4/5)
The small community of Franz Josef in the South Island of New Zealand is nestled at the foot of a spectacular glacier, turning an isolated small town into a tourist hotspot. When a body with horrific injuries is discovered on the glacier, Detective Nick Chester is sent to investigate. A second victim is quickly discovered in Franz Josef itself, with injuries possibly more horrifying than the first body, and Chester soon realises that the deaths are linked to crimes of corruption and historic murders in South Sudan.
Chester is relatable, if at times frustrating, and his sidekick, the down-to-earth Latifa, is the perfect foil for him. However, Franz Josef is possibly the star of this novel. Carter does a magnificent job in conveying the conditions of this harsh environment, a perfect setting for a crime story and the brutal reasons behind the killings. Rising tension and more than one twist add up to engrossing reading experience.
(4/5)
Franz Josef plunges the reader into an evocative landscape filled with threats from the earth, the locals and possible shady international connections. It’s refreshing to read a mystery where all knowing forensic work doesn’t solve the puzzles in a few days. Instead, the slog of investigative work is really shown and the fear that must come with not being able to understand a dangerous crime.
It’s the characters that make mysteries enjoyable for me, and Alan Carter provides satisfying people who held my interest right to the final page. Having said that, the pervasive atmosphere around the glacial landscape was great.
A solid 4 out of 5 stars for me and I’ll be seeking out more of Carter’s writing.
(4/5)
Alan Carter’s fans will not be disappointed – the northern English turned Kiwi author immerses his alter-ego hero detective Nick Chester in plots tightly configured and with threatening and fatal consequences, etched within a multicultural and contemporary palimpsest.
Although not my favourite genre, every page was topical and engaging, hinting at world changing events and a story which kept me wondering what could possibly happen next. When an unexpected, foreign-born body is discovered in the tiny town’s glacier, the reader is justifiably hooked and subsequently unable to extricate themselves from the intersection of the glacier, the cast of intriguing characters and how distant problems find their way to one end of the planet in an ever-shrinking world. And then … more bodies. Carter realistically illustrates his team’s dedication despite their ties to private domestic lives and the locals who do not always welcome such drama.
Unsurprisingly, greed, patriarchy, and international tensions run wild within this novel and Nick Chester’s team unravel the mystery at significant cost. Fast paced, relatable and intrinsically quirky, Franz Joseph is a both a book and a place to visit where you will forever be looking over your shoulder.
(4/5)
If you love a good crime story, Franz Josef is a great pick. This was my first time reading Carter’s work, but it won’t be my last. I loved the setting of Franz Josef – having visited the area, I could easily visualise the locations as the story unfolded, which added an extra layer of immersion.
I really enjoyed the lead detective Nick Chester and his sharp, engaging sidekick Latifa – who ended up being my favourite character. The writing style was easy to get into, with short chapters and strong descriptions that kept the pace moving. I liked the chronological storytelling, occasionally broken up with audio transcript chapters from one of the murder victims – an interesting and effective touch.
The book weaves in recent events like COVID and the Christchurch earthquakes, giving a contemporary New Zealand context. There were a couple of twists I didn’t see coming, and although it started off as a bit of a slow burn, I found myself reading it fairly quickly once it picked up.
Overall, I’d give Franz Josef 4 stars – I’m looking forward to going back and reading the earlier Nick Chester books.
(4/5)
Unsurprisingly Alan Carter has managed another rollicking good read.
Engaged from the off, Alan Carter’s skilful depictions of the landscape, people, and the atmosphere of the locations mean we can keep our attention fixed on the action. He manages to tease us and almost convince us that we have the answers before Chester does. We never do, and this is where Alan Carter excels! But we are never made to feel stupid for getting it wrong. As a result we are always on side with Chester as he fumbles his way through his investigation.
Those familiar with Alan Carter’s work will know that nothing is simple and the complexities that develop will keep the reader engaged from start to end.
Commentary around climate change and atrocities imposed on innocents in war-ravaged South Sudan need no interpretation.
I thoroughly enjoyed this newest Nick Chester instalment. Heart strings were tugged, frustrations sympathetically felt, and Chester’s ‘never say die’ attitude keeps the story running all the way to a very satisfying conclusion.
(4/5)
Franz Josef is thoroughly enjoyable read, headed by the unorthodox Detective Nick Chester and his colleague Latifa Rapata searching for answers, all amidst the recent devastation of catastrophic floods and earthquakes.
Alan Carter’s fast paced crime thriller encompasses both local and international treachery and intrigue with far reaching consequences. The brutal crimes are equally matched by the atmospheric and dangerous, but incredibly beautiful backdrop of Franz Josef, an alpine town on the South Island of New Zealand.
I’ll definitely be reading more by Alan Carter.
(4/5)
Franz Josef remains my favourite place I’ve travelled to and is what originally drew me to this novel. I went in knowing nothing about the plot, but Carter captures the place beautifully. The wildness, the mist hanging over the glacier, and the sense that nature could shift at any moment.
The story begins with a body discovered inside the glacier, pulling Detective Sergeant Nick Chester and his colleague Latifa Rapata into a tangled investigation. What I didn’t expect was the story to stretch beyond this small town on the South Island of New Zealand to corruption in the global aid industry. Carter balances the local and the international well, showing how even a remote community isn’t immune to the world’s darker currents.
The pacing is slow at times, particularly at the start, and there are a lot of characters to keep track of. However the atmosphere and bubbling tension make up for this. The ending delivers and makes the slower journey there all the more worthwhile for the payoff.
This is the third book in a series, but can easily be read standalone and I’d highly recommend it for any crime fiction fans.
(5/5)
I previously enjoyed Alan Carter’s Prize Catch, so was keen to read his latest, Franz Josef – the third book in his Nick Chester series. I love Alan’s ability to transport me to various locations – this time, the town of Franz Josef in New Zealand. I enjoyed the contrast between natural killers (earthquakes, floods, landslides) and the human variety. I was gripped from the moment a body was discovered in a glacier.
Franz Josef is an atmospheric read filled with strong characters. The police investigation felt authentic, and as bodies piled up, I found myself unable to put the book down.
Alan beautifully describes the landscape, with the location feeling like a character itself. He’s not afraid to delve into heavy and relevant themes or change locations – even South Sudan features along the way. The dialogue was strong, and I enjoyed the final twist that I didn’t see coming.
Despite not reading the previous two books in this series, I still enjoyed this one – which can be read as a stand-alone. A great read. Highly recommend it. I look forward to seeing where the series goes next.
(4/5)
Franz Josef is a glacier town clinging to a vulnerable strip of New Zealand’s southern
coastline. It gets hammered by storms and, at any moment, could be torn in half by a tear in a big fault line. A perfect, moody backdrop then for crime writer Alan Carter to create havoc with some of the bleak impulses of human nature.
Detective Nick Chester discovers a frozen naked corpse on the glacier. It is no ordinary cadaver, and its identification connects to unspeakable events in South Sudan, Kiwis who have crossed very dark lines, an audacious bid to reach the top of the United Nations and, along the way, an impressive body count. All the time Franz Josef – or FJ as we come to know it – is never far from events.
Carter puts his protagonist Chester through the mill in this book, the third in a compelling series. The dogged investigator takes a freezing tumble down a crevasse, gets banged up by a psychopathic killer and nearly garotted by an unwelcome passenger in his car. Readers will be fervently hoping his transplanted British cop will recover his mojo for another crack at the bad guys.
(5/5)
What an amazing novel to keep the reader on the seat of their chair! An epic mystery that keeps on giving right to the very end!
Love the real life locations which aids the reader in becoming apart of the storyline.
I highly recommend Franz Josef for any crime reader!
(5/5)
In the remote town of Franz Josef, Nick Chester and Latifa are sent to investigate an unusual death. But one death becomes three and an attempted murder. Nick and Latifa are tested to their physical and investigative limits. Caught up in an international crime syndicate, Nick pushes the boundaries as he tries to solve the case. A gripping read.